Word/Image Association Unit 

By Erin Wesely

LESSON 1: 

Feelings in Art

LESSON THEME

Image/Word Association

BIG IDEA OR ENDURING IDEA

  Everyone has emotions.  People have unique experiences in their lives.

LESSON 1 NARRATIVE

Image word association unit- Deals with emotions, feelings, and life experiences.

On the first day, students would look at a dozen slides of various scenes and students would choose a word to describe each slide. Each student would say their chosen word to the class. Based on their experiences and knowledge, what words come to mind based on the scene.

LESSON RATIONALE

• It is vital for students to realize that humans share the same emotions but have different ways of expressing them. 

• Certain images bring about diverse reactions and emotions from individuals based on his/her distinct encounters. Images evoke different emotions and reactions from people.

KEY CONCEPTS

People have different ideas of what an image means and/or stands for even though everyone sees the same picture.

Symbolism brings a culture to common thinking.

Individuals have unique emotional responses to artwork.

QUESTIONS THAT GUIDE THE LESSON

What words come to mind when viewing these images?

What ideas do you think the artist is trying to show?  Why?

What emotions do you get from looking at this image?  Why?

How can you show emotions in your own artwork? How can works of art provide a variety of

perspectives on a common theme? What kinds of universal themes might link works from

different cultures?

LESSON OBJECTIVESLearners will: Understand and demonstrate their

comprehension that images bring about different feelings in all people.

Examine and analyze contemporary visual images in the context of popular culture.

Demonstrate the way individual experience contributes meaning in art.

Cite examples and explain how works of art provide a variety of perspectives on a common theme.

INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURE

Handouts are passed out. 1 Word Worksheet

The teacher asks students:  “What words come to mind when viewing these images and why?”

When the first image is shown from the PowerPoint for Lessons 1 and 2 Lesson 1 and 2 PowerPoint, students raise their hands and are called upon to say their descriptive words and why they chose them.

For the next couple images, the teacher will have everyone in the class say the words they chose.

Then the teacher will have the class go back and fourth between steps three and four.

The instructor tells students that next week we will be looking at more controversial image that will bring about more diverse opinions from everyone.

ASSESSMENT

The teacher checks for understanding by having all the students share what they put down and why.  This way, the students are pushed to put down deep, intellectual answers that they took time and effort to think about.  Students will be confident about their answers.

LESSON EXTENSIONS

Teacher models by sharing her experiences with the class, and students follow.

Show a video or interview with people sharing experiences about coming to America and seeing the statue of Liberty for the first time.

INTERDISCIPLINARY CONNECTIONS:

History Psychology

VOCABULARY

Virtue Emotion Experience Symbolism Balance Emphasis Rhythm Line Color Shape

Video of Lesson 1 (my first time teaching this lesson to high school students)

LESSON 2: 

Feelings in Art

LESSON THEME

Image/Word Association and Titles

BIG IDEA OR ENDURING IDEA

Titling artwork: Doorway to the artist’s world

LESSON 2 NARRATIVE

Students are shown a different set of images and told to come up with titles for the images shown based on clues shown in the images. Students developed titles based on their unique life experiences and knowledge set.

LESSON RATIONALE

Titles create a chance for deeper thinking and dialogue about the artwork. They allow the view to enter into the artist’s world. Titles can offer clarity or conjure mystery.

Key Concepts

People have different ideas of what an image means and/or stands for, even though everyone sees the same picture.

Individuals have unique emotional responses to artwork.

Titles are crucial for the viewer to have a way to approach artwork.

How can you show emotions in your own artwork? What are you trying to say?

Questions that Guide the Lesson

What subtle clues will you include in the title that doesn't’t dictate the meaning, but rather invoke mystery and communion?

Did you stay allusive or evocative, but not too specific with your title?

How can works of art provide a variety of perspectives on a common theme?

How does a work of art reflect the concerns of its society?

LESSON OBJECTIVES

Learners will: Examine and analyze contemporary visual

images in the context of popular culture. Demonstrate the way individual experience

contributes meaning in art. Cite examples and explain how works of art

provide a variety of perspectives on a common theme.

Demonstrate ways in which works of art confirm or challenge societal values.

INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURE1. Students are shown some images and told the titles from the

Lesson 1 and 2 PowerPoint. Lesson 1 and 2 PowerPoint

1. The teacher asks if students why they think the artists named their work by those particular titles.

2. The teacher discusses why artists title their work, and how they go about it.

3. Next, artwork is put up and students get a chance to give the work a name.

4. Students work with everyone at their table to come up with a title and how/why they came up with that particular title.

