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Forward

As artists, students, educators, researchers, and women in an undergraduate K-12

Education Certification program, we would like to offer a draft collection of curriculum spanning
all grade levels based on our public school experiences and education thus far in our collegiate
courses. Our teachings and observations have been candidly impacted by what this year has
thrown at all of us, including both health and safety concerns due to COVID-19, as well as health
and safety of minority members of our society. We preface our collection with this information
as we not only believe it to be important to acknowledge as a member of our current society in
America, but it is imperative that as future artist educators we are committed to creating a
classroom environment that is safe, inclusive, nurturing, and aware of the needs of our students,
no matter their ages or grade levels. Currently, as interning assistants to public school educators,
we have seen first hand the variety of classrooms our students are welcomed - or less than
welcomed - into, and we have seen how the effectiveness of the tools, materials, and physical
environments does not compete with the effectiveness of the educator that stands before those
students. While access to a clean space with adequate materials is ideally the standard, fancy
equipment does far less to motivate most students than a truly caring teacher does. Students who
attend public schools will likely have over 50 teachers by the time they graduate from their high
school, and while we can choose to believe all of those teachers are providing the best education
for our community, they may not be. Students are exposed to the same world adults are,
sometimes with an even greater feeling of intensity or urgency, and it is our coincident belief that
to be effective teachers we must address any of these matters that may be colliding with our
students as they sit in our classrooms.
With guidance, we turned to feminist and educational philosopher Nel Noddings to
borrow some clarity in order to explain our beliefs. While we all practice holistic education,
Noddings provides a more exact definition through her theory, ethics of care. This theory makes
way for all individuals, specifically teachers, to accept relationships as “ontologically basic to
humanity,” which means that through human nature, through us simply existing, relationships
are created and relied on, and these relationships shape each subsequent relationship, whether
that be with another human being, an activity, an object, or an idea. This can seem
overwhelming, but what is necessary to understand in Noddings’ theory is that this is happening
whether or not each individual participating is conscious of it. Noddings’ ideas are acceptable
when applied to naturalistic caring, or caring born out of ethical concern, “​the one-caring
considers the cared-for’s point of view, ​assessment​ of need, and expectations of the one-caring in
formulating a response that provides the best opportunity for helping the cared-for” (Burton).
Under Noddings’ slant, we have pooled our experiences, resources, and creative minds to
assemble a collection of lesson plan drafts - these are ideas, based in actuality, not perfection, but
could be expanded on or altered. We are presenting this collection with a cogitation for
kindergarten all the way to AP art courses. Each of us is supplying eight of these drafted ideas, as
well as a fully completed lesson plan segment, which produces 24 drafts and three completed
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lessons. These completed lesson plan segments will each be utilizing different theories, plans,
and processes, but all are related to our final capstone project within our major course. Next, we
would like to take the time to introduce ourselves and our contributions to this collection of
work.
Jamie Rankin
Art is activism and it is important to pay attention to artists from all over the world and
what their message is. I am a 22 year old woman who has a passion for creating smiles and
spreading joy in our world. I believe that the most important subject in school is Art. That may
sound bold to some but I know that throughout my own experiences Art has had the biggest
impact on my education. I decided to become an Art Educator because I would like to positively
impact the lives of future generations to come. During my time in internship, I have had the
privilege to teach students Pre-K through Fifth grade. This is a precious time in a student's life.
They are impressionable and soaking in information like a sponge.
I was able to teach a lesson to second graders about weaving and its African heritage and
cultural background. It is important to show and teach art and movements from different places
around the world and how they influence new artistic ideas. They were able to engage in creating
their own pattern weave. The best part of completing this lesson was seeing students go home
and create their own version of the project on their own. This makes me feel like I am teaching
for a greater purpose. I challenge you, the reader of this curriculum to do the same.
Being a teacher is a gift and it is often under appreciated in our society. It is our job as
educators to always look for the positive and help inspire our students to create artwork that can
impact their community, society, and even the world. I hope to inspire my future students to not
only be great artists but great human beings.
Montana Marsh
After years of seeing the cultural insensitivity and blatant disregard for students feelings
in public school, I have decided that my lesson plans will deal with big ideas such as community,
identity, cultural awareness, and the re-evaluation of what mainstream media deems ‘good’
art--all in the hopes that I can nurture a positive and inclusive classroom environment. I am a
21-year-old art education student at Winthrop University, and I grew up in a fairly run-down
school district that had a smattering of disenfranchised educators. However, there were also a
multitude of encouraging and positive teachers that inspired me to become one myself. One thing
that always stood out to me as a student when I had a ‘favorite’ teacher was how caring and
compassionate they were to all of their students, regardless of who they were or where they came
from.
Lessons involved in this collection reflect that philosophy and demonstrate a want to
teach students from a holistic perspective instead of one that puts all emphasis on going through
the motions.
Camille Riddle
I am a 22-year-old art education student at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South
Carolina in my senior year. I am completely certain in my belief that my personal artistic
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practice and philosophies fully and truly affect my teaching archetype, which deeply impacts
each student that walks into my classroom, and in turn affects every person that student has an
interaction with. This is not to say that for some reason I have some special kind of influence, or
this is because I am a teacher. This concept that every interaction and relationship each
individual has influences all downstream interactions is applied to every person who has any
interactions with anyone. I bring this up to point out the obvious connection between this idea
and being a person who works with young people. Just as parents shape the world by influencing
their children, teachers shape the world by influencing those very same children.
The sketches I am bringing to this collection vary in subject matter and intended class
circumstances. These were created with the influence of my current internship, where I work
with high school students in drawing and advanced placement courses, as well as the influence of
the class they were originally intended for, the Principles of Teaching Art.
As an artist and educator, I am most interested in intentional, experimental, and enjoyable
making. I am more concerned with the process than the final; however, in my experience,
focusing on the process tends to lead to more thoroughly completed and interesting final pieces.
While technique and skill are important to teach, especially in upper level high school courses,
maintaining an emphasis on concept, creation, and connection allows students to be fully present
and engaged in making. That being said, what I have chosen to share are simply ideas, and I
impel any reader of this collection to annex what they are being presented. When discussing our
sketch ideas, my colleagues and I determined that what bound us together most was our intention
of care within our teaching practices, which led to a heavy interest in concepts like inclusion,
community, identity, and experimentation.
Each of us finds value in practicing as educators with a holistic perspective, and more
specifically, under the concepts related to the ethics of care. As artists, students, and teachers, we
are constantly learning new techniques to approach making, studying, and passing along
information, but collectively we are under the impression that any of these techniques would be
most effective when practiced with an understanding of the effectiveness of care. The lesson plan
drafts we have included offer suggestions for lessons that are appropriate for each grade level,
with state and national standards in mind, while maintaining a complimentary environment for
the philosophies we have discussed.

