Symbolic Shapes
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8th Grade
5 class periods with 70-minute blocks of instruction Materials Presentation materials, sketch paper, square white paper, scissors, pencils, black paper, L viewfinders, markers, notecards, folders, examples Artist Allen McCollum Big Idea Chaos/Order Key Concepts Order is necessary in life and mathematics. Chaos is necessary in life and mathematics. Chaos can cause disorder and beauty. Chaos can be compared and contrasted with order. Chaos is necessary to create balance. Essential Questions Where are places that you see order in life and math? Where are places that you see chaos in life and math? What is a situation when chaos is challenging? What is a situation when chaos is necessary and creates beauty? How do chaos and order connect? How do you find balance in things with chaos? |
Examples of Allen McCollum’s Work
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National Art Standards
1. Content Standard: Choosing and evaluating a range of subject matter, symbols, and ideas 2. Content Standard: Making connections between visual arts and other disciplines Virginia SOLs Art SOLs 8.4) The student will synthesize prior knowledge and experience to create works of art. 8.15) The student will analyze how visual organization in works of art affects the communication of ideas. Math SOLs 8.8) The student will a) apply transformations to plane figures; and b) identify applications of transformations Lesson Plans Day 1 Activity: Group planning and sketching Objective: After the students view and discuss order, they will create preliminary sketches as a class to prepare them for creating their own collection of sketches that will be used to design unique shapes. The students will be able to write a closure statement about order and how it relates to math. Day 2 Activity: Discussion of artist and individual sketching Objective: After viewing and discussing Allan McCollum and The Shapes Project, the students will begin to create their group of six preliminary sketches that will be necessary for designing unique shapes. The students will be able to verbally differentiate between chaos and order to the teacher. |
Examples of Student Sketches
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Day 3
Activity: Drawing Objective: After the students have sketched their collection of shapes, they will design and draw their unique shape by combining four corners from their six preliminary sketches. The students will be able to verbally describe how this process shows chaos and order and will be able to articulate the meaning behind their shape. |
Examples of Student Drawings
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Day 4
Activity: Cut-out session Objective: After the students have designed their unique shapes, they will cut out the silhouette of their shape from black paper. The students will articulate and show a teacher what their plan is before they begin to cut out their shape from paper. The students will work together on an activity and begin to discuss how chaos and order can co-exist. Day 5 Activity: Critique and reflection Objective: After completing preliminary sketches, using proportions to mash up the sketches to complete one drawing of a unique symbol, and cutting out their unique symbol from black paper, the students will view everything they have worked on as a class and reflect upon their artistic process with discussion and writing. The students will be able to answer questions about symbols, order, chaos, and math with ease and will produce written responses to four of seven questions. |
Abstract Mono-Printing
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Art II
Four weeks of instruction and studio work Materials Plexiglas 8 x 8, sandpaper, water based printing ink, brayers, paint brushes, palette knives, rags, spray bottle, newsprint, printing paper 12 x 12 Artist/Inspiration Abstract Expressionist artists Jackson Pollock, Barnett Newman, Cy Twombly, Willem de Kooning, Ellsworth Kelly, Franz Kline, Lee Krasner, & Mark Rothko Big Idea Abstraction Key Concepts Some artists choose to represent things in abstract ways or not to represent things at all. Abstract Expressionist artists often valued process, sometimes more than product. Gesture and color are very important in non-objective and abstract art. Essential Questions Who are some artists that choose to represent things in abstract ways or not to represent things at all and why did they make art in that way? Why was process so important to the Abstract Expressionists? How do artists use gesture and color to represent ideas? |
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Examples of Art From Abstract Expressionism
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Standards of Learning SOLs AII.3). The student will demonstrate proficiency and craftsmanship (artisanship) in the use of a variety of art media. AII.12). The student will identify historical and contemporary works of art and artistic developments. National Art Content Standards 4. Content Standard: Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and culture. 5. Content Standard: Reflecting upon and assessing the characteristics and merits of their work and the work of others. Lesson Plans Week 1: Art History & Planning Day 1 Activity: Lecture on printmaking and project break down for students. Objective: After discussing the different terms of printmaking, the students will articulate an understanding of the printmaking process. Day 2 Activity: Lecture on Abstract Expressionism and planning session. Objective: After discussing Abstract Expressionism, the students will create preliminary sketches showing an understanding of abstraction. Day 3 Activity: Mono-printing demonstration and practice day. Objective: After observing the mono-printing process, the students will practice the mono-printing process themselves. |
Students Working
