AP U.S. History

FIRST QUARTER OPTIONAL FIELD STUDY

DEADLINE: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4th (No late work accepted)

VALUE: 50 POINTS, MAJOR ASSIGNMENTS CATEGORY

This project is designed to give students a taste of local late18th and early 19th century colonial art and architecture by completing a tour of a colonial home, the Waterford Fair, or the National Gallery of Art. Students should plan where and when they want to visit well in advance, setting aside several hours to complete a full tour. Bring a notebook and pencil (some museums and historic homes do not allow pens). You must also bring a camera, as you will be required to submit a picture of yourself at the site. Admission to the National Gallery is free; however, most historic homes charge a nominal fee for visitors. While you may attend a site with other students, the assignment must be completed on an individual basis.

OPTION #1: A FIELD STUDY OF A COLONIAL HOME

Virginia is rich in colonial history, so there are many historic homes that have been preserved. Some examples include George Washington’s home at Mount Vernon, George Mason’s home at Gunston Hall, Sully Plantation in Chantilly, the Carlyle House in Alexandria, or Thomas Jefferson’s home at Monticello. There are several other sites that would be appropriate for this assignment, just check with your teacher before you take your visit.

Instructions:

1.  Take a full tour of the property, and make sure you have your photograph taken on site. As you complete the tour, observe specific details, take notes, and draw conclusions about each of the following topics. If you have difficulty with any of the topics, be certain to ask the tour guides for more information.

  1. The Family
  2. Economic Life/Land Use
  3. Use of Technology
  4. Interior/Exterior Design

2.  After completing the field study, students will turn in the following written work bound together in a folder:

a.  a type-written title page that includes the student’s name, the location he/she visited, and a picture of the student at the home

  1. a hand-drawn, colored, and labeled map showing the layout of the property
  2. a typewritten analysis of the home and conclusions about life in the home. Each topic should be the heading of a separate page. For each topic, students must first describe what they saw (paragraph one) then draw conclusions about the lifestyle of the residents based on what they observed (paragraph two). Each paragraph should be thorough and detailed.


GRADING RUBRIC FOR OPTION 1:

Followed format:

(assignment is bound in a folder,

typed, 12 point font, double-spaced,

with a title page) 5 points

Included a photograph of self at site: 10 points

and map

Written analysis:

(for each topic, the student has provided

detailed observations and has drawn accurate

inferences about the lifestyle based

on those observation) 35 points

TOTAL GRADE: 50 POINTS

OPTION#2: THE WATERFORD FAIR

Waterford, Virginia is a small, historic town that was originally settled in 1733. Each year they host a home tour and craft exhibit called the Waterford Fair. The fair runs October 7, 8, and 9 from 10am to 5pm. Cost is $16 per person in advance or $20 at the gate. Students must choose one home built between 1733 and 1825 from the guidebook to tour. Students should also take advantage of the period crafts demonstrations. Details and directions can be found at http://www.waterfordfoundation.org/waterford-fair/

Instructions:

  1. Use the map in your program to guide you on a general tour of the town. Choose one home that is open to tours that day. Take a guided tour of that home observing specific details, taking notes, and drawing conclusions about each of the following topics. If you have difficulty with any of the topics, be certain to ask the tour guide for more information.

a)  The Family

b)  Economic Life

c)  Interior/Exterior Design

  1. Have your picture taken in front of the home you toured.
  2. Observe one of the period craftsmen at work. Describe the process that he/she uses and comment on the finished product.
  3. After completing the field study, students will turn in the following written work bound together in a folder:

a)  A typewritten title page that includes the student’s name, the location he/she visited, and a picture of the student at the home.

b)  A copy of the page from the program describing the selected home.

c)  A typewritten analysis of the home and conclusions about life in the home. Each topic should be the heading of a separate page. For each topic, students must first describe what they saw (paragraph one) then draw conclusions about the lifestyle of the residents based on what they observed (paragraph two).

d)  A description of the craftsman you observed and techniques that he/she used. What is your analysis of the final product and how it would have fit into society at the time?

e)  Any other additional comments about the town or what you observed as it pertains to our study of U.S. history.


GRADING RUBRIC FOR OPTION 2:

Followed format:

(assignment is bound in a folder,

typed, 12 point font, double-spaced,

with a title page) 5 points

Included a photograph of self at site: 10 points

and map

Written analysis:

(for each topic, the student has provided

detailed observations and has drawn accurate

inferences about the lifestyle based

on those observation) 35 points

TOTAL GRADE: 50 POINTS


OPTION #3: COLONIAL, FEDERAL, & ROMANTIC PERIOD AMERICAN ART

General Instructions: From the list of paintings that have been provided, choose twelve works of art. Note that in addition to the basic information, i.e. artist’s name, title and date of the work etc., you are also asked to both sketch what you see and to provide both a “detailed and personal description” of each work you observe. Through the expressive description you will explain what the artist is trying to communicate to the viewer and how he (or she) conveys his or her message. Also consider how the artwork fits into the historical period in which it was created. How does the work reflect colonial, federal, or romantic American values? Before you write, spend some time simply looking at each individual painting or artwork. In your effort to decode the artist’s message, consider what emotions and moods dominate the work. Finally, you must be photographed in front of at least one of the works you choose to analyze. Below is an example of the format you should use.

Artist: ______

Title: ______

Date: ______

Titles of paintings which hang on the left and

Right of work: ______

______

______

Detailed description of painting:

______

Personal impressions of painting:

______

After completing your tour of the museum, you will to type your responses, cut and paste your sketches, create a cover page, and turn in the written work bound together.

Specific Instructions for the National Gallery of Art:

The bulk of early American art is housed in the WEST WING of the National Gallery. This is the neoclassical building, not to be confused with the modern I.M. Pei East building. First, you MUST view the eight works listed below. Be aware that the painting series The Voyage of Life all count as one work. You must look and sketch all four of the paintings. Next, you must select four other paintings from the American collection. You choose which ones they will be for a combined total of twelve works of art. The only catch is that the works you select must be from the colonial period through to about 1850. Do not select any paintings from after that date.


Required Paintings:

1) The Voyage of Life: Childhood Thomas Cole Gallery 60

The Voyage of Life: Youth

The Voyage of Life: Manhood

The Voyage of Life: Old Age .

2) Thomas Jefferson Gilbert Stuart Gallery 60A

3) Watson and the Shark John Singleton Copley Gallery 60B

4) Copley Family John Singleton Copley Gallery 59

5) The Skater (portrait of W. Grant) Gilbert Stuart Gallery 59

6) Autumn- On the Hudson River Jasper Cropsey Gallery 64

7) Lake Lucerne Albert Bierstadt Gallery 64

8) Lumber Schooner at Evening on Penobscot Bay Fitz Henry Lane Gallery 67

GRADING RUBRIC FOR OPTION 3:

Followed format:

assignment is bound together,

typed, with a title page 4 points

Included a photograph of self

in front of an American painting 10 points

All artist names, titles,

and drawings are included (1 point for each) 12 points

Expressive description – written less factual,

more expressive (2 points each) 24 points

TOTAL 50 points