Aim: Students will explore the art masterpieces that are considered most important in cultures across the globe, and students will be involved in an international discussion of why these works are valuable.

Rationale:  The art of a culture provides tremendous insight into its values and cultural mores.  We can encourage students to learn about the world around them through discussion of art pieces significant to specific cultures, and to reevaluate possible misconceptions.  Ideally, students will be able to get a feel for a culture from the people that live there, making inferences based on other students' comments.  Students will not only become aware of cultural influences in art, they will increase knowledge of geography, art history and language arts skills.

Audience and pre-requisites:  This site is appropriate for advanced elementary grade students and highschool students.  We designed the material to target about the 5th grade, as students at this grade level are developing their critical thought as they expand their awareness of cultural diversity.

Description of subject-matter:  This site will allow students to reflect upon which cultural icons are most meaningful to them, to report on these findings, and to analyze the values expressed by students in other cultures.  Students will be asked to make inferences from the aesthetic choices of others, and to expand their own values and aesthetics.

Learning objectives: Several Illinios and Chicago standards are addressed in this site.  Although art, geography, and technology are the most obvious subjects, Language Arts/ Social Studies is also primary subject addressed through the standards.
     State Fine arts goals: 25 and 27 are addressed as students are called on to consider elements of visual arts, similarities and patterns.  They will also be able to analyze how arts function in history, society and everyday life.

Instructional plan: Initially, students can use the site to view a limited selection of artworks created by the cultures of several countries across the world.  The images are linked to sites that give more background information on the artist and the piece.

    The true objective, however, is for students to think about which cultural icons mean the most to them.  Teachers can lead students in thinking about familiar artists and artworks.  Teacher can first ask students in general to name three important works.  Some coaching will almost certainly be necessary, and it is the responsibility of the teacher to attempt to let the students lead the conversation as much as possible.  Some questions might include:
    Can you name a famous piece in the local art museum?
    Have you seen a poster of an image you think is important?
    Can you think of an image that makes you think of _________
        (insert various themes you have been discussing in class: Love,
        Patriotism, Bravery, Beauty, War, Religion)?
Try to save more directed questions (Have any of you ever heard of the Mona Lisa?) until the end.
It will probably be helpful to have some art books on hand.

Teachers will then submit the choices of their students via the submission form, along with an explanation of these choices that has been written together with the students.  Either individual students can submit their thoughts, or the teacher can facilitate a group essay.

In the final stage, students can explore the submissions of other schools.  Teachers can ask first if the students were surprised by the selections, and ask what the students themeselves might have considered important pieces from those cultures.  Teachers can then review what the choices of students around the globe reveal about their respective cultures.  Some possible directions:
    Have students focused on particular themes?  (War, Patriotism,
        Beauty, Family, Commerce)
    What do you know about the history or circumstances of that culture
        that might explain why those themes are important to them?
    What media have their artists worked in?  Does the medium relate to
        the climate or natural resources of the area?
    Do the figures in the artwork look like you imagine the people in that
        country to look?
    How do you think the people in that culture see themselves?  Do you
        see them the same way?

Teachers can e-mail the responses of their students to the other classes that have responded.  School e-mail addresses will be posted with the classes' selections, and schools can comment on one another's choices.  Students will have the chance to see if their assumptions about other cultures seem accurate to the people being profiled, and students can gain insight into the way in which others perceive them, as well.

Materials:  It may be useful to have a collection of illustrated art history books on hand.  Some websites also provide excellent images and background information:
     http://www.desktoppublishing.com/artlinx.html

             http://www.cornermark.com/fineart/

            http://www.artcyclopedia.com/

             http://www.monna.com

            http://witcombe.sbc.edu/ARTHLinks.html

                Art Institute of Chicago
             http://www.artic.edu/

                Guggenheim Museum, New York
            http://www.guggenheim.org/shocked.html

                Louvre, Paris
                http://www.louvre.fr/louvrea.htm

               Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
                http://www.metmuseum.org/

              National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia
              http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/

              Virtual Library Museums
              http://www.icom.org/vlmp/

             Web Museum, Paris
          http://metalab.unc.edu/wm/

             World Art Treasures
          http://sgwww.epfl.ch/berger/

Plans for assessment and evaluation:Once several schools have submitted their materials, a message board should be established.  This would provide a forum both for feedback from participating teachers, and for different schools to comment on one another's choices.  Participating classes will be the primary resource for evaluating one another's insight, and the ideal result being an international discussion on the position of art in our cultures.