6th Grade Renaissance Unit

Kate Hickam
Understanding- the great minds of the past still influence today.
Essential question- do the great minds of the past still have influence today?
order of lessons:
Day #1 - Intro To Renaissances Great Minds
Day #2 - Intro To Renaissances Great Minds (Cont.)
Day #3- The Artistic Revolution
Day #4 - Museums around the world
Day #5 - UMFA day!
Day #6 - Creating an exhibit
Day #7 - Creating an exhibit
Day #8 - Museum at school

Lesson Title: Intro to the Renaissances Great Minds

Grade Level: 6th
State Standards Connection:
Social Studies
Standard 2 - Students will understand the transformation of cultures during the
Middle Ages and the Renaissance and the impact of this transformation on
modern times.
Objective 4. Explain the importance of the Renaissance as a rebirth of
cultural and intellectual pursuits.
Language Arts
Speaking and Listening Standard 4 - Present claims and findings, sequencing
ideas logically and using pertinent descriptions, facts, and details to accentuate
main ideas or themes; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear
pronunciation.
Time: 2 class periods that run 45-60 minutes
Personal Objectives: Students will be able to identify and give a brief description of some of
the big names of the renaissance.
Essential Questions: Do the great minds of the past still have influence today?
Key Vocabulary:
Renaissance, Patron, Transform
Materials:
mover and shaker pretest (attached)
my mover and shaker presentation
graphic organizer
assess to youtube
oral presentation rubric (attached)
Area of Focus Chart (attached)
Engage and Launch: (15 minutes)
Watch quick youtube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mgSPiAiBjU

 give out pre-test

Teacher Role: Asks questions, assesses prior knowledge, provide information needed for
explore phase
Student Role: Gains interest, calls upon prior knowledge, develops a need to know,
identifies a problem to solve
Explore/Do: (10 minutes)
Break the students into small groups of no more than 5 and have them discuss and
compare their pre-tests. They may add any information they get from their peers at this
time.
Teacher Role: Makes open suggestions; Questions and probes; Provides feedback; Assesses
understanding and processes
Student Role: Explores resources and materials; Hypothesizes and predicts; Records
observations and ideas; Seeks possibilities by thinking creatively
Explain/Summarize: (15 minutes)
Bring the class altogether and see if there are any gaps in people they had never heard of.
They can fill those in if another classmate knows.
Make corrections as needed but do not be afraid to let the students disagree on what a
person did. Clarification will come the next class period.
At this point you can give the occupation of each of the people on the list. However do
not go into extensive details because the students will be doing that next time.
Teacher Role: Asks for clarification and evidence from students; Enhances or clarifies
student explanations; uses students experiences as a basis for explaining new concepts;
provides new vocabulary; evaluates student explanations.
Student Role: Clarifies understandings discovered; Shares understandings for feedback;
Communicates understanding using recorded observations (writing and drawings); Forms
generalizations; Seeks new explanations
Elaborate/Extend: (45-60 minutes)
Assign each student one of the people weve talked about to do a short presentation on.
They will fill out a graphic organizer asking questions about their persons background
and contributions during the renaissance.
Each student will not only be required to fill out the graphic organizer but also they will
have to do a short oral presentation where they present their person.

 The oral presentation should be no more than 5 minutes and just go questions on
their graphic organizer.
They should also find one picture of their person or a picture representing what
they are most famous for. They will send you the link to this image or print it off
so you can display it as they present.
As each student is presenting the other students are filling out the areas of focus chat
Teacher Role: Asks questions; Poses new problems and issues; Offers alternative
explanations
Student Role: Applies new knowledge by performing related tasks; Asks questions; Plans
and carries out new project; Records observations and explanations
Evaluate/Assess: (5 minutes)
Use their pre-test to assess what background knowledge the students have.
Use area of focus chart as an exit ticket
Use oral presentation rubric to assess language arts connection
Teacher Role: Observe and assess students; Asks open-ended questions; Allows students to
assess their own learning and skills
Student Role: Demonstrate an understanding of a skill or concepts; Evaluates his/her own
progress and knowledge; Answers open-ended questions by using observations, evidence,
and previously accepted explanations
ELL: Impact information through oral, visual, and auditory modalities. Simplify language of the
overall instruction. Use graphic organizers to make information more accessible. The students
may also be paired in groups to present in order to allow them to have support while speaking in
front of the class.
Students with disabilities: Group where every student feels comfortable, where they will be
accepted and get the support they need.

