Middle School Lesson Idea

Standard: Students are required to consider the design of chairs in relation to their cultural and historical contents.

Materials:

• three chairs or pictures of chairs: one a simple farm chair, another a modern metal or plastic chair, the third, a very elaborate chair from an earlier period. The metropolitan Museum of Art (http://www.metmuseum.org) is a good source for images. Click on Collection; then American Decorative Arts, Egyptian Art, Islamic Art, European Sculpture and Decorative Arts, and Modern Arts all have chair images.

Activity: Have students make simple line drawings of features of each chair, such as shape, proportion, positive and negative spaces, and detail. Have them write observations of materials used, degree of comfort and suggested purpose or function of each chair. Have them estimate the chronological order of manufacture of the chairs and their judgment about their cultural origin.

Finally, discuss the actual date and place of manufacture, the function and purpose of each chair, and the issues relating to authenticity, craft skills and designing for particular purposes.

Assessment: Students reflect in writing the discussion and findings about the chairs.