Treasures – Care

Question for Understanding
How is it protected from harm?

Art Making Question
If you were planning to make an artwork, what do you think you could do to make it last longer?

Objectives
Students recognize threats to the physical condition of artworks.
Students identify ways art professionals care for artworks.

Activity Ideas for All Students
Bring to class an object that is important to you, for example, a family heirloom, souvenir, important document or letter, photo, old toy, etc.. Explain why it is important and how you take care of it. Ask students to list objects they or their families own that mean a lot to them.

Show the DVD segment, “Treasures,” asking students to learn what they can from the artists to help them take care of their own treasures. Give students practice and feedback by using some or all of the interactive “Treasures” CD activities, which you can project for an entire class or which individual students can view in a computer lab. Students can use the CD to 1) review what they learned on the DVD, 2) apply what they learned to their everyday visual world, and 3) recognize how inquiry into protective measures applies to old and new art.

Students interview adults about things they treasure and how they take care of their treasures. With appropriate precautions, students or adults can bring “treasures” to class and explain why they are treasured and how they are cared for (repaired, stored, transported, etc.)

Discuss a local building, public sculpture, mural, or monument that is endangered or that has been saved from destruction, if possible talking with community members responsible for caring for the building, public sculpture, mural, or monument.

Activity Ideas for Art Students
Teacher displays old student artwork (yellowed and cracking newsprint drawing, creased linoleum print, water damaged collage, scratched painting, faded weaving, split wood sculpture, etc.) or other artwork that has deteriorated. Students identify the deterioration, speculate about causes, and propose preventive measures (selection of materials, matting, mounting, flat storage, avoidance of direct sunlight, etc.) they can take with their own work to avoid such damage.

Complementary Activities from Stories of Art
A K-12 curriculum resource from CRIZMAC
The theme, Farm Folk City Folk, is based on “Kag and the River People,” a story of a torrential flood that destroys a city and the young man whose courage brings hope for the future.

Supplementary Online Lessons
“Who Cares for Art” – Lesson Three: Taking Care of Art

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