WHO LET THE DOGS OUT?

Melissa Guarino
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Enduring Idea: Throughout time and across cultures, humans experience physical and emotional bonds with dogs.

Who Let the Dogs Out?

Grade 4
Four Classes: 50 minutes each
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OVERVIEW:
1. Lesson summary:
The students will explore the emotional and physical bonds between humans and dogs by artworks, stories,
folklore, and legends of dogs across cultures. The students will learn about how humans have relied on dogs, to
assist them as workers and companions, throughout the history of civilization. All cultures have domesticated
dogs to help them survive and expand their worlds since the earliest civilizations. Humans have a unique bond
with dogs; as they are one the few species of animals specifically purposed to serve the needs of humans. A dogs
life is determined by their human relationships; whether they exist as a working dog, service dog, therapy dog or a
humble family companion. This lesson allows the student to learn and celebrate the unique emotional and spiritual
bonds that humans have with dogs. The students will explore the different dog breeds and their contributions to
human existence. They will also learn about how dogs have been depicted in art throughout history.
After investigating the different dog breeds, the students will be introduced to the Blue Dog series of art from
Cajun artist George Rodrigue. His Blue Dog paintings began with a Cajun folklore animal called the Loup Garou,
a dog/werewolf like creature. At the start of the Blue Dog series, the dog was confined to the lands of Cajun
country. Once George Rodrigue personified his Blue Dog, he wanted to set it free from the confinements of
Louisiana. He then officially let his dog out to explore the globe and imaginary places/spaces. As a result, the
Blue Dog became recognized around the world.
The students will create a dog portrait, of a dog breed they investigated, in the style of George Rodrigue, using oil
pastels on a 5x7 piece of black paper, which will be cut out. They will then create an oil pastel resistance using oil
pastels and black watercolor on 11x14 white paper. The idea for the oil pastel resistance is to create an image of a
place to let their dogs out so that they may roam worlds both real and imaginary similar to how George
Rodrigue creates worlds for his Blue Dog. There are no limits what type of places or spaces the students can
create for their dog to go.
The students will complete the lesson by creating a 3-D assemblage consisting of their dog portrait image, cut out
and glued to card stock folded springs, and then glued to the oil pastel resistance. The final artwork will be
displayed at the Lehigh County Humane Society or a local animal shelter.

2.

Artworks, artists and/or artifacts:

George Rodrigue
Blue Dog Speaks, (2008) George Rodrigue. Sterling, Ny,Ny
George Rodrigue tells the story of the Loup Garou, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrtyYW8_osc
The Dog: 5000 years of the dog in Art, (2010) Tasmin Pickeral. Merrell, London, UK
A Day With Duchess:Life Lessons from a Blind Therapy Dog,(2013) Mark Condon. Duchess the Dog
Press
Nebamun Tomb relief, Egypt. 1490 b.c.
Native American Cave Drawings, Tennessee.
Statuette of the god Anubis, 304-30 B.C., The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.
Franz Marc, Three Animals Dog Fox and Cat
William Wegman, Roller Rover
Video, Dogs in Art, Moira McLaughlin. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpIp0Ebao8k

3.

Key concepts:
Humans have deep emotional and spiritual connection with dogs.
Without the help of dogs throughout civilization, human existence would be radically different.
Humans tell stories about dogs by humanizing their traits.
Every culture has folklore about dog and human bonds.

4.

Essential Questions:
Where would my freed dog go, and how does this connect to the bond I have with the dog?
What story could I tell about a dog?
What bonds do you have with dogs?
What is your favorite dog breed?
How have artists depicted dogs in relationship with humans throughout history?

5.

Standards:
A. Pa Standards for the Arts and Humanities
9.1.3.E: Demonstrate the ability to define objects, express emotions, illustrate an action or relate an experience
through creation of works in the arts.
9.2.3.A: Explain the historical, cultural and social context of an individual work in the arts.
9.4.3.D: Recognize that choices made by artists regarding subject matter and themes communicate ideas
through works in the arts and humanities
B. Pa Standards for other disciplines:
Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening:
1.6.4.A: Listen critically and respond to others in small and large group situations. Respond with grade level
appropriate questions, ideas, information, or opinions.
Geography:
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7.1.4.B: Describe and locate places and regions as defined by physical and human features.
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OBJECTIVES:
1.