ASSESSMENT

The teacher checks for understanding by having one spokesperson from each group share what they put down and why.  This way, the students are pushed to work together and put down deep, intellectual answers that they took time and effort to think about. Students will be confident about their answers.

LESSON EXTENSIONS

Teacher models by sharing her experiences with the class, and students follow.

INTERDISCIPLINARY CONNECTIONS

Psychology English

VOCABULARY

Emotion Experience

Lesson 3:

Feelings in Art

LESSON THEME

Word/Image Association

BIG IDEA OR ENDURING IDEA

Everyone has emotions.  People have unique experiences in their lives.

LESSON 3 NARRATIVE

Then students transitioned to drawing pictures based on three words they were presented. They then wrote a paragraph about it.

Frustration, forgiveness, honesty- Happiness, frustration, forgiveness High school took three days to complete

worksheet. Elementary; at least 5.

LESSON RATIONALE

It is important for students to realize that humans share the same emotions but have different ways of expressing them. 

Certain words bring about diverse reactions and emotions from individuals based on his/her distinct encounters.

Words evoke different emotions and reactions from people.

KEY CONCEPTS

People recall different images in their mind of what a word means and/or stands for, even though everyone sees the same picture.

Symbolism brings a culture to common thinking.

Individuals have unique emotional responses to different words.

QUESTIONS THAT GUIDE THE LESSON

How will I handle the formal elements of line, shape, and color?  How will I use the design principles of rhythm, balance, and emphasis?

How do the images I am creating express my intent? What kinds of symbols might I choose that convey universal,

culturally-specific, or personal meaning? Does my work have something to say to the society in general? How can works of art provide a variety of perspectives on a

common theme? What do I think this work is trying to express? Does my work accomplish its purpose?  Why or why not?

LESSON OBJECTIVES

Learners will: Demonstrate a technical knowledge and

creative use of the formal elements (line, shape, color) and design principles (rhythm, balance, emphasis) in a variety of media.

Express and analyze personal and universal feelings and ideas in their artwork.

INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURE

1. Students fill out worksheet and come up with images for three words.

2. Students assess themselves by filling out a worksheet, and evaluate others with the same worksheet.

3 Word Worksheet

My Example

ASSESSMENT Students fill out a worksheet concerning these

questions: Why was your image effective with the word? In what

ways did you use the formal elements (line, shape, color) and design principles (rhythm, balance, emphasis) in a variety of media?  Explain anything else you think may be important for the viewer to know.

Remembering: How did what we did in class help you create a design with meaning?

3 Word Worksheet End Evaluation

INTERDISCIPLINARY CONNECTIONS

English Math Psychology

VOCABULARY

Frustration Honesty Happiness Forgiveness

Lesson 4:

Mixed Media Collage (the final project)

LESSON THEME

Word/Image Association

BIG IDEA OR ENDURING IDEA

Everyone has emotions. People have unique experiences in their lives.

LESSON NARRATIVE

For the high school students, this lesson was tied into pop art via a PowerPoint presentation of artist Robert Rauschenberg’s work. This presentation described how Rauschenberg combines popular imagery and symbolism into a mixed media collage. Using differentiation techniques for special needs, learning disabled, and other students, a list of phrases (such as “time flies”, “rude awakening”, etc.) was given to each student. Students had to find varied images on-line which they felt represented the word/phrase (and draw/paint). Students were asked to “think outside the box” and use their critical thinking skills to develop their work.

LESSON RATIONALE

It is important for students to realize that humans share the same emotions but have different ways of expressing them. 

Certain words bring about diverse reactions and emotions from individuals based on his/her distinct encounters.

Words evoke different emotions and reactions from people. Creating a mixed media collage will encourage problem-solving skills.

KEY CONCEPTS

People recall different images in their mind of what a word means and/or stands for, even though everyone sees the same picture.

Symbolism brings a culture to common thinking. Individuals have unique emotional responses to

different words. Composition and technique is very important

when putting together a mixed media collage.

QUESTIONS THAT GUIDE THE LESSON

How will I handle the formal elements of line, shape, and color?  How will I use the design principles of rhythm, balance, and emphasis?

