UNIT THREE

Project Outline

MON TUE WED THURS FRI

Introduction to the
Project

PowerPoint and Research

Research, Research, Research,
Discussion on -
Journaling, Journaling, Journaling,
Cultural and Assignment Sketching, and Sketching, and Sketching, and
Community overview review Planning
Planning Planning
Identity

Groups Assigned

Creation and
Weekly Review

Creation -
Creation Creation Creation
Mini- Critique

Creation and
Weekly Review

Creation Creation Creation Creation

-

Mini- Critique

Complete Mural
Final Presentation
Reveal to
-
Community

Write Reflections
-

Creation Creation
Creation
-
Discussion and
Journals Due
Reflection

Reflections Due
Unit Rationale:

In the third unit, students will combine their knowledge from the
previous units to discuss and explore art in cultural and community
identities. By having a better grasp of their own identity, students can then
understand how they fit into various groups, and how various groups have
identities of their own. To begin this unit, students will be researching how
their individual identity fits into the identity of the group. Then, students will
use this experience to create a mural in the school that will represent the
school/community identity. Students will be working together in class to
research and plan this mural so that it accurately represents the cultural and
community identity of the community. Throughout this process, students will
be learning about various groups, cultures, and subcultures and how they
are often represented. In this unit, students will be able to apply all that
they learned in previous units while working as a group to create these
projects that represent both inner and group identity. Students will also be
applying the artistic skills learned in the previous unit to design, plan, draw,
and paint their portion of the mural.
 Art and Identity Formation
Identifying Community Identity

A Capstone Final Group Project

Objective

Given paint, brushes, group discussion, and the opportunity to work in a large group, students
will research their community and it’s identity, and how their personal identities fit into this
group. Working as a collaborative and cooperative group, students will create a 10’ by 5’ mural
that represents a cohesive community identity and is reflective of the individuals as well. The
work will highlight student growth in technical skill, in both traditional and digital media, as
well as their ability to think critically and express relationships between their inner identity and
visual culture.

Concepts

Throughout this unit, you will be exploring the following concepts through group research and
journaling, as well as with the creation of a final mural. These concepts explore visual culture
and identity formation, and the personal identity as well as the cohesive identity of a group and
community. When researching and designing your portion of the mural, refer to the following
concepts when choosing visual elements:
• Art is a form of social production that creates cultural and community identities.
• Art creates cultures and subcultures that construct community identities.
• Each culture, community, and group experiences different contexts that inform their art
making.
• Reflective practice is developed and sustained through art making that strengthens
community identities.
• Popular Culture creates trends that form subcultures, interest groups, and communities that
inform group identities.

Overview

The next four weeks of class will be dedicated to the designing and painting of the community
identity mural. The class will be broken into three small groups, and each group will be
designated to designing and painting one portion of the mural. This project is a large-scale
group project, where you and your group members are doing collective research on elements of
visual culture that contribute to the identity of the community. The selected portion must also
reflect how your group’s identity is reflected in the whole community identity as well. The
entirety of the mural must still be cohesive, so your group will be corresponding with the other
groups to work together to one collective community mural, where you will also provide
feedback to one another. After there is considerable research and collective designing done, the
groups will each paint their designated areas. As a class, the students will be working together,
building on previous knowledge and skills, to represent the culture of your community. During
the final day of class, each group will present their mural area, explaining the imagery painted
and how it represents their group and the community identity. A calendar is provided for
reference on the timeline of weekly reflections and critiques, as well as class discussion days.
Students will be expected to work diligently throughout the next four weeks to complete the
required tasks, which will require working collaboratively both in class and online. Rubrics for
assessment criteria that need to be met during this project are provided, and should be
referenced to assure that the students are staying on task.

There are three major components to this project:

Research
Creation
Presentation

Research Component
Design

The class will be separated into three small groups, creating separate designs for their designated
area of the mural. The group will work as a team to research the visual culture of their
community, including popular culture, cultures, and subcultures, that may be represented.
Building on Unit One and Two, students will also be incorporating elements of their individual
identity as well. In order to accurately represent the community identity, students will be doing
research of the history of the community, current visual culture, and other elements. Students
will do individual research and further discuss with their team which imagery is most essential to
representing a holistic visual identity. Your design should be research based and unique to your
group. As you research your community identity, you should be considering:

• Historically, what cultures have been represented in this community?

