ART 309: Professional Art Education Sequence - Elementary
SATURDAY CLASS - LESSON PLANS
IPTS Standard 2 - Content Area and Pedagogical Knowledge - The competent teacher has in-depth understanding of content area knowledge that includes central concepts, methods of inquiry, structures of the disciplines, and content area literacy. The teachers creates meaningful learning experiences for each student based upon interactions among content area and pedagogical knowledge, and evidence-based practice.
IPTS Standard 8- Collaborative Relationships - The competent teacher builds and maintains collaborative relationships to foster cognitive, linguistic, physical, and social and emotional development. This teacher works as a team with professional colleagues, students, parents or guardians, and community members.
Description: 2nd Grade Lesson
The first grade my two co-teacher and I had to plan for was second grade. We had eighteen students of varying backgrounds and skill levels. Our lesson plan was about superheroes and focused on developing a superhero symbol and comic strip. Students were introduced to the concept of a symbol as a tool that is used to represent a larger concept. We showed them a PowerPoint presentation consisting of mostly common - like Batman and Superman -- superhero symbols and some not-so-common - Captain Planet - superhero symbols, and asked the students to identify the appropriate superhero. With Captain Planet we encouraged them to take a guess about who he is and what he stands for based on the symbol shown. Then we utilized a think sheet to help the class develop superheroes and a symbol of their own creation. These would be used throughout the three classes we would have with these kids. The symbols were incorporated into a "power cuff" made out of slab clay while the superhero was the central character in the comic strip they drew in pen-and-ink. My co-teachers and I provided examples of our own clay cuffs, and demonstrated how they were made from a slab of clay. We explained that three dimensional pieces could be added to the slab through the slip-and-score technique. Once their symbols were added to their slabs by either directly scoring the slap or applying pieces with slip-and-score, the slab was curved into cuff shape by laying over a paper cup.
During our second lesson with introduced the concept of simple line drawing cartoons that tell a story in only a few frames. We showed examples of work from Charles Schulz's Peanuts and others to demonstrate how the comic frames moved the story from beginning to end and used only black lines to create the drawings. We then presented examples of our own work and explained the process of drawing lightly with pencil, then going over the pencil lines with ink, and finally erasing the pencil to clean up the frames.
The final lesson was devoted to glazing their clay cuffs and finishing inking their comic strips. We demonstrated how to paint glaze onto their cuffs being sure to use three coats and getting into all of the crevasses. We advised them not to mix colors or glaze the edges that would touch the kiln shelves. Then we let them choose up to three colors of glaze to use for their cuff. When finished glazing their pieces, we expected them to finish their comic strips.
Rationale:
We wanted to encourage students to think about their communities and issues that impacted their own lives. We also wanted them to think about their own strengths and incorporate them as a "super ability" each one already has. By utilizing clay we were able to introduce them to a media few of them had worked with previously. They were able to translate their 2D symbol concepts into 3D representations of that symbol in many ways. With the comic strip we wanted to encourage storytelling through images. Students were allowed to use speech and thought bubbles to help move their stories along, but we really wanted them to focus on the pictures telling the stories. For this they first worked with a story map to generate a beginning, middle, and end to their stories. The using pencil they sketched their ideas in printed frame pages we provided. Finally, they used Sharpie pens to go over their pencil lines. We felt that this provided an approximation of the comic or graphic novel development process.
Evidence:
Description: 4th Grade Lesson
The last two Saturday classes my team had were with the fourth graders. We were tasked to incorporate the design process into our lesson plan, and we decided to take advantage of the prior learning the students gained from working with the previous group of teachers. We built our lessons plan around Illinois State Parks and tasked the students with designing a "patch" similar to National Park patches that park rangers could wear or that could be sold as souvenirs. Each student selected a park from a list of twelve my team had complied to represent various regions around Illinois. The students were given information about their park, and had to discern the prominent features of the park to be represented in their design. In order to proceed to the next step in the process they had to submit their designs for approval to the "client" - in this case one of the teachers.
After the design had been revised several times and finally approved, students began constructing a representation of their patch using felt applique and stitching techniques.
Rationale:
The design process can be an intense and laborious endeavor. We strove to give the students an accurate experience of working with a client in order to achieve a goal. Each student was required (although unbeknownst to them) to complete at least three design "proposals" based on their research before approval. Each subsequent proposal was to incorporate notes and changes requested by the client. The designs need to include aspects of painting techniques such as layering, size difference, and atmospheric perspective that had been discussed in class in order to create a feeling of depth in the patch design. Once approved, students demonstrated these skills by utilizing applique techniques and either a running or whip stitch to create emphasis to their appliqued pieces.