How do the images I am creating express my intent? What kinds of symbols might I choose that convey universal,

culturally specific, or personal meaning? Does my work have something to say to the society in general? How can works of art provide a variety of perspectives on a

common theme? What do I think this work is trying to express? Does my work accomplish its purpose?  Why or why not?

LESSON OBJECTIVES

Learners will: Demonstrate a technical knowledge and creative use of the

formal elements (line, shape, color) and design principles (rhythm, balance, emphasis) in a variety of media.

Express and analyze personal and universal feelings and ideas in their artwork.

Articulate the way they intend others to respond to their work. Demonstrate the way individual experience contributes to

meaning in art. Examine through individual writing and group discussion

significant ideas or emotions expressed in a variety of works of art.

Evaluate the success of their work at accomplishing its purpose.

INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURE 1.Students fill out a worksheet pertaining to a Pop art/mixed media

PowerPoint while the teachers goes through the presentation. 2.  Students will have five minutes to choose a word from the word sheet

(emotions, virtues, and sayings). If they do not come up with a word in time, the teacher will choose the word for them.

3.  Students will begin to look up images for their project. Students print images and decide what will be their large, medium, and small images (at least two must be drawn).

4.  Students create three compositions. They start to arrange an effective composition.

5.  Next time, students will create a watercolor technique sheet to add to their “knowledge toolbox” for this project.

6.  Students will be shown a unity PowerPoint and fill out a worksheet.  Students will have work time.  The background will be created first. The teacher will then show students two “transfer methods.” Shapes, textures, and colors must be repeated in images with oil pastel and watercolor.

7.  The last step will be to add black India ink over the collage (the exception will be if students wish to leave the drawn/painted images without the ink).

8.  At the end of the project students will fill out their own evaluation sheet, as well as evaluate their peers with the same worksheet.

Students fill out a worksheet Pop Art Worksheet pertaining to a Pop art/mixed media PowerPoint Pop Art PowerPoint while the teachers goes through the presentation.

Pop Art Worksheet

Word Lists

Students will have five minutes to choose a word from the word sheet (emotions, virtues, and sayings). If they do not come up with a word in time, the teacher will choose the word for them.

Simplified Word List for elementary-middle school students and students with learning disabilities Difficult Word List for high school students

Possible Compositions

• Students will begin to look up images for their project. Students print images and decide what will be their large, medium, and small images (at least two must be drawn).

• Students create three compositions. They start to arrange an effective composition.

• Next time, students will create a watercolor technique sheet to add to their “knowledge toolbox” for this project.

LESSON 5: 

Watercolor Technique

LESSON THEME

Working with watercolor

BIG IDEA OR ENDURING IDEA

Ways to work with watercolor

LESSON NARRATIVE

Students create a watercolor technique sheet.

LESSON RATIONALE

Students should understand how to manipulate watercolor before moving on a larger project. 

Activity allows students to try out eight different watercolor techniques, which can be used on the collage.

KEY CONCEPTS

Watercolor techniques

QUESTIONS THAT GUIDE THE LESSON

What techniques will I explore in this work?

LESSON OBJECTIVES

Learners will: Explore a variety of ways that art materials

can be used.

INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURE

1. Students fold a large sheet of paper into eight different squares.

2. Students label each square in this order: 1. Flat Wash 2. Graded Wash 3. Wet into Wet 4. Hard Edge 5. Dry Brush 6. Stippling 7. Scumbling 8. Oil Resist/Wax Resist

3. The teacher demonstrates choosing a watercolor, and painting a small section on the first square with a flat wash.

4. Students create a flat wash in the first square.5. Step three and four are repeated until the sheet is

complete.6. Students set their sheets on the drying rack.

ASSESSMENT

Check to see that students created technique sheet to use for their project

INTERDISCIPLINARY CONNECTIONS

Math

VOCABULARY

Flat wash Graded wash Wet into wet Hard edge Dry brush Stippling Scumbling Oil resist/wax resist

Unity

Students will be shown a unity PowerPoint and fill out a worksheet. Unity PowerPoint and Unity Worksheet

Students will have work time.  The background will be created first. The teacher will then show students two “transfer methods.” Shapes, textures, and colors must be repeated in images with oil pastel and watercolor.  

The last step will be to add black India ink over the collage (the exception will be if students wish to leave the drawn/painted images without the ink).

At the end of the project students will fill out their own evaluation sheet, as well as evaluate their peers with the same worksheet.

