Lesson Plan Format

Class: Year 7 VA4

Date: 9/6/15

Time: Start: __________8.40______________

Finish: _______9.30__________________

Key Learning Area: Portraits

Visual art Practice: Critical and Historical

studies Frames

Lesson Topic: Introduction to Portraits

Conceptual Frameworks: Artwork and Audience
Frameworks: Structural artist use signs and symbols that communicate meaning, artwork can be
thought of as symbolic objects within the convention of isual language, materials forms and motif,
representing ideas and communicating meaning, audience read art as symbol and signs, meaning is
coded and what materials were used
Artwork & Artist: Vincent Van Gogh Self Portrait

Recent Prior Experience (specific relevant concepts, skills and values the school students have experienced prior to this lesson):
Students will be learning about a new topic on Portraits. They have been working on their self portrait drawings. Students may have a brief prior knowledge
about this topic. Student will look at various meanings of what Portrait is and why artist create portraits. Students will also look at various artists who work with
Portraits such as Salvador Dali, Frida Khalo, Picasso and Vincent Van Gogh. In this lesson students will explore the structural frames and techniques that was
used in Van Gogh artwork such as colours, lines, materials, shapes, patterns and brush techniques etc as a class. Students will then analyses another Vincent
Van Gogh portrait individually or in pairs and discuss to the class.
Syllabus Outcome(s):
One or two only. Please note the syllabus
reference number AND write out in full.

Indicators of Learning for this lesson:

Behaviours that contribute toward achievement of outcome(s).
Quote syllabus numbers. Must be clear, specific, observable.
Curriculum Content Strands may be used as headings.

Assessment:
Strategies which will be used to assess
learners attainment of learning outcomes.
Should be linked to each learning indicator.

-4.8 Explores the function of and

relationship between artwork-audienceartist-world

By the end of this lesson, the students will:

-Students will copy the definition from the

powerpoint of portraits into their visual art
diary

- 4.7 Explores aspect of practice in critical

and historical interpretations of art

- Learn about the belief, value and meaning about artwork from
the structural frame

- 4.9 Begins to acknowledge that art can

be interpreted from different point of view

- Identify and seek to explain how artist and audience can read
artworks as images or texts by understanding convention
including codes, symbols and signs and how these are embedded
in the material and conceptual organization of artworks

- Be able to define the meaning of a what a portrait is

- Evaluate, judge asses how they feel about Vincent Van Goghs
self portrait artwork

- Students look at an artwork of Vincent Van

Gogh self portrait on the powerpoint and
analyses as a class the structural frame and
complete a worksheet. Students will copy
and fill out the table describing each
structural elements about the artwork.

- Students look at another Van Gogh self

portrait and complete a table of the structural
component individually or in pairs in the
visual art diary

- Students discuss with the class their

answers
- Students will answer a series of questions
about the structural frame of the artwork
asked by the teacher

Any safety issues to be considered:

Resources:
List resources you used in preparing the lesson AND those used in the lesson implementation.
- Powerpoint
- projectors
- worksheet 1 & 2
- visual Arts Diary
- NGA gallery websites
- pencils, rubbers, papers
http://www.nga.gov/conte nt/ngaweb/education/teachers/lessons-activities/self-portraits/vangogh.html
http://www.biography.com/people/vincent-van-gogh-9515695

LESSON SEQUENCE
Lesson Content / Indicators of Learning
(What is Taught):
Note key skills, concepts and values
addressed in each section. Link to your
Indicators of Learning.
INTRODUCTION

Timing
(mins)

Teaching Strategies / Learning Experiences:

(How it is taught)
Write detailed steps showing what the teacher (T) will do and
what students (Ss) will do.

8.40
(3mins)

T ask students to line up outside of the classroom

T waits until Ss are waiting in line quietly
T instructs Ss that when they come into the class, they are to
put their bags away on the shelf and to get out their writing
equipment, take a seat and wait for instruction.

