Enduring Idea (Big Idea): Symbols Lesson Title: Identity Symbols Grade/Class: 6th grade Time Allotment: 6, 55 minute class periods

OVERVIEW1) Lesson summary: Students will explore the big idea of symbols. They will learn how symbols are

used to represent an idea or feeling. Through interpretation students will begin to see that symbols mean different things to different people. Through the use of a PowerPoint students will see that artists use symbols to explore identity. They will further explore this by creating their own identity symbols. Through brainstorming students will come up with the five most important things about them and create a symbol that demonstrates that. Upon completion of the design, students will learn and apply the technique of tempera resist.

2) Artworks, artists and/or artifacts: Symbols include, butterfly, hex signs, stop sign, heart, recycling, Egyptian hieroglyphics,

McDonalds golden arches Jasper Johns, Flag, 1954-55 Keith Haring, Heart Audrey Flack, Queen, 1975-76 Audrey Flack, Marilyn (Vanitas), 1977 Margo Humphrey, The History of Her Life Written across Her Face, 1991 Frida Kahlo, Self Portrait Between the Borderline of Mexico and the United States, 1932 Vic Muniz, Toy Soldier, 2005 Bernard Williams Student Mural, McHenry County

3) Key Concept(s): 1) Artist use symbols to explore identity. 2) Artists use symbols to represent and idea or feeling.

4) Essential Questions: 1) What is a symbol? 2) What role do symbols play in defining a person’s identity? 3) How do artists use symbols to represent an idea and feeling? 4) Can symbols mean different things to different people? 5) What makes you, you?

5) Standardsa) PA Standards for Arts & Humanities

9.1. Production, Performance and Exhibition of Dance, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts 9.1.8. C Identify and use comprehensive vocabulary within each of the arts forms. 9.1.8. H Demonstrate and maintain materials, equipment and tools safely at work and

performance spaces. Analyze the use of materials. 9.3 Critical Response

9.3.8. B Analyze and interpret specific characteristics of works in the arts within each art form

9.3.8. F Apply the process of criticism to identify characteristics among works in the arts.b) PA Standards for Other Disciplines

1.6. Speaking and Listening 1.6.8. A. Listen to others. Ask probing questions. Analyze information, ideas and opinions to determine relevancy.

OBJECTIVES:

1) Knowledge? Students will understand that artists use symbols to explore identity through the use of a

PowerPoint. Students will interpret symbols and their meanings though the use of an activity, in order to

see that symbols mean different things to different people.

2) Skills? Students will create an identify symbol that displays five things about who they are. Using the tempera resist process, students will remember to leave open spaces in the design of

their symbols.

3) Disposition? Students will understand that artists use symbols to explore their identity by creating their own

symbols that explore who they are.

ASSESSMENT: How will you know the students know each objective?1) Pre-assessment: I will begin the lesson by handing out envelopes with 8 different images of

symbols. I will have students work with the people at their tables and come up with words that represent those images. I will go around the room pointing to different tables. Students will share with the class the words that they came up with. This will open up for discussion on the next lesson and allow students to see that we each interpret things differently. The following day I will begin with an activity that gets students thinking about how they associate images with words. This will allow students to see that our identity shapes our ideas and feeling for different things. Formative assessment: This will be used through the use of a prompting sheet. Students will be answering questions based on their knowledge of symbols and identity. This will aid in the review of information before each class. I will also provide students with a graphic organizer that explores what makes them who they are. This will be used in the planning and implementing of their identity symbols. I will also use student’s participation in group activities. This will allow me to see where students are and what areas may need to be reviews. Summative assessment: Students will be assessed based upon performance in class discussion, concepts, planning, and execution of lesson. A grade will be given through the use of a rubric. The rubric will indicate the criteria for the assignment as well as the quality of the work, creativity, effort, planning, performance, and personal responsibility.

INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES: How will you sequence instruction (actions) to facilitate learning? Day 1

1) Motivation/Engagement/Anticipatory Set: I will begin class with an activity. I will pass out envelopes. Each envelop will have 8 images

and 8 sticky notes I will have students with the people at their tables go through each image and write down

words for that image on a sticky note. I will tell students that they should be writing a word that represents that image or reminds you of that image. I will also say when looking at that image what word first comes to mind?

I will have students do this for 4 minutes. They should be talking with the people at their tables and coming up with words that relate to their images

I will then have students come back together I will begin the PowerPoint showing 5 of the images they had in their envelops. I will go around to each table and have one person read the words that their table came up with. I will say that if one table has the same word then they don’t have to repeat it but if they have something different they should share it.

I will do this for 5 of the images. Allowing students to see that we each interpret images different. That a symbol might mean one thing to us but shouldn’t totally different to someone else.

I will then go over the definition of a symbol- Something that stands for or suggests something. The purpose of a symbol is to communicate meaning

2) Development I will continue with the PowerPoint moving on to different images. The first of which being a

butterfly I will ask students what words we associate with a butterfly, think about the process the butterfly goes through. What is the butterfly a symbol of?

Butterfly- rebirth, change, transformation, comes from process of metamorphosis I will then show an image of a Flag

1. How is this a symbol? 2. What does it represent?

Talk about the color and location could have meaning White: signifies purity and innocence Red: signifies valor and bravery Blue: signifies vigilance and perseverance and justice

As students if the stars and strips are symbols of something 50 stars on the flag represent the 50 states and the 13 stripes represent the original colonies Heart- Symbol of love. But what if that heart was broken would it mean something else?

Draw a broken heart on the board Hex sign or barn star- Are these symbols? What are they symbols of?

Symbols of good luck or to ward off evil Specific designs have meaning as well as color.

Ask students what this is an image of? Egyptian hieroglyphs. Are these symbols? Talk about how symbols have been uses by different cultures for centuries

Show students symbols they are familiar with weather they see them on the computer or cell phone. I will say we are not going to look at all of these but I will point out a few

Sun- in the Uruguay national flag there is a sun. So to them the sum might mean something different then it does somewhere else.

Somewhere like Florida “the sunshine state” might think differently of its symbol compared to Alaska.

King or queen Crow- Queen of England- might have a different symbol there in comparison to here.

I will then present the word identity and show an image of a zebra that is looking down on its shadow and sees itself as colorful. I will ask students to interpret this image? What might the zebra be trying to say who he is or his identify? Allow students to see that how we might feel on the inside might be different to what we look on the outside. Maybe this zebra seeing himself as colorful and different. We are all different that’s what makes us who we are.

Show the definition of identity and ask students what makes finger prints so special? Every individual has a unique set of fingerprints that remain permanent throughout life

I will then show an identify web and explore the different words that make up our identity. So hobbies, choices, ethnicity, creations, values, beliefs. I will go through each of them and point out examples.

I will then present the questions, how do artist use symbols to explore Identity? I will show different artist starting with Audrey Flack. I will ask students to interpret how this

artist might be using symbols to explore identity? I will ask students to think about what an item might mean to you but might mean something totally different to someone else. I will point out different objects and talk about what it might mean.

I will then show Margo Humphrey's work the story of her life written across her face. I will ask students how this artist explores her identity. I will talk about how the symbols and words she used explore her life story and convey feelings of hope, possibility, and love. Visual metaphors to channel her experience growing up as an African American woman

We will then look at the work of Frida Kahlo. We will look at the title of her work and how that might have to do with her identity? What the objects on both sides might be symbols of.

Students will look at Vic Muniz toy soldier. They will identity with the materials being used. How that might explore the identiy of the person? How Little things make us who we are. We see the big picture but we also see the small one, the individual things.

The last example I will show is one created by students to explore the symbols that we associate with a place. So we see different interpretations of what it might mean to live in this place. Where we live becomes part of our identity

Students will spend the rest of class now working on a worksheet. The first 3 questions are a review of the materials. They will be planning and organizing with a graphic organizer what makes them who they are. So they will go through each circle that is surround them and be placing words or images of things like hobbies and interest and values and beliefs.

Day 2

3) Motivation/Engagement/Anticipatory Set: Before students have come in the room I will have handed out 10 sticky notes to each

student. I will start by saying we have been exploring how artists use symbols to explore identity. Yesterday I had you look at images and come up with the meaning / words for those images. Now today I will say a word and have students create an image to go with that word. I will do this 3 times. Have students share with one another at their table.