Burton, Brian K. “Ethics of care.” ​Britannica​, ​https://www.britannica.com/topic/ethics-of-care​. Accessed 6 October 2020.

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Elementary Lesson Plans

Grades K-5
Jamie Rankin
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Lesson Title: Gyotaku Fish Prints

Grade: Kindergarten

Length: 3 days 45 minutes each

Task Description: Students will look at the art of Japanese fishermen called Gyotaku. They will
create a print in this style of making. Students will create something that is a common theme in
their own lives in Gyotaku Style.

Understanding: Students will learn an art form from a different country and culture.

Standards:

- VA.CR NL.2 I can share and use art materials and tools in a safe and responsible manner.
- VA.C NL.6 I can recognize differences in artworks from some cultures and time periods.
- VA.C NL.7 I can show art concepts among arts disciplines, other content areas, and
related careers.
- VA.CR NL.1.2 I can select some elements of art to construct 2D or 3D artwork.

Objectives: I can:

- Discuss the Japanese technique of Gyotaku.

- Use Geometric shapes to create an image that represents something from their everyday
lives as a collograph.
- Create two prints by painting images like Japanese fisherman.
- Use all materials in a safe and responsible manner.

Vocabulary:

· Geometric Shapes: Shapes that have names.

· Gyotaku: A Japanese art technique which means “Fish Painting” or “Fish Rubbing”

Curriculum Connections:

Math: Identifying shapes they are using to create their drawing of their choice.