ASSESSMENT Ending Assessment:  Students will do a

worksheet concerning the following questions: Write one or two paragraphs describing your picture. Some questions

you may include:  Which word did you select? What message are you trying to send to the viewer? Why was your image effective with the word? In what ways did you use the formal elements (line, shape, color) and design principles (rhythm, balance, emphasis) in a variety of media? Explain anything else you think may be important for the viewer to know.

Remembering: How did what we did in class help you create a design with meaning?

Final Project Evaluation

My Example…

I selected the phrase “Rude Awakening”.  The message I was trying to send to the viewer was that some people are oblivious to the issues in the world…and some simply are not concerned with the rest of the world.  My picture contains images of a homeless person in the streets, pollution on a shore, and a painted image of an African boy living in poverty.

  The emphasis is on the painted woman in the right hand corner.  She is in shock, or experiencing a “rude awakening” to all of horrible problems of the Earth.  I put in the image of Nebraska to show that sometimes people like to stay in their own sweet little world of what is going on in their lives…leaving out the bigger picture.  We are all guilty of this at some point. 

Rhythm and balance were shown in my mixed media collage with the way I repeated the colors: red, blue, purple, green, yellow, gray, and black. I also repeated the newspaper fragments. I believe my overall mixed media collage was effective with the statement “rude awakening” because the images speak the message and my repetition of color and images create unity in the piece.  Seeing the images in the PowerPoint helped me create a design with meaning.

INTERDISCIPLINARY CONNECTIONS

Math English History Science

VOCABULARY

Abstract Expressionism Pop Art Kitsch Robert Rauschenberg

FINAL PROJECT GRADING RUBRIC

Final Project Grading Rubric

This unit can be viewed on my website. Click Here

Teaching Subject Matter

I am competent in applying the same themes and concepts to classes filled with different age groups, backgrounds, and skill levels in a way that is both personal to each and effective for all.

Abstract

My interest is in teaching subject matter and how to go about teaching a similar unit to elementary, middle, and high school students. My intent was to experiment with teaching a particular unit with elementary students during my student teaching, and then to try it with high school students.

Introduction

The problem I strived to find an intervention for was concerning how to create a unit that could pertain to essentially any age group, background, and skill level. My capstone project focuses on how I went about coming up with a unit that does that. It includes my methods for researching, issues I ran into, and my findings. The information I found will help me in my future teaching.

Methods for Researching

Experimentation through trial and error in the classroom

Reworking my lessons Utilizing resources outside the classroom Questioning students Evidence of my process: lesson plans

(including Power Points, worksheets, etc.), video tapings, my examples, and student examples

Reflection and Findings I can evaluate if students learned the material by

observing the outcome and the way his/her work is demonstrated.

By having effective transitions, and adding on to what students have learned and already know, subject matter can be integrated effectively.

There are many similarities with teaching this lesson

to high school and elementary students. 

Similarities between High School and Elementary

Subject matter should be organized and simplified to a step by step process for students to learn it effectively.

Special education students- more simplified Having “in-the-process examples” as well as completed

work is a must. Visual and auditory learners can be reached through

several strategies. PowerPoint's, worksheets, demonstrations, and one on one conversations with the teacher.  Technology such as a document cameras are very helpful for sharing work.

Similarities between High School and Elementary (continued)

Background knowledge of students can be assessed by asking students the “right” questions. Start out with easy questions, then move into the more broad, deeper level thinking questions. “Success then struggle…”

Keeping updated on current events that relate to them makes learning interesting and relevant to students.

Some of the same ideas.

My Example

Differences between High School and Elementary Students Lack of communication with high school

Self-esteem

Amount of time spent on a Lesson Elementary-more time High School-less time

Limitations

Time More effective if the high school students could have

spent a couple more days reworking the background…adding more layers with the water color alone (example: saran wrap one day, using a complimentary color over the top the next day, etc.)

Enlarging- Loosing the spontaneity of the small box pictures

Write a short story about the image for the titles Limited supplies- magazines

Conclusion

There is always more to learn. Continuing to try new ways of doing lessons and re-evaluating oneself is of utmost importance when it comes to creating such an abstract lesson for all learners. Look to the feedback of students and the work they produce.

References

http://www.arteducators.org/ Jean Detlefsen’s frameworks documents Bloom’s Taxonomy

Awknowledgements

Patti Brownlee Dennis Restau

5th graders of Squire John Thomas Elementary

Jay Thiltgen General Art class of Elkhorn High School

Jean Detlefsen