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WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET (NOT!)
Master Teacher: Debra Duffy
Grade Level:
8
– 9 (or 7th graders with learner maturity level and pacing
considered)
Time Allotment:
Two - three class periods (90 – 135 minutes)
Overview: Students will become acquainted with three types of
optical illusions along with the makers of the illusions, including Mother
Nature and M.C. Escher. Students will have the opportunity to learn about how
optical illusions are made, and possibly try their own hands at designing
optical illusions.
Subject Matter:
Language Arts (Arts, Science)
Learning Objectives:
The student
will be able to:
ź
recognize
and describe types of optical illusions
ź
define terms
related to optical illusions
ź
recognize
and identify patterns
ź
recognize
how an artist’s life contributed to his/her style
ź
employ
secondary research skills to locate information
ź
compare and
contrast different types of optical illusions
ź
write a
variety of complete well-elaborated sentences
Standards:
Language
Arts TEKS:
The student is expected to:
4(A) connect his/her own experiences, information,
insights and ideas with the experiences of others through listening,
7(B)
read regularly in instructional-level materials that are challenging but
manageable (texts in which no more than approximately 1 in 10 words is difficult
for the reader),
9(C)
use multiple reference aids, including a dictionary and software, to clarify
meaning and usage,
11 (C)
support responses by referring to relevant aspects of text and his/her own
experiences,
13 (C) use
multiple sources, including electronic texts, experts, and print resources, to
locate information relevant to research questions,
17 (A)
write, using complete sentences and appropriately punctuated independent and
dependent clauses,
17 (D) use
appropriate adjectives to make writing more descriptive,
22 (B)
interpret events and ideas gathered from video segments or technology
presentations,
23 (B)
compare and contrast print, visual and electronic media,
24 (A)
select, organize, or produce visuals to complement or to extend meaning.
Media Components:
Video
Reading
Rainbow series #801 – Opt: An Illusionary Tale
Web Sites
Trackstar
http://trackstar.hprtec.org
A
teacher-made site with links to relevant information and artwork by M.C. Escher.
Materials:
Student
worksheet
Computer lab
Pens,
pencils, papers, display boards (if needed)
Prep for Teachers:
Prepare a
Powerpoint presentation demonstrating an optical illusion. If this is not
possible, draw on a posterboard four concentric overlapping circles. Make sure that all students can see the optical illusion that
is the introductory activity.
Bookmark
website. Write the address on the board.
Cue
videotape to starting spot.
Introductory Activity:
Direct all
students to turn their attention to the computer screens, instructing them to
watch the Powerpoint presentation without comment. The open end of the “can”
will flip from one side to the other without warning.
Learning activities:
Step 1:
Explain that the students will become acquainted with optical illusions and that
there are many types of optical illusions.
Step 2:
Solicit ideas about what makes an optical illusion, recording the answers on
paper or on the board.
Step 3: Tell
the students they will be learning about three specific types of optical
illusions, even though there are many more.
Step 4:
Distribute the worksheets. Instruct students that they will be using primarily
context clues to locate the definitions of the words on paper.
Step 5:
Provide students with FOCUS FOR MEDIA
INTERACTION, telling them that they will first see an introduction to
different simple optical illusions.
START TAPE
with LeVar posing as a castle guard saying, “As a castle guard I cherish my
trident…” PAUSE TAPE when LeVar
is standing near two cartoon flowers and says, “…centers really are the same
size.”
Step 6:
Provide a FOCUS FOR MEDIA INTERACTION
by telling students to watch for the meaning and characteristics of
“trompe l”oeil”. Meanwhile, FAST
FORWARD TAPE to red and white swirling circle with Levar laughing and
saying, “Some optical illusions are quick….”
Step 7: PLAY
TAPE to where jewelry appears on a green background. PAUSE
TAPE, then allow students to complete definitions and answers.
