In these pages you’ll find lessons around specific topics. These can cover one class, several, or even lay out the scope for cyclical learning. Where possible I have provided exemplars.
Function and Purpose IBDP Visual Arts
Function and Purpose is part of the current IBDP Visual Arts and one of the critical analysis required for the comparative study. I have found it can be somewhat confusing for students and mine often have very specific questions about what should be reported on, the extent they can draw conclusions (report what they think,) and how to format the screen. I address Function and Purpose three times throughout the school course. It gets a very superficial overview right at the beginning of the course as we are getting a feel for the work. Then again in more detail at the end of the first year, and then readdressed at the beginning of the second year.
Content Objective: I can understand the meaning of function and purpose and report on them.
Language Objective: I can use visual and verbal research to draw conclusions.
Culture Objective: I can find the function of an artwork in respect to its place and time.
Thinking skill questions:
Symbolic – How is the artist communicating through a visual experience?
Symbolic – What do aspects of a work of art tell us?
Salient: What information from my research is relevant in this situation?
Content Objective: I can understand the meaning of function and purpose and report on them.
Language Objective: I can use visual and verbal research to draw conclusions.
Culture Objective: I can find the function of an artwork in respect to its place and time.
Thinking skill questions:
Symbolic – How is the artist communicating through a visual experience?
Symbolic – What do aspects of a work of art tell us?
Salient: What information from my research is relevant in this situation?
In the first and second session (months apart) I give the students and overview of function and purpose and provide examples of each from the Visual Arts Guide. The students then take individual functions and purposes printed on strips of paper and lay them on posters of well-known art along with a post-its defending their the placement. We do a gallery walk and discuss.
I use the Concept Attainment Model in sessions two and three (also months apart.). I use the same statement because there is a lot of information students have to deal with and using the same statement hopefully calls it up from their long-term memory. In session three I ask the to verbalize a definition of function and purpose and then reveal the IBDP description.