Name:_________________________
RENAISSANCE MOVERS & SHAKERS NAME ASSOCIATION
Write all that you know about each of these people.
Boccacio ______________________________________________________________________
Botticelli ______________________________________________________________________
Bramante _____________________________________________________________________
Brunelleschi ___________________________________________________________________
Cervantes _____________________________________________________________________
Columbus _____________________________________________________________________
Copernicus ____________________________________________________________________
Da Vinci ______________________________________________________________________
De Gama _____________________________________________________________________
De Medici _____________________________________________________________________
Erasmus ______________________________________________________________________
Galileo _______________________________________________________________________
Gutenberg _____________________________________________________________________
Van Leeuwwnhoek _____________________________________________________________
Luther ________________________________________________________________________
Machiavelli ___________________________________________________________________
Michelangelo __________________________________________________________________
Michelozzi ____________________________________________________________________
Montaigne ____________________________________________________________________
Pelestrina _____________________________________________________________________

Peruzzi ______________________________________________________________________
Petrarch ______________________________________________________________________
Raphael ______________________________________________________________________
Sangallo ______________________________________________________________________
Shakespeare ___________________________________________________________________
Vespucci ______________________________________________________________________

Name___________________________________________ Date _________________________

MY RENAISSANCE MOVER & SHAKER
Name_____________________________________
Birthplace _______________________________________ Birth date ____________________
Death date & place ___________________________
Area(s) of focus ________________________________________________________________
Style _________________________________________________________________________
Notable accomplishments
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
What country did your mover and shaker do most of their work in? _______________________
What connections did your movers & shakers have to other movers & shakers of their time
______________________________________________________________________________
Did I have a patron? Who was it? __________________________________________________
Does my mover & shakers accomplishments impact life today?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Name_____________________________________________ Date_______________________
RENAISSANCE MOVERS & SHAKERS AREA OF FOCUS Graphic Organizer
Instructions: Listen to each presenter. Categorize where each Renaissance mover and shaker
belongs on this chart. (Some may fit in more than one area.)
Architect

artist

explorer

musician

scientist

thinker

writer

Oral Presentation Rubric

Name_____________________________ Person of Interest _____________________________

Criteria

1 - no
evidence

2- some
evidence

3- getting
there

4 - met

5 - above and
beyond

Eye Contact
and volume
Focused and
on topic
Accurate
Details
Flowed well
and clearly
presented
Prepared with Picture
and graphic
organizer

Lesson Title: The Artistic Revolution

Grade Level: 6th
Curriculum: Social studies
Core Objectives:
Standard 2
Objective 2 - Explore the importance of religion in the Middle Ages and the

Renaissance and its relevance to modern times.

a. Explain the influence of religion on cultural expression (e.g. the arts,
architecture, government, education, family structure).
Time: 30-45 minutes
Personal Objectives: Students will be able to identify the major artistic techniques that were
created/ discovered during the renaissance.
Essential Questions: do the great minds of the past still have influence today?
Key Vocabulary:
Secular
Classicism
Perspective
Freso
Tempera
Oil
Materials:
Pictures (online or in person) representing each of the vocab words

paper for exit ticket

completed area of focus chart from day #2

Before the Lesson: Go over expectations for the assignment.
Phase I:
I will assess prior knowledge by talking to them about what they learned about the people
from the artist category in the last lesson as well as what they know beyond that exercise.
By asking questions like:
What is an artist?
What kinds of materials do artists use?
From what we already know about the renaissance is there a type of art that you
think was more popular?
The term artist can mean many different things, like someone who draws or paints

or sculpts any many others. Plus within each of those things there are artists who
work with different materials like someone who draws could use pens, or pencils
or charcoal. Does anyone know what kinds of materials the artists we talked about
used?

Use their ideas and answers to introduce vocabulary. Show pictures of the new
vocabulary words using works of art by the artists we talked about in days one and two
when possible.

Transition to Phase II:

Get the kids into small groups, have the students use the questions above as guidelines to
research the artists weve talked about and the different vocab words. Each group should
only be responsible for one or two of these concepts.
Phase II:
Give the students 10 minutes to figure out a definition for a vocab word or answer as to
what type of materials and what kind of artist each of their people were.
They will then share their findings with the class
As each group is presenting you can pull up the pictures of the artist or the
materials to enhance understanding.
Explain to the students that these techniques had never been used before or never in that
way. Artists developing new techniques during the renaissance is viewed as monumental
to art as the industrial revolution was to engineering.
Transition to phase III:
Explain Activity and the exit ticket
Pass out paper
Phase III:
The activity
Go through different photos than the ones you have used and have students mark
what technique they think is used in each picture.
Exit ticket:
Have the students pick 2 of the artists to summarise their technique of choice.

