**Lesson Plan: Introduction to Famous Artists**
**Grade Level**: 3rd Grade
**Duration**: 60 minutes
**Subject**: Art
**Topic**: Art History
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**Objective**:
- Students will learn about four famous artists: Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo, and Claude Monet.
- Students will recognize the unique styles and contributions of each artist.
- Students will create a simple art piece inspired by one of the artists studied.
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**Materials**:
- Color pictures of famous paintings from each artist (printed or digital)
- Chart paper and markers
- Art supplies: crayons, colored pencils, watercolor paints, oil pastels, construction paper, scissors, and glue
- A short video clip for each artist (optional)
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**Introduction (10 minutes)**:
1. **Warm-up Discussion**
- Begin with a short discussion: "What is art?" and "What do you know about famous artists?"
- Write their responses on a chart paper.
2. **Purpose Setting**
- Explain that today, they will learn about four famous artists who made significant contributions to art.
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**Instruction (30 minutes)**:
1. **Presentation** (5 minutes per artist)
- **Vincent van Gogh**: Show "Starry Night." Discuss his use of bold colors and swirling patterns. Share a few facts, like his post-impressionist style and his life in the Netherlands.
- **Pablo Picasso**: Show "The Weeping Woman." Talk about his role in creating Cubism and his use of abstract forms. Mention his Spanish heritage and his long career.
- **Frida Kahlo**: Show "The Two Fridas." Highlight her surrealist self-portraits and her use of symbolism. Talk about her Mexican roots and how her life experiences influenced her work.
- **Claude Monet**: Show "Water Lilies." Discuss his role in Impressionism and his technique of capturing light and color. Mention his French background and love for nature.
2. **Video Clips** (Optional)
- Show short (1-2 minutes) clips about each artist to give visual and auditory learners more context.
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**Activity (15 minutes)**:
- **Create your own Masterpiece**:
- Students choose one artist who inspired them the most.
- Provide a brief demonstration on drawing inspiration from an artist's style without copying their work exactly.
- Students create a piece of art using the style of their chosen artist (e.g., oil pastels for van Gogh's bold strokes, collage for Picasso's abstract forms, symbolism for Kahlo's self-portraits, or watercolor for Monet's light and color).
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**Closing (5 minutes)**:
1. **Gallery Walk**
- Organize a quick "gallery walk" where students display their artwork on their desk and walk around to view everyone’s creation.
2. **Reflection**
- Have a brief discussion where students share which artist they chose and why.
- Ask students to think about how the styles they learned about today can influence their future art projects.
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**Differentiation**:
- Provide different levels of guidance depending on students' needs.
- Group students for peer support where stronger artists can help those needing more assistance.
- Offer additional resources like coloring sheets or step-by-step drawing guides.
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**Assessment**:
- Informal assessment during discussions and gallery walk.
- Observation of student participation and engagement during the activity.
- Review the artwork created to see if students incorporated elements of the chosen artist’s style.
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**Extension**:
- Read a short biography of one of the artists during the next lesson.
- Visit a local art museum or virtual museum tour featuring works by these artists.
- Have students write a few sentences about what they learned and which artist's style they liked the most.