Running head: PENCIL & PASTEL

Pencil & Pastel : Non-Formal Visual Arts Programming Using Univeral Design For Learning
Lindsay Heffernan
Post University

PENCIL & PASTEL

Pencil & Pastel : Non-Formal Visual Arts Leaning Using Univeral Design For Learning
Part I: Statement of Educational Philosophy
In 2009, Nicholas Bourriaud coined the term altermodern to refer to current trends in
contemporary art practice and theory. Bourriaud referred to altermodern as the next step in
artistic evolution after post-modernization following what he called the creolization of the world
(Bourriaud, 2009). He hypothesized that artists no longer begin from isolated cultural identities,
but are rather part of a globalized cultural exchange from the beginning that requires a critical
eye placed on where artistic ideas come from to limit the threat of an overarching mass culture
that eliminates the individual and the historical from artistic practice (Bourriaud, 2009). To
combat this impulse toward homogeneity, Bourriaud proposes that a dynamic and ever-changing
intercultural identity must be filtered through individual narratives (Bourriaud, 2009). While
Bourriaud was concerned with artistic production and process, scholars have applied the
altermodern to arts education to ensure that students understand how to relate art to their lives
and own artistic processes, a relationship that is supported by the use of Universal Design for
Learning strategies of curriculum development in its emphasis on learner agency.
Bourriauds theories as applied to arts education are supported by scholars such as
Hoekstra and Groenendijik (2015) who view Bourriauds altermodern as a rallying cry away
from multiculturalism, an arts education trope that has dominated the field since the 1980s that
emphasizes artistic origins over the broader dialogue artists in the global, intercultural world
have with one another (p. 216). Contemporary art practice requires artists to engage with fine
and mass cultural art, and students similarly engage with popular culture and media in a variety
of ways that informs their opinions and insight into what they see, feel and think (Hoekstra &
Groenendijik, 2015, p. 216). Cultural identity is not only dictated by a place of origin, but by

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how one chooses to engage with media (Hoekstra & Groenendijik, 2015, p 218). The implication
for arts education then is that the arts objects and practices introduced to students must account
for the hybridity of cultural relationships and how individuals relate to those concepts or objects
based on their personal experience (Hoekstra & Groenendijik, 2015, p. 219). Building this notion
of interculturality into arts education is a necessity and one that can be achieved through processoriented projects that emphasize technique and intention over templates and products (Hoekstra
& Groenendijik, 2015, p.220). Such projects include authentic performance tasks that place
students into real world situations where intention becomes as key as product.
Atkinson (2007) posits the need of multiple perspectives and subjectivity in building
meaning for students in arts education classes (p. 113). These concepts allow for self-expression,
but also reinforce the dynamism of identity and the interrelationship in art between viewer and
creator, or in a classroom, between student and teacher. Atkinsons suggestion of multiple
perspectives supports Bourriauds theory that individual narratives must inform artistic practice
to build meaning. Individual narratives also support the need for student-driven curriculum that
engages students in terms of needs, strengths and preferences to achieve goals and reach learning
objectives. Altermodern arts education pushes for learner agency and autonomy toward bench
marks and goals requiring students to take responsibility for their artistic choices through
justification of their intention (Hoekstra & Groenendijik, 2015, p. 222). Projects and learning
strategies should thus ensure opportunities for multiple approaches based on individual needs
and desires. This does not eliminate consistent technical achievement, but allows for multiple
entry points toward such achievement while allowing for more freedom of expression through an
emphasis on critical thought and problem solving.
Part II: Rationale of Curriculum