 The number of artists can be adjusted so it is developmentally appropriate

for each student
You can also assign certain students specific people or techniques to help
differentiate.

Lesson Title: Museums Around the world

Grade Level: 6th
State Standards Connection:
Social Studies
Standard 2 - Students will understand the transformation of cultures during the
Middle Ages and the Renaissance and the impact of this transformation on
modern times.
Objective 4. Explain the importance of the Renaissance as a rebirth of
cultural and intellectual pursuits.
Educational Technology
Standard 4 - Use content-specific tools, software and simulations (e.g.,
environmental probes, graphing calculators, exploratory environments, Web
tools) to support learning and research. (3, 5)
Time: 75 minutes
Personal Objectives: Students will be able to identify and effectively communicate
differences and similarities between works of art from around the world as well as from
different time periods.
Essential Questions: Do the great minds of the past still have influence today?
Key Vocabulary:
themes, exhibit
Materials:

 assess to computers/ipads for at least 5-8 students for one center

large pictures of famous works of art labeled with the title, and museum location (leave
out artist)
excerpts from Da Vinci's notebooks
Notebooks for each of the students
Engage and Launch:
Watch quick flowcabulary video
https://www.flocabulary.com/renaissance-and-reformation/
Talk about the 3 centers the students will be rotating between
break them into their center groups and have them pick their 3 favorite techniques, great
minds or artworks that they would like to focus on
Teacher Role: Asks questions, assesses prior knowledge, provide information needed for
explore phase
Student Role: Gains interest, calls upon prior knowledge, develops a need to know,
identifies a problem to solve
Explore/Do:
Center #1: Da Vincis Notebook
Have students look through excerpts of Da Vinci and other great journals.
They will identify what makes them useful and what would be important to
include in a journal of their own.
In their journals they will record and summarize the three things they chose
Center #2: Virtual Tours
They will log onto a computer or ipad and go to Google Cultural Institute
They will use the site to look up their three things
They will need to record observations they find about their favorites. as well as
explore one or more museums to find something different to compare or contrast
with 2 of their picks.
Center #3: Artifact Table
Students will explore different pictures, writings and inventions from different
time periods
Have the students, once again compare and contrast these items with their
favorites.
They must identify one theme between one of their favorites and three of the
items on the table

Teacher Role: Makes open suggestions; Questions and probes; Provides feedback; Assesses
understanding and processes
Student Role: Explores resources and materials; Hypothesizes and predicts; Records
observations and ideas; Seeks possibilities by thinking creatively
Explain/Summarize:
Bring the class back together and share any interesting comparisons they found.
Talk about themes, and see if there was overlap, ask questions like:
Was it harder or easier to compare things from the same time periods?
Did you get clues of how to group things from the art exhibits you looked at
online?
Teacher Role: Asks for clarification and evidence from students; Enhances or clarifies
student explanations; uses students experiences as a basis for explaining new concepts;
provides new vocabulary; evaluates student explanations.
Student Role: Clarifies understandings discovered; Shares understandings for feedback;
Communicates understanding using recorded observations (writing and drawings); Forms
generalizations; Seeks new explanations
Elaborate/Extend:
Introduce the final project at this point and talk about how they will be establishing a
theme to create an exhibit in an art gallery
Explain that we will want to keep the themes the established and created in mind for the
trip to UMFA because they will be built upon those themes
Teacher Role: Asks questions; Poses new problems and issues; Offers alternative
explanations
Student Role: Applies new knowledge by performing related tasks; Asks questions; Plans
and carries out new project; Records observations and explanations
Evaluate/Assess: (5 minutes)
bounce between groups listening for any students struggling with the concept of themes
Use journal as an exit ticket
Teacher Role: Observe and assess students; Asks open-ended questions; Allows students to
assess their own learning and skills

Student Role: Demonstrate an understanding of a skill or concepts; Evaluates his/her own

progress and knowledge; Answers open-ended questions by using observations, evidence,
and previously accepted explanations

Lesson Title: UMFA Day

Grade Level: 6th
State Standards Connection:
Social Studies
Standard 2 - Students will understand the transformation of cultures during the
Middle Ages and the Renaissance and the impact of this transformation on
modern times.
Objective 4. Explain the importance of the Renaissance as a rebirth of
cultural and intellectual pursuits.
Visual Arts
Standard 3 - The student will choose and evaluate artistic subject matter, themes,
symbols, ideas, meanings, and purposes.
Specific Lesson Objective:
Students will be able to observe and effectively communicate similarities and connections
between works of art created after and during the Renaissance.
Lesson Purpose:
For students to have tangible evidence of how techniques developed during the Renaissance have
been used and modified over the years.
Vocabulary Focus: (no new words introduced, just reinforcing concepts previously learned)
Secular
Classicism
Perspective
Freso
Tempera

