Monochromatic Self Portraits

Art II; Grades 10-12
Enduring Idea: Identity is fluid and multidimensional 

Objectives:

• Students will demonstrate their understanding of value by reproducing a gray and monochromatic scale with acrylic paint

• Students will plan and execute a monochromatic self-portrait by tracing a photo, transferring the image and painting the values 

• Students will express their identity by selecting a color to represent themselves 

Essential Questions:

• What color best represents you these days?

• How do you want to be perceived by others?

• What are aspects of yourself that you share with others and what are things you keep hidden away?

Original artwork by students at Dieruff High School, Allentown, PA. Photos by Kaylee Warner.

Watercolor Postcards

Art I; Grades 9-12
Enduring Idea: Throughout time and across cultures, humans build relationships through communication with one another that provide meaning to their lives.

Objectives:

• Students will discover how to use watercolor paint by testing various techniques.

• Students will stretch and explore watercolor techniques by engaging in open-ended, creative play.

• Students will reflect on significant relationships in their lives by creating postcards with their paintings and writing caring notes to those people.

Essential Questions:

• Who are the important people in your life?

• What do you want to convey to the important people in your life?

• What is your favorite watercolor technique that you experimented with?

Original artworks by students at Dieruff High School, Allentown, PA. Photos by Kaylee Warner.

Watercolor Galaxies

Art I; Grades 9-12
Enduring Idea: Throughout time and across cultures, humans have wondered about space

Objectives:

• Students will observe visual features of outer space by visiting the Learning Dome (planetarium in school) for experiential, cross-curricular learning

• Students will demonstrate their watercolor skills and techniques by creating a galaxy painting

• Students will engage and persist in developing their paintings by creating multiple layers of paint

Essential Questions:

• What do you already know about space? What intrigues you about space?

• What watercolor techniques would you use to create a galaxy painting?

• What do you imagine space to be like if you were to visit?

Original artwork by students at Dieruff High School, Allentown, PA. Photos by Kaylee Warner.

Transformational Monoprints

Art II; Grades 10-12
Enduring Idea: Nature is constantly transforming

Objectives: 

• Students will follow the process of monoprinting by experimenting with the process in creative play. 

• Students will repeat the process of monoprinting by creating 3 series that transforms one shape to another and uses secondary color to add emphasis.

• Students will reflect on their personal transformations by writing about who they are now and who they want to become.

Essential Questions: 

• In what ways are you transforming?

• Who are you now and who do you want to become?

• What actions are required in your transformation?

Original artworks by students at Dieruff High School, Allentown, PA. Photos by Kaylee Warner

Apple Stamping

Kindergarten
Enduring Idea: Celebration

Objectives:

•  The students will examine the life cycle and uses of an apple by listening to a book

• The students will stretch and explore by printing with apples, cutting their prints apart and creating dynamic color wheel collages. 

• The students will judge the use of apples in surrealist painter René Magritte’s work by participating in a class discussion within the visual thinking strategy framework facilitated by the teacher.

Essential Questions:

• In what ways do you use apples?

• How do you celebrate the Fall?

• Why do you like apples?

Penn Kidder Campus, Albrightsville, PA. Photos by Tanya Rivera.

Names in One-Point Perspective

2D Art; 9-12 Grade
Enduring Idea: Space (Element of Art exploration)

Objectives:

• Students will analyze the main features of one-point perspective by viewing a powerpoint, taking notes and drawing examples

• Students will apply their understanding of one-point perspective by designing their name or a name of their choice in perspective

• Students will develop their craft by practicing using rulers to plan, measure and draw lines and shapes in perspective as well as their colored pencil techniques

Essential Questions:

• How do you want to be known by others?

• How does a name create identity?

• What is the story behind your name?

Original Artwork by students at Jim Thorpe Area High School, Jim Thorpe, PA. Photos by Kaylee Warner and Megan Leblond.

Radial Designs and Spirit Animals

Enduring Ideas: Throughout history, humans have anthropomorphized animals & Mandalas contain an essence; humans contain an essence

Context for Historical Understanding and Inspiration: Buddhist Mandalas
View full context presentation here

Unit Objectives:

• Students will reflect on their identities (their essence) in order to make meaning for art making

• Students will envision a radial print; students will envision how a drawing translates to a print

• Students will engage and persist by creating 4 variations of design composition; students will practice idea generation

• Students will develop craft of carving linoleum blocks, inking blocks and printing clean prints around a radial registration

Restorative Circles:

• Do you have a spirit animal? If so, what is it?

• What is a word that represents you? OR What is a word that represents your animal?

• How do you want to be remembered?

Developing sketches assignment

Original Artwork by students at Dieruff High School in Allentown, PA. Photos by Kaylee Warner.

Printing Expressive Lines with Found Objects

Lesson Objectives:

• Students will envision how a line will dictate a print and how to create a pattern that follows the line. 

• Students will express and identify emotion through use of line, rhythm and color

• Students will develop craft as they practice printing using found objects 

• Students will engage and persist with printmaking by developing a pattern and creating two prints

  See full lesson

Original Artwork by students at Dieruff High School in Allentown, PA, Photos by Kaylee Warner

Found Object Printing

In addition to vegetables and recycled material, students were given found objects collected from the Lehigh River. This is a river that geographically connects me to these students as I live about 30 miles upstream. Utilizing acrylic paint students engaged in creative play and experimented textures, mark making, color and composition. We investigated making meaning by printing with object of various permanence.

How long do things last? Organic vs inorganic material? How can printmaking make something last?

Lesson Objectives:

• Students will engage in creative play through found object stamping.

• Students will experiment with compositional design as they layer various colored prints.

Original Artwork by students at Dieruff High School in Allentown, PA. Photos by Kaylee Warner.

Americorps Service Year 2020 - 2021
K - 12 Social and Emotional Mentor
Weatherly Area School District