8.43
(2mins)

When Ss are quietly sitting down in the classroom, T will

introduce name, let Ss know the Teachers name is written on
the board if they need to ask for any help and/or questions
throughout the lesson.
T will mark the Roll and call out Ss name
Ss respond to T
T will briefly explain to the class what they will be doing in the

8.45
(3mins)

Resources and Organisation:

- Whiteboard marker
- Laptop
- Projector
- Powerpoint presenation

8.50
(2mins)

lesson:
- Ss will be learning about Portraits and what a
Portrait is
- Ss will look at different types of portraits by different
artist on the powerpoint
- Ss will explore a painting of Vincent Van Goghs
Self-portrait and as a class talk about the artwork
- Ss will complete a worksheet together as a class

DEVELOPMENT

Q/What do you think a Portrait is?

A/

8.52
(8mins)

T open up the powerpoint onto the projector about Portraits

T ask Ss to open their Visual Art Diary and write the title
Portraits in their Diary
T ask Ss to complete a Think, Pair Share activity
T ask Ss to get in pairs with the person next to them to jot
down notes in the Visual art Diary about what they think a
Portrait is.
T informs Ss that they have 3-4 minutes to complete this task
and they they will share their opinion to the class.
T pick out Ss around the class to share their answers to the
class
Ss respond to T,
T to compliment them on their effort for trying

9.00
(5mins)

T will open the slide on pp about the definition of what a

Portrait means
T ask a Ss to volunteer to read the definition out loud to the
class
Ss will copy down the definition of Portraiture in their Visual Art
diary

9.05
(5mins)

T will show on the pp four examples of different types of

Portraits and explain briefly about each Portraits (what
material used, style, the artist of the work)
T ask Ss which portrait is their favorite and why

9.10
(5mins)

T will introduce the class to the artist Vincent Van Gogh on the
pp with a brief background and biography about the artist.
T to handout worksheet about Vincent Van Goghs self portrait
painting
T will explain to class that they will be focusing on one artwork

Q/What does Portrait mean?

A/

Q/Why do artist create portraits?

A/

- Ss Visual Art Diary

- Pens/Pencil/ Glue
- Worksheet 1 and 2

Q/Who has heard about the artist Van

Gogh?
Q/What is the structural frame?
A/ A structural frame is
Q/Who is Vincent Van Gogh?
A/
Q/What types of colours have been used?
A/ By placing complementary colors (redgreen, orange-blue, yellow-purple) right
next to each other, he made the canvas
seem to vibrate.
six essential colorsredblueyellow
orangevioletgreen,
expressive and emotive, Van Gogh was
making a comparison. The dark swirls of
paint, his greenish skin tone, and burning
gaze make the earlier portrait more
agitated.

and that they will be mainly looking at the structural frame

T select one student to read out loud to the class the definition
of the structural frame.
Ss read what a Structural Frame means
9.15
(10mins)

Ss to read out what the Task on the sheet says.

T will go through the different structural technique on the
powerpoint while looking at the artwork.
T ask Ss question from the table on the worksheets
Ss and T will answer the questions as a class
Ss to fill out the answers in the appropriate table
*If theres time
T to handout Worksheet 2
T explain the task
Ss will complete a second worksheet and complete the same
task as worksheet one but with a different portrait individually
or in pairs.
Ss to glue both their worksheet in the Visual Art Diary when
they have finish.
Ss to copy and answer a series of questions from the pp about
the artwork in the Visual art Diary if they have finished both
worksheets early.
T to show an interesting pictures and facts about Van Goghs
artwork to the class from the power point.

Q/Does the lines create a feeling of a

movement
A/ Van Gogh says he was calmer in the one
with the light blue swirling background.
Does that surprise you? If you thought the
swirling background might suggest he was
more upset or nervous, youre not alone
Behind the head, instead of painting the
ordinary wall of the mean room, I paint
infinity, a plain background of the richest
blue . . . and the bright head against the
rich blue background gets a mysterious
effect, like a star in the sky, in the depths of
azure.