Culture: Understanding how individuals are similar and different.

Materials

- Foam board geometric shapes

- Glue
- Lids (to hold glue)
- Tempera Paint
- Paint Brush
- Paper (9x12)
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Procedures:

Lesson 1: Introduction

Day 1:

- Intro to Gyotaku (art style art talk)

- Demo and example of what they might want to draw. Example Ideas: their pet, their
favorite sport ball, shoes, something they use everyday that is special to them.
- Students work on drawing

Lesson 2: Printing

Day 2:

- Review
- Demo how to create a print by painting the collograph and rubbing a piece of paper on
top of their image.
- Students do two Gyotaku prints

Set Up/ Cleanup: Team Captains/Helpers will distribute and collect materials.

- Shapes, glue, and paint

Formative and Summative Assessment:

Formative:

- Teacher will observe and ask questions throughout activities.

Summative:

Gyotaku Checklist:

- Is your image complete?

- Did the student complete two prints?
- Did students use all materials safely and respectfully?

Accommodations:

UDL:

- Showing examples
- Giving demos on how to create
- Assisting

Multi-model presentation: Speech and Visual and tactile

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Lesson Title:All About Me

Grade: 1st Grade

Length: 2-3 days 45 minutes each

Task Description: Students will create a self portrait that tells about the artist

Understanding: Students will learn that artwork can tell viewers about an artist’s life.

Objectives: I can:

- Talk about portraits and self-portraits.

- Draw a self portrait that fills the page
- Add color to the portrait using colored pencils
- Add details around my portrait that tell about me.
- Write an artist's statement that tells about me.

Vocabulary:

- Portraits: a picture of a person, usually just the face.

- Self-Portrait: a picture of the artist drawn by the artists.

Curriculum Connections:

- English Language Arts: Integration of knowledge and ideas.

- Writing: Personal narratives and informative/explanatory texts

Materials

- White drawing paper (9x12)

- Pencil
- Colored pencils

Procedures:

Day 1: Introduction/ Art Talk

- Conversation with students on what they know about Portraits

- Show examples
- Ask students to describe what a self-portrait is.
- Show examples of selfies and then explain how this can show a lot about a person.

Demo:

- They will be creating their own selfies

- Demonstrate how to draw a self-portrait. Talk about the shapes they need to use to create
the face. Also tell them they can look in the mirror to capture specific features.
- Show them how to fill the whole paper.
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Art Making:

- Students will work on sketches in pencil of their portrait.

Day 2: Workday

- Review / Ask questions for formative assessment

Demo:

- Show students how to add colors using colored pencils.

- Adding images that represent them around their portrait.

Art Making:

- Students will color and add details in time permits.

Day 3:

Review and Art making:

- Students will work on completing portraits.

- Students will write a few sentences describing themselves.

Set Up/ Cleanup: Team Captains/Helpers will distribute and collect materials.

- Distribute papers and collect papers and colored pencils.

Formative and Summative Assessment:

Formative: Asking questions at the beginning of each class about self-portraits.

Summative: Students have a completed colorful self portrait that tells something personal to
them in the background.

Accommodations:UDL:

- Displays images of self-portraits.

- Gives a demo
- Assist as needed

Multi-model:

Speech: explaining in an open discussion in class.

Visual: presenting visual examples

Tactile: creating their own art

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Lesson Title: Huichol Animal Yarn Painting

Grade: 2nd

Length: 4-5 days 45 minutes each

Task Description: After studying the Huichol Indians of Mexico and their unique method of
using yarn to create complex pictures, students will create their own yarn paintings of their
favorite animal.

Understanding: Students will gain a deeper appreciation for people and cultures that are different
from their own population and way of life.

Objectives: I can:

- Explore and discuss the culture of the Mexican Huichol Indians and their unique
technique of creating paintings with yarn.
- Complete an artwork in the same style as the Huichol Indians.
- Use all tools and materials safely.

Vocabulary:

- Huichol Indians: A group of native peoples living in Western Mexico along the Sierra
Madre Mountain Range in the states of Jalisco and Nayaric.
- Yarn Painting: The process of creating a picture using different colored yarn, beeswax,
and a wooden surface.
- Simplify: to make it easier; to break into shapes.
- Beeswax: produced by bees to build honeycomb.

