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Stephen Knapp - Painting With Light Education Guide - Alexandria

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Page 1: Stephen Knapp - Painting With Light Education Guide - Alexandria
Page 2: Stephen Knapp - Painting With Light Education Guide - Alexandria

Table of Contents

About the Guide ............................................................................................................ 1

Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................... 2

About the Artist ............................................................................................................. 3

VTS and Common Core at the Museum ....................................................................... 4

Before Your Visit ........................................................................................................... 5

Lesson One: Coloring with Light (Science, Writing and Art) ...................................... 6-7

Coloring with Light Data Sheet ...................................................................................... 8

Lesson Two: Spinning Colors (Science and Writing) ............................................... 9-11

Common Core Standards and National Standards for the Arts ................................... 12

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About the Guide This guide is intended for use in conjunction with a Museum visit and to integrate art, into your classroom lessons. We

would also like to introduce you to Visual Thinking Strategies or VTS, a literacy and art viewing

program that utilizes art to help improve both critical thinking and verbal skills. VTS aligns very well with the Common Core ELA Standards by encouraging students to back up verbal and written ideas with evidence from a work of art. It also encourages self-confidence and clarity in speech and enhances reading and writing skills. When planning a field trip to the Museum, use the guide to prepare yourself, rather than your students for the visit, and then share the resources with the students after the visit to continue learning from the Museum experience back in the classroom. The lessons and resources can also be used independent of a Museum visit.

The lessons in this guide align with Common Core Standards and National Standards for the Arts.

They are based on works from the exhibition, Stephen Knapp: New Light, on view at the Alexandria Museum of Art, from September 6-November 23, 2013.

Stephen Knapp: New Light September 6–November 23, 2013 “Lightpaintings” of glass that is cut, shaped, polished, treated with layers of metallic coatings, mounted on stainless steel, and illuminated with light bulbs! The multi-dimensional prisms refract and reflect colored rays of light across gallery walls and ceilings. In addition to Stephen Knapp: New Light, the following exhibitions will be on view during Fall 2013: 26th September Competition Exhibition September 6–November 23, 2013 The 26th Annual September Competition presented by the Alexandria Museum of Art is an annual juried exhibition selected from national and international submissions highlighting contemporary art practices in all media. Featuring original art created within the past two years, 50 artworks were selected for the exhibition by this year’s artist-juror, Stewart Nachmias, and will be included in a full-color print catalogue. 2013 Louisiana Dragon Boat Races™ Photography Contest Exhibition September 6–November 23, 2013 Relive the spirit of the races through photographs taken by local community members capturing the action and people of the event! The exhibition features twenty photographs juried by Lafayette-based photographer, Philip Gould. Alexandria Museum of Art’s 3rd Annual Louisiana Dragon Boat Races™ on the scenic Red River in May, 2013, featured more teams, food, elaborate costumes, and entertainment on and off the water than ever before. Louisiana’s Culinary Heritage September 6–October 19, 2013 The George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts 2013 Scholarship Art Contest exhibition features fifteen finalists chosen from across Louisiana who were awarded college scholarships and art supplies. High school juniors and seniors were invited to create a work of art based on the theme “Louisiana’s Culinary Heritage,” representing our state's unique culinary heritage while honoring its festivals, dishes and local ingredients. College scholarships and art supplies were awarded to ten high school seniors and five juniors.

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Acknowledgements

Information regarding VTS was adapted from material provided by Visual Understanding in Education, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote the use of VTS, and increase understanding of aesthetic development. Please visit www.vtshome.org

Photographs of Stephen Knapp and his work are courtesy of the artist.

Information about Stephen Knapp and New Light can be found on the artist’s website: http://www.stephenknapp.com/ Art vocabulary can be found on artlex.com Scientific information about the science of light and color, as well as definitions and images can be found on

NASA’s website for educators:

http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/Optics.Guide.html

More information about Common Core State Standards and the CCSS listed in this lesson can be found at http://www.corestandards.org/.

More information about The National Standards for the Arts including those referenced in this guide can be found at http://www.arteducators.org/store/NAEA_Natl_Visual_Standards1.pdf.

A cooperative effort funded by the Greater Alexandria Economic Development

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About the Artist: Stephen Knapp

Artist, Stephen Knapp was born in Worcester, Massachusetts,

in 1947. After graduating with a degree in history from Hamilton

College in 1969, he was a fine art photographer for nearly a

decade. During this time, he began to combine other mediums

with photography and innovating processing techniques.

