Walk Like an Egyptian

Egyptian Art

Reason for Lesson:  To provide a lesson that supports the 6th grade curriculum.  Nutcracker. This lesson is about lines, measurement and proportion and uses the same concept used in the Nutcracker lesson.   

Class Time: 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Lesson can be started to with folding and drawing of the lines.  

Prep for Lesson: Create your own sample to show in class.  

Materials:  Large size paper 18 x12 or 8 1/2 x 11, ruler, pencil, eraser, black sharpie, scissors, oil pastels/water color markers or another medium that provides brilliant color option. 

Instructions to Lead Lesson: 

Look at samples of Egyptian art.  Show pictures of head shots of Egyptians. 

Discuss the flatness of the art.  Look at the detail.  Notice how large the eyes are in relation to the nose and mouth.  Point out the heavy makeup used in the artwork.  Look at the detail in the head pieces. 

Start by folding your paper 'hamburger' style in half.  Then fold each end into the center, creating 4 sections with three folds.  Label each section lightly with a pencil (1,2,3,4)  beginning at the top.  Doing this provides for easy instruction and reference to each section. 

Before you begin instruction, notice how the face is broken down into 4 areas.  Area #1 contains the hat/hair. Area #2 contains upper part of the nose, large eyes and half of the ears. Area #3 contains the mouth.  Area #4 is the chin neck and shirt. 

Begin in area #1 and instruct the students to create line for the hat/hair.  Continue on to the forehead and nose in area #2.  Continue on in area #3 with the lips. Note the 'heart' shape of the mouth. Continue on to the chin.  Go back up to the head band and instruct the students to create a headband.  Create the hair and ear to the right side of the paper. Notice the size of the eyes in paintings.  Translate that to the page of each students artwork. 

 Once the art is drawn, have the students use color to finish piece of work.