Social Studies: Learning about Plants and Symbolism

Activity

1. Review with students the difference between physical and personality traits. Have students share what they feel are their personality traits. Ask students to record this on the You as a Plant Worksheet.
    
2. Ask students to use the Web sites and gardening books to research types of trees, flowers, and plants. The Web sites will give students information about the symbolism of each plant. See Preparations and Resources.
    
3. Review with the students the plants and flowers they saw on the paintings at the DIA, including plum blossoms in Plum Blossom Fan, pomegranate and melon in Ode to the Pomegranate and Melon Vine, and peony, orchid, hollyhock, gardenia, lotus, daylily, chrysanthemum, and camellia in Flowers and Insects.
    
4. Have students fill in the worksheet to select type of plant, notes about plant, and sketch of plant. Make sure the students record colors and parts of plant on worksheet.
    
5. Have students practice sketching their plant for future art lesson when creating scrolls and fans.
    
6. Have students fill in worksheet information about why they chose the plant and what about their personality is similar to the symbolic nature of the plant.
   
   

Handout #3

Handout #4

Handout #5

Materials
12" x 18" white drawing paper
Chinese brushes
Watercolors
Handout #3 Grasses and Flowers
Handout #4 Insects
Handout #5 Swimming Fish

Activity

1. To prepare the students for painting, show the section on painting from the Chinese Brush Painting video. See Resources.
    
2. Demonstrate a few simple methods of painting insects. Copy the handouts with painted flowers, fish, and insects for students to refer to.
    
3. Review and point out the details of flowers and insects in the DIA painting Flowers and Insects.
    
4. Have students place the paper horizontally to paint on. Provide extra paper to experiment on.
    
5. Ask students to paint flowers and insects on the paper, reminding them to use the skills they learned during the calligraphy lesson, creating thick to thin lines for grasses, flowers, and insect wings. Also, the brush should be held in a vertical fashion. Ask students to leave some of the paper unpainted. This area will later be used for the inclusion of their poem and calligraphy.

Student composing  his painting

Student painting