Eventually, photography was not enough and he began experimenting with more permanent materials such as ceramic, mosaic, metal, stone and glass. These monumental works continued to draw from what he learned from photography. The artist had been fascinated by light his entire life, “both for what it can do and the effect it has on us.”

Mr. Knapp has created many public art pieces in which light is an important element, the largest of which is installed at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. These installations would lead to his first lightpaintings, in 2002. He continues to create lightpaintings for solo Museum exhibitions and large public works.

Stephen Knapp’s career is marked by a continuous desire to research and explore materials and historical, culture and technical predecessors that inspire and inform his work.

About the Work: Painting with Light Using light as a medium, Stephen Knapp creates spectacular explosions of light and color. He creates glass

pieces and braces them with stainless steel mounting brackets. Then he lights each piece with electric light.

The brackets are an integral part of the artwork, as they cast shadows that are part of the overall composition.

Each glass piece is layered with up to twenty-four very thin metallic coatings. Some of these are designed to

refract color, while others are designed to reflect color, and some do both at the same time. The factors an

artist considers when creating a color palette, such as hue, saturation and color mixing, are achieved through

the application of the metallic layers and the placement of the glass, in relation to the light. Each piece of glass

reflects and refracts light in two directions, increasing the possibility for new color mixtures. Color is decided by

the angle of the glass to the light and the amount of space between the different pieces and the glass. The

arrangement of the glass must be planned carefully. If one piece is off, it changes the entire composition as

well as the colors of the piece.

Knapp excels at creative problem solving. All of his materials are custom made. When a new problem arises

he must research and create a new solution. The unique possibilities that arise with each issue excite the

artist. The artist states, “For centuries, artists have sought to capture light with pigment. Actual light, and

creating with it, is just so different that I think it’s where we’re going to be as artists. We will always have

painting here; this is just painting a bit differently. It’s all about that elusive something that makes us want to

create—that drive to leave a little bit of ourselves to solve some visual problems. There’s a whole myriad of

reasons why we create and put something on the wall like this—this is just another way to do it and capture it

and share it with others.”

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Visual Thinking Strategies

Visual Thinking Strategies, or VTS, is a research based literacy program that uses art to improve critical thinking and language skills. Through discussions about the art, self-esteem and participation are encouraged, even among struggling students. VTS directly correlates to the ELA Standards of the Common Core Curriculum.

VTS operates on a child’s natural ability to make sense of what they see, a skill we all begin using at birth. The method is a discovery process facilitated by the teacher, using three, simple but carefully researched questions that provoke thoughtful responses and encourage lively, engaging conversation. The process has students focus, reflect and question, which builds their critical thinking skills.

VTS Tours at AMoA

Students touring any of our exhibitions will participate in group discussion where they will be asked to carefully observe artworks and explain “what is going on” in a particular piece of art. As we prompt them to support their explanations with evidence, we engage their reasoning and logic skills. Students can also participate in writing and sketch response activities, per the teacher’s request. Museum docents, trained in VTS, facilitate gallery discussions. Longitudinal field studies, employing control and experimental groups in multiple sites around the world, have been conducted on VTS since 1991. The studies prove that VTS builds critical thinking skills that transfer to other settings and subjects. Measurable academic growth is produced by the program in students of varying socioeconomic and academic backgrounds, including students who perform poorly on standardized tests or possess limited English skills. To schedule a tour at the Alexandria Museum of Art, contact Anne Reid at (318) 443-3458 or email her at [email protected].

Using VTS in Your Classroom Studies have shown that students who participate in at least ten sessions of VTS over the course of one school year will show measurable academic growth. Conducting a VTS session in the classroom is easy and engaging. For more information on learning to use VTS in your classroom, call Cindy Blair at (318) 473-6413 or email her at [email protected].

The Museum and Common Core

At the Museum, you will find support for your Common Core classroom. Here students can explore primary and secondary sources that will be helpful in project-based learning. They can participate in discussions through VTS, in which they will reach conclusions about art and support their ideas with evidence from the artwork. We also provide teachers with professional development opportunities through our VTS program and Evenings with Educators. In 2013, Evenings with Educators will focus on Common Core aligned project-based learning, useful in creating a successful Common Core classroom.

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Before Your Visit

•Discuss the featured artist with your class and the type of work that will be on display.

•Encourage students to look carefully at the artwork they are shown. This will be a good time to practice their

observational skills.

•Explain to students that they will be taking part in a discussion about the artwork and they will need to raise

their hand as they would in the classroom. Let them know there are no wrong answers and we are very

interested in their thoughts and opinions.

•Explain to students that they must not touch the artwork. It may seem harmless to just touch a piece of art

once, but even when they are clean our hands contain oils that over time can damage artwork. Even gases

from our breath can be harmful over time.