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Bourriauds theory and its relationship to arts education informs non-formal arts
education at museums and arts centers. Regional arts centers such as the Westport Arts Center
must face many unique challenges in attempting to generate learner-driven curricular units that
speak to this important shift away from traditional multiculturalism toward a more globalized,
altermodern approach to theory and creation. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) offers one
opportunity for planning programming that will cater to a non-formal audience while also
allowing for student-driven, life skills supporting arts education.
The Westport Arts Center is located in Westport, CT, an affluent suburb outside of New
York City. It offers non-formal arts education to children ages 2-18 through diverse programming
that offers introduction and cultivation of visual arts technique and production. Non-formal
education refers to education and related programming that takes place outside of a traditional
school where participation is not mandatory (Schwier, 2010, p. 90). Classes, workshops or camps
are prescribed and facilitated by an educator who likely has specialized training in a given field,
but students must make a decision about how, when and why they will participate (Schwier,
2010, p. 91). In many instances students at the Westport Arts Center will be predisposed to enjoy
art creation having made an active choice to participate. In other cases, they may be there due to
a parents choice or desire for them to experience such a class. Depending on the exact reason
one has chosen or been enlisted to participate in the class has a strong impact on how they will
perform in the class.
While this aspect of student variability is likely, it can be very difficult in a non-formal
setting like the Westport Arts Center to determine exact variability in a given class. Educators do
know based on past enrollment that approximately 92% of students come from Westport itself.
This number tells educators that largely students are affluent with a median household income of

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$152,000, and that students are ethnically homogenous with 93% identifying as white, nonHispanic (Westport Demographics, n.d.). Parents are given the option during registration to
explain any special needs, helpful techniques or important student information that educators
may need, but Arts Center staff is not privy to school records, IEPs or other performance metrics
for students.
One of the most helpful tools that educators can use to understand their students is the
Student Learner Profile. Student Learner Profiles are diagrams or lists that place the educator in
the shoes of a given student or a group of students that correlates and analyzes techniques and
methods that have worked well for students in the past as a means of goal setting and curriculum
planning for these students (UDL Resource, 2013). In the non-formal setting where educational
standards and goals are less rigid than traditional settings, student learner profiles can offer
insight into not only the needs of students, but also the types of programming that will appeal
most to this student base. Student Learner Profiles can be generated in the non-formal setting
using student assumptions based on past experiences and students that are indicative of typical
class variability using informal, anecdotal observation among organizational educators.
Appendix A is one such learner profile generated for the Westport Arts Center that helps to shine
further light on the base that programming must cater to for success.
Using information such as that represented in Appendix A, the Westport Arts Center
recently came to the decision to add a dry media class that will help young students between the
ages of 5-8 to a solid foundation in observational drawing skills. Named Pencil & Pastel, this
class will seek to align with organizational standards for learning that call for students to make
sound visual choices based on knowledge of materials and how they should be handled. Subject
matter is loose with parameters that allow for self-expression within the frame of a prompt.

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Pencil & Pastel will focus on the use of graphite, oil pastel and chalk pastel teaching students the
proper handling of each material while also giving them a solid foundation in mark making and
value building as appropriate. Students will be introduced to the concept of artistic intention, an
important milestone in understanding the visual artist and an element that supports strong verbal
skills in students by introducing comparative language and evidenced-based support. This
program like all others at the Westport Arts Center will employ Visual Thinking Strategies
(VTS), a type of teacher originated question and answer that requires students to analyze visual
material using evidence from the image to backup their discussion.
The goals above are outlined by the organization, but Universal Design for Learning
(UDL) can ensure that these goals are supported through backward design where activities and
experiences are built second (Jones, Vermette & Jones, 2009, p. 357). With the learning target of
teaching students to use dry media and understand artistic intention, one can next look at the
understandings, skills and understandings that will give students a basis of repeatable facts about
the material, a set of actions that use knowledge in hands-on settings, and an ability judge and
validate knowledge through meaning (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005, p. 36-38). For Pencil & Pastel,
this information was compiled into a Planning Pyramid that helps to collate what some, most,
and all students should know at the end of the program as illustrated in Appendix B. This tool
highlights the range of ability that will be needed to reach different students while helping to set
some smaller goals under the concept of teaching students about the media and intention. This
Planning Pyramid is then used to develop the curricular unit further.
Activities will be arranged to build on each other with simpler artistic processes
preceding more advanced processes to ensure that students have a level playing field. Projects
will become more sophisticated as the program moves along with clear recall to past activities.