2.

Knowledge:
Describe dog breed traits by engaging in class discussion.
Classify the different ways dogs aid humans physically and emotionally by listening to a presentation by
Lehigh Valley Service Dogs.
Express the spiritual connection that humans have to dogs by telling a story about dog breeds and their role in
human relationships by completing a fact sheet about their specific dog breed.
Analyze the co-dependent relationship between humans and dogs by verbal-sentence prompts.
Apply the elements and principles of visual art to create works of art inspired by the stylistic works of George
Rodigue.
.
Skills:
Relate color with mood by looking at the artwork of George Rodrigue.
Create a world, real or imaginary, for their dog by using oil pastel on black paper.
Demonstrate skills and craftsmanship through their involvement in a physical process of drawing and
blending with oil pastels.
Make connections between dogs and places by producing a 3-D dog portrait.

3.

Dispositions:

Recognize that dogs have been depicted in art because of their importance in our lives throughout history.
Reflect on the creative process during the creation of their dog and its world.
Recognize that dogs are valuable to human existence in every culture.

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ASSESSMENT:
Pre-Assessment:

Students understanding of dog breed traits and classifications will be assessed by completing a fact sheet about
their specific dog breed.

Formative:
Students participation in group activities and discussions will be assessed by teacher observations and notations
recorded on a teacher checklist.
Students comprehension of the lesson will be assessed by the Good Dog/Bad Dog table prompts.
Students focus on the art making task will be assessed by teacher observation and subsequent redirection if
needed.
Summative:
The finished oil pastel resistance drawing will count as evidence of student learning as stated in the objectives.
The students will be given a self-assessment handout sheet to rate their enjoyment of the lesson
The teacher will assess the finished product by observing their understanding of the oil pastel resistance
techniques, the exploration of the big idea, and the student participation in class by a rubric.

