UNIT PLAN TEMPLATE Art ED 3601(F) Spring 2018

Art Education Unit Template

Title of Unit Composition Grade Level 9

Teacher Taylor Lapierre Number of Lesson and Classes 7 days

Overview of Unit
Clear and concise description at least 200 words. Be clear about the theme of the unit and the various components of the unit.

Students will be assessed of previous concepts covered in previous grade:

Art 8
Investigate: Students will employ space, proportion and relationships for image making. F. The principles of repetition or emphasis can be applied to
achieve unity in two-dimensional works.
Communicate: Students will use expressiveness in their use of elements in the making of images A. Line can be used freely and rhythmically to add mood
or movement to a two-dimensional image. B. Points of view can be developed to express certain ideas such as mood or proximity in two-dimensional
works.
Organizations: Students will experiment with value, light, atmosphere and colour selection to reflect mood in composition. B. Mood in composition can be
affected by the selection of various colour schemes such as intense, aggressive schemes or harmonious, pastel schemes.

Students are giving the opportunity to develop fluency in the following:

- Composition can influence the interpretation of each artist’s work.
- Different shapes and images can communicate emotion.
- There are many ways of interpreting the same event or scene depending on each person's own perspective.
- Using Warm, Cool, Complimentary, and Contrasting colours can change the way an artwork feels (i.e. the mood)

Students are being set up for success for the next grade and level of education:
Art 10
COMPOSITIONS - Organizations 1 EXPERIMENT WITH VARIOUS REPRESENTATIONAL FORMATS. Concepts
A. Various materials alter representational formats and processes used in achieving certain intended effects.
ENCOUNTERS - Sources of Images INVESTIGATE THE PROCESS OF ABSTRACTING FORM FROM A SOURCE IN ORDER TO CREATE OBJECTS AND IMAGES.
Concepts A. Artists simplify, exaggerate and rearrange parts of objects in their depictions of images.
B. Artists select from natural forms in order to develop decorative motifs.
UNIT PLAN TEMPLATE Art ED 3601(F) Spring 2018

Rationale: Identify what the learning objectives, what will students learn? Go into depth and connect your unit with art education pedagogy and theory
that we have been learning throughout the semester.

Investigate Concepts
A. A consideration of balance and contrast may be applied to drawings that depict forms in nature.
B. Repetition of shape in nature can suggest patterns and motifs.
C. A changing point of view can allow a more thorough analysis of the subject matter of drawing.
Communicate Concepts
A. The subjective perception of the individual student affects the way he/she expresses action and direction.
B. Mood and feeling as perceived by the individual student can be expressed in colour drawings.
C. Exaggeration of mood characteristics in drawings of nature and people can help to emphasize a personal point of view.

DBAE Elements Statement of Inquiry/Unit Question

A statement that summarizes the major learning in the four areas of DBAE: Creative Production, Art A question that students should be able to answer
Criticism, Art History, Aesthetics at the end of the unit. This question is connected
with learning outcomes. What should student
Art History – Each lesson begins with the introduction of an artist that helps ground the information. know at the end of the unit. This is a broad
overarching question.
Aesthetics – Following each lesson looking at the art history aspect, students are given prompts
which focus on the aesthetic quality of the artwork presented. Students are also asked to do  How can you use composition to balance
reflections that are focused on the aesthetics of their work and the work of their peers. your work?
 What lines/colours would you choose to
Creative Production – Students make art in each class. This production varies between experimental communicate/express a particular
activities and fully designed works of art which are submitted for grading. emotion?
 How do our own experiences and
Art Criticism – Following each art-making lesson, students are given the opportunity to circulate the personalities influence the way we
room to analyze the work of their peers. A larger critique is organized following the completion of interpret/feel about a scene?
the final performance task where students are given criteria to help evaluate their work and the
work of the peers
Alberta Program of Study
Goals and Objectives
Drawing: Scope and Sequence
- Investigate:
- Students will employ and arrange elements and principles to make compositions.
- Communicate:
- Students will use expressiveness in their use of elements in the making of images
UNIT PLAN TEMPLATE Art ED 3601(F) Spring 2018

