Curriculum Materials: Art in America
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Image 13 Seneca Questions: |
Think Questions Teacher Answer Key
1. What kind of tools would an artist need to carve wood? Is wood hard or soft? Why do you think this artist used wood? Do you have a ladle at home? What do you use it for? (Serving gravy, soup, etc.) Is the ladle you have made of wood or some other material? Is your ladle made by hand? Where did you get it?
2. Why do you think the artist carved the ladle in the form of a bird? (He may have admired birds' ability to fly or to exist both on land and in the air; because birds are beautiful; because birds held special meaning for him.) List some words that you think describe a bird in flight. What words describe a bird sitting on the ground? Are they the same? Which words that you have used best describe the bird that makes this ladle? If you were going to make a tool in the form of an animal, which animal would you choose? Why?
3. Why did the artist use so many curved lines on this ladle? (Some curves are necessary for its function; birds have many curves.)
4. Why do you think the Woodlands people carved their ladles so elaborately? Can you think of a time that you have tried to make something look very special? (Decorating a birthday cake, preparing your house for a holiday, making a present for someone you care about.) Why was it important to you to make this special?
5. Many Native Americans respect the earth and offer thanksgiving for its many gifts to them. What gifts of the earth would the Woodlands people have been thankful for at the time this ladle was made? (Resources of the forests, including animals and plants, that provided them with food, shelter, medicine, etc.) Are there any gifts of the earth for which you are thankful? What are they? How do you show your appreciation for the earth?
6. Compare and contrast the Seneca Feast Ladle and the
Caddo Effigy Bowl . What material is
each made of? What was each used for? What do they have in
common? (Both have birds in the design; both were used
with food; both are made of natural materials, etc.) Can
you tell what kinds of birds these are? If so, how can you
tell? If not, why not? What aspects of the bird did each
artist emphasize?
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