Ancient Egyptian Self-Portraits
This unit provides Second Graders with the opportunity to study ancient Egyptian art as a part of the world art curriculum.
Relationship to Life
Students in the Second Grade will be introduced to art from around the world. To help prepare students for their country research projects, students will learn about art from different countries and time periods.
Problem/Activity Statement
Students are presented with the task decoding the hieroglyphic alphabet and creating an Egyptian-style self-portrait that includes their first name in hieroglyphics. Students will learn how to draw faces and bodies in profile, and will practice incorporating patterns and a limited palette into their compositions. In the second project, students will study Egyptian mummy masks, and will make a mask using their likeness using heavy foil. Students will finally draw and color their masks, modeling them after the mask of King Tutankhamen.
Goals
Students should:
Understand: The art making processes necessary to design and create their object.
(MACF Standard: 4)
How artists create their work.
(MACF Standard: 7)
Know:
Students will know the purposes for which works of visual arts, and architecture were and are created, and, when appropriate, interpret their meanings. Students will demonstrate their understanding of styles, stylistic influence, and stylistic change by identifying when and where art works were created, and by analyzing characteristic features of art works from various historical periods, cultures, and genres.
(MACF Standard: 6)
Be Able to: Demonstrate the ability to create 2D works that show knowledge of unique characteristics of particular media, materials and tools, and produce/construct an object that enables personal voices.
(MACF Standard: 1)
Demonstrate an understanding of foreground, middle ground and background.
(MACF Standard: 2)
Objectives
Identify and use ideas of one’s self to communicate through art making.
Experiment with unfamiliar colors and patterns to make artwork that relates to a specific time and place.
Use a variety of tools and techniques to apply the formal qualities of art.
Utilize newly learned knowledge of hieroglyphics to personalize artwork.
Demonstrate an understanding of ways artists draw figures in profile.
Resources and Materials
Materials:
Hieroglyphics code pages
Parchment-style 80 lb paper
Pencils
Colored Pencils
Sharpies
Metal foil
Photograph of student’s face
Exemplars:
Teacher Exemplar
Mask of King Tutankhamen
Motivation
For the first project, the teacher will read a book about Ancient Egypt to the class. The teacher will discuss the role of art, architecture, religion and nature in Egyptian art, and will show students examples of Egyptian artwork. The teacher will then show students the teacher exemplar, and will explain the motivation and thought process behind decisions made to make a realistic Egyptian portrait. For the second project, the teacher will show students examples of mummy masks. The teacher will then show students the finished teacher exemplar.
Questions
Topic Questions:
Do you think art in Egypt had the same role that art in the United States has now?
How is Egyptian art reflective of the Egyptian lifestyle?
Association Questions:
Have you ever seen Egyptian artwork? What did it remind you of?
Do you think Egyptian artwork has influenced other art styles and techniques?
Visualization Questions:
Why is it important to include hieroglyphics in a portrait?
What details or drawing styles can help make your artwork resemble Egyptian paintings?
Transition questions:
What Elements and Principles of Design are most important to remember when making an Egyptian-style image?
Procedures
Demonstration
For the first project, the teacher will first introduce the lesson by holding a discussion about ancient Egyptian art. The teacher will show students the teacher example, and will explain how to draw faces and bodies in profile. The teacher will then write codes in hieroglyphics for the students to decode. For the second project, the teacher will show students the finished teacher exemplar, and will then demonstrate how to trace a photograph onto the foil to transfer the image. The students will then learn about creating crowns and head dresses, jewelry, and how and where to add color and embellishment to make the masks look like Egyptian mummy masks.
Vocabulary:
Hieroglyphics- Ancient Egyptian alphabet.
Profile- The side view of a person’s face or body.
Egypt- The ancient civilization along the Nile River from est. 5000 BCE-2000 BCE.
Mummy mask- A funerary mask made to resemble the deceased, usually gilded, decorated with gems and jewels.
Distribution
For the first lesson, students will be given a hieroglyphics code page and a worksheet. Students will be instructed to draw a food of their choice. It could be a whole meal, or one kind of food. Students may use pencils, colored pencils and markers to create their sketches. For the second, third and fourth lesson, students will be provided with one 12” x 18” black piece of construction paper, and smaller colored construction paper pieces. Students will have pencils, scissors and glue available for use on each table. Students will have work returned to them at the start of each lesson.