Summary of Lessons Learning Experiences

Minimum 500 words each summary. Demonstrate scaffolding and transitions. How are the students going to learn the content
(ex. completing a graphic organizer, small group
Lesson 1: Movement of Line discussion, research; explain how and resources
“Today we will be starting a new unit about composition. We will start by looking at how artists use used, critique; explain the process.
line within their work. We will do this by brainstorming the types of lines you can use, we will then
look closely at how the well-known artist Kandinsky used line in his abstract artwork, this will lead Exit Slips
into the creation of our own compositions! We will then wrap up class with a reflection in our Assessment FOR: Exit slips are a great way to help
sketchbooks.” me determine what to emphasize in the following
lesson. Although many of the exit slip prompts ask
Pre-assessment: for the opinion of my students, this can be used to
1. A large sheet of paper will be set up in the center of the classroom. Students will then work analyze their understanding of perception,
together to make as many different kinds of lines as they can think of. interpretation, and reflection in art (an important
2. As a class, we will review the lines the students made, then list all the different kinds on a post aspect of this unit).
paper. Post this on a classroom wall for students to look back to during this lesson.
3. Along with the types of lines, we will make a list of vocabulary words that help describe how to Assessment AS: The prompts are framed in such a
use lines. Example: repetition, contrast, opaque, translucent, large, small… way as to encourage students to monitor and
critically reflect on their choices and those of their
Instruction: peers, determine their effectiveness, and explore
1. Show class a PowerPoint about Wassily Kandinsky. Go through the history behind abstract alternative solutions. There is no one right answer
expressionism. to these questions, as they depend on student’s
2. Pause at Kandinsky’s Composition 6, 1913 and ask students to give examples of the type of line interpretation. Mostly I am assessing their thought
they can see throughout the image. processes and rationale.
3. Ask students if they see any movement within the composition. Why are some sections more
active than others? Does line affect their perception of movement? Line Movement Brainstorms
4. Go through a couple pieces and describe how artists use line to move their viewer’s eye across Assessment FOR: This activity will help inform
their composition. instruction for the next class. During class
5. Assignment: Students will create a visual brainstorm of ways in which you can create movement discussion and as I circulate the room, I will gauge
using different lines. Encourage students to create different types of movement within the same students’ understanding. I can determine if I must
frame. How can you use this to draw the eye of the viewer? provide additional scaffolding in subsequent
lessons. I will also prove descriptive feedback when
Peer-assessment: At the end of class, have students set up their work at their desks and begin a I hand back their work.
gallery walk. Students go around the room and post post-it notes with arrows on them showing
where their eye moves around the frame. For example, if student notices their eye following a set of
lines from the bottom left corner of the page to the top right, the student would post their post-it
note next to the line, with the arrow pointing to the top right of the page.
UNIT PLAN TEMPLATE Art ED 3601(F) Spring 2018

Sketchbook Reflection (exit slip): Once students have circulated the entire room, ask students what Mood graphs
they liked about other people work. Was there something that stood out to them? Was there a line Assessment FOR: This activity will help inform
that best drew their attention? Have students record their findings in their sketchbook. These instruction for the next class. During class
observations might prove useful when creating their final compositions. discussion and as I circulate the room, I will gauge
students’ understanding. I can determine if I must
Lesson 2: Mood Squares provide additional scaffolding in subsequent
Pre-assessment: lessons. I will also prove descriptive feedback when
1. Show students an Kandinsky’s Composition No. 6, 1913. I hand back their work.
2. Ask students to describe what they see. Encourage students to use the vocabulary from previous
classes. Assessment OF: I will be able to see the extent to
3. Move slide forward to include Kandinsky’s Composition No. 6, 1913 as well as his Composition VII, which students understood key concepts by looking
1913. at the variety of line, shape, and colour present
4. Ask students to brainstorm in their table groups ways in which these works are similar and within each work. As this is a group activity, I will
different. Tell students they should be ready to share at least one similarity and one contrast with the consider both the final product and the process
class. Again, encourage use of vocabulary. that informed their decisions.
5. Have students share what they see with the class.
6. Write down important terms on the front board as they come up.

Instruction:
1. Explain to class that they will be working in groups to create “mood squares”
2. Assignment: Each table group will be given two options of a mood they will work with (example:
creepy, happy, sad). As a group, each table will have to agree on which mood they will create and
begin brainstorming how they could go about doing so. Students will begin brainstorming which
colours, lines, or shapes they believe best suit their mood. After about 10 minutes of
brainstorming time, students will be instructed to begin working on the large paper provided to
each group. They will have another 10 minutes to create their compositions.

Peer-assessment: As table groups finish up, they will post their final piece for all to see. We will then
take time as a class to look at each other’s work. This will lead into a discussion. What do you think
each groups’ mood was? What colours, lines, or shapes make you believe so? Discuss any specific
misconceptions and any “wow” moments.
Self-assessment: Once students have had a chance to discuss each piece, ask students what they
liked about other groups’ work. Was there something that stood out to them? Was there a color
combination that best drew their attention? Have students record their findings in their sketchbook.
These observations might prove useful when creating their final compositions.
UNIT PLAN TEMPLATE Art ED 3601(F) Spring 2018

