Unit 1 Art Reading and Thinking 阅读教学设计-2025-2026学年高中英语人教版选择性必修第三册

Lesson Plan

Selective Compulsory Book 3 · Unit 1  A Short History of Western Painting  (Reading Period 1)

Teaching Objectives

1. By the end of the lesson, students will be able to identify the main features of four major Western painting periods and match them with their representative artists.

2. By the end of the lesson, students will be able to collect and sort out words and expressions that signal "change" from the text.

3. By the end of the lesson, students will be able to talk about what lies behind the changes in painting styles and share their own understanding of "What is art?"

Key Points & Difficulties

Key Points:

  · Master key words for each period: religious, humanistic, perspective, photography, shadow, dream-like, etc.

  · Understand the features of the four periods and match artists to their periods.

  · Follow the time order from the Middle Ages to modern art.

Difficulties:

  · Work out why painting styles keep changing (religion, photography, science, society).

  · Understand the big shift: from religious themes in the Middle Ages to humanistic themes in the Renaissance.

  · Say what "art" means to students and give their own reasons.

Teaching Procedure

Step 1  Lead-in: Look and Discuss  (5 min)

Teacher shows the four paintings on the textbook page. Asks the class:

  1. Have you seen any of them before? Do you know who painted each one?

  2. What feeling does each painting give you? Pick two words to describe your first impression.

  3. Which one do you like most? Give one reason.

  4. Can you guess which one was created earliest? What clues make you think so?

Students work in pairs and share ideas with the class. Teacher writes key words on the blackboard.

【设计说明】先让学生看图说话，唤起已有印象，自然引入课文。第4题让学生凭画面猜年代，为后面按时间顺序读文章做准备。

Step 2  Prediction  (3 min)

Teacher asks students to look at the title, the pictures and the subtitles, without reading the whole text. Asks: "What do you expect the passage to talk about?"

Students write down their prediction and share it with the class. Teacher does not confirm or correct yet.

【设计说明】让学生看标题和插图先猜内容，带着预测往下读，练的是读前预测的习惯。

Step 3  Skimming: Text Structure & Timeline  (5 min)

Teacher asks students to skim the passage quickly and find out what writing order the author uses. Then students complete the timeline chart (four periods in order, with time and one key feature for each).

Two or three students report their timelines. Teacher checks together.

【设计说明】学生快速浏览找结构。用时间线把四个时期串起来，一看就懂先后顺序，再细读就不会乱。

Step 4  Careful Reading — Period Chart  (8 min)

Teacher asks students to read Paragraphs 2–5 on their own and complete the chart (Period / Time / Characteristics / Famous painters and achievements). There are ten blanks to fill in.

Students work individually. Then teacher goes through the answers one by one, asking students to read the original sentences and explain the clues.

【设计说明】本课最花时间的一步。学生逐段读，填表格里的时间、特点和画家。空着让他们自己从原文找，不是直接给答案。

Step 5  Language Focus — Words that Signal "Change"  (5 min)

Teacher asks students to underline all the words, phrases and sentences in the text that signal "change". Then students sort them into three groups: words (n./v./adj./adv.), phrases and sentence patterns.

Teacher also asks students to pick out two word families from the text (e.g. paint → painting → painter; human → humanistic → humanity).

【设计说明】读懂了内容再回头看语言。让学生把表示“变化”的词和句子挑出来，以后写作用得上。顺带带一下词根词缀。

Step 6  Discussion — Why Do Styles Change?  (4 min)

Teacher asks students to talk with their partners and list at least two reasons why Western painting styles keep changing. Each reason needs an example.

Several pairs share. Teacher adds ideas: religion became less powerful; photography was invented; science and new techniques developed; society and daily life changed.

【设计说明】不光读懂“变了什么”，还要想“为什么变”。答案不统一，主要让学生学着说原因。老师适时补充背景。

Step 7  Matching — Paintings and Periods  (3 min)

Teacher asks students to look at the four paintings in Activity 3 and match each one to the correct period (The Middle Ages / The Renaissance / Impressionism / Modern Art).

Students check answers. Teacher asks "How do you know?" and students point out visual clues (flat vs. perspective, light vs. detail, realistic vs. abstract).

【设计说明】拿新画来判断，看学生是不是真懂了各时期风格，而不是背表格。

Step 8  Painting Appreciation  (5 min)

Teacher asks students to choose one painting they like most and prepare a short introduction (4–5 sentences). They must cover five points:

  1. What is the painting about?

  2. Who is the painter?

  3. In which period was it created?

  4. How do you feel about it? What impresses you?

  5. Why do you think it was created? (What was the painter trying to say?)

Two or three students present. Teacher gives brief feedback on content and language.

【设计说明】从读转到说。第5问问画家为什么这么画，比只说画面是什么多走一步。

Step 9  Text Analysis: Genre & Audience  (3 min)

Teacher asks students to tick the correct text type (advertisement / blog post / informative essay / email / newspaper article / short story). Then asks: "Who are the intended readers? How can you tell from the language and content?"

Students answer and explain their reasons with evidence from the text.

【设计说明】不光告诉学生这是说明文，还要让他们从用词和内容上说出为什么，学会判断文体。

Step 10  Critical Thinking — What Is Art?  (5 min)

Teacher asks students to discuss in groups of four: "Is art only about painting? What is art to you?" Each group writes down its own definition.

Teacher gives hints: music, film, cooking, dance, architecture, video games — can they also be art? Then each group gets ready to share for one minute.

【设计说明】随便聊，没有标准答案。四人一组，人人都有开口机会。

Step 11  Self-check & Wrap-up  (2 min)

Teacher asks students to retell the development of Western painting using the frame: "The Middle Ages was …, then in the Renaissance …, after that Impressionism …, and today Modern Art …"

Then students write down on a sticky note: one thing they learned today and one question they still have. Teacher collects a few sticky notes.

【设计说明】让学生自己串一遍，给个框架不至于说不出。便利贴写一个收获一个问题，老师也知道学生哪里没懂。

Homework

1. Retell the development of Western painting in about 5 sentences, covering time, features and artists for each period.

2. Write a short passage (80–100 words): "My favourite painting and why I like it." Use at least three new words from this lesson.

Blackboard Design

Unit 1  A Short History of Western Painting

 

  The Middle Ages   →   The Renaissance   →   Impressionism   →   Modern Art

  religious           humanistic          light & movement       shapes

  flat / 2-D           perspective         not detailed            dream-like

  Giotto               da Vinci / Michelangelo  Monet              Picasso

 

  Key words: change, shift, replace, emerge, convey, unlike, no longer

  Question:  What is art?