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Part III: Unit Plan

Stage I

Pencil & Pastel (Ages 5-8)

This program is designed for arts learners ages 5-8 taking non-formal classes at a regional arts
center. The unit will be presented over 7-weeks in 1-hour workshops. Each workshop
will feature a hands-on visual arts project that explores dry media with an emphasis
on graphite, charcoal, oil pastel and chalk pastel. Students will experiment with
materials in relation to art historical examples as inspiration.
STAGE 1- STANDARDS/GOALS
Content Standard

Content Standards

Primary Expected Performances

Students will observe, select and utilize the

elements of art in original art compositions.

Through hands-on visual arts projects, students

will follow prompts that require the integration
of the elements of art. Students will need to
manipulate them in different ways based on
personal self-expression to generate artwork.

Students will produce artwork based on

refined observational skills when drawing
both from life and imagination.

Students will apply basic, relational

measurements in planning compositions based
on visual arts practices while also making
observations based on what they know about
the world. They will strive for a more realistic
scale of depth and proportion through
measuring, placement and value.

Students will develop and apply skills

related to dry media materials to
communicate meaning.

Students will discover multiple means of

making marks with each material introduced in
the class and will make active choices in
projects to use marks that convey their intended
meaning or idea combining multiple mark
making and shading techniques where

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appropriate.

Students will describe how different

materials, symbols and compositions cause
different responses

Students will experiment with different types of

compositions and different observations both
through their own work and through formal
analysis of existing artwork using Visual
Thinking Strategies (VTS) to discover the way
relationships between materials and symbols
impact viewers.

Enduring Understandings

Essential Questions

Overarching Enduring Understandings:

1) Artists use visual cues to suggest
meaning and create connections.
2) We use visual evidence present in
artworks to understand an artists
meaning.

1) What is artistic intention?

2) How do we show our own artistic
intention in our original compositions?
3) How do we evaluate visual work?

3) Materials and techniques can be

combined so that we can create art that
reflects observation of the world.

4) What qualities can we use to compare

and contrast materials when choosing
what to work with?

Unit Specific Enduring Understanding

1) Dry media is those materials that do not
require water, gel or other liquids to be
used.

5) How do we decide the types of marks

and material we should use in an
artwork based on the meaning we wish
to convey?

2) Each material can be used in multiple

ways to create different textures and
values.

Knowledge and Skills

Knowledge
The students will know
Artists make choices about materials and elements of art to build meaning through
relationships
Vocabulary words related to dry media including those related to mark making, the
elements of art and artist intention
Types of dry media and their properties including ways in which each material differs
from each other.

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Skills
The students will be able to
Create an artistic composition that uses visual relationships, the elements of art and
appropriate materials to convey a personal intention.
Draw compositions in dry media using measurements and sound visual observation
Create different types of marks in each type of media to suggest depth and texture
through blending and shading.

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Stage 2

Stage 2 Assessment Evidence

Performance Task
The following Authentic Performance Task (APT) will serve as a culminating activity for the
Pencil & Pastel course completed between classes 6 and 7 of the 7-workshop series. Students
will become artists working on a Call for Entries for a juried art exhibition. Students will need to
follow the directions of the CFE closely to create an artwork that would be entered into the show
striving to reach an 8/10 points to be accepted into the hypothetical show. Students will be
judged on compositional choices, mark making, blending and artist statement, criteria that will
require them to use skills related to the class both in terms of materials handling and in
understanding artistic intention and visual storytelling.
GRASPS Elements of the Performance Task
You will use the guidelines supplied by the educator to create a
finished artwork using oil pastels that demonstrates an
G Goal
understanding of mark making and blending techniques, and that is
What should students accomplish by
accompanied by an artist statement that illustrates artistic intention
completing this task?
in the work.
R Role
What role (perspective) will your
students be taking?

A Audience
Who is the relevant audience?

S Situation
The context or challenge provided
to the student.

P Product, Performance
What product/performance will the
student
create?