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Week 2: Independent Studio Work Day 4 Activity: Independent studio work Objective: After discussing abstraction and ways to develop abstract compositions, the students will begin creating their mono-prints. Day 5 Activity: Independent studio work Objective: After discussing abstraction and ways to develop abstract compositions, the students will continue creating their mono-prints. Day 6 Activity: Independent studio work Objective: After discussing abstraction and ways to develop abstract compositions, the students will continue creating their mono-prints. |
Student Mono Prints
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Week 3: Independent Studio Work/Exam Day 7 Activity: Independent studio work Objective: After discussing abstraction and ways to develop abstract compositions, the students will continue creating their mono-prints. Day 8 Activity: Final independent studio workday Objective: After exploring abstraction and ways to develop abstract compositions, the students will turn in their highly crafted works. Day 9 Activity: Exam and artist trade Objective: After discussing ritual and attempting to create many small mono-prints, the students |
Students Using the Printing Press
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Week 4: Critique
Day 10 Activity: Silent critique of final projects Objective: After creating and mono-prints, the students will reflect on their process and consider their next steps by critiquing one another in a silent forum. Day 11 Activity: Critique of final projects Objective: After creating and mono-prints, the students will reflect on their process and consider their next steps by critiquing one another. |
Ritual
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Art III
Four weeks of instruction and studio work Materials Gel medium, brushes, sponge brushes, computers, Masonite boards, other media Artist/Inspiration African and Oceanic Art Big Idea Ritual/Healing Key Concepts Ritual is a term that spreads beyond religious ceremonies. Rituals and art can help us cope with difficult issues of loss and tragedy. Artists sometimes use their making as a way to deal with and reflect on personal or collective issues relating to rituals. Essential Questions What are some areas of daily life that contain rituals? How can art or rituals help a person or community deal with difficult issue? What are some ways that artists engage their audience in a broader conversation about an issue or ritual? |
Examples of Inspirational Images for Ritual
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Standards of Learning SOLs AIII.3). The student will demonstrate skill, independent thinking, and craftsmanship (artisanship) in the use of media, techniques, and processes to achieve desired intentions in works of art and design. AIII.11). The student will research and analyze artists, art styles, and cultures that inspire personal works of art. National Art Content Standards 3. Content Standard: Choosing and evaluating a range of subject matter, symbols, and ideas 4. Content Standard: Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and cultures Lesson Plans Week 1 & 2: Art History and Planning Day 1 Activity: Lecture of African and Oceanic art and brainstorming/planning session Objective: After discussing African and Oceanic art and ritual and how it exists in our daily lives, the students will demonstrate an understanding of the term ritual and will begin to plan for their project. Day 2 Activity: Review of African and Oceanic art and demonstration of the gel transfer process. Objective: After reviewing ritual in art and seeing a demonstration on the gel transfer process, the students will continue to brainstorm and start developing project ideas. Day 3 Activity: Work individually on projects. Objective: After continued conversation and guidance about their projects, the students will begin to construct their works of art about ritual. Day 4 Activity: Work individually on projects. Objective: After continued conversation and guidance about their projects, the students will continue building their works of art about ritual. |
Examples of African and Oceanic Art
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Week 3: Independent Studio Work Day 5 Activity: Work individually on projects and free writing activity. Objective: After continued conversation and guidance about their projects, the students will continue building their works of art about ritual and will reflectively write about their ideas and process. Day 6 Activity: Work individually on projects. Objective: After continued conversation and guidance about their projects, the students will continue building their works of art about ritual. Day 7 Activity: Work individually on projects. Objective: After continued conversation and guidance about their projects, the students will continue building their works of art about ritual. |
Students Free Writing About Their Projects
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Week 4: Independent Studio Work/Exam Day 8 Activity: Work individually on projects. Objective: After continued conversation and guidance about their projects, the students will continue building their works of art about ritual. Day 9 Activity: Work individually on projects. Objective: After continued conversation and guidance about their projects, the students will continue building their works of art about ritual. Day 10 Activity: Exam and working individually on projects. Objective: After continued conversation and guidance about their projects, the students will continue building their works of art about ritual. |
Final Student Work
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Week 5: Critique Day 11 Activity: Critique of final projects Objective: After creating and discussing a project about ritual, the students will reflect on their process and consider their next steps. Day 12 Activity: Critique of final projects Objective: After creating and discussing a project about ritual, the students will reflect on their process and consider their next steps. |