Work period
Lesson 1
On the first day, the teacher will present Egyptian art and writing to the class. The students will learn how to decode hieroglyphics as a class. The teacher will then demonstrate how to draw a portrait in profile. Students will begin the project by decoding a series of words in hieroglyphics on a worksheet. Once students have finished their worksheet, the students will write their own name in hieroglyphics. Students should write their name on the final project paper, and begin to draw their likeness in profile.
Lesson 2
On the second day, the teacher will discuss colorization and details found in Egyptian art. The students will be instructed to continue to write their names and draw their portrait in profile. Students should begin to add details such as clothes, jewelry, armor, etc., and may consider creating a background.
Lesson 3
Students should finish drawing any details during this class. Students will outline their letters and drawing with sharpie, and will then color in their picture using colored pencil.
Lesson 4
The teacher will introduce the second project at the beginning of this lesson. The teacher will discuss the importance of mummies in Egyptian society, in particular the preparation of the mummy sarcophagus. Students will look at the mummy mask of King Tutankhamen, and will learn the importance of making the mask look like the subject. Students will use a printed photograph of their face that has been taped on to a piece of foil. The students will trace their likeness, and then remove the picture. Students will draw a crown directly onto the foil, and will finally add color using colored sharpies.
Clean-up
At the end of each class, students must make sure their names are on their projects. Projects will be returned to students during the next meeting. Students will be instructed to help clean up materials and return them to their specific locations.
Closure
The teacher will go over what should have been accomplished by the end of the class, and what will be expected of each student during their next meeting. The teacher will ask students about connections made and realizations had by students about their projects during the creative process. The teacher will review where materials and projects should be put away, and the class will be dismissed.
Evaluation
Students will be evaluated based on their display of comprehension of the objectives presented during the lesson. Students should be able to use a hieroglyphic alphabet to decode words accurately. Students should have created a portrait in profile, and should have attempted to add relevant details. Students should have been able to create a mummy mask that resembles their likeness, considering structure and color found in other, real mummy masks.
Did the students…
Did the student complete the hieroglyphics worksheet to practice decoding?
Did the student accurately translate their name using the provided hieroglyphic alphabet?
Was the student able to draw a portrait in profile?
Did the student add any other details (clothing, background, etc) to make it more authentic?
Was the student able to accurately trace their photograph and transfer the image to the foil?
Was the student able to draw a crown onto the foil, referencing images provided by the teacher?
Did the student add color to embellish their image?
Relationship to Life
Students in the Second Grade will be introduced to art from around the world. To help prepare students for their country research projects, students will learn about art from different countries and time periods.
Problem/Activity Statement
Students are presented with the task decoding the hieroglyphic alphabet and creating an Egyptian-style self-portrait that includes their first name in hieroglyphics. Students will learn how to draw faces and bodies in profile, and will practice incorporating patterns and a limited palette into their compositions. In the second project, students will study Egyptian mummy masks, and will make a mask using their likeness using heavy foil. Students will finally draw and color their masks, modeling them after the mask of King Tutankhamen.
Goals
Students should:
Understand: The art making processes necessary to design and create their object.
(MACF Standard: 4)
How artists create their work.
(MACF Standard: 7)
Know:
Students will know the purposes for which works of visual arts, and architecture were and are created, and, when appropriate, interpret their meanings. Students will demonstrate their understanding of styles, stylistic influence, and stylistic change by identifying when and where art works were created, and by analyzing characteristic features of art works from various historical periods, cultures, and genres.
(MACF Standard: 6)
Be Able to: Demonstrate the ability to create 2D works that show knowledge of unique characteristics of particular media, materials and tools, and produce/construct an object that enables personal voices.
(MACF Standard: 1)
Demonstrate an understanding of foreground, middle ground and background.
(MACF Standard: 2)
Objectives
Identify and use ideas of one’s self to communicate through art making.
Experiment with unfamiliar colors and patterns to make artwork that relates to a specific time and place.
Use a variety of tools and techniques to apply the formal qualities of art.
Utilize newly learned knowledge of hieroglyphics to personalize artwork.
Demonstrate an understanding of ways artists draw figures in profile.
Resources and Materials
Materials:
Hieroglyphics code pages
Parchment-style 80 lb paper
Pencils
Colored Pencils
Sharpies
Metal foil
Photograph of student’s face
Exemplars:
Teacher Exemplar
Mask of King Tutankhamen
Motivation
For the first project, the teacher will read a book about Ancient Egypt to the class. The teacher will discuss the role of art, architecture, religion and nature in Egyptian art, and will show students examples of Egyptian artwork. The teacher will then show students the teacher exemplar, and will explain the motivation and thought process behind decisions made to make a realistic Egyptian portrait. For the second project, the teacher will show students examples of mummy masks. The teacher will then show students the finished teacher exemplar.