S Standards & Criteria

for Success
Create the rubric for the
Performance Task

You will imagine yourself as a working artist submitting artwork to

a juried show using a fictional Call for Entries (CFE) as a guideline
for an original artwork.
The audience will be a fictional juror/curator of a group show
looking for artwork to include in an upcoming exhibition.
A local arts gallery has sent out a Call for Entries (CFE) for an
upcoming juried visual arts exhibition. Any artist can submit
artwork, but it must conform to the CFE guidelines and must have
an artist statement that explains the meaning of the works and the
artistic choices and intent. Each artist may choose any subject that
they wish to create so long as it can embody the CFE.
You will create a finished oil pastel drawing on 11x14 mixed
media paper and write a three paragraph artist statement that uses
vocabulary terms you have learned in this course.

To be accepted into the hypothetical show, a work must score an

8/10 using the attached rubric. For detailed rubric, see Appendix C.

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Other Evidence
Through what other evidence (work samples,
observations, quizzes, tests, journals or other
means) will students demonstrate achievement
of the desired results? Formative and
summative assessments used throughout the
unit to arrive at the outcomes.
As this is a non-formal class, much of the
assessment will be gathered from observation
and in-class conversation as a group and oneon-one to ensure that students are gaining
insight into the content.

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Student Self-Assessment
How will students reflect upon or self-assess
their learning?

The artist statement and sharing component

will give students a chance to reflect on what
theyve learned and build connections. In
addition to skill-based information and
understanding, it will also be helpful to have
students reflect on the experience and
engagement to ensure that it was a fun
experience as well as an enriching one.
Additionally, a family survey will be given to
students and their families to help analyze
student skill improvement, understanding and
enjoyment of class. See Appendix D for a
sample of this survey to be shared digitally
with enrolled students at the end of the
program.

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Stage 3

Learning Plan (Stage 3)

Where are your students headed?
Where have they been? How will
you make sure the students know
where they are going?

Beginning level arts students ages 5-8 will gain fluency in

the use of dry media (oil pastel, chalk pastel, and graphite)
through this unit with an emphasis on mark making and
connections to the elements of art. Students will have
some limited, working knowledge in how to use the
materials prior to this class both from their formal
academic classes and prior workshops, but will focus on
discovering how to use the materials with meaningful
artistic intention while combining materials. Students will
be asked to make connections across multiple hands-on
arts projects using Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) while
the educator supplies explicit instruction on how
materials, techniques and artistic inspiration relate to one
another using visual aids, on-site artwork and technology.

How will you hook students at the

beginning of the unit?

The program will begin with a discussion of what the

students in the class enjoy best about drawing and a look
at what they hope to learn. A sample of a potential
finished project will be shown to help to spark interest in
where we are going as the class progresses. During each
class, students will have an opportunity to share what they
already know about the material, technique or artist being
discussed while also being allowed to make artistic
choices that allow for self-expression to ensure continued
interest.

What events will help students

experience and explore the big
idea and questions in the unit?
How will you equip them with
needed skills and knowledge?

The hands-on arts projects will speak directly to the big

ideas and questions of the unit. Each project will focus on
helping students to understand the medium they are using
while applying artistic intention. Additionally, students
will participate in discussions and formal analysis of
artwork using Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) to gain
insight into how the media and techniques are used in
practice. Live demonstrations of techniques mixed with
completed samples of projects will help students to
visualize their own work and understand how they are
used in practice. Integration of Google Art Project and the
Museum of Modern Arts ArLab apps will also allow
students to further explore concepts using tablets and
computers in and out of the classroom to build deeper
understanding. Videos of artists and educators using
particular mark making skills or experimenting with

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materials will be incorporated as appropriate into lessons.
When possible visual aids either through photographs or
videos of the historical artists being referenced in class
will be used to illuminate ideas.

How will you cause students to

reflect and rethink? How will you
guide them in rehearsing,
revising, and refining their work?

How will you help students to

exhibit and self-evaluate their
growing skills, knowledge, and
understanding throughout the
unit?