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INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES:
Day1
Hook:
Students will enter the classroom and will be seated. At their tables, there will be folded pieces of paper in the center,
with enough for each student to choose at least one paper. The students will be instructed not to unfold the papers until
instructed to do so. At the beginning of the class, the teacher will begin the lesson by showing the students a brief video,
Dogs in Art, by Moira McLaughlin. The video is an animated montage of dogs depicted in Art throughout the ages. After
the video is finished the teacher will introduced students to the importance of dogs and their relationships with humans by a
Powerpoint presentation about dogs represented throughout art history. Students will then be instructed to choose one of
the pieces of paper from the center of the table. Inside each paper is a picture of a specific dog breed with a description of
its group, traits and purpose for humans needs. The students will read about their dogs and then participate in a group
discussion with students having dogs from the same group such as herding, working, toy, sporting, hound, non-sporting and
terrier. Some groups may be larger than others depending on the random selection of the papers. 15-20 minutes.
Development:
Students will gather in groups sharing the same breed classifications. Once they are in their groups, the students will
share their breeds with the group by sharing the traits of their particular breed selected. They will look for similarities
of traits and appearance, and decide why these are important to humans. The students will complete the dog breed fact
sheet for their breed and will combine each sheet to create a group booklet to share with the class. Each student will be
asked to hold on to their image because it will be the subject of their dog portrait. 15 minutes.
Closing:
The students will be read the book: A Day with Duchess: Life Lessons from a Blind Therapy Dog, which will show an
example of how a blind dog works to help people with Autism. After the story, the teacher will engage the students in
a dialog about the roles that dogs play in the everyday lives of humans. Students will be asked questions about what
they know about dogs and what they contribute to humanity. They will also be asked to name as many famous dogs
that they know within their cultures. At the end of the dialogue, the students will be told that they will be making a dog
portrait of the dog breed that they have chosen, and learned about, during class. They will be asked to think about their
dog, and imagine what story they could create about their dog for the next class. The students will be encouraged to
investigate with their parent more information about their dog breed. 10-15 minutes.
Day 2
Hook:
Students will be introduced to the artwork of George Rodrigue. They will be shown images of his works which will be
available at each table. Students will hear the history behind Rodrigues Blue Dog paintings and how he uses bold
colors to create an expressive mood. The students will watch a video by George Rodrigue, telling the story about how
the Blue Dog was inspired by a Cajun folklore about a werewolf/dog creature that lived in the Bayous of Louisiana.
After the video, the students will then be instructed that they will be making a portrait of their dog breed inspired by
George Rodrigues Blue Dog. The students will also be told that their dog portraits will be displayed at the local
animal shelter. 15-20 minutes.
Development:
The students will be shown how to simplify the image of their dog into simple shapes, and will be asked to choose a
color they feel best suits their dog. The students will be given 5x7 pieces of black paper, pencils, scissors, and oil
pastels at each table to complete their portrait. The students will engage in creating their dog portrait. 20 minutes.
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Close:
Upon completion of their dog portrait, the students will then cut their dog out using the scissors at the table. The
portraits will be collected and saved for the final assemblage.
Day 3
Hook:
The students will be asked to let the dogs out by having the students create an oil pastel resistance on an 11x14 piece
of white paper using black watercolor. The Students will be asked to use their imaginations to creat a place where their
dog may be free to roam, play or explore worlds that are real or imaginary like Rodrigue did for his Blue Dog. Images
of the Blue Dog artworks will be at each table for students to study and gather inspiration. 10-15 minutes.
Development:
The students will be given instruction of how to create their oil pastel resistance. Each table will have oil pastels and
black watercolor paint with brushes for students to create their image. The students will create a world, real or
imaginary that their dog can be free to run, play or explore. The students will be shown an exemplar of a completed
world. The students will then she given three 1 strips of card stock that they will fold in an accordion style. At the
completion of their resistance, if the image is dry, using glue sticks, the students will glue the strips of card stock to
three points on the back of their cut out dog portrait. The students will then position their dog over the oil pastel,
where they desire, and then glue the exposed ends of the card stock, fixing it to the oil pastel. This will count as the
finished art work. 30 minutes.
Extension: if the students resistance is not dry by then end of class, they will have 10 minutes to complete it at the end
of the final class of the lesson.
Closing:
The students will be instructed to place their finished artwork in the appropriate folder or place on the drying racks
until next class. The folded cardstock strips are to be placed in their appropriate folder to be used for the next class. 5
minutes.

Day 4
Hook:
Students will be instructed to finish gluing their dog portrait to their oil pastel resistance. If students have completed
their artwork, they will be able to engage in free draw time for 10 minutes.
Development:
Once students have completed their projects, they will be collected by the teacher. Once all of the projects are
collected, two surprise visitors will enter the room. A member of Lehigh Valley Service Dogs and a service dog will
enter the classroom. The students will be introduced to a service dog and be given a presentation about the dog and its
work. 15 minutes.
Close:
Students will be encouraged to ask questions about the dog how it helps others. The teacher will prompt the students
when necessary. The students will thank the guests at the end of class. The students will complete a Good Dog
assessment of their completed studio project. This will conclude the lesson. 20-25 minutes.
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PREPARATION:
1.

Teacher research and preparation:

2.

Instructional Resources:

3.

Geroge Rodrigue, Blue Dog Speaks (2009)

George Rodrigue, Are you Blue Dogs Friend?
The Musings of the Artists Wife www.wendyrodrigue.com
Dogs in Art, Moira McLaughlin. www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpIp0Ebao8k
George Rodrigue tells the story of the Loup Garou, www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrtyYW8_osc
George Rodrigue Foundation for the Arts, www.georgerodriguefoundation.org
Lehigh Valley Service Dogs
JKL Grooming Dog Breed Flashcards

Student Supplies:

4.

The teacher will prepare an exemplar of different stages of the artwork in process.
The teacher will create a PowerPoint presentation that will provide students a visual history of dogs in
Art.
Dog breed identification sheets/flashcards will be made and provided to students for the group activity.
Dog fact sheets will be provided to all students.
Good Dog/Bad Dog visual prompts will be created for each table for the length of the lesson.
The teacher will distribute images of the Blue Bog paintings by George Rodrigue to each table.
The teacher will create a rubric for the summative assessment, and a Good Dog self-assessment sheet
for the students, to complete at the close of the lesson.