Evidence:
SATURDAY CLASS - CLASSROOM SET-UP
IPTS Standard 4 - Learning Environment - The competent teacher structures a safe and healthy learning environment that facilitates cultural and linguistic responsiveness, emotional well-being, self-efficacy, positive social interaction, mutual respect, active engagement, academic risk-taking, self-motivation, and personal goal setting.7D: Understands how to organize the instructional environment to maximize students’ learning.
Description: The evidence below are photos of the posters, vocabulary, and painting and color techniques displayed in the Fourth-grade classroom used as visual learning supports. We had nine students in this class, and decided to break them up into three groups of three. Three long tables were turned perpendicularly to the front of the classroom, where the demonstration table and PowerPoint screen were. Each table had four chairs - one for each student and a chair for a teacher to work in small groups.
Rationale: By providing easy to find visual references around the room, we could steer the students to examples of key phrases to use as reminders throughout their design and artmaking process. We began by having the whole class gather as a group around the techniques bulletin board in order to encourage them to think of their state park patches as paintings. Using the posters as examples we emphasized the simplification of shapes and colors used to suggest the characteristics of the specific park it represented.
Evidence:
PROFESSIONALISM, ADVOCACY & LEADERSHIP: PAL 1
7G: understands the need for continuing study, self evaluation, and professional growth.
Description: The Abstract Artwork of Kip Pasta
"The Addison Center for the Arts presented “The Abstract Sculptures of Kip Pasta,” an exhibit of art by the prolific wood artist, Kip Pasta. His highly detailed sculptures, often described as Virtual Pollock, tap the viewers imagination. The linear cohesion, framing of space, and color interaction of his work create a kinetic resonance that will enhance any environment."
(source: Addison Center for the Arts)
Rationale:
My hometown of Addison is fortunate to have its own fine and performing arts organization. The Addison Center for the Arts believes in bringing the arts into our community and promoting local area artists. The organization also brings the arts to the local schools K-12 through grant funded outreach in the form of visiting artist, lecture-demonstrations, and performances that many of the community would not experience otherwise. I had the pleasure of sitting on its Board of Directors 2001-2003. The ACA now has its own gallery space dedicated to the exhibition of local artists. Kip Pasta's work was really creative, and could be used to inspire a classroom project.
Evidence:
Description: SOFA Chicago
"The Sculpture Objects Functional Art and Design (SOFA) Fair in Chicago is the premier gallery-presented art fair dedicated to three-dimensional art and design. On par with Art Basel and TEFAF Maastricht, SOFA is produced by Clarion Events."
(source: https://www.sofaexpo.com/the-fair)
Rationale:
Attending this fair is a great way to see firsthand what is going on in the art world. I met up with my advanced glass instructor and several of my classmates for a guided tour of prominent galleries showing a wide range of works in many different media. It is always interesting to see how different artists approach the similar media in their work, and how each makes a material his or her own. In addition to the gallery exhibitions, demonstrations and lectures take place throughout the weekend. Many of the artists represented are on-site and very willing to discuss their work and process.
Evidence:
Describe your image
Describe your image
Describe your image
Describe your image
PROFESSIONALISM, ADVOCACY & LEADERSHIP: PAL 2
7N: advances his or her knowledge of current developments in the field by participating in professional development activities (e.g., coursework, professional organizations, and workshops).
Description: Kids On Stage
Kids On Stage is a grant funded Summer workshop through The Village Theatre Guild in Glen Ellyn, IL. Kids from First through Sixth grade meet on Saturday mornings for a seventy-five minute class to learn improv, acting, theater operations, and musical theater skills over seven sessions. On the eighth week they show off their skills through a performance for their families.
Rationale:
I have been co-directing and choreographing Kids On Stage for the past five years. Each year brings new challenges to me as an artist with new choreography and set requirements. It is wonderful to see the growth and development of returning participants, and to introduce new participants to all that theater has to offer. Participation in theater develops concepts of teamwork, promotes self-esteem, and can explore subjects that are tough to tackle for young people. We usually adapt children's books into original productions. This year we choose We Do Not Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins for the K-2 class, and The Lorax by Dr. Suess for the 3-6 class.
Evidence:
Description: Hot Glass ISU Alumni Event
Every Fall the Illinois Statue University Alumni Associations invites members of the alumni community to participate in a workshop with the students of the glass program.
Rationale:
Each participant gets a hands-n experience in working with the tools and medium of molten glass in order to create a memento of their experience. This year we made small, solid pumpkins that can be used as decoration or paperweights. Alums were able to choose two colors and handle tools with our guidance. Because of my performing background and organization skills from theater and education, not only did I work with participants on the bench, but I also presented the history of the glass program, gave a brief introduction to the project, and fielded questions as participants checked in.
Evidence:
