Lesson 1 in the Middle School Art Room
Lesson Plan
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1d5RyWMuD-HkqbMC8ahuiX41qMKbb5M8YrQaSgoTtSLA/edit
Reflection
On Thursday, March 28, I taught the first lesson to the Middle School Class. Before arriving, we sent the lead teacher a brief outline of our plans, the power point we would present to the class, and asked if she could have music to and a few materials to place out. When we arrived in the classroom, we had a few minutes to place white canvas paper, paint brushes, paint pallets, water, and acrylic paint out for the students. The students started filing in and taking a seat at their assigned spot. I began right away and introduced myself. I went through a brief slide show that explained what layering means in the art world. I showed photos and had a brief conversation with the students as they raised their hands and engaged in artistic conversation. Then we discussed collaboration and the many ways this is possible as an artist and in the art community. Next, I introduced a very new word, Palimpsest. I showed the students an array of current artists who layer, collaborate, or focus on Palimpsest in their artwork. I left up on the screen a collage of photos from the different artists and types of artwork that we discussed during our conversation for the children to have as reference and inspiration.
Next, I explained the class project. Students were given a blank white canvas and painting materials. I would play the music and students would add the very first layer onto their canvas. They were in charge of deciding what to create as the first layer. As an artist you need to use your imagination, research, and the world around you to find inspiration for what to create. When asked what students were creating as their first layer I received the answers "Galaxy", "my home and family", "the beach because it is hawaiian day today". However, this also came as a challenge to some students who were asking "what do you want us to draw" or "I can't think of anything". One student even decided to leave the entire first layer blank because he could not think of something that was worthy to put on the page. As the music played for about 3 minutes, the students explored the painting process. I stopped the music, and the next step of the project was to get up out of their seats and move to another canvas in the room. There, when the music started again, they were to add a second layer onto another artist's canvas. Students were now engaging in collaboration and layering. This stimulated an energetic, playful, and curious atmosphere in the art space. I asked several students their thoughts on collaboration, and received very mixed opinions and answers. Some students believed they were positively adding their art onto other people's work; whereas, other students thought they were destroying something their pier had already created. The students continued adding layers to canvases in the room and then moving on to another individual's canvas. Each student was able to add a layer onto 5 or 6 total canvases.
With 10 minutes left in class, we took this time to clean up and have a brief artistic conversation about their opinions of collaboration, layering, and palimpsest. Children had a much greater understanding for all three of these words. Some students even admitted that this was the very first time they had collaborated with someone else or a group of people on an art project. Looking back on this lesson, some challenges I faced was keeping everyone positive. Some students felt they did not want to add a layer onto someone else's work because they did not want to ruin in. I explained to this individuals that art is not always about the final outcome, but it is about the process of making and exploring materials and styles of artwork. I also faced difficulty with students drawing or writing inappropriate words or phrases onto other people's canvases. Although we did have a conversation in the beginning of the class about making sure we had appropriate content, students felt comfortable enough to do as they pleased. As a future art educator I personally struggle with deciding where to cross the line when it comes to certain words, phrases, or typically inappropriate or vulgar topics. I believe that apart of growing up is exploring different conversations and topics and a huge percentage of artwork in the real world is vulgar and promiscuous; however, we need to make sure all individuals feel comfortable and safe in the art and education space. Individuals need to know manners and how to show respect to elders and piers.
Overall, the lesson and class was a huge success. The canvases are filled with unique and various types of layers. In the following lessons, students will be able to come back to their original canvas and add the final layer onto the artwork, thus having created the first and last layer of the artwork. They will also be asked to create a story for the artwork and explain the many layers of the piece.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1d5RyWMuD-HkqbMC8ahuiX41qMKbb5M8YrQaSgoTtSLA/edit
Reflection
On Thursday, March 28, I taught the first lesson to the Middle School Class. Before arriving, we sent the lead teacher a brief outline of our plans, the power point we would present to the class, and asked if she could have music to and a few materials to place out. When we arrived in the classroom, we had a few minutes to place white canvas paper, paint brushes, paint pallets, water, and acrylic paint out for the students. The students started filing in and taking a seat at their assigned spot. I began right away and introduced myself. I went through a brief slide show that explained what layering means in the art world. I showed photos and had a brief conversation with the students as they raised their hands and engaged in artistic conversation. Then we discussed collaboration and the many ways this is possible as an artist and in the art community. Next, I introduced a very new word, Palimpsest. I showed the students an array of current artists who layer, collaborate, or focus on Palimpsest in their artwork. I left up on the screen a collage of photos from the different artists and types of artwork that we discussed during our conversation for the children to have as reference and inspiration.
Next, I explained the class project. Students were given a blank white canvas and painting materials. I would play the music and students would add the very first layer onto their canvas. They were in charge of deciding what to create as the first layer. As an artist you need to use your imagination, research, and the world around you to find inspiration for what to create. When asked what students were creating as their first layer I received the answers "Galaxy", "my home and family", "the beach because it is hawaiian day today". However, this also came as a challenge to some students who were asking "what do you want us to draw" or "I can't think of anything". One student even decided to leave the entire first layer blank because he could not think of something that was worthy to put on the page. As the music played for about 3 minutes, the students explored the painting process. I stopped the music, and the next step of the project was to get up out of their seats and move to another canvas in the room. There, when the music started again, they were to add a second layer onto another artist's canvas. Students were now engaging in collaboration and layering. This stimulated an energetic, playful, and curious atmosphere in the art space. I asked several students their thoughts on collaboration, and received very mixed opinions and answers. Some students believed they were positively adding their art onto other people's work; whereas, other students thought they were destroying something their pier had already created. The students continued adding layers to canvases in the room and then moving on to another individual's canvas. Each student was able to add a layer onto 5 or 6 total canvases.
With 10 minutes left in class, we took this time to clean up and have a brief artistic conversation about their opinions of collaboration, layering, and palimpsest. Children had a much greater understanding for all three of these words. Some students even admitted that this was the very first time they had collaborated with someone else or a group of people on an art project. Looking back on this lesson, some challenges I faced was keeping everyone positive. Some students felt they did not want to add a layer onto someone else's work because they did not want to ruin in. I explained to this individuals that art is not always about the final outcome, but it is about the process of making and exploring materials and styles of artwork. I also faced difficulty with students drawing or writing inappropriate words or phrases onto other people's canvases. Although we did have a conversation in the beginning of the class about making sure we had appropriate content, students felt comfortable enough to do as they pleased. As a future art educator I personally struggle with deciding where to cross the line when it comes to certain words, phrases, or typically inappropriate or vulgar topics. I believe that apart of growing up is exploring different conversations and topics and a huge percentage of artwork in the real world is vulgar and promiscuous; however, we need to make sure all individuals feel comfortable and safe in the art and education space. Individuals need to know manners and how to show respect to elders and piers.
Overall, the lesson and class was a huge success. The canvases are filled with unique and various types of layers. In the following lessons, students will be able to come back to their original canvas and add the final layer onto the artwork, thus having created the first and last layer of the artwork. They will also be asked to create a story for the artwork and explain the many layers of the piece.
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