How will you tailor and otherwise

personalize the learning plan to
optimize the engagement and
effectiveness of ALL students,
without compromising the goals
of the unit?
How will you organize and
sequence the learning activities to
optimize the engagement and
achievement of ALL students?

While the program will be divided into 6 hands-on art

projects held over the course of 7 weeks, each week will
ask students to make connections between current and
previous projects. Comparative language will be
introduced to help students to build their connections
between each material and technique. Additionally, there
will be opportunities to use techniques again and in
tandem with new ideas allowing students to refine their
process and deepen their understanding. The unit will end
with a large scale project that asks them to combine
multiple materials and techniques together facilitating
reflection on all of the course content.
Students will have the opportunity to share their work at
the end of each class. This will allow for the students to
express what they like about their work while using
appropriate visual arts terms to express their artistic intent.
It will also give them the opportunity to touch on how
well they have followed directions and applied the
techniques from class. As the unit progresses, the students
will have the opportunity to choose techniques that they
believe best suit the prompt before them which will help
to demonstrate both understanding, knowledge, and skill.
Each class project will have a certain amount of
parameters that must be incorporated in the project, but
students will have the opportunity to apply them in
different ways and make their own choices about where
they are used. Students will be able to balance these
requirements with opportunity to incorporate objects and
ideas that they are more comfortable with or prefer.
Each project will build on the previous one using the
concepts introduced and building on them. No project will
rely on any artistic concepts not introduced in the class.
This will allow for some students who are more advanced
to still incorporate some elements that might be new to the
class, but the project and activities will not rely on
information not introduced to all within the class. The
subjects and themes of projects and activities will also
offer variety to allow students to incorporate their own
interests and artistic point of view into what they are
creating.

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Lesson Title

1
Week 1:
Defining
Intention
Using Chance
(W) (H) (E)

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Lesson Activities
Students will begin this curricular unit with a
discussion of chance. Students will look at 2
to 3 works of art by Joan Miro on Google Art
Project. This tool will allow them to easily
move through the painting zooming in and
moving side to side rather than a simple
printout. Students will work together on a
shared computer or tablet to allow for
collaboration in their process.
During this exploration, the educator will
facilitate questions that will ask them to
explain what they see while drawing attention
to:
Organic and geometric shapes
Chance and the definition of chance
Intention and the definition of
intention
Surrealism as an artistic process

Resources
1) Classroom
computer/tablet with
internet connection
2) Google Art Project
3) Visual Thinking
Strategies
4) Visual aids of
common organic and
geometric shapes
used by Joan Miro.

Activity time: Approx. 20 minutes.

2
Week 1: Joan
Miro Oil
Pastel
(H) (T) (R)

On 5x8 toned mixed-media paper students

will create their own art work inspired by
Joan Miro and the information they
uncovered in the first part of the class.
Students will draw 3 shapes from the organic
and geometric shapes they noted in his work
on scrap paper and cut these out using
chunking. They will put these shapes in their
hand and shake them out dropping them on
the mixed-media paper. Students will draw
those three items where they have landed, but
they may play with scale and size with a
pencil. They will then add three more shapes
of their own in places that they believe needs
it. They will then color their shapes in using
oil pastels focusing on smooth application.
Students who have time may use baby oil to
add additional smoothness to the surface.
Students will think about:

1) Art supplies as
described in the
lesson
2) Access to tablets to
revisit the Google Art
Project as needed

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Balance: How does a work feel if

everything is in one space? How does
it feel if everything is the same size?
Intention: Miro used chance to create
his work as a guide for his intention.
How can you replicate this process?
Unity: What considerations can we
make to give unity to our work (i.e.
scale, color, direction).

Activity time: 30 minutes

3
Week 1: Share Students will share their work with each other
and Wrap Up offering feedback about the use of chance and
intention.
(R) (E2)
Students will consider:
Where do they see chance in their own
work?
Where did they make choices?
Can you tell the difference between
the two as a viewer?
4
Week 2:
Positive and
Negative
Space

Students will work in pairs using the

classroom computer and tablets as needed to
create artwork using the Museum of Modern
Artss ArtLab application. Students will use
this shape based art application to create
compositions that explore positive and
negative space.

