SIX HATS AND AMERICAN GOTHIC by Erin Whetzel (Art 3)

I've been working on putting together a six-hats lesson (at least as far as the activities go) on my "American Gothic" (by Grant Wood, 1930) painting unit for my Art 3 students. I basically used the rubric that was posted on the ICARE desktop, and wrote my activities in red. I've attached it for you, and I'll also attach the actual painting unit guidelines as well. There are two projects with this unit: First, students studied Grant Wood's "American Gothic" by reading more about the painting itself in the Art & Man Magazine, as well as researching more about the artist. Then, a colored copy of "American Gothic" was printed out, and cut into 16 even squares. Each student received two of these squares, and they had to paint each one as they saw it.

Once all of the squares were painted, the students then "pieced" the pieces together to form a larger version of the "American Gothic" painting. Of course, not all squares lined up or matched correctly, but that was the beauty of it!

Second, students then had to use what they learned from the first assignment to then create their own "Personal Interpretation" of "American Gothic".

They were able to change the original painting any way they wished, and could use any art medium they chose. BUT, their composition still had to resemble "American Gothic" in some way. (In other words, you still had to be able to tell that it was a play off of that painting.) Student's were very creative with this!

I wasn't sure exactly what you wanted as far as the "six hats" go, but I simply filled in some of the activities involved with this unit onto the six hats rubric. Students are finishing up with this unit, so I already have some of their artwork outside my room in the hallway!

See below: 1. "Class Painting" sign that's posted by the finished product in the hallway. 2. "Personal Interpretation" Guidelines for students 3. Six Hats rubric (activities filled in with red)

ART III: Painting Unit

ARTIST: GRANT WOOD, 1930

Objective:

The students studied and researched Grant Wood’s painting entitled American Gothic. A colored

copy of the painting was printed out and cut into 24 equal pieces; each student then received one

(2) pieces of the painting that they had to recreate and paint using their own artistic style and

techniques. Once each individual piece was completed, the final painting was then “quilted” and

pieced back together, again forming our own version of American Gothic.

“American Gothic”: A Modernized Rendition

Art 3, Painting Unit OBJECTIVES:

1. Students will research and study the artwork of Grant Wood (i.e. what kind of artist was he? What was his main subject matter and medium of

choice?, etc.)

2. Students will view and interpret Grant Wood’s American Gothic painting.

3. Using American Gothic as their resource and motivation, students will recreate the “American Gothic” scene by transforming the original painting into

their own personal interpretation.

Use the images below as examples to help you get started:

Planning to use The Six Hats? (Based on ideas presented in Edward de Bono‟s Teach Your Child How to Think, Viking, 1992)

Theme/ Context: “Class Painting” and “Personal Interpretation Drawing” of Grant Wood’s American Gothic

Hat Explanation De Bono says to

think of…

Key Questions Activity Ideas

White Hat focuses directly on the available information

facts

neutral information

NOT argument or making suggestions

Blank paper

Computer printout

1. What information do we

have?

2. What information is

missing?

3. How do we get the

information we need?

1. Hand out and review project

guidelines and expectations.

2. Begin researching the artist Grant

Wood, and his painting “American

Gothic” as a class by:

A. Viewing copies of the painting; B. Read “Art & Man” magazine on Grant Wood

(history, biographical info, painting style, etc.)

Red hat

emotions

feeling

hunches

intuition

likes and dislikes

Fire and warmth 1. What do you like about

the idea?

2. How do you feel about

this?

3. What don‟t you like about

this?

1. Present a large copy of Grant Wood‟s “American

Gothic” before the class. Have a class discussion and

critique about the artwork. (What makes it so unique?

What is the painting style like? What is the “theme” of the

painting, and why?, Do you like it? Why or why not?....

etc.)

Orange Hat most used of all the hats

concerned with truth and reality

hat of critical thinking

prevents us from making mistakes

Stern judge

Warning Cone

1. Will it work?

2. Does it fit?

3. What are the dangers

and the problems?

1. Discuss the “Class Painting” assignment. (Each

person painting a small portion of the original “American

Gothic” painting.)

2. Discuss the possibility of not every piece of the

“puzzle” fitting together. Is that okay? Why or why not?

(example: perhaps one student‟s piece of the painting

won‟t exactly line up with the piece next to it...what are the

disadvantages AND advantages of this?)

Yellow Hat benefits of an idea

yellow hat is full of hope-

logical hat so the reason behind the hope must be given

seeks to find and show the benefits

Sunshine and

optimism

1. What are the benefits?

2. Why should it work?

1. Discuss how each student will have a different style of

painting, so each piece of the painting will NOT actually

line up perfectly. THAT‟S OKAY!

Green Hat „active‟ hat

used for creative thinking

concerned with proposals, suggestions, new ideas, new alternatives, new solutions and inventions

emphasis is on „newness‟

Grass, trees,

vegetation and

growth

Key questions should focus

on:

1. Exploration of the ideas

2. Proposals and

suggestions

3. Alternatives

4. New ideas

5. Provocations

1. Once each piece of the painting has been completed,

start piecing together the “puzzle”.

2. Class critique of the “puzzle” before final attachments

are made. What needs to be changed? Do the

perspectives and colors that each student used match

up? If not, hold a class discussion on how to make it a

stronger piece.

Blue Hat overview

the process control

above the thinking‟ looking down on the thinking

thinking about thinking!

Blue Sky (above

everything)

Conductor of an

orchestra

Where are we now?

What is the next step?

Where have we been?

What sort of thinking is

needed?

1. Now that each of the pieces of the painting are finished and placed together, discuss how they think it represents the true meaning behind “American Gothic”.

2. Discuss what the strong qualities of the finished painting are. How about the weaknesses?

3. Now that the class painting is done, students will take what they learned and now create an “American Gothic” painting of their own, representing THEIR “Personal Interpretation” of the original work of art.

Additional Ideas and Activities: