Objective

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to explore the relationship between geography and art, and create your own artwork inspired by different geographical features.

Materials and Prep

• Paper or sketchbook
• Pencils, erasers, and colored pencils or markers
• Reference materials such as books or online resources about different geographical features

Prior knowledge of basic art techniques such as shading, perspective, and color mixing would be helpful but not required.

Activities

1. Research: Choose at least three different geographical features such as mountains, rivers, or deserts. Use your reference materials to learn more about each feature and gather visual inspiration.
2. Sketching: Create rough sketches of each geographical feature, focusing on capturing their unique shapes and characteristics.
3. Artwork Creation: Select one of your sketches and use your art supplies to create a final artwork inspired by the chosen geographical feature. Pay attention to details and colors that represent the feature accurately.
4. Reflection: Write a short paragraph explaining how your artwork represents the chosen geographical feature. What elements did you incorporate to capture its essence?

Seventh Grade Talking Points

• "Geography is the study of the Earth's physical features, climate, and the relationships between people and their environments."
• "Art can be influenced by geography as artists often draw inspiration from the world around them, including natural and man-made landscapes."
• "Different geographical features can have unique shapes, colors, and textures, which artists can incorporate into their artwork to represent those features."
• "Mountains, for example, can be depicted with jagged lines, shaded areas to show depth, and earthy colors to convey their grandeur and ruggedness."
• "Rivers, on the other hand, can be represented with flowing lines, shades of blue or green, and reflections to capture their movement and tranquility."
• "Deserts might be shown with vast areas of sand, warm tones, and minimal vegetation to convey their arid and barren nature."