History of Calligraphy

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

People’s handwriting has become so sloppy these days!

You can hardly blame them, though. There are fewer and fewer opportunities to practice using your hand and a pen to write on a piece of paper.

Most writing tasks are taken care of using a computer keyboard, so the centuries-old art of handwriting seems to be in sad decline.

There are, however, some very dedicated artists who are making sure that the fine art of handwriting, known as calligraphy, is preserved and passed on to a new generation.

Learn a bit more about the history of letters and how they became a form of art.

As you watch the following video, look for answers to the following questions.

• What languages does the man explore?
• Where were or are those languages used?
• How were the different forms of writing used?

After watching, reflect on these questions.

• Which of the forms of writing did you think was the coolest? Why?
• What kinds of skills do you think you need to be able to produce some of the forms of writing you saw?
• Do you think people should care more about calligraphy? Why or why not?

Maybe arts like calligraphy will simply die away because everyone is using technology to write. It could be, however, that the opposite will happen as more and more people realize how beautiful and special this form of art really is!

In the Got It? section, examine calligraphy in different cultures and see how they are the same and different.