(W) (H) (T)

Students will complete the following tasks:
Creating a composition where most of
the space is filled with colored shapes
that touch.
Creating a composition where very
little of the space is filled with colored
shapes.
Students will think about:
What it means to collaborate and how
to make sure both students are making
equal choices.
What they like about each approach

1) Computer and tablets

2) MoMA ArtLab app

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16

Week 2:
Northern
Lights
(R) (E) (E2)

and what they dislike about each

approach.
How does it compare to the Miro
project.

Activity Time: Approx. 15 mins.

Each student will be given a 2x14 piece of
paper on which they will draw a cityscape.
They will use geometric shapes as a starting
point in drawing. They will cut the cityscape
out creating a two part stencil.

1) Art Supplies

Each student will then take an 11x14 paper

and fold it in half horizontally. On each half
they will tape one part of their stencil creating
an image where in one instance the buildings
are positive and in another where they are
negative. They will color these sections in
using chalk pastels and rubbing the pastels to
blend multiple colors.
5

Week 2:
Recap, Share
and Connect
(R)

6
Week 3:
Types of Line
(W) (E)

Activity Time: Approximately 30 mins.

Students will share their work.
During their share, they must explain:
What parts are positive and what are
negative.
2 instances where they made an
artistic choice explaining why they
made it
A comparison between the chalk
pastels and oil pastels from the
previous class.
Activity Tim: Approximately 15 mins.
Students will revisit the MoMA ArtLab app
focusing on lines this time. Students will
again work in pairs.
They will experiment with different types of
lines (straight, wavy, jagged, curved),
orientations (vertical, horizontal, diagonal),
quality (thick, thin).
Each pair will share 2-3 observations about
the lines that they made and used.

1) Computer and tablets

2) MoMA ArtLab app

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Activity time: Approximately 15 mins

7

Week 3 :
Mark Making
Using
Graphite
(E) (E2) (O)

On an 8x10 piece of drawing paper,

students will create a six box grid by folding
the paper.

1) Art Supplies

As a class, the students will follow the teacher

in a live, real-time demonstration of common
types of marks (hatching, cross hatching,
tonal, scumble, smudge and accent lines).
During the demo the class will discuss:
The differences between each time
and what types of objects might use
each
How combining types of marks can
create variety in an artwork
What value is and why is important

Week 3:
Woven
Ribbon
Graphite
Drawing
(E) (E2)

Activity time: Approximately 20 mins.

On a 6x6 piece of paper students will create
a grid with three, 1 inch bands on each axis.
Where the lines cross, students will erase the
vertical or horizontal lines in alternating order
to suggest lines are overlapping.
Students will add value and line variety using
the techniques explored earlier in class.
Blending stumps will also be available for
further blending.
Students will attempt to make it seem like one
set of lines is on top of another.

Activity time: Approximately 35 minutes.

Week 4: Share Class will begin with recap of the woven
and Mark
ribbon project. Each student will share their
Making
work.
Recap
During the share the class will review:
(R) (E2)
What artistic choices were made and
why.
What value is and how we use it
The different types of mark making

1) Art Supplies

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10

Week 4: Mark
Making with
Oil Pastels

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introduced in the previous class
Activity time: Approximately 10 mins
Students will replicate the mark making
activity from the previous week using oil
pastels. They must create the same types of
marks, but with this material.

1) Art Supplies
2) Last weeks mark
making activity

(E) (R) (E2)

Students will consider and discuss:
Why would someone use oil pastel
instead of graphite?
Can all of the marks still be made?
Are any harder to use with this
material over another?
11

12

13

Activity time: Approximately 10 mins.

Week 4: Pablo On an 8x10 grey toned paper students will
Picassos La
create an artwork inspired by Picassos La
Coq
Coq images. They will create their own
rooster using lines and marks with oil pastel.
(E) (E2) (R)
They will not do a pencil drawing first so they
will have to think about what to do if a mark
is less than perfect when it was made.
Students must use at least 2 different types of
marks.

