Art Across Time · SHS2 Art And Design Foundation

Lesson notes

Learning Objectives

Indicator: 2.1.1.LI.2 - Analyse the impacts of Western modern art on African art.

By the end of the lesson, learners can:

Identify at least four channels through which Western Modern Art reached Africa, such as trade, education, religion, and status, and give a concrete example for each.
Explain, in their own words, at least three specific impacts of Western Modern Art on African art practices, materials, and imagery.
Compare a Western Modern artwork with an African artwork from the same period, noting where Western influence is visible and where African identity was retained.
Present a short group analysis (oral or written) showing both the positive and the challenging sides of Western influence on African art, using evidence from at least two artworks discussed in class.

This lesson connects directly to the Week 7 slot in the teaching sequence. In Week 6, learners listed and explained Western Modern Art movements (Impressionism, Cubism, Expressionism, Surrealism, and others). This week, they will examine how those movements travelled to Africa and what they changed. The detailed comparison of shared materials, imagery, and meanings belongs to Week 8, so this lesson will introduce those ideas without going into full depth.

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Curriculum details

Strand: The Creative Journey (from Caves to 21st Century) (Strand 1)
Sub-strand: Art Across Time (1.1)
Content standard: 2.1.1.CS.3 - 2.1.1.CS.3 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the relationships between Western Modern Art (from 1850 to 1950), and Modern African art in terms of materials, imagery, meaning and how they influenced each other. 2.1.1.LO.1 Identify and analyse modern Ghanaian artworks from the 1920s to 1985 in terms of materials, methods, and uses. 2.1.1.LO.2 Analyse Modern African art and culture from 1900 to the 21st Century in relation to their peculiar socio-cultural contexts and changes that occurred within the period. 2.1.1.LO.3 Employ knowledge to show the relationships between Western Modern Art from 1850 to 1950 and Modern African art in terms of materials, imagery and meaning.
Indicator: 2.1.1.LI.2 - Analyse the impacts of Western modern art on African art.
Suggested placement: Semester 1, Week 7 (Week 7 of the year)
Our suggestion, laid out in curriculum order across three terms of twelve weeks. NaCCA does not fix the week, so follow your school's scheme of learning.
Curriculum reference: NaCCA curriculum document, p. 69

Exemplars (from the NaCCA curriculum)

Problem Based Learning/Structuring Talk for Learning (Brainstorming and Brain-writing): In a class discussion, investigate the various channels through which Western Modern Art came to Africa. Examples of the channels: Trade, Education, Religion, Status, etc.
Experiential Learning: In convenient groups, generate an infographic of the selected types of Western Modern Artworks and channels through which they came to Africa.
Problem Based Learning/ Group Work/Collaborative Learning: In a class discussion, examine the cross-cultural influences from Western Modern Art on African Art.

Assessment (2.1.1.AS.2). The document marks these depth-of-knowledge levels for this indicator: Level 3 Strategic reasoning; Level 4 Extended critical thinking and reasoning.

Teaching and Learning Materials:
- Textbooks
- exhibition catalogues
- web references
- audio-visual resources
- projector
- TLMs on modern Ghanaian art
- camera
- charts, and illustrations
- paintings
- sculpture
- textiles