Introduction: 

This lesson is designed to teach 4th-6th grade students about a traditional art element from Morocco. 

Ideally, students will participate in weekly art lessons to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of art. The students most likely have little experience or knowledge with Moroccan art history. This is designed to be an introduction to a new region of the world. 

​

Students need to be able to cut, glue, and create patterns.

​

Instructional Sequence:

1. Anticipatory Set

   • Teacher will review the BYA Art rules and will introduce the lesson by showing approximately 5 pictures of Moroccan buildings that contain Zellige tile work. The teacher will then ask students to give a thumbs up if they think this is art and a thumbs down if they think it is not. 

   • Students will review BYA Art rules. Students will then observe approximately 5 pictures of Moroccan buildings that contain Zellige tile work. Lastly, students show a thumbs up if they think this is art and a thumbs down if they think it is not.

   • Showing students examples of real-life Zellige-style tiles in Morocco will help them to think of this as a true art form. Students will get to engage directly with the lesson by sharing their opinion.

   • The teacher will write the objective on the board which reads, “Students will be able to design a Zellige tile with an identifiable pattern containing at least four colors and/or shapes.”

2. Instructional Input​

   • The teacher show the pictures of the Moroccan buildings again. Teacher will ask the students to look for something that these photos have in common. Teacher will show the students an example piece of art and demonstrate how to create a pattern using the pre-cut shapes. 

   • Students will raise hand and share if they saw anything that these photos had in common. Then students will observe the paper example.

   • This will encourage students to begin to recognize some of the elements of Zellige and give students an idea of how to create their own Zellige tile out of paper pieces.

3. Guided Practice

   • Teacher will show an example of what Zellige tiles made of paper can look like and ask students to begin laying out their own pattern.​

   • Students will begin to lay out their own pattern work.

   • Students will have the opportunity to try Zellige art on their own. This will help them realize that Zellige tiles can be art.

4. Independent Practice

   • Teacher will instruct students to begin by laying out their pattern before gluing it down. Then, the teacher will walk around the classroom and observe as students lay out their patterns.The last five minutes will be spent cleaning up.

   • Students will lay out patterns on circle or square piece of cardstock. Then, they will glue the small pieces of paper onto the larger piece. Students will spend the last five minutes cleaning up their workspace. 

   • The students will be able to engage in a type of art they may have never heard of prior to the class period. They can practice developing a pattern to be displayed as artwork.

5. Closure

   • Teacher will ask students the questions, “Would you hang this in your room as locker as decorative art?” and “How did doing this teach you something new about art? The teacher will have them turn and share with a partner and then share with the whole class.

   • Students will turn to their neighbor and share their opinions. Then they will have the opportunity to share with the whole class.

   • The students will be able to determine if they value Zellige as artwork and see the roles pattern, color, and shape can play in developing art.

Assessment

​Students will show the teacher their Zellige tile and answer the following question, "Do you think Zellige tile work is or is not art? Why or why not?"

​

​