Overview
Have students watch The 5 W’s of Art: Buddha from Gandhara
Following the video, students will:
- Write a descriptive sentence about the artwork
- Think critically about 3 questions and write their answers
- Write a brief story about a global connection
Objectives
- Think critically about why objects were used in the past
- Write a descriptive sentence about the sculpture
- Write sentences with correct capitalization and punctuation
- Write a story with a clear beginning, middle, and end
Materials
- Video: The 5 W’s of Art: Buddha from Gandhara (video located at the bottom of this page)
- Paper
- Pen or pencil
Key Terms
- Buddhism
- Gandhara
- Shakyamuni Buddha
- Mudra
- Dharma
- Chakra
- Sculpture
Demonstration/Motivation
The teacher will:
- Play Buddha from Gandhara video
- Help students formulate descriptive sentences
Evaluation
Have students share what they wrote, either to the class or in small groups.
Writing Assignments
This Artwork In 1 Sentence
When we put all the facts together, we can create one sentence that describes an artwork.
Here is my sentence:
“This work of art is a stone sculpture of the Buddha giving his first teaching after reaching enlightenment.”
What is your 1 sentence about this artwork?
Questions
How would you describe this artwork? Use descriptive terms.
If you were making a sculpture, how would you depict the Buddha teaching?
This Buddha is dressed in Greco-Roman clothing. If you were making a sculpture of the Buddha today, what contemporary clothing would you depict the Buddha in?
Write A Story
This sculpture of the Buddha was made during the Kushan dynasty in Gandhara. Gandhara was a metropolitan city in the ancient world. It was a place where East and West meet. Today, we are used to a global society because technology like the internet connects us all.
Have your students write a story about an object or person that makes them feel connected to the rest of the world.
Have extra time?
Click the link below for students to explore symbolism and iconography on an interactive image.