Questions
Topic Questions:
Do you think art in Egypt had the same role that art in the United States has now?
How is Egyptian art reflective of the Egyptian lifestyle?
Association Questions:
Have you ever seen Egyptian artwork? What did it remind you of?
Do you think Egyptian artwork has influenced other art styles and techniques?
Visualization Questions:
Why is it important to include hieroglyphics in a portrait?
What details or drawing styles can help make your artwork resemble Egyptian paintings?
Transition questions:
What Elements and Principles of Design are most important to remember when making an Egyptian-style image?
Procedures
Demonstration
For the first project, the teacher will first introduce the lesson by holding a discussion about ancient Egyptian art. The teacher will show students the teacher example, and will explain how to draw faces and bodies in profile. The teacher will then write codes in hieroglyphics for the students to decode. For the second project, the teacher will show students the finished teacher exemplar, and will then demonstrate how to trace a photograph onto the foil to transfer the image. The students will then learn about creating crowns and head dresses, jewelry, and how and where to add color and embellishment to make the masks look like Egyptian mummy masks.
Vocabulary:
Hieroglyphics- Ancient Egyptian alphabet.
Profile- The side view of a person’s face or body.
Egypt- The ancient civilization along the Nile River from est. 5000 BCE-2000 BCE.
Mummy mask- A funerary mask made to resemble the deceased, usually gilded, decorated with gems and jewels.
Distribution
For the first lesson, students will be given a hieroglyphics code page and a worksheet. Students will be instructed to draw a food of their choice. It could be a whole meal, or one kind of food. Students may use pencils, colored pencils and markers to create their sketches. For the second, third and fourth lesson, students will be provided with one 12” x 18” black piece of construction paper, and smaller colored construction paper pieces. Students will have pencils, scissors and glue available for use on each table. Students will have work returned to them at the start of each lesson.
Work period
Lesson 1
On the first day, the teacher will present Egyptian art and writing to the class. The students will learn how to decode hieroglyphics as a class. The teacher will then demonstrate how to draw a portrait in profile. Students will begin the project by decoding a series of words in hieroglyphics on a worksheet. Once students have finished their worksheet, the students will write their own name in hieroglyphics. Students should write their name on the final project paper, and begin to draw their likeness in profile.
Lesson 2
On the second day, the teacher will discuss colorization and details found in Egyptian art. The students will be instructed to continue to write their names and draw their portrait in profile. Students should begin to add details such as clothes, jewelry, armor, etc., and may consider creating a background.
Lesson 3
Students should finish drawing any details during this class. Students will outline their letters and drawing with sharpie, and will then color in their picture using colored pencil.
Lesson 4
The teacher will introduce the second project at the beginning of this lesson. The teacher will discuss the importance of mummies in Egyptian society, in particular the preparation of the mummy sarcophagus. Students will look at the mummy mask of King Tutankhamen, and will learn the importance of making the mask look like the subject. Students will use a printed photograph of their face that has been taped on to a piece of foil. The students will trace their likeness, and then remove the picture. Students will draw a crown directly onto the foil, and will finally add color using colored sharpies.
Clean-up
At the end of each class, students must make sure their names are on their projects. Projects will be returned to students during the next meeting. Students will be instructed to help clean up materials and return them to their specific locations.
Closure
The teacher will go over what should have been accomplished by the end of the class, and what will be expected of each student during their next meeting. The teacher will ask students about connections made and realizations had by students about their projects during the creative process. The teacher will review where materials and projects should be put away, and the class will be dismissed.
Evaluation
Students will be evaluated based on their display of comprehension of the objectives presented during the lesson. Students should be able to use a hieroglyphic alphabet to decode words accurately. Students should have created a portrait in profile, and should have attempted to add relevant details. Students should have been able to create a mummy mask that resembles their likeness, considering structure and color found in other, real mummy masks.
Did the students…
Did the student complete the hieroglyphics worksheet to practice decoding?
Did the student accurately translate their name using the provided hieroglyphic alphabet?
Was the student able to draw a portrait in profile?
Did the student add any other details (clothing, background, etc) to make it more authentic?
Was the student able to accurately trace their photograph and transfer the image to the foil?
Was the student able to draw a crown onto the foil, referencing images provided by the teacher?
Did the student add color to embellish their image?