•At times they may want to come very close to see details but generally, it is good to stand at least two feet

from the work as it gives one a better overall view of the work.

•Above all have fun!

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Science/Visual Art/Writing Activity: Coloring with Light

The following activities can be conducted with your class before or after touring the exhibition, Stephen Knapp: New Light or independent of a Museum tour.

Grade Levels: 3-4

Common Core Standards are listed on the final page of this guide.

Key Questions/ Issues Addressed:

How are light and color related?

How do colors affect each other?

How do we see different colors?

Lesson Goals/Objectives:

Students will learn that color is reflected light.

Students will understand how light is reflected differently by different colors and how these colors interact by creating their own “lightpainting.”

Students will record data from their experiments with color and light and write clearly and in the appropriate sequence about their experiment and findings.

Materials: Acetate or cellophane in clear and primary colors (secondary colors are optional), light source such as a window, clear packing tape, overhead projector (optional) and The Science of Lightpainting: Images for Educators available on our website at: http://theMuseum.org/Education/teacherresources.aspx, copies of

Coloring with Light Data Sheet

Related Information:

Refer to NASA’s document for educators, Introduction to Light and Color, from their website: http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/350524main_Optics_Light_Color_and_Their_Uses.pdf

Refer to The Science of Lightpainting: Images for Educators available on our website at: http://theMuseum.org/Education/teacherresources.aspx

Key Terms:

Light- a form of energy that travels in waves Frequency- the speed at which a wave vibrates or goes up and down Wavelength- the distance between the two peaks of each wave Radiation- energy that comes from a source and travels through some substance or through space Reflection- Reflected light is the light we can see. When light hits an object some of it bounces or reflects off the object, enabling us to see the object. Refraction- When light waves pass through different substances they bend or change directions. For example, when light waves pass through water the objects in the water may appear wavy. Diffraction- Light will also bend when it encounters an obstacle or an opaque object. Instead of going through the substance it bends around the substance. The bending of light around edges or small slits will create patterns or fringes of light. This can be seen when light hits the surface of a DVD. Color- When light waves hit an object, some are absorbed by the object and some are reflected. The color of an object is determined by which waves are reflected by that object. Electromagnetic Spectrum- the range of all types of electromagnetic radiation Visible Spectrum- the parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, that are visible to the unaided eye White Light- All of the colors of the spectrum blend to create white light. When all colors are reflected off of an object at one time, the object will appear white.

Stephen Knapp Capriccio, 2003 light, glass, stainless steel 11’ x 8’ x 10”

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Learning Activities:

1. Share the images of Stephen Knapp’s lightpaintings, from The Science of Lightpainting: Images for Educators with your students. Discuss how light and color are related, using the NASA’s Introduction to Color and Light as well as the key terms in this lesson. Questions for discussion:

“Stephen Knapp calls his paintings, lightpaintings. What do you think that means?”

“How do you think the artist created these pieces?”

Follow up by paraphrasing their answer and asking, “What do you see that makes you say that?”

“What causes an object to be a certain color?”

“How do you think this artist created different colors, using light in these lightpaintings?”

2. Distribute an 8 ½”x 11” piece of clear acetate to each student, as well as several different colors of colored acetate or cellophane.

3. Ask the students to cut their cellophane into different shapes and experiment with layering them onto their clear acetate. Before they experiment with their colors have them predict what the results of each combination will be. Have them note their predictions, on the graphic organizer provided.

4. Have them tape their color arrangements on the clear acetate with clear packing tape creating a pleasing arrangement of shapes.

5. Students will hold their “lightpaintings” up to the ceiling light or up to a window. What different colors did they make? Have them note their results on the graphic organizer. How do the results compare to their predictions?

6. Have the students use their graphic organizer and what they have learned to write about their projects, using the questions below. Make sure they understand they must write about their experience in the proper sequence, beginning with what they learned in class about color. Next they will talk about their prediction and results. They will end their writing by discussing what they learned from the results of their lightpainting experiment.

Questions for Writing Students will write two paragraphs discussing the following:

Why do we see color?

What did you predict would happen when you began combining colors for your “lightpainting?”

How is what happened different from your predictions?

What did you learn about color and light while making your “lightpainting”?

Assessment of Student Understanding:

Students are able to comprehend and engage during the discussions.

Students are able to create a “lightpainting” using several color combinations.

Students are able to record their predictions and results on the graphic organizer.

Students are able to express their findings in writing.

