American Contemporary

Summary

Learn about the American Contemporary periods and complete an assignment about the Contemporary periods.

Materials

1. American Contemporary power point presentation.
2. American Contemporary outline.

Background for Teachers

Be familiar with the power point presentation on the American Contemporary period.

I cover the entire section of architecture and furniture history. I break it up into each time period. Each class period consists of approximately 2 of these time periods, such as Greek and Roman in one 90-minute period. I have several lesson plans on architecture and furniture history; I usually try to get through at least 2 time periods each class session. Each lesson consists of a power point presentation with graphics, an outline for the students to fill out, and a project where they have to sketch an object from the time, and then get a picture of a piece of current furniture influenced by some of the details of that time period.

There was not a lot of information on this time period in the curriculum. I have attached a few websites to give you some more general information and great pictures to help you explain all 5 periods in the Contemporary time.

Student Prior Knowledge

None.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Students will find American Contemporary influences in modern day furniture and architecture.

Instructional Procedures

1. Hand out the American Contemporary outline to the students.

2. As you review the information from the power point presentation, have students write down the information on their outline from the presentation. (I try to do a lot of study before I begin the lecture, so I add other information about what I have researched to this lecture.)

3. When the lecture is completed, I have the students start on the sketching assignment. Students will sketch a chair from each of the contemporary time periods. (They must not copy, but do their best to sketch!) To do this, they will also look in magazines to find a pictures of a piece of furniture or architectural detail that might have been influenced by each time period. For example, students could find a picture of a shaker reproduction of a four-poster bed. For their description of the picture, they could say that this bed was influenced by the Shaker time period because of its use of straight columns and plain lines, and simplicity. My students are expected to turn this assignment in for grading, then they create a portfolio out of all of the history we have talked about in class.

Assessment Plan

See attached rubric for American Contemporary.

Bibliography

USOE Interior Design curriculum