Harvey Dunn Weather on the Plains Provided by the South Dakota Art Museum Brookings, South Dakota
South Dakota Artists Curriculum Unit Unit of Study: Harvey Dunn, painter Title of Lesson Plan: Weather on the Plains Grade Level: 3 5
South Dakota Content Standards U.S. History: 4.US.1.2 Students are able to identify basic environmental, economic, cultural, and population issues of concern to South Dakota. Geography: 5.G.2.1 Students are able to describe how climate and geography influenced the way of life of Native American tribes and the movement and activities of settlers.
South Dakota Content Standards Science: 4.E.1.2 Students are able to describe how weather conditions and phenomena occur and can be predicted. 4.S.1.1 Students are able to describe how people continue to invent new ways of doing things, solving problems, and getting things done. Writing: 4.W.1.3 Students can compose a paragraph with a topic sentence, supporting details, and a conclusion.
Assessment Strategies Class discussion Classroom observation of work behaviors Evaluation of student writing using 6+1 Writing Traits as a guide
Learning Objectives Students will learn about South Dakota artist Harvey Dunn. Students will observe how Dunn portrayed weather through his use of color and type of cloud formations. Students will analyze the emotions being depicted in the painting. Students will identify the basic cloud structures. Students will predict the weather based on cloud formations. Students will explain the impact technology has had on weather forecasting.
Time Required One class period of 30 45 minutes long that could be used in conjunction with a unit on weather. Materials/Technology Needed Harvey Dunn Paintings: The Prairie is My Garden, Just a Few Drops of Rain, and Storm Front Paper Pens/Pencils
Background Information Harvey Dunn is an artist who grew up on the South Dakota prairie near Manchester, SD in the late 1800 s. He is widely known for his depictions of prairie life as he remembered it from his childhood. He captured many of the successes and struggles found living on the prairie including the weather s impact on daily life.
Lesson Description Review the different types of cloud formations and how they can be used to anticipate different types of weather. Show the students the paintings by Harvey Dunn ( The Prairie is My Garden, Just a Few Drops of Rain, and Storm Front ). Have students write in a journal type of format to analyze how the author s use of color and cloud shape evoke different emotions in each painting. Also, why does weather cause such strong emotional reactions (paintings, photos, real-life)? After students complete their reflections, discuss as a class the emotions associated with each painting.
Lesson Description continued Ask students to think about what it would have been like living in an era where technology was not available to provide any real forecast capabilities (or the ability to send and receive those forecasts). How would a person plan activities (i.e. like planting) or seek shelter without any notice? Have students discuss how life would be different today without the technology we have today to forecast the weather.
Enrichment Students could complete an online activity where they forecast weather based on cloud information. The activity is located at <http://weathereye.kgan.com/cadet/forecast/figgerbottom.html>.
Bibliography/Resources Dunn Painting Collection at the South Dakota Art Museum Harvey Dunn Paintings: The Prairie is My Garden, Just a Few Drops of Rain, and Storm Front Forecasting - Miss Figgerbottom s Lessons. KGAN and Central Iowa Power Cooperative. 2007 <http://weathereye.kgan.com/cadet/forecast/figgerbottom.html>.
Harvey Dunn Presentation to Students
Harvey Dunn Images Courtesy of the South Dakota Art Museum
Harvey Dunn Born on March 8, 1884 on a homestead farm near Manchester, SD Mother recognized and encouraged Dunn s talent for art 1901-1902 Attended South Dakota Agricultural College (South Dakota State University today) Instructed by SD artist Ada Caldwell at South Dakota Agricultural College Encouraged by Caldwell to continue drawing and painting at the Art Institute of Chicago
1902 1904 Harvey Dunn Attended Art Institute of Chicago 1906 Started own studio in Wilmington, Delaware Served as one of eight artists with the American Expeditionary Forces in Europe during WWI to capture the war on paper Artwork shown in many magazines The Saturday Evening Post, Collier s Weekly, Harper s, Scribner s
Speedy painter Harvey Dunn once completed 55 paintings in 11 weeks Died October 29, 1952 One of America s most successful illustrators Artwork includes scenes of prairie life, portraits, and scenes from WWI
Bibliography South Dakota Art Museum Collection Harvey Dunn Dunn Painting Collection at the South Dakota Art Museum Harvey Dunn paintings: Woman at the Pump, Fixing Fence, Homesteader s Wife, Gunfire, and Street Fighting *For more information about Harvey Dunn contact the South Dakota Art Museum
The Prairie is My Garden Image Courtesy of the South Dakota Art Museum
Just a Few Drops of Rain Image Courtesy of the South Dakota Art Museum
Storm Front Image Courtesy of the South Dakota Art Museum
Other Examples of Harvey Dunn s Artwork
Woman at the Pump Image Courtesy of the South Dakota Art Museum
Fixing Fence Image Courtesy of the South Dakota Art Museum
Homesteader s Wife Image Courtesy of the South Dakota Art Museum
Gunfire Image Courtesy of the South Dakota Art Museum
Street Fighting Image Courtesy of the South Dakota Art Museum