Curriculum Connections Social Studies: Geography and environmental literacy and Mexican
Culture

Materials

- Pencils
- Cardboard Paper
- Different colored yarn
- Scissors
- Glue

Procedures:

Day 1: Introduction/ Art Talk

- Intro to Huichol Indians and Yarn Paintings

- History and Culture talk
- Yarn Painting methods
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- Discuss how they will choose their favorite animal or plant to create their own yarn
painting.

Demo:

- Demo on how to create a simplified symbol for nature or an animal.

- Breaking a drawing down into the basic shapes.

Art Making:

- In their art journals/ sketchbook they will start sketching a few ideas they have for their
painting.
- If time allows, students can transfer that drawing to the cardboard.

Day 2:

Review:

- Ask students a few questions about the Huichol Indians and yarn paintings.

Demo:

- Demo the yarn painting technique.

- Discuss using the only one finger to apply glue to the surface.
- Discuss using color to create contrast.
- Discuss patterns

Art Making

- Students begin placing yarn on their cardboard paper to depict their nature symbol.

Days 3-5

Review:

- Ask students a few questions.

Art Making:

- Students will continue using yarn to create their Huichol yarn painting.

Set Up/ Cleanup: Team Captains/Helpers will distribute and collect materials.

Formative and Summative Assessment:

Formative:

- The teacher will be observant and ask periodic, thought provoking questions throughout
the activities.
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- What is your favorite part about being outside?

- How can you use color to create contrast?
- Does your drawing fill the page?

Summative:

- Yarn Painting Checklist

- Is the yarn painting complete?
- Did you choose an animal or something from nature for your painting?
- Did the student use all tools and materials safely and appropriately?

Accommodations:

UDL:

- Show examples of actual Huichol yarn paintings.

- Give a demo on how to create a yarn painting.
- Assist as needed

Multi-Modal presentation Method:

- Speech: Information will be presented in an open discussion format

- Visual: Information will be presented with visuals.

- Tactile: Students will create their own artwork.

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Lesson Title:Illustration Triptychs

Grade: 3rd

Length: 4-5 days 45 minutes

Task Description: Students will study illustrators, illustration, and storytelling, before creating
triptych collages (using geometric shapes) that illustrate a fairy tale or nursery rhyme’s
beginning, middle, and end.

Understanding: By examining the role of an illustrator, students will gain a deeper understanding
of what kinds of jobs and careers are available as an artist.

Standards:

- Indicator VA.C NH.7.2 I can identify ways visual art skills are used in other careers or
vocations.
- Indicator VA.P NL.4.2 I can describe my artwork.
- Indicator VA.CR IL.2.2 I can choose art materials and tools to produce a desired result.

Objectives:

I can:

- Explore the role/job of an illustrator and determine how a story may be depicted through
images.
- Demonstrate my competence in using the collage processes and technique to create
illustrations that show a fairy tale or nursery rhyme’s beginning, middle, and end.
- Discuss and use geometric shapes to create images.
- Use all materials in a safe and appropriate manner.

Vocabulary:

Story: A series of events; a narrative

Elements of a plot:

- Plot: the “what” of the story; what happens.

- Setting: when and where the story is taking place.
- Characters: Who is in the story.
- Illustrators: The person who draws the pictures for a story.

Illustrations: Pictures that tell a story

Collage: Gluing materials (paper, fabric, etc.) to a surface.

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Triptych: A piece of art divided into three sections.

Geometric shapes: Shapes that have names

Curriculum Connections

- Language Arts: Parts of a Plot

- Math: Geometry (shapes)

Materials

- Colored construction paper

- Pencils
- Erasers
- Scissors
- Glue

Procedures:

Lesson 1: Introduction

Day 1:

Intro to Illustration

Discuss illustrators and illustration

Discuss what makes a story (Plot, Characters, Setting, & Details)

Discuss how a story is arranged (Beginning, Middle, End)

- Read: An illustration book

- Demo how to draw a story beginning middle and end
- In their journals students will sketch ideas for their own story they want to do for their
collage

Lesson 2: Collage

Day 2:

- Review
- Demo and define triptych and collage and geometric
- Show how to create a triptych using construction paper
- Create a background first.
- Using construction paper, journal sketches will be transferred into collage form.

