Art Lesson Plan

Kente Cloth of Ghana, Africa

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Enduring Understanding:
People develop ideas and understandings of society, culture, and
history through their interactions with anaylsis of art.
Objectives:
The students will paint lines and fill in shapes with even color using
tempera paint. (MO)
The students will create an original artwork that communicates ideas
about functions of Art in African culture. (MO)
The students will identify and create an alternating pattern (abab).
(MO)
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Art Production:
1. Teacher will:
Show a large PowerPoint picture of a Kente cloth when the
students come in.
I say, you say, Kente Cloth.
Known as cloth of kings.
Ask students if they have ever seen a cloth like this, do they
know what it is, what is it used for, where is it from, do you
wear it, what art words can we use to describe it.
Put on a Kente cloth in different parts of the body. Ask where
they think someone would wear it. Pass it around so the
students can touch it.
2. Objectives:
The students will paint lines and fill in shapes with even color using
tempera paint. (MO)
The students will create an original artwork that communicates ideas
about functions ofArt in African culture. (MO)
The students will identify and create an alternating pattern (abab).
(MO)
3. Input:
Show a PowerPoint on the history and important information
about the Kente cloth. fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us/.../Kente%20Cloth%2
Show a map of the location of Ghana, Africa.
Explain and discuss how they wear the textile, include the
vocabulary words in the discussion.
4. Teacher will:
Have students fold a 6x18 strip of white paper in half
hamburger style and then again hamburger style. Write their
name on the back of the paper and their teachers initial and
grade. Student will write on the back what functions Kente
cloths have in African art.

















Unit: African Art

Grade level:
Grades 4-5

Medium: Tempera
Paint

Suggested Time: 50
minutes

Elements of Art:
shape, color
Shape
Principles of Art:
pattern, repetition,
movement

Vocabulary:
Kente Cloth
Ghana Africa
Tempera Paint
Warp
Weft
Loom
Paint Palette






Post the strip of paper on the board and demonstrate taking a n
permanent marker (students will use a pencil) and in the first
box draw two shapes and five lines.
Talk about using organic verses geographic shapes. Talk about
constrasting shapes and designs. Ask the students to think of
the colorful designs in the pictures they just looked at.
Discuss making an abab pattern with the design.
Show students what the final product will look like and explain
the 4Cs Demonstrate the box making box two with two shapes
and five lines. Art Rubric for this project. (What the students
will be assessed on.)
Explain to the students they will be doing the same thing. The
first box will have two shapes and five lines. The next box will
have the same, but a totally different pattern.
Ask students if they noticed anything in the pictures of Kente
clothes that we looked at. Contrasting colors? What does that
mean?
5. Check for Understanding:
Ask a student what we will be doing in the first box.
Ask a student what we will be doing in the second box.
Ask a student what the third box will look like.
Ask a student what the fourth box will look like.
6. Guided Practice:
Students will take a pencil and draw the first box using two
shapes and five lines then follow with a different pattern in the
next box using the example on the board as a model.
Walk around and observe for understanding and to answer
questions.
7. Independent Practice:
Explain to students after they have drawn their pattern they
can choose 3-4 colors and black and put them on their paint
palette. (Model this procedure.)
Each student will also need to pick up a paint brush and sup of
water that is ready for them.
They will first use the black paint to outline all of the pencil
lines, then fill in the spaces with color. They will paint each
entire square and make sure square one and three ar the same
color scheme, and squares two and four are the same color
scheme. When they finish put project on drying rack and clean
up their area.
8. Closure:
When the paintings are dry, they will make a grid on the wall
and use art words to describe their unique Kente cloths.


Materials:
6x 18 strip of paper
Tempera paint
Paint brushes
Paint palette
Styrofoam cup
Water
Pencil

Power














Kente Cloth Rubric

Content:

Student painted lines and filled in shapes with even color using tempera paint.
Student created an original artwork that communicated ideas about functions of
Art in African culture.
Student identified and created an alternating abab pattern.

1 2 3 4 5

Creativity:

Student used contrasting colors and contrasting design patterns.
Student thought outside of the box and added something new or different to
the project.

1 2 3 4 5

Craftsmanship:

Student filled in the shapes leaving a distinct black line between colors.
Student did not leave any white areas on their Kente cloth.

1 2 3 4 5

Completion:

Student finished artwork with the 50 minute class period.
Student picked up their work area, put all supplies away, and put their project
on the drying rack.

1 2 3 4 5

Comments:




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