Lesson 3: Point of View Sketchbook Compositions

The purpose of this lesson is to emphasize that there are several ways to portray a single Assessment FOR: This activity will help inform
idea/concept. This is especially prevalent between artists; however, we will examine how the same instruction for the final assessment task. During
artist can portray the same concept differently based on the decisions they make. class discussion and as I circulate the room, I will
gauge students’ understanding. I can determine if I
Pre-assessment: must provide additional scaffolding in subsequent
1. Student’s sketchbooks will be laid out on each group table. Students will be asked to create a lessons. I will also prove descriptive feedback when
composition using either shape, line, and color. (quick sketchbook activity) I hand back their work.
2. As a class, we will discuss how students came about building their compositions.
3. Explain that there are many ways to create a composition. Assessment OF: I will be able to see how students
4. Show class Wassily Kandinsky’s Composition V, 1911 and the work of Shantell Martin. apply their knowledge of composition through their
5. Ask class to discuss the similarities and differences between the two artists’ work. use of line, colour, and shape.
6. Ask students to share some ideas from their discussion – write these on the white board.
Conferences
Instruction: Assessment FOR: These conferences allow me to
1. Hand out two sheets of paper to each student. gauge students’ understanding. By this point of the
2. Assignment: Challenge students to create two new compositions. Students will focus on balance unit, I would have a strong understanding of where
within their compositions, however, they are encouraged to consider movement and mood as my students are with respect to the learning
well. Each composition must be different from one another in some way. For example, one image outcomes. I will prove direct and descriptive
might be mostly line, with a large emphasis on repetition. While the other composition might have a feedback based on their rationale.
lot of colour, using colour to emphasize a specific mood. Encourage students to use different colours, Assessment AS: During these conversations,
shapes, and line they believe best ground their image. students will be encouraged to reflect on the
effectiveness of their artistic choices and explore
Peer-assessment: Students share their compositions with their table group. The group will take time alternative solutions. As described above, I will
to discuss what they like about each work – encourage groups to ask questions to help uncover the prove feedback based on their rationale and if
artist’s intention. further instruction is needed, I will give them an
Self-assessment: On an exit slip, students will compare their thoughts about their work before opportunity to have a follow up conversation in the
discussion and afterwards. How are they the same, how are they different, which was more effective following class.
and why? Assessment OF: These conferences will examine
the extent to which students understand key
concepts by looking at how they intend to use
colour, line, and shape within their final work.
UNIT PLAN TEMPLATE Art ED 3601(F) Spring 2018

Performance Task: Final painting

For the final performance task, students will create an abstract painting that expresses a memory Assessment OF: In this final summative assignment
they have. The goal is for students to design their compositions based on how they want to portray I will examine the extent to which students
their memory. If their memory is happy and energetic, the student may choose to use bright colours, understood key concepts by looking at how they
quick lines that energize the canvas, and forms that make them feel happy. However, if the student implemented line, colour, and shape in their
chooses a somber memory, they might better express themselves using dark, cool colours, and compositions. I will consider both the product and
include ominous shapes and lines. the process that informed their decisions, as I will
1. When introducing the project, discuss how Kandinsky included different forms and images also take into consideration students’ presentation
within his work. Look specifically as his Moscow I (Red Square), 1916. Explain that Kandinsky during the critique.
made this piece while feeling down and depressed, however her chose to create this piece to
depict the sunset in Moscow – that which Kandinsky loved. How are these emotions depicted Critique
in the piece? How did he use color? Line? Shape? Assessment AS: Students will critically analyze the
2. Tell them that they will be creating their own abstract painting using a memory as their effectiveness of their own choices as well as that of
inspiration. their peers. Students will present their work
3. Before they begin, they will brainstorm in their sketchbooks the types of line, color, and shape (providing their rationale), experience feedback
they may employ to express emotion. Students think what mood they want to portray. from peers (consider suggestions for improvement
4. Next, they will create a few preliminary sketches in their sketchbook. Since this is a final and what was successful), as well as give feedback
assignment, they will need to ensure that they are making insightful and deliberate choices to to others. They will be encouraged to apply their
produce a quality piece. thinking in future assignments.
5. Once they have created a few drawings, the students will conference with the teacher and
discuss the sketches they have made thus far (e.g. what's working), what they are planning for
their final project, and any challenges the student may be having.
6. After conferencing with the teacher, students may begin working on their project. Students will
also be encouraged to conference with their peers as they work together in their groups.
Teacher will check-in with students midway through in order to familiarize themselves with the
students work.
7. Students will display their final work around the room. We will then take time to circulate the
room – allowing students to experience all works. The class will break up into smaller groups
to discuss each work more in depth. Each group will be given a set of discussion questions they
will be tasked with addressing during their critique. Questions such as “What aspects of the
work suggest mood?” or “How did the artist’s choice of colour affect the piece?” will address
the understanding students have of key concepts.
UNIT PLAN TEMPLATE Art ED 3601(F) Spring 2018

Teaching Strategies Assessment Assessment Weighting

Methods
Be explicit with your teaching strategies. Example: direct instruction, workshop, whole group teaching led
discussion etc.. Mood graphs 10%

Direct instruction, workshop, group discussion, whole group teaching, self-reflection, work periods, and small Sketchbook 10%
group critiques. Compositions

Dialogues and 10%

Conferences

Final painting 70%

Resources Required

 Wassilykandinsky.net – Good resource when looking for examples of Kandinsky’s work.

 Curr Lab – Good resource for prints and books related to Expressionism
 Composition: A Series of Exercises in Art Structure for the Use of Students and Teachers, 1997, Arthur Wesley Dow, pages 177-189
 Generation of Kandinsky Art, 2016, Volume 29, Issue 1, Kang Shang, and Jinhui Yu

Professional Reflections
This typically is completed during the unfolding of the unit and at the end