Day 3-5:

- Review
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- Students continue to collage their illustration Triptychs

- Students write the story on the back of their collage board.

Set Up/ Cleanup:

Team Captains/Helpers will distribute and collect materials.

Formative and Summative Assessment:

Formative:

· The teacher will observe and ask provoking questions.

Summative:

Illustration checklist:

- Is the triptych complete?

- Do the illustrations depict a fairytale or nursery rhyme?
- Do the illustrations show a story beginning middle and end?
- Did the student use all the materials in a safe and appropriate manner?
- Did the student use geometric shapes to create the imagery?

Accommodations:

UDL:

- Displays images of illustrations, collages, and triptychs

- Give a demo on how to create illustration triptychs
- Assist as needed

Multimodal presentation method:

Speech: information will be presented in an open discussion format.

Visual: information will be presented with visuals

Tactile: students will create their own artwork.

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Lesson Title: Esther Pearl Watson

Grade: 4th Grade
Length: 3 days 45 minutes each
Task Description: Students will study the quirky illustrations of Esther Pearl Watson and create
their own illustrations using tempera paints to convey a personal story, memory, or dream.
Understanding: By examining their personal memories and or dreams, students will begin to
value their own stories and histories.
Objectives: I can:
- Examine and discuss the works of Esther Pearl Watson.
- Incorporate elements of her work into my own illustrations by depicting a personal story,
memory, and or dream.
- Demonstrate my competence in painting with tempera paints.
- Use all materials in a safe and appropriate manner.
Vocabulary:
- Story: A series of events; a narrative
Elements of a plot:
- Plot: the “what” of the story; what happens.
- Setting: when and where the story is taking place.
- Characters: Who is in the story
- Illustrators: The person who draws the pictures for a story.
- Illustrations: Pictures that tell a story
Curriculum Connections:
ELA: Speaking and Listening Comprehension and Collaboration.
Presentation of knowledge and ideas.
Materials
- Drawing paper
- Pencils
- Erasers
- Tempera Paint
- Water Cups
- Mixing Trays
- Paint brushes
Procedures:
Lesson 1: Introduction
Day 1:
- Intro to Esther Pearl Watson
- Discuss what makes a story
- In their journals, students will sketch ideas of their own personal stories, memories, or
dreams. Elements of fantasy may be included. Students will include a sentence that
describes the illustration.
Day 2: Drawing
- Quick review
- Discuss composition (how a picture is put together)
- Foreground, middle ground, and background.
- Emphasis
- Journal sketches will be transferred to the final paper.
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Day 3: Painting
Quick review
- Demo painting with tempera paints
- Paint big spaces and background first
- Mix only the amount of paint that is needed for the space
- Lightest colors first
- Value: use lights and darks for a 3d effect
- Do not mix colors in the paint tray only in the mixing tray.
- Start painting
Day 4:
- Review
- Continue painting
- In the style of Esther Pearl Watson, sentences giving a hint of what the story/illustration
is about will be written somewhere on the painting.
Early finishers will receive a 4th grade reading selection. The student will read the selection and
then create an illustration to demonstrate reading comprehension.
Set Up/ Cleanup: Team Captains/Helpers will distribute and collect materials.
- Passing out drawing papers and journals
- Distribute paint trays, mixing trays, brushes, paper towels, and water cups
- Collect everything as well
- Wash brushes and mixing trays
- Give out wash clothes to clean hands and tables.
Formative and Summative Assessment:
Formative:
- Teacher will observe and ask questions throughout activities.
Summative:
- Check list
- Is the illustration complete?
- Do the illustrations tell a personal story, memory, and or dream?
- Were all materials used in a safe and appropriate manner?
Accommodations:
UDL:
- Showing examples
- Giving demos on how to create
- Assisting
Multi-model presentation: Speech and Visual and tactile
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Lesson Title: Gullah Yarn Baskets