1) Art Supplies

Activity time: Approximately 30 mins.

Week 4: Share Students will share their La Coq images.
and Recap
During their share each student will comment
(R)
on:
Which types of lines they chose and
why?
Can they see any relationship to unity
and balance in their choices?
Week 5:
Measurement
(W) (H) (E)

Activity time: Approximately 10 mins

Students will again work with graphite this
time focusing on scale and measurement. The
educator will provide an object such as a mug
or bottle for students to draw.
Students will first draw the image as they
think that they would draw it focusing just on
the contour line with no shading.
Students will then learn how to draw using

1) Art Supplies

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sight measurements again drawing the object
in front of them
They will consider why they are different and
why measuring is important.

14

Week 5:
Scaling Up
(R) (E2)

Activity time: Approximately 30 minutes

Students will next draw two objects together
using the same measurement technique, but
focusing on the relationship between the two
images.

1) Art Supplies

They will repeat the process one last time, but

scaling up the objects, making them larger
than they appear and adjusting relative
measurements.
During this activity there will be ongoing
dialogue about the difficulty, opportunity and
reason we might want to scale up an image.
15

Week 6:
Working
Artists and
Calls for
Entry
(W) (H)

Activity Time: Approximately 30 Minutes

Students will begin their APT described in the
GRASPS tool above. Students will begin by
discussing what a juried show is, how artists
apply to them and what the important things
are to think about.

1) Classroom computer
2) Entrythingy with
access to previous
juried shows

Students will explore previous WAC CFEs to

gain insight into which ones were chosen.
They will use the online entry platform to
review works that were accepted in previous
shows.
They will think about:
What the works have in common with
the CFE
What the works have in common with
each other
How the works differ

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Week 6:
Analyzing a
CFE

Activity time: Approximately 30 minutes.

Students will next receive the fictional CFE
for the APT activity. Together, the class will
work through the CFE to understand the
expectations for their work. They will make a

1) CFE
2) Chalkboard

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(E) (E2) (O)

20
list on the chalkboard of what must be
included and what cant be included.

3) Art Supplies

Students will then create 3-5 thumbnail

sketches of possible work ideas.
17

18

19

(E) (E2)

Activity time: Approximately 30 minutes

Students will each share their thumbnail
sketches inviting input from the class of
which work best shows the theme. Students
will be able to use the rubric for the project to
help them making this decision.

Week 7:
Creating
Work

Activity Time: Approximately 15 minutes

Students will create their APT artwork.
Students should aim to have most of their
work done by the end of the class period.

Week 7:
Choosing a
Work

(E) (E2)
Week 8:
Finishing
Touches

Activity Time: Approximately 45 minutes

Students will have 30 minutes to complete
work on their project.

1) Art supplies

1) Art Supplies

Activity Time: Approximately 30 minutes

20

(E) (E2)
Week 8: Artist
Statements
(R) (E) (E2)
(O)

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Students will write a short artist statement as

described in the APT to accompany their
work.
Activity Time: Approximately 15 minutes

Week 8: Share Students will share their work and find out
and score
who got into the show!
(R) (E2)

Activity time: Approximately 15 minutes

1) Pencil and Paper

2) Tablet with word
processing app for
students in need of
assistive technology
1) Rubric

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Checking for UDL Principles

Assess and Reflect (Stage 4)

Considerations

Comments

Required Areas of Study:

Is there alignment between
outcomes, performance
assessment and learning
experiences?

The outcomes are supported by the learning experiences with a strong

emphasis on revisiting the concept of intention while pushing students to
grapple with ways that materials can be combined. Assessment is secondary
because of the context in which this is being taught, but the students will be
observed for connections and given guidance on making their evidentiary
findings stronger based on visible cues.
For struggling students:
Each project will include instructions and opportunities for students to
simplify forms and use basic shapes to achieve their goals. Students will still
be expected to work toward the same final product and to problem-solve
through the same tasks, but they will be provided with simplified means when
appropriate. Additionally, students will have opportunities to choose from a
range of materials in certain instances to allow them to play to their strengths
and maximizing understanding over frustration.

