UNIT PLAN - WONDER - Lesson 3

TITLE OF LESSON-

Emily Brewer

Wonder Filled Characters

GRADE LEVEL: Middle School 6-8

NAEA STANDARDSCREATING:
1: Organize and Develop Artistic Ideas and Work
VA:Cr1.1.8a - Document early stages of the creative process visually and/or verbally in
traditional or new media.
VA:Cr1.2.7a - Develop criteria to guide making a work of art or design to meet an identified goal
2: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
VA:Cr2.1.6a - Demonstrate openness in trying new ideas, materials, methods, and approaches in
making works of art and design.
3: Refine and complete artistic work.
VA:Cr3.1.6a - Reflect on whether personal artwork conveys the intended meaning and revise
accordingly
VA:Cr3.1.7a - Reflect on and explain important information about personal artwork in an artist
statement or another format
VA:Cr3.1.8a - Apply relevant criteria to examine, reflect on, and plan revisions for a work of art
or design in progress
PRESENTING:
5: Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation.
VA:Pr5.1.6a - Individually or collaboratively, develop a visual plan for displaying works of art,
analyzing exhibit space, the needs of the viewer, and the layout of the exhibit
VA:Pr5.1.8a - Collaboratively prepare and present selected theme-based artwork for display, and
formulate exhibition narratives for the viewer.
GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATIONS (GLEs)STRAND I: Product/Performance
2. Select and apply three-dimensional media, techniques, and processes to communicate ideas and solve
challenging visual art problems
A. Grade 6: Create a relief art-work by joining two or more surfaces (e.g., natural or
manufactured clays, paper pulp, cardboard, found materials)
Grade 7: Create an in-the-round art-work by joining two or more surfaces using a layering
material (e.g., paper, papier mach, plaster, cardboard, fibers)

UNIT PLAN - WONDER - Lesson 3

Emily Brewer

STRAND V: Historical and Cultural Contexts (HC)

1. Compare and contrast artworks from different historical time periods and/or cultures
B. Grade 6: Compare and contrast two artworks on: Time, Place, Subject matter, Theme,
Characteristics, Cultural context
Grade 7: Compare and contrast two artworks on: Time, Place, Subject matter, Theme,
Characteristics, Cultural context
Grade 8: Compare and contrast two artworks on: Time, Place, Subject matter, Theme,
Characteristics, Material/ Technology, Ideas and beliefs of culture, Function of art in
culture/society
RATIONALE and GOALS FOR THIS LESSONMy hope is that the students will walk away knowing that they can bring their imagination to life in a character! I
want them to have new skills in building their characters and feel confident enough to make them outside of the
classroom.
ENDURING BIG IDEAWonder Creating a character that is filled with wonder. I wonder what could live in a place like this.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

How can you bring imagination to life?

How does wonder lead to stories?
How can you produce knowledge in art?

KEY CONCEPTS

Students will learn to create an original 3 dimensional character inspired by their wonderland
Learning to take a 2 dimensional drawing and creating a 3 dimensional character
Looking to artists who work in creature design for inspiration

OBJECTIVES

Students will be able to examine a piece of artwork and derive a deeper meaning of the work through
VTS
Students will be able to photo document their work in progress
Students will be able to use feedback from the teacher and peer to revise their work if necessary.
Students will be able to compare and contrast different artworks within the same theme.

UNIT PLAN - WONDER - Lesson 3

Emily Brewer

VOCABULARY

Climate
VTS - opportunity during paraphrasing to use synonyms and introducing new words

