Lesson Title: Inspiring Rhythmic Art with Music

Content Standards:

 Strand II: Elements and Principles (EP). 1. Select and use elements of art for their effect
in communicating ideas through artwork.
o Grade 7: Identify and use rhythmic lines
o Grade 7: Identify and use rhythmic shapes
Instructional Goals/Overview: Instructional goals include showing students examples of
rhythm in artworks that is regular and random. Students will start with a Visual Thinking
Strategy (VTS) to explore visual rhythm. Afterwards, the teacher will present a PowerPoint with
the objectives, more artworks with visual rhythm for examples, and slides introducing the
activity/ art project for the day. At the end of the class time students will have identified and
created their own works of art using rhythmic lines and shapes.
Measurable Learning Objective(s):
 After the VTS activity and PowerPoint presentation students will be able to identify
rhythmic lines and shapes.
 Students will make connections between the music they are listening to and visual
qualities/marks that can represent the music through drawing.
 At the conclusion of this lesson students will have created a drawing with rhythmic lines
and shapes.

Materials/Resources Required for Lesson:

 Drawing Paper, 1 practice, 1 final (2 pieces per student)

 Markers
 Pencils
 CD of music for lesson (The Melody of Rhythm: Triple Concerto & Music for Trio) (#4 and
#7 for practice, and #5 for final song)
 CD player
 Projector
 Teacher made examples of the art assignment
 PowerPoint with objectives and examples of rhythmic line and shape.
Pre-assessment/Prerequisite Knowledge and Skills: Students will need to know how to use
pencils, and markers to create marks on drawing paper. Knowledge of the color wheel and art
elements and principles will help students in the creation of their artwork. I will be assessing
what students already know based on their responses in the VTS exercise. From that exercise I
will add more or less detailed information about the PowerPoint examples of artworks with
rhythm.
Vocabulary Overview:

 Rhythm: The repeated use of similar elements such as color, line, or shape. Also, the
smooth transition from one part to another in a work of art.
o Random rhythm – Repeating elements with no specific regular interval creates
random rhythms.
o Alternating rhythm – You can repeat more than one element in a design. In an
alternating design, you use a 1-2-1-2-1-2 pattern.
o Regular rhythm – Like the beating of a heart, the regular rhythm follows the
same intervals over and over again.
o Flowing rhythm – A flowing rhythm shows the repeated elements following
bends, curves, and undulations. In nature, you can see this in the waves on a
beach or sand dunes.
o Progressive rhythm – We can make a progressive rhythm simply by changing one
characteristic of a motif as we repeat it. We could draw a series of circles, one
above the other, making each lower one larger.
 Line: The path of a moving point.
 Shape: The area enclosed by an outline
Instructional Procedures:

 Opening Hook: The teacher will project Wassily Kandisky’s painting Composition 8 on
the board saying, “Today we are going to learn about visual rhythm. We will start by
analyzing Kandinsky’s painting composition 8. I want you each to look closely at the
painting for a minute and make mental notes about what you see in the painting.” After
waiting a minute the teacher will ask the class to raise their hands to comment on the
questions asked. The teacher will ask, “What’s going on in this picture? … What makes
you say that? … What else can we find?” Until he/she feels the painting has been fully
explored.
 Teachers Actions: After the VTS activity the teacher will introduce the objectives,
vocabulary, and show more examples of artists who used visual rhythm in their works,
reviewing with the students how rhythm is used in each work. Next, the teacher will
introduce the student’s assignment for the day, creating their own rhythmic works of art
inspired by music played during class.
 Student Actions: First the teacher will have students practice drawing rhythm using
drawing paper folded into half hamburger style, listening to 2 different instrumental
songs. The visuals created for each song should be different. Next, the teacher will
explain that they are going to create a finished rhythmic drawing using drawing
materials while listening to one song for 10mins. As the song plays students will create
their rhythmic drawings.
 Closure: 10 minutes before class ends the teacher will ask students to wrap up their
work. The teacher will ask students to turn to their neighbor at the table and share what
 parts/sounds of the song are represented by the lines and shapes in their drawings.
After 3-5 minutes of sharing with their neighbor the teacher will ask a few students to
share with the whole class. The teacher will then summarize the key concepts for
students at the end of closure (see objectives).
 Clean Up: 5 minutes before class ends students will clean up their drawing materials and
turn in their drawings (practice and final) with names on the back!
Check for Understanding/Questions and Assessment(s): The teacher will check for
understanding when showing the artist examples in the PowerPoint asking students to pick out
the visual rhythm in each work of art. Also, as students are working the teacher will rotate
around the room discussing each student’s progress as they draw.
Differentiation Strategies:

 Content: If a student is not able to connect the sounds of the music to a visual
representation of lines and shapes they can create a rhythmic composition from their
imagination (not inspired by the music).
 Product: If a student in struggling with using markers (colors) on the final drawing they
could just use pencil.
 Process: If a student is having trouble getting started they could listen to the song once
all the way through and then start drawing. Auditory learners can listen to my
instructions as I speak them. Reading/Writing learners can read the steps on the power
point/ board. Visual learners can view the practice drawings I created.
 Environment: If a student is having trouble focusing on their drawing because of
classmates they can be moved to the safe seat. If talking becomes a distraction the
teacher can take voices down to a level 0.