• Are these the groups that are still present and represented in this community?
• What are elements or kinds of visual culture that you associate with this community?
• Are there any kinds of interest groups or subcultures that are prevalent in this community?
• How do you, as an individual, fit into this community identity?

Creation Component
Mural Painting

The creation component of this project requires each group to create a portion of the larger mural
within the time allotted. This mural will be done on the outside wall of the school, using the
materials listed below. Each group will be required to use traditional media for the mural, but
digital media and platforms for research and design. The final artwork should reflect the use of
mediums and skills learned in the previous two units - drawing, collage, digital design (Adobe
Photoshop/Illustrator), etc.

Small groups will be responsible for creating the following:

One-third of the full mural using traditional paint materials
Represented in the mural should be the following:
• Historical element of the community identity
• Current popular culture
• Current cultures/subcultures
• Representation of the small group as connected to the community identity
• Relevant visual culture

Written and Digital Process Journal

Throughout designing and creating your mural, students should continually be working through
ideas and designs both in your written and digital process journals The group will share a
Google Drive where ideas and designs will be shared while in progress. This process journal
should include:
• Initial sketches
• Imagery that will be incorporated in the design
• Notes
• In-progress designs
• Final design

Weekly Reflections and Mini-Critiques

Once a week, each group will meet individually with the teacher to discuss in-progress work. All
groups will have the same critique days, and they will share their process journal, reflections,
ideas, and plan moving forward. After sharing with the teacher, each group will share with the
whole class to connect on the progression of the whole mural and offer feedback to one another.
This will give each group an opportunity to discuss the progression of the mural as a whole, as
well as ask questions and discuss concerns.

Presentation Component
Presenting the Community Mural

As a final exhibit of the group artwork, each group will present their portion of the mural to the
rest of the class. This will involve the group giving a presentation on the components and
imagery in their portion, as will explaining their choices for chosen imagery represented. On the
last day of class, the entire class will present the entirety of the mural as one completed work to
the school and community.
Discussions

This component of the project is continuous throughout the project and is expected from every
student. Throughout the project, there are weekly mini-critiques, whole class discussions, as well
as collaborative group work that involve participation and discussion. Throughout the unit you
are expected to be involved in this discussion to provide options and feedback.

Final Reflection

On the final day of the unit, students will be asked to write a self-reflection of the contributions
to the collaborative mural with a summative reflection on the semester in relation to the
capstone project. Students will reflect on working in a group to create this community mural
and the connections made to the first two units. The reflection should be typed, done by each
individual student, and submitted in both digital and hard copy.

Final Reflection Guidelines:

1) Introduction
1) An overview of the projects you have done, and what you have learned from each of
them, including concepts and skills.
2) Reflection
1) How did keeping a process journal help you throughout the semester?
2) How did class discussion and critique enhance your artwork?
3) What project was most effective in helping discover something about your identity?
Why?
4) How did what you learned from the first two units apply to the capstone project? 5) How
did working in a group differ from the individual projects? What were you able to
accomplish together that you may not have been able to do alone?
6) What new skills did you take away from the three units?
3) Conclusion
1) How might you use the concepts and skills learned in this class in the future and beyond
the classroom?
2) What are some areas of the class that you think could be improved based on your
experiences discussed in the reflection section?
 Name________________________
Project_______________________
Points /50

Needs
Poor Average Great Outstanding
Scoring Improvement
1 3 4 5
2

Research Component

Conducted research on community identity.

Clearly demonstrated the use of research and

resources in the creation of the mural.

Completed and submitted process journal.

Creation Component

Created group designated portion of

community mural.

Demonstrated the incorporation of conceptual

elements within designs.

Research was applied to create a visually

appealing, engaging, and understood design
of community identity.

Technical and conteptual skills learned in

previous units are applied.

Presentation

Engaged in discussion with group members

about design, as well as whole class
discussions.

Presented final portion of mural to the class

with cohesive and articulate explanation.

Completed and submitted written reflection.

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