LESSON VIGNETTEThis lesson is about creating original 3 dimensional characters based off of the teams wonderland environment.
These characters will be approx. 12 x 12 x 12. The students will look at and discuss character created by Jim
Henson and George Lucas for inspiration. We will also VTS Pans Labyrinth movie poster. Teams will be able to
talk about what kind of creatures they should have in their wonderland if they so choose. This is an individual
project so there will be approx. 5 characters per wonderland. Students will be working in papier mach.
LESSON SEQUENCEDay 1:
15 min. - VTS Pans Labyrinth movie poster
15 Min Looking at the works of Jim Henson and George Lucas
20 min. Start brain storming character ideas
Day 2:
5 min Review of what we discussed last class
5 min - Wonder board See what new ideas/resolutions are up
40 min - Writing and sketching ideas. Students will really need to think about these characters and how
they fit into their wonderland. Some ideas theyll need to think about:
What is the weather like? Hot? Cold? Dry?
Does your character need clothes, fur, scales etc.?
Will it live under water or on land?
How does it breathe?
Will it stand up right or have multiple legs?
Hooves? Claws? Hands? Paws? Talons?
What kind of teeth should it have if any?
Proposals due by the end of class
Day3-5
Beautiful creation days!
5 min. each Every student will have a one-on-one working critique with me throughout these three days
Day 6:
Last Day to work
Write Artist Statements
10 min - Students take photos of their work
Day 7:
40 min - Gallery Walk with discussion Everyone will be able to see and talk about their work in front of
the environment the characters live in!
10 min - Photos of teams and their completed pieces together

UNIT PLAN - WONDER - Lesson 3

Emily Brewer

ADAPTATIONS FOR SPECIAL NEEDS and STUDENT ENGAGEMENT

A teacher will be giving auditory cues 5 minutes before for each activity transition.
Specialty tools and materials will be available
Students will be able to move around, work on the floor or stand while working
Allow "wait" time for students to think before answering a question.
Students get to choose what they want to create
Examples will be given
Visual resources such as visual dictionaries and computer access will be available

MATERIALS

Projector
Computer
Papier mach materials
o Variety of paper colors
o Glue/ Modpodge
o Plastic tubs
Wonder board
Scissors
Acrylic Paint
Brushes
Markers
Fabric

Yarn
Fun fur
Feathers
Masking tape
Cardboard
Hot glue gun/sticks
Visual Dictionaries
Hair dryer
Balloons
Wire
Styrofoam
Empty toilet paper/ paper towel rolls

ASSESSMENT
Formative
Proposals and sketches
Artist statements
Tell me about you character
What questions can I answer for you?
Summative
Class presentation with Q & A students will share their characters individually
Rubric with written reflection (attached)
RESOURCEShttp://www.biography.com/people/george-lucas-9388168#synopsis
http://www.henson.com/

UNIT PLAN - WONDER - Lesson 3

Emily Brewer

TEACHER REFLECTIONStudents will be able to talk about think deeply about the relationship between their character and their
wonderland. They will be able to express why they made the choices they made in creating their character.
EXEMPLAR:

UNIT PLAN - WONDER - Lesson 3

Emily Brewer

Project: Wonder Filled Characters

Student Name:
CATEGORY

Relationship of
character to
wonderland
environment

________________________________________

Excellent
The student can give 3
specific examples of
how the character
relates to the
wonderland
environment.

Good

Date: _______________________

Satisfactory NeedsWork

The student can give 2 The student can give a

specific examples of vague example of how
how the character
the character relates
relates to the
to the wonderland
wonderland
environment.
environment.

The student can not

give an example of
how the character
relates to the
wonderland
environment.

Comments:

Craftmanship

The character shows

The character shows
The design and
The character looks
that the creator was
that the creator took
construction were
thrown together at the
took great pride in
pride in his/her work.
planned. The
last minute. It appears
his/her work. The
The design and
character has several
that little design or
design and
construction look
flaws (unwanted
planning was done.
construction look
planned. The item has bumps, drips, marks,
carefully planned. The a few flaws (unwanted
tears), that detract
item is neat (free of
bumps, drips, marks, from the overall look.
unwanted bumps,
tears), but these do not
drips, marks, and
detract from the
tears).
overall look.

Comments:

Creativity and
Criteria

Very Original
Original character is Character is within the Character is not within
character is within the within the perameters
perameters of the
the perameters of the
perameters of the
of the assignment or assignment or one-on- assignment or one-onassignment or one-on- one-on-one discussion.
one discussion.
one discussion.
one discussion.

Comments:
Grade Total:
____/____

100-90

89-80

79-70

69-60

3
It was okay

2
Not my favorite

1
Didn't like it

What was the most difficult part about this project?

What was the most successful part?

5
Loved it!

4
Enjoyed it