Step 8:
Provide FOCUS FORMEDIA INTERACTION by
telling the students that in the next segment they will see an artist at work
creating trompe l’oeil, as well as learn about two more terms – horIzon line
and vanishing point.
Step 9: PLAY
TAPE and continue until the artist completes his drawing on paper and is
saying “……this creates the illusion of distance…” PAUSE
TAPE, allowing students to complete answers.
Step 10:
Provide FOCUS FOR MEDIA INTERACTION
by instructing students to look for the other information related to this art
form.
Step 11: PLAY
TAPE to where the artist has completed his carnival painting, the lights
twinkle on the ferris wheel, and the artists says, …”nothing pleases me
more” and music fades.
PAUSE TAPE,
allowing students to complete answers.
Step 12: FAST
FORWARD tape to LeVar standing in front of a mountain saying, “You can
find optical illusions in television…”
Step 13:
Provide a FOCUS FOR MEDIA INTERACTION
by telling students to look for information relating to the optical illusions of
nature.
Step 14: PLAY
TAPE showing various animals, including a bird on a branch, then LeVar
quickly appears on camera and says, “…You might find yourself looking at
everything twice.”
STOP TAPE.
Step 15:
Instruct students to record their answers and clarify any points as needed.
Obviously, students will tell you that they still are missing information.
Inform them it is now time to make use of secondary sources on-line. Instruct
them to go to the Trackstar website to the prepared track ID# 39575. They must
choose the text frames option, then
work at their own pace, following the links as shown on the site and answering
the questions on the worksheet.
If the
students finish early, they may go to related sites listed on Trackstar.
Culminating activity:
Students may
design or find examples of illusions.
Cross-Curricular
Extensions:
ART/MATH
Students can
access contest sites for M.C. Escher related contests.
ART/COMPUTER
They can
create a multi-media display about optical illusions and the artists for the
school library.
SCIENCE
Students can
study the two sides of the brain and the optical nerve.
Community Connections:
Students can
talk to an eye specialist or neurologist about how and why visual illusions
work.
Student Materials:
Worksheet
Computer lab
Pens,
pencils, papers, display boards (if needed)
Worksheet
Name:
__________________________________________
Vocabulary:
Define the
following words through context clues (or use the dictionary)
woodcut___________________________________________________
linocut_____________________________________________________
trompe
l’oeil________________________________________________
camouflage_________________________________________________
horizonline__________________________________________________
vanishing
point______________________________________________
mentor_____________________________________________________
emulate____________________________________________________
tesselations_________________________________________________
After
watching the video, answer the following questions. Use complete sentences where
indicated by *.
1.
What are two characteristics of trompe l’oeil art?
2.
*What did the artist do in order to give the feel of greater reality to
his carnival painting?
3. What are
three illusions of Mother Nature that we saw in this video?
4.
What are two purposes of this type of natural optical illusion?
Now go to the site (http://trackstar.hprtec.org
) Track ID # 39575 to answer the
following questions about M.C. Escher.
1.
What did Escher’s father want him to be?
2.
What happened in 1919 to change M.C. Escher’s
life?
3.
*Describe his academic career.
4.
When did he graduate from high school?
5.
During WW II, what happened to his mentor? How did this event influence
the rest of Escher’s life?
Look
at the four Escher art works entitled:
“Hand with Reflecting Sphere”
“Three Worlds”
“Ascending and Descending”
“Gravitation”
1.
What are two things that they have in common?
2.
What are two specific differences?
3.
*Which of these Escher drawings appeals to you the
most? Why?
4.
*Use three powerful adjectives to describe M.C.
Escher’s life and/or work. Explain why you chose those three adjectives.
5.
What are two specific points of comparison between
tromp l’oeil and Escher’s art?
6.
What are two points of comparison between
Escher’s art and natural optical illusions?
7.
*Between the two artists’ works (Escher's and the artist from the
video), which appeals to you more. Why?
8.
*If you were to choose to emulate one of these two artists’ styles,
which would it be? Why?
Updated: April 01, 2008
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