Grade: 5th
Length: 4-5 days 45 minutes
Task Description: Using yarn and a piece of cord, students will create a basket in a style like the
Gullah people living in the low country of South Carolina and Georgia.
Understanding: Students will gain a deeper understanding of a culture within the United States
that is different from their own way of living.
Standards:
Objectives:
I can:
● Determine how to use all materials in a safe and appropriate manner
● Emulate the Gullah cultures sweetgrass basket-making technique by creating a completed
coiled yarn basket in a similar style and process.
● Discuss the characteristics of Gullah sweetgrass baskets
● Identify works of art created by Gullah Artists
● Identify and discuss similarities of construction between sweetgrass and yarn.
● Describe, discuss, and analyze the characteristics and qualities of the Gullah people living
in the low country of South Carolina and Georgia.
Vocabulary:
- Sweetgrass: a long-stemmed plant that grows near the ocean and is used by the Gullah
people to make baskets.
- Gullah: a group of people descended from rice plantation slaves in the low country of
South Carolina and Georgia.
- Geechee: The language of the Gullah people. Mixture of English and man West African
languages
- Lowcountry: the coastal/beach region of South Carolina and Georgia.
- Feeding: in Gullah basket-making, the process of adding more sweetgrass to a coil of
grass.
- Needle: a tool used in sewing.
Curriculum Connections: Social Studies: Culture
Materials:
● Various colored yarn
● Plastic student needles
● Scissors
● Cotton cord (cut in 2 ½ feet lengths with both ends tapered)
● Masking tape

● Sharpies
● Boxes/bags to store each class’s yarn baskets.
Procedures:
Lesson 1: Introduction
Day 1:
Art Talk (10 min)
● Display of sweetgrass baskets; various samples of sweetgrass, bulrush, long leaf pine
needles, and palmetto leaves; and the children’s books. “Today we are going to talk
about a type of South Carolina art that is over three hundred years old.”
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● Introduce the Gullah culture and sweetgrass basket technique using a flipchart Ask
students what they already know about the Gullah people. Discuss Gullah heritage and
culture. Have students interact with the flip chart by allowing them to locate west Africa
and the low country of South Carolina and Georgia. Discuss the tradition of sweetgrass
baskets and explain the materials and methods used for construction
● Display several examples of coiled yarn baskets. Ask students to compare and contrast
the yarn baskets and sweetgrass baskets. Explain to students that they will be creating
their own coiled yarn baskets.
Demo:
● Give a thorough demo of how to begin a coiled yarn basket. Caution students about using
needles and scissors in a safe and responsible manner.
Art Making
● Distribute cord.
● Work step by step with the students to begin the coiled yarn baskets
Day 2:Review
● Ask a few questions about the Gullah and basket-making
Demo
● Students will follow step by step instructions as the teacher thoroughly demonstrates,
explains, and reviews how to start the coiled yarn basket.
● Introduce and explain the process of “feeding” the basket
Art Making:
● As students successfully start their baskets, they may begin working at their own pace.
Days 3 and 4:
● Review Gullah and ask questions
● demonstrate feeding the basket.

● Students will work until they have finished the end of their cord.

Day 5 if needed:
- Review
- Finish
- Reflection
Set Up/ Cleanup:Team Captains/Helpers will distribute and collect materials.
-Distribute baskets
Formative and Summative Assessment:
Formative:
● The teacher will observe and ask provoking questions.
Summative:
Completed Basket Checklist
● Is the yarn basket complete?
● Are students able to describe, discuss and analyze the Gullah culture?
● Discuss and identify differences between basket making techniques and coil yarn
technique
● Do students use all materials safely and responsibly?
Accommodations:
UDL:
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- Displays images of illustrations, collages, and triptychs

- Give a demo on how to create illustration triptychs
- Assist as needed
Multi-modal presentation method:
Speech: information will be presented in an open discussion format.
Visual: information will be presented with visuals
Tactile: students will create their own artwork.

Early finishers can help others or explore books about sweetgrass baskets.
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Middle School Lesson Plans

6th-8th
Montana Marsh
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High School Lesson Plans

9th-12th grade
Camille Riddle
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