Art and "X"

Group size: 3-4 students
Activity time: 60-70 minutes

‍Created by: Cindy Atman

Art has been used as an effective way to teach about many topics.  Here is a specific example that uses art to teach about hard-to-teach topics such as “perspective”.  We call the activity Art and “X” because a teacher could use the structure to teach about topics such as perspective, resilience, leadership, critical thinking, conflict resolution, etc.

We have specifically used this activity to teach about both perspective and resilience.  The description here is for the topic of perspective.

In “Art and Perspective” students find and share art pieces that reflect the concept of “perspective”.

Perspective is an important part of design. Designers and engineers focus on multiple users and stakeholders’ perspectives, and take into account the context of the space they’re in. However, perspective may be difficult to describe, operationalize, and practice. What does “perspective” or “point of view” mean to you and your students?

The purpose of this activity is to help students practice thinking about perspective through art.  

This activity can help students: 

• Think artistically—visually, spatially, musically, etc. 
• See the importance of perspective in design 
• Understand empathy through perspective
• Practice communicating complex ideas to their peers

• A copy of our shared Google Slide deck: Art and Perspective Template
• Student personal devices

1. Open this shared Google Slide deck: Art and Perspective Template. 
2. This slide deck has an example and one template. Each student takes two slides, a Part 1 and a Part 2. Feel free to duplicate the template to create spaces for more students, or choose to have your students make copies of the template when they are editing the deck. some text
   1. Note that during the activity, students will be recording notes (phrases and concepts) on their own Part 2 slides. 
3. Click the “Share” button and in the popup adjust the settings so anyone with the link may edit the slide deck. Send this link to your students. 

1. In groups, give students 10 minutes to discuss what “perspective” and “point of view” mean to them. Have each student record a phrase or sentence that captures their takeaway about perspective on their own Part 2 slides.
2. Give students 20 minutes to find 3 pieces of art, from at least two categories of art styles, that reflect “perspective”. (Be sure to have students cite their sources!). As they search, have students record some interesting concepts they’re thinking about on their own Part 2 slides.some text
   1. Encourage them to think broadly in art categories! They can choose from visual art, music, dance, poetry, prose, graphics, craft, videos, movies, photography, etc. 
3. Give students 10 minutes to do the following:some text
   1. Select one of their art pieces to present to the class. 
   2. In the shared Google Slide deck, upload their three art pieces onto two slides: the one to be presented on the first slide, and the other two on the second slide. 
   3. Prepare one sentence for each art piece, explaining how it demonstrates perspective to them. 
   4. Prepare a 30 second “elevator pitch” for the art piece they’ve chosen to present. 
4. Have each student make their 30 second elevator pitch about the art piece they chose. Depending on your class size, this might take anywhere from 15 to 25 minutes.
5. After the elevator pitches, hold a 5 minute class discussion about art and perspective. You can use the following discussion question: some text
   1. What do you see across the works of art chosen by your classmates? some text
      1. Similarities? Differences?
      2. Patterns? 
   2. How does perspective appear in [a current class project / assignment]? 
   3. How does perspective appear in teamwork? In communication? In expectation management? As a part of empathy?