 Oil
Materials:
a field trip to the UMFA (scheduled at least 2 weeks in advance)
the pre-assessment attached to this lesson
clipboards with:
maps of the museum for each group of students
a list of guiding questions (attached)
blank lined paper
pencils
Anticipated Time Frame: 3 hours (2 hours at the museum and in transit, 1 hour at school)
Engage and Launch: (15 minutes can be done the day before depending on time of field trip)
Talk to the students about the UMFA and see how many have gone there before.
Give out pre-test
Explain that you went recently and saw something that surprised you. You noticed
similarities between some of the painting they had on display and some of the techniques
we learned about in the last few lessons. Talk about how the things you saw made you
think a lot and helped you come up with some questions about how relevant the
renaissance still is today.
Use this story as a jumping off point to introduce the guiding questions they will be using
while walking around the museum.
Teacher Role: Asks questions, assesses prior knowledge, provide information needed for
explore phase
Student Role: Gains interest, calls upon prior knowledge, develops a need to know,
identifies a problem to solve
Explore/Do: (1.5 - 2 hours)
UMFA
1. Before entering:
Go over rules and expectations
break the students into small groups
Go through a quick tour on the same map the students will use of how
things are laid out in the museum. I will establish boundaries for the
students to stay within. Most likely this will be the top floor however it

could change based on what temporary exhibits are at the time. As well as
a time that we all need to meet up.
Hand out clipboards and go over assignment as a whole class with any
chaperones present so the kids have other people to go to if they have a
question.
2. While in the museum:
Have the students answer the guiding questions and record any other
observations they have.
The goal is for each student to make connections between the techniques
we have talked about and works that have been created since.
Make sure each student has at least 2 pieces of art from the museum that
they can find a connection to the Renaissance. This can be a technique the
artist used a theme anything. Have the students write down as much
information as they can about the art (artist, title etc) and mark where it is
at on their map.
3. For you, as a teacher:
Take the students artwork information and maps and go take pictures of
the art they made connections with. The students will use these photos in
their final presentations and the next day.
Teacher Role: Makes open suggestions; Questions and probes; Provides feedback; Assesses
understanding and processes
Student Role: Explores resources and materials; Hypothesizes and predicts; Records
observations and ideas; Seeks possibilities by thinking creatively
Explain/Summarize: (15 minutes after the museum)
Regroup and have a discussion about our findings from the museum. Comparing and
contrasting our results and visiting some of the art pieces students found interesting.
Use this time to clarify the vocab or concepts covered in the unit thus far
Teacher Role: Asks for clarification and evidence from students; Enhances or clarifies
student explanations; uses students experiences as a basis for explaining new concepts;
provides new vocabulary; evaluates student explanations.
Student Role: Clarifies understandings discovered; Shares understandings for feedback;
Communicates understanding using recorded observations (writing and drawings); Forms

generalizations; Seeks new explanations

Elaborate/Extend: (30 minutes)
Each student will choose one of their topics, artists or paintings to do a short presentation
on. This will be using the photos you took that they described.
We will present our ideas to the rest of the class so everyone can see the connection.
The presentation doesnt need to be more than five minutes and will have details about
the piece of art they choose and there connection. The students will talk while the photo
of the artwork is displayed on the overhead.
Teacher Role: Asks questions; Poses new problems and issues; Offers alternative
explanations
Student Role: Applies new knowledge by performing related tasks; Asks questions; Plans
and carries out new project; Records observations and explanations
Evaluate/Assess: (throughout)
I will evaluate how they have been understanding the concepts weve been learning so far
with the pre-test.
I will look over the students notes as an informal assessment of how they can relate the
concepts to the outside world
I will use a simple rubric to assess the students final projects to make sure they have
made a meaningful connection from their chosen paintings and the aspect of the
renaissance they want to discuss.
Teacher Role: Observe and assess students; Asks open-ended questions; Allows students to
assess their own learning and skills
Student Role: Demonstrate an understanding of a skill or concepts; Evaluates his/her own
progress and knowledge; Answers open-ended questions by using observations, evidence,
and previously accepted explanations

Pre-Test
Name:____________________________________ Date:_______________________
What is one technique used during the Renaissance that stands out to you?

