{"id":1448,"date":"2015-05-06T19:12:15","date_gmt":"2015-05-07T00:12:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.scarboromissions.ca\/?page_id=1448"},"modified":"2019-10-10T15:01:58","modified_gmt":"2019-10-10T20:01:58","slug":"golden-rule-art-exercise-lesson-plan","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.scarboromissions.ca\/golden-rule\/golden-rule-art-exercise-lesson-plan","title":{"rendered":"Golden Rule Art Exercise & Lesson Plan"},"content":{"rendered":"

For schools and youth groups<\/h3>\n

By Gregory McKenna<\/p>\n

Table of Contents<\/b><\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Introduction<\/a>
\n2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Learning objectives<\/a>
\n3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Outline of art exercise\/lesson plan<\/a>
\n4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Follow-up<\/a>
\n5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Resources<\/a>
\n6.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0About the author and reviewers<\/a>
\n7.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Permission to reproduce this document<\/a><\/p>\n

Download this document:\"\"\u00a0.doc version<\/a> | \"\" .pdf version<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Introduction<\/h3>\n

The goal of this program is to inspire and support young people to become global citizens rooted in the Golden Rule. This effort to engender character education in young people is achieved using creativity, imagination and the arts. This program also serves to counter the negativity that so many of us, including young people, are exposed to in modern culture.<\/p>\n

This lesson plan\/art exercise is very useful for teachers, youth educators and youth leaders because it deals with themes of youth empowerment, global citizenship, social justice, non-violence, cooperation, multiculturalism, multifaith, ethics, diversity and the arts.<\/p>\n

This outline can be used as a lesson plan in schools or as an exercise with youth groups. The outline is quite detailed and contains a number of features and steps. Some teachers may wish to simplify the process by eliminating some steps. The purpose of the detail in this outline is to give educators and youth leaders an abundance of ideas and choices.<\/p>\n

Some educators may wish to complement this outline by using additional methods and media including music, drama, trigger questions, and DVDs that focus on contemporary issues such as bullying, global poverty, diversity and the oneness of the human family.<\/p>\n

Scarboro Missions has had a good deal of experience using this art exercise and has found it to be both effective and fun for young people.<\/p>\n

Materials required:<\/b> art paper, art supplies, Golden Rule Poster (optional)<\/p>\n

Time required:<\/b> 120 minutes or two periods of 60 minutes each (The duration can be shortened by eliminating some steps in the process.)<\/p>\n

Grade\/Age level:<\/b> Grade 3 (age 9) to Grade 12 (age 18). This exercise can easily be adapted for use with young adult and adult audiences. The exercise can also be conducted with an intergenerational audience.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Learning Objectives<\/h3>\n

To inspire and support young people:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. To reflect on the Golden Rule with a view to applying it in their lives<\/li>\n
  2. To imagine a better world \u2013 a world characterized by co-operation, social justice, peace-making and a sustainable physical environment<\/li>\n
  3. To use their artistic skills to depict this better world that they envision<\/li>\n
  4. To develop an awareness of themselves as global citizens, that is, as members of one single, interacting, global human family.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    <\/p>\n

    Outline of art exercise\/lesson plan<\/h3>\n
    <\/div>\n

    \"art_exercise_1\"<\/a>Introducing the Golden Rule<\/b><\/h4>\n

    After providing a brief introduction to the concept of the Golden Rule, the teacher invites the students to read silently the Golden Rule texts<\/b><\/a> from 13 religions that are featured on the Scarboro Missions Golden Rule Poster<\/a>. Next, the students take turns reading aloud each of the 13 texts consecutively, allowing for a pause between each reading. The teacher then invites comments from or discussion among the students about what they have just experienced.The teacher invites the students to view the Golden Rule Poster (22 x 29 inches). As an alternative to viewing the large poster, the instructor could make the smaller version of the poster (8 x 10 inches) available to each student. The instructor next initiates a discussion about the visual, symbolic and design qualities of the poster by focusing on some of its features: circles, colors, lines, overall design, centrality of the globe. The teacher may find it helpful to consult the short article, Visual Impressions of the Golden Rule Poster<\/b><\/a>, which contains comments by various individuals about the design of the poster.<\/p>\n

    The teacher invites the students to share about any connection they see between the message of the 13 Golden Rules and the design of the poster. (If the teacher does not have access to the Golden Rule Poster, he\/she can simply eliminate the teaching content about the poster and move to the next section.)<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

    Imagining a Golden Rule world<\/b><\/h4>\n

    In this imagining exercise, the teacher invites the students to \u201cImagine what the world would be like if every person on the planet lived according to the Golden Rule.\u201d<\/b> To localize the focus for the students, the teacher may wish to rephrase the statement in the following way: \u201cImagine what our country (or \u201cstate\u201d or \u201cprovince\u201d<\/b> or \u201ccity\u201d<\/b> or \u201clocal neighborhood\u201d<\/b> or \u201cschool\u201d<\/b> or \u201chome\u201d) would be like if every person in it lived according to the Golden Rule.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

    The teacher writes these words on the blackboard or chart paper. Alternatively, the words can be projected on a screen or Smart Board. The students may wish to close their eyes during this visioning experience. The length of the experience is left to the discretion of the teacher. To have the students feel more comfortable with the visioning experience, the teacher may wish to provide a background of reflective instrumental music.<\/p>\n

    After this experience, those students who so wish are invited to share verbally their vision of \u201ca Golden Rule World\u201d, that is to say, their vision of the global human family in which everyone lives according to the Golden Rule.<\/p>\n

    Depicting our global vision in artistic ways<\/b><\/h4>\n

    The teacher then invites the students to actualize what they have just envisioned or imagined by creating a piece of art that depicts a world in which every person lives according to the Golden Rule.<\/p>\n

    \"art_exercise_2\"<\/a>The students are invited to use whatever shapes, colors, symbols and lines they wish. They may choose from a variety of mediums and materials, for example, pen, pencil, crayon, chalk, oil, acrylic, fabric, paint or collage. If appropriate or possible, computers can be used. The size of the art paper is left to the discretion of the teacher.<\/p>\n

    If the teacher has taught this lesson before, he\/she may want to share a few samples of the artwork done in previous classes. This may help some students get started. The teacher may wish to ask some students to discuss what ideas they have in mind for their artistic creation.<\/p>\n

    Displayed throughout this document are seven examples of artwork done by students who have participated in the Golden Rule art program at Scarboro Missions. These art pieces can be enlarged or downloaded free of charge.<\/b><\/p>\n

    Some students may wish to work individually creating a single piece of art; other students may wish to work in groups of two to four persons, creating one piece of art. Group work may be more effective with high school students than with elementary students. Working in a group will enable the students to apply the Golden Rule in their group process. A larger sheet of paper will be required to better facilitate the creativity and artwork produced by a group of students.<\/p>\n

    The students may choose to select one or more of the 13 Golden Rule writings to be placed somewhere on their artwork.<\/p>\n

    \"art_exercise_3\"<\/a>Sharing our art<\/b><\/h4>\n

    When the task is completed, individuals and groups present their art creations to the rest of the class or youth group. The presenters may consider one or more of the following questions to help them explain their artwork:<\/p>\n