REC Reads is a weekly program at the Cincinnati Art Museum hosted in the Rosenthal Education Center. It offers families with young children a chance to engage in themed story time and art making. This particular REC Reads lesson focused on the Terracotta Army exhibition at the art museum.

BACKGROUND:

The Cincinnati Art Museum exhibited over 120 objects  as a part of Terracotta Army: Legacy of the First Emperor of China in the spring of 2018. These figures, armor, jewelry, ceramics, and more, were excavated from the emperor’s mausoleum and other tombs in Ancient China. The emperor had the figures - including warriors, chariots, and horses - made to protect him in the afterlife. The objects are made of terracotta and were once brightly colored, but the paint has since faded.

Chariot No. 1 with Horses (Replica), Qin dynasty (221-206 BC), bronze, pigment. Excavated from Bronze Chariots and Horses Pit, Qin Shihuang’s Mausoleum, 1980.

Image Credit: The Art Blog

Armored General, Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC), earthenware. Excavated from Pit 1, Qin Shihuang’s Mausoleum, 1977.

Image Credit: Cincinnati Art Museum

DESIGNING THE LESSON:

This REC Reads art making activity includes creating a shield, which reflects the purpose of the Terracotta Army: to protect the emperor in the afterlife. The shield features an image of a horse-drawn chariot, similar to the one shown in the  Cincinnati Art Museum's exhibition. This particular image comes from an ancient Chinese decorative tile made from stone. The shield for this activity is made out of simple household items, making it perfect for young kids. After being constructed, the shield is colored with markers, similar to how the terracotta objects were once brightly colored.

This lesson plan is available online, which makes it more accessible to families who are unable to come to the museum. View the entire lesson plan here: REC Reads Terracotta Warrior Shield Lesson Plan

Stone Decorative Tile, Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220), pottery. Excavated in Hanzhong Prefecture, Shaanxi Province.