Daily Activities – Howard Finster (2001)
The daily activities created for each of the Today in Georgia History segments are designed to meet the Georgia Performance Standards for Reading Across the Curriculum, and Grade Eight: Georgia Studies. For each date, educators can choose from three optional activities differentiated for various levels of student ability. Each activity focuses on engaging the student in context specific vocabulary and improving the student’s ability to communicate about historical topics.
One suggestion is to use the Today in Georgia History video segments and daily activities as a “bell ringer” at the beginning of each class period. Using the same activity daily provides consistency and structure for the students and may help teachers utilize the first 15-20 minutes of class more effectively.
Optional Activities:
Level 1: Provide the students with the vocabulary list and have them use their textbook, a dictionary, or other teacher provided materials to define each term. After watching the video have the students write a complete sentence for each of the vocabulary terms. Student created sentences should reflect the meaning of the word based on the context of the video segment. Have students share a sampling of sentences as a way to check for understanding.
Level 2: Provide the students with the vocabulary list for that day’s segment before watching the video and have them guess the meaning of each word based on their previous knowledge. The teacher may choose to let the students work alone or in groups. After watching the video, have the students revise their definitions to better reflect the meaning of the words based on the context of the video. As a final step, have the students compare and contrast their definitions to their textbook, dictionary or other teacher provided materials definitions.
Level 3: Provide the students with the vocabulary list and have them use their textbook, a dictionary, or other teacher provided materials to define each term. After watching the video, have the students write a five sentence paragraph based on the provided writing prompts.
Vocabulary/Writing Prompts:
Vocabulary Terms
Visions
Unusual
Self-taught
Folk Artist
Religious
Paradise
Exhibition
Writing Prompts
1. In the video you saw a few examples of Howard Finster’s artwork. In a five sentence paragraph describe Howard Finster’s style using your own words. In your answer include your opinion of Howard Finster’s artwork.
2. Do you think it changes the way you feel about Howard Finster’s artwork knowing that they are inspired by his visions? In a five sentence paragraph explain how knowing the context in which art is created impacts the way you think and feel about it.
3. What do you think counts as art? In the video you learned that Howard Finster did not only create paintings and drawings, but he also created sculptures out of rescued trash. In a five sentence paragraph describe what you think counts as art, and decide if you believe Howard Finster’s more “unusual” pieces are really art.
Related Georgia Performance Standards:
Reading Across the Curriculum (Grades 6-12)
SSRC1 Students will enhance reading in all curriculum areas by:
c. Building vocabulary knowledge
• Demonstrate an understanding of contextual vocabulary in various subjects.
• Use content vocabulary in writing and speaking.
• Explore understanding of new words found in subject area texts.
d. Establishing context
• Explore life experiences related to subject area content.
• Discuss in both writing and speaking how certain words are subject area related.
• Determine strategies for finding content and contextual meaning for unknown words.
Grades 9 – 12 Visual Arts Introduction
VAHSVACU.1 Articulates ideas and universal themes from diverse cultures of the past and present.
a. Identifies how the issues of time, place, and culture are reflected in selected art works.
b. Discusses how understanding the original context of an artwork affects a viewer’s connection with and interpretation of the artwork.
c. Recognizes art, art styles and artists and writes and talks about them from a wide range of perspectives, including cultural context, formalist, expressionist, conceptual, functional, and technical.
d. Discusses the importance of art in daily life (personal significance, social commentary, self-expression, spiritual expression, planning, recording history, for beauty’s sake, and marketing / advertising).
e. Supports, with examples from history, the assertion that humanity has an innate need to create or make their world a more beautiful place.
f. Compares and contrasts works from theories of art: Formalism (Structuralism), Imitationalism (Realism), Emotionalism (Expressionism), and Functionalism (Utilitarian).
g. Discusses the role of art in at least two historical cultures; compares and contrasts to art today.
h. Discusses the role of art and artifacts as a visual record of humankind’s history and a vehicle for gaining understanding of another culture.