An art lesson for Adaptive students learning about Alma Thomas for black history month.

1. Alma Thomas

2. ● Born: Columbus, GA 1891
● Died: Washington, DC 1978
● teacher and artist
● became Howard University’s first fine arts
graduate
● 35 year teaching career at Shaw Junior High
School
● earned an MA in arts education at Columbia
University in 1934
● Continued to study art at American University
during the 1950s

3. ● moved toward abstraction in the 1950s
with works like The Stormy Sea
● 1966 exhibition at Howard, Thomas
began painting with small daubs of
vibrant colors arranged in rhythmic
patterns, as in Light Blue Nursery
● consistently found inspiration in nature,
as in paintings like Aquatic Gardens

4. ● she became the first Black woman
to have a solo exhibition at the
Whitney Museum of American Art
● A reflection she had of her
childhood,“One of the things we
couldn’t do was go into museums,
let alone think of hanging our
pictures there. My, times have
changed. Just look at me now.”
● https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
mE1R-yuNZZw
●

5. Artworks
The Eclipse, 1970, acrylic on canvas
Pansies in Washington, 1969, Acrylic on canvas
Breeze Rustling through Fall Flowers,
1968, Acrylic on canvas

6. Formative

7. Summative

8. Rubric
A B C D F
Standard 3:
Media Techniques and
Processes
Consistent
demonstration of
choosing one color
at a time from a
paint tray
Demonstrates
understanding of
choosing one color at
a time from a paint
tray with few errors
Partial understanding
or demonstration of
choosing one color at a
time from a paint tray
Requires additional
support..
Minimal demonstration of
understanding of choosing
one color at a time from a
paint tray Unable to
demonstrate an
understanding without
significant support/help.
No evidence of
understanding of how to
choosing one color at a time
from a paint tray (yet).
Standard 5:
Connect>History/Safet
y/ Society and Art
Consistent
demonstration of
identifying a
historical artwork
when compared to
student art
Demonstrates
understanding of
identifying a historical
artwork when
compared to student
art with few errors
Partial understanding
or demonstration of
identifying a historical
artwork when compared
to student art Requires
additional support..
Minimal demonstration of
understanding of identifying
a historical artwork when
compared to student art
Unable to demonstrate an
understanding without
significant support/help.
No evidence of
understanding of how to
identifying a historical
artwork when compared to
student art
(yet).