Adaptive Dimension:
Have I made purposeful
adjustments to the
curriculum content (not
outcomes), instructional
practices, and/or the
learning environment to
meet the learning needs and
diversities of all my
students?

For students who need a challenge:

Each component will have a minimum set of parameters, but there will be
opportunity for students to go beyond those parameters. Students who excel at
a component will have time to add dimension, create more complex shape
relationships and develop blended colors. They will focus on the same
outcomes, but be able to go to a more advanced level.

Instructional Approaches:
Do I use a variety of teacher
directed and student
centered instructional
approaches?

The program will use Visual Thinking Strategies to promote discussion. VTS
is teacher originated question and answer that asks students to provide
evidence and justification in explaining the things that they see. This will
encourage dialogue that allows the student to take center stage. Additionally,
all project prompts will have clear parameters, but also opportunity for student
centered exploration of the materials to make and justify choices based on
knowledge.

Resource Based Learning:

Do the students have access
to various resources on an
ongoing basis?

Students will have access to a single classroom computer and tablet to help in
creating multiple entrypoints. As this program does not take place in a
traditional school, a computer lab or larger technology center are not available.
They will have access to visual material both in books and printouts,
classroom visual aids, and additional instructional aids as needed generated by

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FNM/I Content and

Perspectives/Gender
Equity/Multicultural
Education:
Have I nurtured and
promoted diversity while
honoring each childs
identity?

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the educator and distributed in class.
All artists and historical references will be explored in full detail from both a
formalist standpoint and a socio-historic understanding that helps to full
illuminate cultures and gender bias throughout art history using age
appropriate terms. Students will have the opportunity to bring their own
perspective to their artwork and should be responsive to existing artwork by
using Visual Thinking Strategies, a method that will require students to think
about their own experiences including their cultural identity to develop
connections to visual media.

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References

Atikinson, D. (2007April 1). What is art in education? New narratives of

learning. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 39(2). doi:10.1111/j.14695812.2006.00229.x.
Bourriaud, N. (2009). Altermodern explained: manifesto. Tate Britain. Retrieved from:
http://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-britain/exhibition/altermodern/explainaltermodern/altermodern-explained-manifesto.
Hoekstra, M. & Groenendijik, T. (2015). Altermodern art education: theory and practice.
International Journal of Education Through Art. 11(2). doi: 10.1386/eta.11.2.213_1.

Schwier, R. A. (2010). Focusing educational technology research on informal learning

environments. Contemporary Educational Technology, 1(1). Doi: 10.4018/9781-4666-1930-2.ch018.
UDL Resource (2013). Student profiles. Retrieved from: http://www.udlresource.ca/?p=1632.
Westport demographics. (n.d.). Retrieved from: http://www.westportct.gov/index.aspx?page=2
21.
Wiggins, G. P., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design. Alexandria, VA: Assoc. for
Supervision and Curriculum Development.

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Appendix A
Sample Learner Profile

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Appendix B
Planning Pyramid

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Appendix C
GRASPS Rubric for APT Exercise

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Appendix D
Self-Assessment Family Survey

Dear Parents,
As we complete the current session at the Westport Arts Center, we are always grateful to
have your feedback on the success of your child and their experience with us. Please take a few
moments to complete the following digital survey with your child. Your feedback will be
anonymous unless you would like to give your name or require any follow up. Thank you for
joining us this session an we hope to see you soon.
Question 1: As a parent, how would you rate the quality of work produced by your child in this
program? A) Excellent B) Satisfactory C) Average D) Below Average E) Poor
Question 2: As a student, how does your child describe the class? Please supply one or two
words that came to mind for your child.
Question 3: During this class, your child was given an extended project that featured a real world
scenario. How would you as a parent rate this activity? A) I liked it and hope to see more B) I
prefer more traditional curriculum C) No opinion
Question 3: How would your child describe the same scenario? A) Enjoyed it B) Didnt enjoy it
C) Uncertain
Question 4: Any other feedback youd like to give us?