What medium of art most interests you? why?

What is something unrelated to art that was affected by the Renaissance?

What years are considered the Renaissance?

Do you think the Renaissance has any influence today? if so what?

Guiding Questions

1. The Renaissance lasted from the 14th to the 17th Century

2. What about the artwork reminds you of the Renaissance?
3. Do you see lots of similarities between art from the same time periods? If so
what?
4. Do you notice any items or patterns in subjects?
5. Where do the art pieces you connect to the Renaissance come from?
6. What is/are the Artists' name that you think most resembles the
Renaissance? Why that artist(s)
7. What is the newest piece of art that you can find that you think has been
influenced by the Renaissance? What makes you think of the Renaissance
when you see it?

Lesson Title: Creating a Gallery

Grade Level: 6th
Curriculum: Social studies
Core Objectives:
Social Studies
Standard 2 Objective 2 - Explore the importance of religion in the Middle
Ages and the Renaissance and its relevance to modern times.
a. Explain the influence of religion on cultural expression (e.g. the arts,
architecture, government, education, family structure).
Language Arts

 Writing Standard 2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic

and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection,
organization, and analysis of relevant content.
Time: 2 days 45 minutes each
Personal Objectives: Students will be able to create an effective artist statement summarising
the theme that connects 5 individual artifacts from the Renaissance and today
Essential Questions: do the great minds of the past still have influence today?
Key Vocabulary:
Artist Statement
curator
accent wall
Materials:
access to youtube
pictures of vocab when needed
graph paper
pencils
pictures from UMFA and artifacts from all previous lessons
Before the Lesson: Go over expectations for the assignment.
Phase I:
I will assess prior knowledge by talking to them about what they know about art galleries
and what some of the things they noticed at UMFA were

Use their ideas and answers to introduce vocabulary. Show pictures of the new
vocabulary words using pictures.

Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Z2d8cidvqI
Transition to Phase II:
Get the kids into small groups and hand out graph paper
Phase II:

 Explain to the students that they will work in their groups to lay out how they think the
gym (or other gallery space) should be set up for everyone to enjoy the galleries.

Explain how each student will have between 5 and 8 works of art as well as an artist
statement that they must fit into the space.

Not only have them draw their plan but also have them label things that they would like
to include, like accent walls or other things that they noticed at UMFA and the online
galleries they looked at
At the end pull the kids all together and have them look at all the options. If possible have
them vote on which option they would like for their exhibit.
Transition to phase II (again):
Explain that now that they know the space they are going to fill they must put their minds
into artist mode. Tell them that now they must decide on what 5-8 works of art they
would like in their gallery and they must also create and artist statement.
Phase III:
Have them go through and organize their pieces and create a title for their theme (this
would be a good exit ticket day #6)
Give them graph paper to draw out their exhibit and tell them they must include as much
detail as possible so if they were shipping their exhibit across the world and they couldnt
be there someone else could set it up
once they have done that work on writing a great artist statement to attach to their
collection

Lesson Title: Museum at School

Grade Level: 6th
Curriculum: Social studies
Core Objectives:
Social Studies
Standard 2 - Students will understand the transformation of cultures during the

Middle Ages and the Renaissance and the impact of this transformation on
modern times.
Objective 4. Explain the importance of the Renaissance as a rebirth of
cultural and intellectual pursuits.
Language Arts
Speaking and Listening Standard 4 - Present claims and findings, sequencing
ideas logically and using pertinent descriptions, facts, and details to accentuate
main ideas or themes; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear
pronunciation.
Time: 120 minutes
Personal Objectives: Students will be able to effectively communicate the similarities between
5-8 different artifacts from the Renaissance and today orally
Essential Questions: do the great minds of the past still have influence today?
Key Vocabulary:
Tone
Diction
docent
Materials:
every students artifacts
something to hang artifacts up with
dollar store tablecloths (for accent wall colors
oral presentation rubric
Before the Lesson: Go over expectations for the assignment.
Phase I:
I will assess where each student is at with their projects. I will also get a feel for how
nervous students are to be talking to all the guests coming to the museum
go over vocabulary words and review previous.

Transition to Phase II:

 Get the kids into small groups go over conduct expectations for the gym
Phase II:
have students set up their projects in their groups as if they were a museum team
have students present to one another once they are done
Transition to phase III:
Explain who might be coming to your gallery and prepare
Phase III:
use the oral presentation rubric to assess each student as they talk with visitors to your
gallery