3. Chair

4. Food 5. Vacation 6. Red

Ask questions such as what did we notice after discussing showing our images to the rest of the people at our table? Did we come up with the same images or were they different.

What does that say about how we interpret words? How do artist use symbols to explore identity. What does the image that you chose say

about the person you are. Relate it back to yesterday and how we looked at symbols and we wrote down words we

also created a graphic organizer of either words or images that define us. Now we are going to be taking those ideas and creating symbols for them.

2) Development We are going to be creating a design that incorporates and have students answer (five). Design should fill in most of the space on your paper. Demo by showing student my example and going through design Think about size, maybe you want the most important symbol to be the largest and you

work around that design Maybe one of your symbols becomes more so hidden inside another

Maybe 2 symbols combine. Think back to how we saw artists use symbols to explore identity. Must create 3 thumbnails to help organize space. Objects and were they will go. Student will spend the rest of class now creating there thumb nails sketches I will suggest that students take the time to think about what each object might look like

before trying to create the design 3) Culmination/ Close

I will tell students within the last 5 minutes of class that they should be thinking about finishing up what they are doing within the next 2 minutes

Once 2 minutes has gone by I will as students start cleaning up materials put all papers in folders.

One person from each table should collect and put back the folders. I will then say I am looking for ready tables Dismiss

Day 3

1) Motivation/Engagement/Anticipatory Set: Hook Introduce the medium we will be using to create our symbols. Show a Powerpoint on Tempera Resist. Raise your hand if you have ever used Tempera Paint. Can someone tell me what the word resist means?

Withstand, oppose, or too strive against Tempera Resist is a technique in which depth is or darkness is added to an artwork by

applying a waterproof ink to the base artwork. Show a slide on the process. Different steps so first talk about leaving a border line between

our shapes so that will be our pencil lines. So the lines we create with our pencil lines will now be open space. Once we have added paint to all of our different objects within our symbol, then we will be adding India ink to the entire surface.

The goal is the ink becomes the border lines between all our objects so the end result will be something that looks like a grown up coloring book page.

Talk about how this is a magical process where we see our design become covered in ink so disappear and when we wash over the surface, appear.

Discuss how the tempera resists the ink and reappears but the areas that paint has not touched hold the ink in place.

2) Development Students will work on their designs for the rest of class. I will remind them that they need 3 thumb nail sketches and that each should have 5 objects

that symbolize who they are. I will go over the good paper and have students feel the surface and thickness. I will talk a

little bit about oak tag and how they will be taking one of their designs and filling their good paper with that exact design. So the scale of their sketches will become bigger with the paper. I will ask students what shape my paper is to remind them that they must have a square.

I will have students work for the remainder of the class. I will have students that are drawing strait lines or circles use rulers or compasses so that there design is neat and clean.

3) Culmination/ Close I will have students start cleaning up within the last 3 minutes of class. I will remind them to

put their names on the backs of their good paper. I will remind students where they should be on the project and that by the end of next class

they should be paint their symbols in. Day 4

1) Motivation/Engagement/Anticipatory Set: Hook I will give the tempera resist demo. I will have different steps done for students so that

they can see each. I will first have students darken their lines and so that they become borders between their shapes. So we will have spaces between our colors. I will show students on my exemplar. I will explain why we water down the paint so that it doesn’t go on your project thick. I will point out how we see texture in the brush strokes. I will also explain to students that this isn’t a race that they need to be careful and focused when painting because they will be painting in small spaces and they don’t want to forget and paint their lines in. I will also talk about using different colors and how some colors look better next to one another. I will ask students if they know what complementary colors are. I will then discuss them and how some colors look better next to one another. They add contrast. I will tell students that they should be using different colors for their different object within their symbols. Ask why we are not using black as a color?

I will then show students how we will go over the entire surface of our paper and how we will be using news paper so that we don’t make a mess. I will also tell students that they should apply their India ink from top to bottom and from one side to the next so that they don’t have brush strokes in every direction. We also don’t want more than one coat of ink over our surface.

