Pushing boundaries with art

The main goals of this ESL lesson plan are to:

• – cultivate art-related vocabulary through conversation completion exercises, art form categorization activities, and distinguishing between literal and metaphorical language in artistic contexts;
• – refine conversational and reading comprehension skills by watching a video about famous abstract art, reading exhibition reviews, and expressing personal opinions about artistic preferences;
• – strengthen critical analysis and interpretive abilities through discussing why certain artworks gain fame, sharing perspectives on art exhibitions, and engaging in conversations about well-known artworks to express individual interpretations and insights.

This C2 lesson plan aims to enrich students’ vocabulary on art and how we interpret it.

Warm-up

We start with an engaging exercise where students choose the word that best completes an art-related conversation. It’s a great way to get comfortable with the language used in art discussions.

Video

We’ll watch an intriguing video titled “Why is this painting of a black square famous?” to spark a lively discussion. Following the video, we’ll dive into its key points, helping students refine their conversational skills in the context of art.

Exercises

Students will have the opportunity to categorize various art forms and discern between literal and metaphorical language, enhancing their understanding of art terminology.

Reading

Students will read a review of an art exhibition and then share whether it’s something they’d be interested in visiting. This will not only practice reading comprehension but also encourage students to express their opinions and preferences regarding art.

Discussion

To wrap up the lesson, we’ll engage in a discussion centered around a well-known artwork, offering a chance to apply what was learned and express interpretations and insights.