Q/How has the paint been applied?

A/ thick and energetic brushwork
thickly painted strokes on his canvases:
dots, short stripes, parallel marks lined up
straight, radiating from a point, or flowing
across the canvas, comma-shaped marks,
swirly strokes, angled lines, and lots of
cross-hatching, he conveys a nervous
energy.
Q/What is the size of the artwork?
A/65cm x 54.5cm
CLOSURE
9.25
(5mins)

9.30

T ask Ss to pack away their equipment

T ask students to stand behind their table while waiting for the
bell
T ask each Ss what they learnt from the lesson
Ss respond to T
T reminds Ss what they need to bring for next Lesson
T briefly explains to Ss what that they will be continuing on the
lesson on Van Gough
T to dismiss class when the bell goes

Worksheet 1

SELF-Portrait Of Vincent Van Gogh

Looking at the Structural Framework of Vincent Van Goghs Self Portrait
painting.
Definition of the Structural Frame: focus on the use of materials and
techniques; use of line, shape and textures
Task: As a class, look at Vincent Van Gogh Artworks of his self-portrait and
describe the structural techniques used in his artwork.
Who is Vincent Van Gogh?
Vincent van Gogh is considered the greatest Dutch painter after Rembrandt,
although he remained poor and virtually unknown throughout his life. Vincent
van Gogh was born on March 30, 1853, in Groot-Zundert, Netherlands. Van
Gogh was a post-impressionist painter whose work, notable for its beauty,
emotion and color, highly influenced 20th century art. He struggled with
mental illness, and remained poor and virtually unknown throughout his life.
Van Gogh died in France on July 29, 1890, at age 37, from a self-inflicted
gunshot wound.

Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890)

Self-Portrait 1889
Oil on canvas
H. 65; W. 54.5 cm
Paris,
Muse d'Orsay

Structural
Description
Techniques
Colours

What types of colours have been used? (eg. Bright, dull, pale, natural, warm, cool, contrasting,
earthy etc )

Lines

Does the lines create a feeling of a movement? The eyes follow a line, observe any vertical,
horizontal, diagonal, curves lines

Materials

What materials were used to create the artwork? Eg. Paint (acrylic, oil, etc)

Brush
strokes

How has the paint been applied? (are the brushstrokes

small/large/rough/precise/detailed/smooth, unnoticeable, dotty/streaky/etc?)

Size

Signs/
Symbols

Shapes

Worksheet 2

SELF-Portrait Of Vincent Van Gogh

Looking at the Structural Framework of Vincent Van Goghs Self Portrait
painting.
Definition of the Structural Framework: focus on the use of materials and
techniques; use of line, shape and textures
Task: In pairs or by yourself, look at Vincent Van Gogh Artwork below of his
self-portrait and describe the structural techniques used in his artwork.

Vincent van Gogh

Dutch, 18531890
Self-Portrait, 1889
oil on canvas, 57.2 x 43.8 cm (22 1/2 x 17 1/4 in.

Questions:
1.Why do you think an artist create portraits?
2. What can you see in the painting?
3. Find the focal point, why are you attracted to this point? Is it a dark, light, 4.
large, small/different coloured area?
5. What do you think Van Gogh is saying to the viewer in this self-portrait?
6. How does the artwork make you feel? (eg. Happy,sad, calm, relaxed,
anxious, confused)
7.Do you like this artwork? Yes/No? Why?/Why not?

Structural
Description
Techniques
Colours

What types of colours have been used? (eg. Bright, dull, pale, natural, warm, cool, contrasting,
earthy etc )

Lines

Does the lines create a feeling of a movement? The eyes follow a line, observe any vertical,
horizontal, diagonal, curves lines

Materials

What materials were used to create the artwork? Eg. Paint (acrylic, oil, etc)

Brush
strokes

How has the paint been applied? (are the brushstrokes

small/large/rough/precise/detailed/smooth, unnoticeable, doty/streaky/etc?)

Size

Signs/
Symbols

Shapes