Tab Unit: Pastels

Each day, I will give time for reflection. I will instruct students to discuss with their group, or share with the
class. “What is something that you learned?” “What is working well for you?” “What is something that is really
challenging for you?” “What is something that inspired you from today’s lesson?”

Stations
Make as many as you like, but all should include the following information: A description of the station, a list
of all materials students will have access to, a list of any instructional materials that will be at the station, a
description of any questions or learning goals included at the stations.

Oil pastel center:

Materials: Laminated example of pastel art from (Historical: Pablo Picasso, Mary Cassatt
Current: Zaria Forman, Aaron Shuerr, Vincent Romero) oil pastels, white paper, baby oil, q tips, tablets for
students to watch tutorials,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wv7BSK6uatk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22dvr6ZpnxA

learning goals: This center is for experimentation with oil pastels. It is for students to gain some skill in
blending techniques, and explore materials.

Soft pastel center: Laminated examples of pastel art (Historical: Pablo Picasso, Mary Cassatt
Current: Zaria Forman, Aaron Shuerr, Vincent Romero), soft pastels, q tips, cups with water, paper towels,
tablets, videos of pastel demos/blending techniques.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj2sEXs4XZY

learning goals: This center is for experimentation with soft pastels. It is for students to gain some skill in
blending techniques, and explore materials.

Demonstrations
A description of the demonstrations/boot camps you intend to do and how they relate to the stations. The
learning objectives, or what the students should learn from the demo/boot camp. Any questions you could ask
the students to keep them engaged during the demo. A list of all materials you will require to do your demo.

Slide show presentation: Pablo Picasso, Mary Cassatt, Zaria Forman, Aaron Shuerr, Vincent Romero

Soft pastel bootcamp:

Demonstration: Teacher will demonstrate how to squeeze 15 drops of paint onto a piece of paper (3 colors of
choice) Fold the piece of paper in half, and then reopen the paper. Then I will show students an example of a
dried version, along with a recreated version (done in pastels)

Students will fold a piece of paper in half with paint on it. They will try to recreate the same shape and colors
on a separate paper with oil pastel.
Materials: Examples of dried paint blob and pastel artwork, paper and paint for demonstration, paper for
students, paint, pastels

Learning Objectives: Students will gain skills in blending soft pastels. They will want to make the pastel artwork
look as close as possible to the paint blob artwork. They will gain skill in observation, use of proportion, and
value.

Oil pastel bootcamp:

students will be given a black piece of paper and oil pastels. They will each have a donut or other snack
provided by the teacher in front of them.

They will use what they have learned so far to draw the donut using oil pastels. Students will enjoy their donut
during the reflection time of class.

Materials: black paper, oil pastels, donuts or other snack, paper towels

Learning Objective: Students will gain skill in simulating texture. Students will use value to give the illusion of
3D form to their donuts.

Other Standards
A description of all other art history or criticism activities you wish to include in the unit. When you will
introduce it and how. All instructional materials you will need in order to teach these standards. The rationale
of how they relate to the cultural and diverse needs of your students.

Slide show presentation: (first activity in unit)

Pablo Picasso, Mary Cassatt, Zaria Forman, Aaron Shuerr, Vincent Romero.
The slide show would be first in this unit’s sequence. I would ask the students what elements and principles
they notice in the artwork to get them thinking about different ways that pastels can be applied. I would share
some facts about each artist.

Final Project: (last project)

Students will create a final project using pastels and/or oil pastels. They will begin by drawing some ideas in
their sketchbooks. Students will discuss their ideas with the teacher and get the go ahead to begin their final
assignment. Students can use other materials as well, if ok’d by the teacher. This assignment is open-ended.
They will write at least one page about their work before handing it in. They will also share their work with
their classmates. In both, they will include 3 places that they used elements/principles of design. They will
share some of the meaning in their artwork. I will give them 4 prompts for their artist statements from the
Engaging Learners Through Artmaking, Tell me about your artwork. What do you want people to notice?
Where did you get your idea? How did you make this?

Rational: The artwork that is shown during this unit was created by both men and women. There are both
historical and contemporary examples, as well as both western and non-western.
The final project is very open-ended gives students the opportunity to do something that they are interested
in or feel strong in. I will have a short discussion with each student before they begin their final project about
what their goal is so that they are assessed based on individual goals.