Unit 7 Lesson1 学案
Masterpieces: Art and Interpretation
Part 1: Activate and Share
Task 1: Describe the Paintings
1. Look at the phrases below. Use them to describe what you see in the three paintings.
white and yellow circles
a sleeping village
an amazing sky
a dark stormy sea
a thin figure
a house lit by lights from inside
a lonely tree
2. Answer the questions:
Do you like these paintings Why or why not
What are the names of the three paintings
Part 2: Read and Explore
Task 2: Reading Comprehension
Read the descriptions of the three paintings. Underline:
The name of each painting.
The artist’s name.
Key details about what each painting represents.
Task 3: NoteTaking
Use the diagram below to take notes about each painting:
Painting What does it show Inspiration Artist’s Opinion
The Starry Night
The Scream
The Empire of Light
Part 3: Vocabulary and Expression Practice
Task 4: Sort the Expressions
Sort the phrases into the correct columns for each painting.
The Starry Night The Scream The Empire of Light
Phrases:
1. with an expression of fear
2. let out a powerful scream
3. circles of white and yellow racing across the sky
4. a burning orangered sky
5. surrounded by the darkness of night
6. the night sky with clouds, stars, and a moon
7. a beautiful house lit by lights from inside
8. full of brightness and soft white clouds
9. looks directly at the viewer
10. a sleeping village and a dark, lonely tree
Task 5: Common Features Analysis
Read the first paragraph of each description. Underline words/phrases that show common features (e.g., darkness, mystery). Explain your opinion.
Part 4: Critical Thinking and Discussion
Task 6: Personal Opinion
After reading the descriptions:
Do you like or dislike the paintings more Give reasons.
Which painting impresses you most Why
Task 7: Role Play
Imagine you are a volunteer at an art exhibition. Introduce one of the three paintings to visitors. Include:
The artist’s name and painting’s name.
Key features of the painting.
Its historical or emotional significance.
Part 5: Focus on Language Noun Clauses
Task 8: Identify Noun Clauses
Read the sentences. Classify them as:
a) Subject clause
b) Object clause
c) Predicative clause
1. Van Gogh painted what he saw from his window.
2. What makes it striking is that it shows a thin figure with an expression of fear.
3. What is strange is that above the house, we see a daytime sky.
4. Some feel that the paintings look dark and troubling.
Task 9: Combine Sentences Using Noun Clauses
Combine the pairs using subject/object/predicative clauses.
Example:
It is hard to believe + Van Gogh only sold one painting →
It is hard to believe that Van Gogh only sold one painting.
1. The reason why Magritte painted this way + He wanted to challenge how people see the world.
2. Looking at the painting, we don’t know + It is night or day.
3. The fact remains + Munch’s The Scream is one of the bestknown paintings.
4. It is unclear + Van Gogh wanted to paint yellow spots or that was what he really saw.
Task 10: Rewrite with Noun Clauses
Rewrite the underlined sentences in the paragraph using noun clauses.
Part 6: Express Yourself
Task 11: Quote Discussion
Discuss the quotes about art. What do they suggest about the features of good paintings
1. “A man paints with his brain and not with his hands.” Michelangelo
2. “Painting is silent poetry, and poetry is painting that speaks.” Simonides
3. “Good painting is like good cooking; it can be tasted, but not explained.” Maurice de VlaminckAnswer
Task 4: Sorted Expressions
The Starry Night The Scream The Empire of Light
3, 6, 10 1, 2, 4, 9 5, 7, 8
Task 8: Noun Clauses
1. Object clause
2. Subject clause
3. Subject clause
4. Object clause
Task 9: Combined Sentences
1. The reason why Magritte painted this way is that he wanted to challenge how people see the world.
2. Looking at the painting, we don’t know whether it is night or day.
3. The fact remains that Munch’s The Scream is one of the bestknown paintings.
4. It is unclear whether Van Gogh wanted to paint yellow spots or that was what he really saw.
Task 10: Rewritten Paragraph
1. That Xu Beihong was important in modern Chinese art is widely recognized.
2. What he wanted was to promote Chinese art.
3. How it was painted so skilfully makes it a favourite of many art lovers.
