Superhero Epic

By Kelsi Brosnahan

Identity

Social Justice

Story

Big Ideas
Identity - The distinct personality of an individual regarded as a persisting
entity.
Social Justice - Social justice is the view that everyone deserves to enjoy the
same economic, political and social rights, regardless of race, socioeconomic
status, gender or other characteristics.
Story - A narrative of an event, mostly created from the human experience.

National Core Standards

VA:Cr1.1.4a Brainstorm multiple approaches to a creative art or design problem.
VA:Cr2.1.4a Explore and invent art-making techniques and approaches.
VA:Cr3.1.4a Revise artwork in progress on the basis of insights gained through peer discussion.
VA:Pr4.1.4a - Analyze how past, present, and emerging technologies have impacted the preservation and
presentation of artwork.
VA:Re7.2.4a - Analyze components in visual imagery that convey messages
VA:Cn10.1.4a Create works of art that reflect community cultural traditions.

Goal/Objectives
1. Students will shape an artistic investigation and then either follow or break tradition in their pursuit
of creative art making. (Students will research and compile information a superhero that they have a
personal connection with.)
2. Students will create and interact with objects and design that define, shape, enhance, and empower
their lives. (Students will redesign their researched superhero into a hero that fits them personally.)
3. Students will relate their artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historic context to
deepen their understanding. (Students will enhance their ideas of their redesigned personal superhero
to the class by communicating their social justice through stop motion film.)

Essential Questions
1.

How does the idea of superheroes impact your thoughts on visual culture?

2.

How can you create your own superhero that you can identify with?

3.

Can you create a story of your superhero bringing social justice to your
community

Superhero Artist

Stan Lee
Creator of Marvel Comics

Jeffrey Veregge
Superhero artist
http://jeffreyveregge.com/

Adriana Melo
Pencil Artist that has worked
with Marvel and DC
http://adrianamelo.deviantart.
com/gallery/

Create

Building Superheroes
How will you create your superhero that you identify with?

Outline
-

Create a list of features that your superhero will have

Design sketches of your hero
Get approved by Mrs. B before moving on to creating

Options
Construction Paper Build

Wire Armature Build

Creating Social Justice

Can you create a story of your superhero bringing social
justice to your community?
Outline
- Create a storyboard for your film
- Plan out a script/music
- Get approval from Mrs. B
- Start Recording!

Storyboard Outline

Tim Burton
Stop Motion Artist

Student Example

Assessment
Formative - Participation, effort, and active collaboration with peers. Evidence of
story development through completed storyboard.

Summative - Culminating presentations of the students stop motion films of

their superhero story for social justice.

Presentation

Film Premier

Stop motion films will be shown in a

collective presentation.
Lights dimmed
Popcorn in hand
Projector rolling
Minds expanding
Smile on the face

Teacher
Reflection

Curricula Design
Students are learning several Conceptual Age skills through this unit.
-

Strategic Imagination
Provocative Inquiry
Creative Problem Solving
Agility
Resilience

Pinks 6 Senses
All of Pinks 6 sense are
represented in this unit.
These senses are a base for
students scaffolding in not
only in their art process but
their responsiveness
towards the art world.

Skills for the Conceptual Age

Design- Students are designing their superhero with aesthetics and purpose in
mind.
Story - Students are creating a story about social justice through the use of their
personalized superhero.
Symphony - Students are combining several aspects of art process and life
experiences to create their body of work.

Skills for the Conceptual Age

Empathy - Students are connecting to greater issues that are apparent in their
everyday lives by looking at what social justice is to them
Play - Students are taking time to play with materials and build upon their prior
knowledge.
Meaning - Students are making meaning in their piece by building off of their
own identity and experiences in their story.

Personal
Favorite

Refrences
Pink, D. H. (2006). A Whole New Mind. Penguin Books.
Freedman, K. J. (2003). Teaching visual culture: Curriculum, aesthetics, and the social life of art. New York: Teachers College
Press.
Bodell, L. (2012, July 17). Work Skills You'll Need to Survive the 'Conceptual Age' Retrieved June 21, 2016, from http://www.
cnn.com/2012/07/17/opinion/work-skills-future-conceptual-bodell/
T. (2013). What makes a superhero? Stan Lee at TEDxGateway 2013. Retrieved June 21, 2016, from https://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=DSGf6is3U2w
M. (2015). Super Spidey Showdown in the City Art Room Stop Motion Video. Retrieved June 21, 2016, from https://www.
youtube.com/watch?v=05Vn1Y1kuQM
M. (2013). Frankenweenie Behind The Scenes - Helping Puppets Act (2012) - Tim Burton Movie HD. Retrieved June 21,
2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUFkjD9_QPQ
L. (2014). How to make LEGO Stop Motion Videos with LEGO Movie Maker App - Cheep Jokes. Retrieved June 21, 2016,
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmC9lduipho