Extension Activity: Invisible Design Have students use several colors of highlighters to make a design on a piece of paper. Next, they will view the design through their “lightpainting.” Have them take note of what they see when they look through the painting at their design. Do some of the parts of the design look different when viewed through different colors? What does this tell us about how light is transmitted through different colors?

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Name_______________

Date________________

Class_______________

Coloring with Light Data Sheet Directions:

1. Cut your colored filters into different shapes and using the suggested color combinations below arrange them on

the clear piece of acetate. Be creative with your shapes and arrangement!

2. Make a prediction about what will happen when you combine the colors below, as you create your “lightpainting.”

3. Tape down your combinations using clear tape.

4. Hold the “lightpainting” up to the light.

5. Record the results of the color combinations.

Filter Color Combinations Prediction Result

Red + Yellow

Yellow+ Blue

Blue + Red

Green + Red

Blue + Green

Green + Yellow

Yellow + Orange

Red + Orange

Blue + Orange

Green + Orange

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Science/Writing Activity: Spinning Color The following activities can be conducted with your class before or after touring the exhibition, Stephen Knapp: New Light or independent of a Museum tour.

Grade Levels: 6

Common Core Standards are listed on the final two pages of this guide.

Key Questions/ Issues Addressed:

What is the visible spectrum?

What are color schemes in color theory?

What is persistence of vision?

How does movement affect how we see color?

Lesson Goals/Objectives:

Students will understand how light and color are related.

Students will understand the color wheel and color schemes and the visible spectrum.

Students will make a prediction about color and experiment with a color spinner; they will record their data and explain why they achieved these results.

Key Terms: Color Wheel - A radial diagram of colors in which primary and secondary, and tertiary colors are displayed as an aid to color identification and mixing Hue- The name of any color as found in its pure state in the spectrum or rainbow Primary colors- colors from which all other colors are made (red, blue, and yellow) Secondary colors - colors that are created from equal amounts of two primary colors (green, orange, violet) Tertiary colors- colors produced by mixing unequal amounts of two primary colors (red-violet, blue-violet, blue-green, yellow-green, yellow-orange, red-orange) Light- a form of energy that travels in waves Pigment- color that is both natural and man-made. Each pigment reflects light waves differently. For example, red pigments absorb all colors in the spectrum, but reflect red. Therefore, we see red when we look at this pigment. Reflection- Reflected light is the light we can see. When light hits an object some of it bounces off the object, enabling us to see the object. Refraction- When light waves pass through different substances they bend or change directions. For example, when light waves pass through water the objects in the water may appear wavy or slightly than they appear in the air. Electromagnetic Spectrum- the range of all types of electromagnetic radiation. Visible Spectrum- the parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, that are visible to the unaided eye White Light- All of the colors of the spectrum blend to create white light. When all colors are reflected off of an object at one time, the object will appear white.

Materials: strong string, such as twine or kite string, white cardboard or matboard scraps, compass, markers or colored pencils, rulers, protractors, scissors, gel pens or Sharpies, The Science of Lightpainting: Images for Educators available on our website at: http://theMuseum.org/Education/teacherresources.aspx

Related Information:

Refer to NASA’s document for educators, Introduction to Light and Color, from their website: http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/350524main_Optics_Light_Color_and_Their_Uses.pdf

Refer to The Science of Lightpainting: Images for Educators available on our website at: http://theMuseum.org/Education/teacherresources.aspx

Stephen Knapp Shadow Musings,

light, glass, stainless steel on panel (panel 36” x 60”)

9’ x 14’ x 10”

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Learning Activities:

1. Have students read NASA’s Introduction to the Electromagnetic Spectrum for Students http://science.hq.nasa.gov/kids/imagers/ems/index.html and the section on visible light at http://science.hq.nasa.gov/kids/imagers/ems/visible.html

2. Discuss the lightpaintings of Stephen Knapp. You can find the images for projection in The Science of Lightpainting: Images for Educators available on our website at: http://theMuseum.org/Education/teacherresources.aspx

3. Talk about how he uses light reflected and refracted at different angles off of coated glass to create the magnificent colors of these works.

Questions for Discussion:

What is light and how is it related to color or pigments?

Why do we see color?

What is reflection and refraction?

What is a spectrum? (Discuss the electromagnetic and visible spectrum.)

What is the color wheel?

What is the relationship between primary, secondary and tertiary colors? (Note: images of the electromagnetic, visible spectrum and color wheel available in The Science of Lightpainting: Images for Educators

4. Explain to students that they will be making spinners to see how colors blend to make other colors on

the visible spectrum. Using their compass, each student will create a circle, on their white cardboard or matboard, two to four inches in diameter. (Alternatively, white paper can be used and pasted to brown or any other color of cardboard.) Students can make more than one to experiment with different color combinations.

5. Have students measure ¼ inch on either side of the center point, and make holes for the string. They will punch the holes using the compass point. They may need to widen their hole with a pencil.

6. Using a protractor, students will divide the circle into two, three, four or six equal sections. They will

accomplish this by measuring the number of degrees of each section and marking the edge of the circle. Have them use a straightedge and pencil to draw the lines for each section.

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Above : Red and Blue Spinner

Right: Red and Blue Spinner Spinning

7. Students will color the sections of their spinners using markers or colored pencils. When choosing colors, they should consider which colors will blend to make other colors. Have them consider what will happen when they spin their colors and have them write down their prediction or hypothesis.

8. Have students measure string the length of their arm span and cut the string. They will then thread the string through the holes in the spinner and tie the ends together.

TIP: The string will go through the holes easier if one end is wrapped in a small piece of tape.

9. Students will hold the loops on either side of the circle and pull them apart.

10. They will wind the string by making small circular motions with their hands and then pull the string tight. The spinner should begin spinning.

11. Have the students record what happened when they pulled their string. Did their circle spin? If not have them try to figure out why it didn’t spin. (The circle may not spin if the holes are not equidistant from the center point or if the circle is cut unevenly.) If their circle did spin, what happened? Given what they have learned about light and how we see color, why did they achieve these results?

12. Have them write a paragraph or two explaining their hypothesis or prediction, and the results from their

experiment. Have them also explain why they achieved these results, using information they learned during the discussion about light and color and through the reading they did at the beginning of the lesson.

Extension Activities: Persistence of Vision is the manner in which the brain retains an image after the object or image has been removed from sight. It is this phenomenon that makes motion pictures and animations appear to be moving. Students can turn their spinners into thaumatropes or optical toys. Thaumatropes were optical toys invented sometime before the 1820s. Often they had one image on one side, such as a bird. On the other side would be a cage. When the toy spins, the bird appears to be inside the

cage. This occurs because of persistence of vision. The brain holds onto an image for a few seconds after the image actually disappears from view. It merges the two images.

Have students draw spirals, stars or any other decorative designs on their spinners using Sharpie markers or gel pens.

What happens when they spin their thaumatropes? Why does this occur? Why do the colors blend when the spinner spins?

Assessment of Student Understanding

Students engage and show comprehension during class discussion.

Students exhibit an understanding of the visible spectrum and color wheel by using different types of color schemes in their spinners.

Students are able to make a prediction, follow through with an experiment using their spinners and explain why they achieved certain results by using information they learned about color, light and the spectrum, during the class discussion.

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Common Core Standards for Coloring with Light CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique,

descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.3c Use temporal words and phrases to signal event order.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.3d Provide a sense of closure.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.2a Introduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs and sections; include

formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.2b Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and

examples related to the topic.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.2c Link ideas within categories of information using words and phrases (e.g., another, for

example, also, because).

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.2d Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.2e Provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation presented.

National Standards for Coloring with Light Content Standard: Making connections between visual arts and other disciplines Achievement Standard: Students understand and use similarities and differences between characteristics of the visual arts and other arts disciplines Students identify connections between the visual arts and other disciplines in the curriculum Common Core Standards for Spinning Color

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1a Introduce claim(s) and organize the reasons and evidence clearly. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1b Support claim(s) with clear reasons and relevant evidence, using credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1c Use words, phrases, and clauses to clarify the relationships among claim(s) and reasons. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1d Establish and maintain a formal style. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1e Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from the argument presented. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.9 Compare and contrast the information gained from experiments, simulations, video, or multimedia sources with that gained from reading a text on the same topic. National Standards for the Arts for Spinning Color and extension activity Content Standard: Making connections between visual arts and other disciplines Achievement Standard: Students describe ways in which the principles and subject matter of other disciplines taught in the school are interrelated with the visual art. Content Standard: Using knowledge of structures and functions Achievement Standard: Students generalize about the effects of visual structures and functions and reflect upon these effects in their own work Students employ organizational structures and analyze what makes them effective or not effective in the communication of ideas Students select and use the qualities of structures and functions of art to improve communication of their ideas Content Standard: Choosing and evaluating a range of subject matter, symbols, and ideas Achievement Standard: Students integrate visual, spatial, and temporal concepts with content to communicate intended meaning in their artworks Students use subjects, themes, and symbols that demonstrate knowledge of contexts, values, and aesthetics that communicate intended meaning in artworks Content Standard: Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and cultures Achievement Standard: Students describe and place a variety of art objects in historical and cultural contexts