Art Around the World World Art    

Lesson 25: A Break Away!

by Tom Roberts

Directions

Study the artwork for one week.

Over the week:

• Examine the artwork.
• Read the synopsis.
• Study the vocabulary words.
• Recite the artist and artwork names.
• Read about the art region or artist.
• Complete the enrichment activities.
• Discuss the review questions.

Synopsis

Tom Roberts' 'A break away!' shows a drover leaning off a horse and waving his hat at a thirsty herd of sheep stampeding toward a waterhole. The drover tries to slow or scatter the sheep to save them from trampling each other to death. Suffering from a drought, the land is brown and dry. Great clouds of dust fill the air, almost obscuring a second drover and a dog. Two birds soar nearby, watching the chaos and perhaps hoping for a meal of carrion.

Vocabulary

Drover: Person who moves animals such as cows or sheep to market.
Stampede: A sudden panicked rush of a number of horses, cattle, or other animals.
Waterhole: A depression in which water collects, especially one from which animals regularly drink.
Trample: Tread on and crush.
Drought: A prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall; a shortage of water resulting from this.
Carrion: The decaying flesh of dead animals.

Concepts

1. Australian artist Tom Roberts was born in 1856 in Dorchester, Dorset, England. See his picture below.

2. Zoom in and find Roberts' country of birth (UK) on the map below.

3. Roberts migrated to from England to Australia with his family when he was a boy. Find Australia on the map below.

4. As an adult, Roberts worked as a photographer's assistant while perfecting his art at night. He moved back to England to study art for three years and visited Spain and France.
5. Roberts returned to Australia, married, and had a son. He both painted and made picture frames to earn a living.
6. Roberts died in Australia in 1931 at the age of 64.

Enrichment

Activity 1: Can You Find It?

Find the following in the artwork:

• 2 Drovers
• Stampede
• Sheep
• Watering Hole
• Post and Rail Fence
• Dust Clouds
• 2 Soaring Birds
• Dog

Activity 2: Narrate the Artwork

• After studying the artwork, narrate the scene shown aloud using your own words.

Activity 3: Complete Vocabulary Activities

• While studying the new words, point out any you see in the painting.
• Define each of the vocabulary words in your own words.

Activity 4: Color the Map   

• Click the crayon above, and complete page 38 of 'Art History Coloring Pages for Second Grade.'

Activity 5: Color the Artist   

• Click the crayon above, and complete page 39 of 'Art History Coloring Pages for Second Grade.'

Activity 6: Color the Artwork   

• Click the crayon above, and complete page 40 of 'Art History Coloring Pages for Second Grade.'

Review

Question 1

Who are the human and animal characters in the painting?

1 / 4

Answer 1

The characters are the drovers, the dog, the birds, and the stampeding sheep.

1 / 4

Question 2

What is the setting of the artwork?

2 / 4

Answer 2

The setting is at a watering hole in Australia.

2 / 4

Question 3

Why is a drover waving his hat at the sheep?

3 / 4

Answer 3

The drover is trying to slow the sheep. The sheep are running too fast and may trample each other.

3 / 4

Question 4

Why are the sheep stampeding?

4 / 4

Answer 4

The sheep are very thirsty. They are stampeding toward a waterhole to drink.

4 / 4

❮ ❯

1. Who are the human and animal characters in the painting? The characters are the drovers, the dog, the birds, and the stampeding sheep.
2. What is the setting of the artwork? The setting is at a watering hole in Australia.
3. Why is a drover waving his hat at the sheep? The drover is trying to slow the sheep. The sheep are running too fast and may trample each other.
4. Why are the sheep stampeding? The sheep are very thirsty. They are stampeding toward a waterhole to drink.

References

'Tom Roberts.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.

'A break away!' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.

'Drover.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.