I will then discuss that we have to wait a full night in order to let the ink dry. I will ask students what they notice about the colors once we wash off the India ink. Why this

might be important in choosing your colors. You want strong colors because we see them better.

I will then show students an example of the washing process. I will inform students that our water in our buckets should be cold. I will show students that I am carefully going over the

surface with my hand. So I am gently rubbing the ink away. The ink will come off the areas we applied paint too. What do we notice about where the ink holds? Talk about how some areas hold the ink and give our painting texture.

Students will then set aside their paintings to dry. 2. Development

I will have students that are ready to paint begin picking colors while the rest of the class keeps working on their designs and putting it on good paper.

I will remind students that they should be checking in with me before they go onto their good paper. For students that are ready to paint they should first go over their lines in order to make then noticeable. Remind students that their paint should not touch your lines only the shapes within. I will also have students when they are painting use a news paper and a water cup to rinse their paint off.

I will give students reminders when I see them arise. I will spend the remainder of class walking around and assisting students as needed

3. Culmination/ Close I will have students that are working with paint begin cleaning up within the last 5 minutes of

class. Students that are still working on their design can have 2 more minutes to work. I will have students that are working with paint leave their work in a set place because they

cannot go in their folders wet. I will remind students that tomorrow is the last day for students to be working on paint. So they should all be at this point so that by Wednesday we can begin working on the resist. I will have an alternate assignment for students that finish the paint portion at the end of the

class today or Tuesday. Day 5

1) Motivation/Engagement/Anticipatory Set: I will have students at their tables indicate with numbers what part of the tempera resist

process happens first, second and third. At this point we will review the different steps. I will ask students what they should begin doing after they have put their sketches on good paper.

We will go over the importance of going over the lines and making them pencil width apart. We will discuss why this is important in the tempera resist process.

I will also talk about colors and how students should be using different colors for different areas in their designs.

2) Development The remainder of the class period will be studio time Students will have till the end of the class to paint in their areas of design. I will be walking around to check in with students on their progress. 3) Culmination/ Close I will give a reminder within the last 5 minutes of class. I will tell students the next class they

will be adding the India ink. I will have students that are painting begin cleaning up. Make sure students clean there brushes out fully.

Day 6

1) Motivation/Engagement/Anticipatory Set: I will have students in groups of 6 begin apply India ink. I will remind students that the India

ink should only be on your surfaces for 15 minutes. That is why we will be working in groups. While I have students waiting to begin applying their ink I will supply an activity. I will be

using one of the activities in Keri Smith’s this is not a book. This will get students further exploring words and possible interpretations. Students will be creating an invention that uses their thoughts and ideas. This will allow students to further explore identity and symbols.

2) Development Students will work in stages applying India ink to surfaces. They will be waiting 15 minutes

and then 3 at a time putting their projects in a bucket of cold water and gently rubbing the surface of their paper. They will do so until most of the tempera is showing.

Students that are waiting will be working on the activity. 3) Culmination/ Close I will remind students with the last 5 minutes of class to begin thinking about cleaning up. I

will have students begin putting their papers away when there is 2 minutes left of class. I will have students clean up their areas and one person from each table put away their folders.

Students wet projects will be left out to dry. Students should make sure to leave their worksheets and 3 thumbnail sketches with their

projects.

Day 7 I will conduct a small 10 minute critique where I will pass out cards with symbols on them.

Students will have to find their matching symbols and trade their work with that person. I will provide a handout that will help students in thinking and interpreting their classmate’s symbols. I will allow students 3 minutes to quietly think about and interpret their classmate’s symbol. This will reiterate the idea that symbols mean different things to different people. I will also allow students time to get to know one another. Have each student express what they thought their symbols meant about who they are. Allow also time for students to talk about their symbols and why they made the choices that they did.

PREPARATION: What do you have to prepare to carry out this lesson?

1) Teacher Research and Preparation:

Worksheet Graphic organizer

Activities- print out images of symbols along with an envelope and sticky notes

PowerPoint introduction PowerPoint Tempera Resist

Materials: Pencil Easer Practice paper Oak tag paper Tempera paint Water dish Paintbrush Waterproof India Ink

Sponge brush Newspaper Paper towels