ARTS EDUCATION TEACHER HANDBOOK

HIGH SCHOOL LESSON PLANS

Submitted by Elizabeth M. W. Betson, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools

Lesson Title:
Expressive Self Portrait - Mixed Media

Grade Level or Course:
10-12/Visual Arts II

Time Allotment:
Lesson One
One (45 minute) lesson for the group sharing/discussion
One (45 minute) lesson for the research process

Lesson Two
Five to seven (45 minute) lessons for production

Lesson Three
One (45 minute) lesson for self evaluation and critique

Targeted Goals and Objectives from the 2000 North Carolina Arts Education Standard Course of Study and Grade Level Competencies, K-12:

1.01 Plan and organize for creating art.
1.04 Acquire concepts and images from a variety of sources to create original art.
1.05 Show how ideas develop and involve over a period of time.
1.06 Develop perceptual awareness through the use of all senses.
1.07 Expand a working knowledge of the vocabulary of art.
2.01 Continue to explore unique properties and potential of materials and media.
2.03 Communicate and express ideas through a variety of materials and techniques.
2.04 Evaluate and select materials, techniques and processes to facilitate the creation of work.
2.05 Demonstrate the safe and responsible use of tools and materials.
3.01 Recognize, apply and evaluate the elements of art in an aesthetic composition.
3.02 Recognize, apply and evaluate the design principles used in composition.
3.04 Demonstrate the value of experimentation in the problem-solving process.
3.05 Demonstrate the value of critical thought and analysis in the problem-solving process.
4.01 Use life surroundings and personal experiences to visually express ideas and feelings.
4.03 Invent original and personal imagery to convey meaning and not relying on copying, tracing, patterns or duplicated materials.
4.04 Research and demonstrate how artists develop a personal imagery and style.
5.01 Know that the visual arts have a history, purpose and function in all cultures.
5.03 Compare relationships of works of art to one another in terms of history, aesthetics and cultural/ethnic groups.
5.06 Recognize that cultures have different aesthetics and each individual is a product of his or her culture.
6.01 Understand there are various purposes for creating works of visual art.
6.02 Describe how people's experience influences the developments of specific artworks.
6.03 Accept other's work and ideas as unique expression of themselves.
6.06 Critique artwork through the use of: proper vocabulary, art elements and design principles, meaning, feeling, mood and ideas, oral and written expression.
6.07 Understand there are varied responses to specific artworks.
6.08 Accept and offer constructive criticism.
7.01 Identify connections, similarities and differences between the visual arts and other disciplines.
7.02 Describe ways the art elements and design principles interrelate within all arts discipline.
8.03 Discover that art provides an opportunity for lifelong learning.

Targeted Goals and Objectives from the North Carolina Standard Course of Study and Grade
Level Competencies, K-12 for other content areas:

Literature - art movements
History - cultural, social, religious, historical factors that affect human experience
Character Education - appreciation and respect of differences among people

Alignment with NC High School Exit Exam: (check domain and write objective number(s)

__X__ Communication

1.3 Learner will evaluate ideas and information to make informed decisions.

1.4 Learner will listen carefully and thoughtfully to understand, evaluate and synthesize information.

__X__ Processing Information

2.11 Learner will synthesize information from several sources to apply that information to a new situation.

__X__ Problem Solving:

3.15 Learner will plan logical steps and organize resources to accomplish a task within a given time frame.

__X__ Using Numbers and Data:

Lesson Objective(s):

Students will research various artists including but not exclusive to Albrect Durer, Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo, Romare Bearden, Chuck Close and observe how artists developed personal imagery in a self-portrait to visually convey ideas, thoughts and feelings. Students will uses their perceptual senses to relate and understand what the artists were communicating through their artwork. Students will complete this through research and class discussions and/or critiques. Students will use their prior knowledge and continued use of art materials and media to create a self-portrait. Students will base their self-portrait based on life surroundings and personal experiences to visually express ideas and feelings. The work of art will be completed through the exploration of unique properties and potential of materials. Students will focus on their personal experiences and the creative use of the art elements and principles of design. Students will complete a self-evaluation of their art work using a rubric based on the plan and organization of the art elements and principles of design to create a work of art to visually express ideas and feelings. The class will discuss their artwork in a critique setting where there will be an open discussion of ideas, thoughts and feelings.

Materials/Equipment Needed:

Students may select different materials and media to create their work of art. They are encouraged to explore the unique properties of materials. Students have prior knowledge of working with different materials of prior assignments.

Suggested Materials:

paper, canvas, heavyweight board, pastels, acrylic paints, fibers

Lesson Procedure:

Lesson One: (one to two 45 minute periods)

1. Share artists and their works of art focusing on the artist's depiction of themselves in self-portraits with the class. Encourage students to discuss and share ideas in an open discussion about the artwork based on the four steps of art criticism: description, analysis, interpretation and evaluation. Have students compare relationships of works of art to one another in terms of history, aesthetics and cultural/ethnic groups. Encourage students to compare and contrast the works of art to their own artwork and work of today.

2. Have students research an artist and how the artist develops a personal style to convey thoughts, moods and feelings.

3. Recognize that cultures have different aesthetics and each individual is a product of his/her culture.

Lesson Two: (five to seven 45 minute periods)

1. Students will plan and organize for creating a work of art.

2. Students will prepare a list of adjectives describing their positive and negative traits/characteristics. Students will work with a partner and prepare a list of positive traits/characteristics of their partner.

3. Students will generate ideas how they can express their characteristics, thoughts, moods and/or feelings about themselves in a self-portrait. Students are encouraged to place an emphasis on the use of art elements and principles of design to convey the meaning they wish to express. Students will continue to explore the unique properties and potential of materials and media to create a mixed media project. (Teacher will show student examples from art students.)

4. Students will complete a preliminary sketch of themselves and work with different types of lines, colors etc. to create an interesting and aesthetically pleasing composition. (Teacher should guide and aid students as they plan and organize their ideas. Allow students to use critical thinking skills to solve problems.)

5. Students will begin work individually on their self-portrait using mixed media to create an expressive work or art

Lesson Three:

1. Students will complete a self-evaluation based on the four steps of art criticism using a rubric.(Students will critique their artwork through the use of: proper vocabulary, art elements and design principles, meaning, mood and ideas, written expression.) expression

2. Students will hang their artwork on the board for a class discussion and critique.

(Students will critique artwork through the use of: proper vocabulary, art elements and design principles, meaning, mood and ideas, oral expression.) Through the class discussion and critique students will accept other's works and ideas as unique expressions of themselves.

Assessment:

Assessment of individual work: Students will self assess using a rubric designed by the students and teacher.

Assessment of individuals: The teacher will assess each student using a rubric that students are familiar with, which incorporates the guidelines for their artwork (See Assessment Section for Information).

Special considerations:

Students need a good understanding of the art elements and principles of design to create a good composition and aesthetically pleasing work of art. This lesson should be completed after students have learned different types of media and materials. They should know the basics of drawing portraits and understand proportions of the face. Students should also demonstrate the safe and responsible use of tools and media.

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