Instructions
- Read the short introductory text about Georgian Bay and the Group of Seven.
- Complete the Geography Match to understand where the bay is located.
- Use the Artist's Field Notes table to identify features of the landscape.
- Follow the step-by-step guide in the Sketching Studio to draw your own masterpiece.
- Answer the Art Critic Challenge questions at the end.
The Land of 30,000 Islands
Georgian Bay is a large part of Lake Huron in Ontario, Canada. It is famous for its clear blue water, giant granite rocks, and "windswept pines"—trees that grow sideways because the wind blows so hard! Over 100 years ago, a group of Canadian artists called the Group of Seven traveled here by boat and train. They fell in love with the wild landscape and used bright, bold colors and thick paint to capture its beauty.
Section 1: The Geography Match
Draw a line to match the word on the left to its description on the right.
- Lake Huron . . . . . . . . . . . . . The material that makes up the big, smooth grey rocks.
- Granite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Great Lake that Georgian Bay is part of.
- 30,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The province in Canada where you find the bay.
- Ontario . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The approximate number of islands in the bay.
Section 2: Artist’s Field Notes
Imagine you are an artist sitting on a rocky shore. Look at the example below, then fill in the table with things you might see, feel, or hear at Georgian Bay.
| Landscape Element | Describe it (Colors, Textures, Sounds) |
|---|---|
| Example: The Water | Bright turquoise, cold, and crashing against the rocks. |
| The Rocks | |
| The Pine Trees | |
| The Sky | |
| The Islands | |
| The Wind |
Section 3: Sketching the Windswept Pine
The Group of Seven is famous for painting trees that look like they are dancing in the wind. Use the box below to draw your own Georgian Bay tree!
Steps:
- Draw a curvy, slanted line for the trunk (not straight!).
- Add branches that all point in the same direction (away from the wind).
- Use "scumbled" lines (messy, curly scribbles) for the pine needles.
- Draw big, rounded "humps" at the bottom for the granite rocks.
| My Georgian Bay Masterpiece |
|---|
| (Use this space to draw your tree and rocks) |
Section 4: The Art Critic Challenge
-
The Group of Seven liked to paint En Plein Air. This is a French phrase that means painting "outdoors." Why do you think it is better to paint a forest while you are actually standing in it rather than in a bedroom?
-
Color Theory: If you wanted to paint the deep, cold water of the bay, which colors would you mix?
-
Challenge Question: Most people in the 1920s thought the Group of Seven's paintings were "ugly" because they didn't look like photographs. Today, they are worth millions of dollars. Why do you think people changed their minds?
Answer Key
Section 1: Geography Match
- Lake Huron: The Great Lake that Georgian Bay is part of.
- Granite: The material that makes up the big, smooth grey rocks.
- 30,000: The approximate number of islands in the bay.
- Ontario: The province in Canada where you find the bay.
Section 2: Artist’s Field Notes (Answers will vary, but may include:)
- Rocks: Grey, hard, smooth, pinkish, warm from the sun.
- Pine Trees: Green, prickly, bent, leaning.
- Sky: Blue, cloudy, vast, bright.
- Islands: Small, distant, covered in trees.
- Wind: Whistling, cool, strong.
Section 4: Art Critic Challenge
- You can see the real colors, feel the mood, and notice details you might forget.
- Blue, green, white (for foam), and maybe a little purple or black for depth.
- People realized the paintings captured the "feeling" and "spirit" of Canada better than a simple photo.