11x14 white paper

5x7 black paper
Oil Pastels
Pencils
Paper towels
Black Watercolor
Paintbrushes
Water Cups
Scissors
Glue Sticks

Modifications and extensions:

Students who complete their work early may engage in free draw for the remainder of the class
Students having difficulty with the oil pastel medium may choose colored pencils as a substitute.
Students needing individual assistance will have a student volunteer assist them. Students who volunteer
will be given extra points for assisting
Students with disabilities will have their lesson modified to best serve their needs
Students requiring extra time to complete their project will be allowed to take their project home.

Criteria
For grading:

Leader of
the Pack!

Good
Dog!

In the
Dog the
Dog
House!

Three Bones

One
Bone

13-16 bones=A
9-12 bones=B
9 bones or
less=C

Four Bones

Described dog breed

traits by engaging in
class discussion and
by completing a fact
sheet about their
specific dog breed

Completed the Fact

sheet completely
and shares the
information with
the group and
class.

Completed the
Facts sheet but
participates in
group discussion
only being
prompted by
teacher.

Understood the oil

pastel resistance
techniques and
explored the Big
Idea.

Demonstrated
complete
understanding of
the medium and
thoroughly
explored the Big
Idea.

The students
participation in the
lesson.

The student
showed enthusiasm
towards the subject
and respect for
peers.

Demonstrated
average
understanding of
the medium and
explored the Big
Idea without going
digging deeper into
the lesson.
The student
showed average
enthusiasm
towards the subject
and showed respect
for peers.

Demonstrated skill
and craftsmanship in
the drawings and
blended the oil
pastels.

The artwork
demonstrated
superior
craftsmanship.
Student blended
the oil pastels.

Student:

Class Period:

The artwork
demonstrated good
craftsmanship. The
student attempted
to blend the oil
pastels.

How
many
bones did
you earn?

Your Doggy
Treats!

Did not
complete the
fact sheet and
did not
engage in
classroom
discussion
and activities.
Demonstrated
little
understanding
of the medium
and little
interest in the
Big Idea.
The student
showed
minimum
enthusiasm
for the subject
and did not
show respect
for their
peers.
The artwork
demonstrated
poor
craftsmanship
. The students
did not
attempt to
blended the
oil pastel.

Total
Bones:

Comments:

Good Dog/ Bad Dog Table prompts

*Dogs will be printed on card stock, and each table will have one of each as a formative
assessment tool.

Name:____________________________
Tell me how you feel about your work by drawing a line to the
dog that best describes how you feel.

Top dog

You did your very best!

I learned about
many dog
breeds and
how they
assist humans.

Happy Dog

You are content.

I blended the oil

pastels and
was proud of
my effort.

I worked well
others and
showed
kindness and
respect.

Sad Dog

You are not happy.

I participated
in group
discussions
and activities.

I completed
my project
without
being
reminded to
stay on task.

Give yourself some praise:

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Dog Breed Fact Sheet

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Daschund
My group
is:__________________________________________________________________
My ancestors come
from:________________________________________________________
I have helped humans
by:________________________________________________________
My coat
is:____________________________________________________________________
I am small
because:_____________________________________________________________
If I could go anyplace real or imaginary, to run, play or explore it would
be:________________
____________________________________________________________________________
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Dog Flash Cards

Learning tools that will help students quickly identify the many different dog
breeds!
Dog Breed Flashcards
A full color breed photo, with information about:
Breed Name
Coat Type
Kennel Club Group
Size and Purpose of Breed
*These flash cards will be made or purchased as part of the teacher preparation for the
lesson 1 hook.

** The above is a sample of what the flashcards may look like if teacher decides to
purchase from JKL Grooming. Actual flashcards may vary.
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Each table will have a selection of dog breed flash cards as part of the group
activity.

Sample Grorge Rodrigue Images

Full size images will be printed out prior to Day 1 of lesson to distribute to students

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Exemplars

the dog.

Exemplar of simplified image of

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Teacher Exemplar of finished artwork

year old

Exemplar by 9

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