Welsh Final Bound Lesson

Turning Inspirational Quotes
into Calligraphy and Symbolic

Art
Isabella Gomez-Welsh, Spring 2021
Lesson Title: Turning Inspirational Quotes into Calligraphy and Symbolic Art
Grade Level: 5th
Number of Students: 14
Time available for this lesson: 6 40 minute sessions

2/25, 3/11, 3/18, 3/25, 4/1, and 4/8
Central Focus (Big Idea): Students will understand that art can be used to express many types of
discrimination people face in their everyday lives, as well as understanding the things someone may
dislike about us are the things that make us unique through creating inspirational quote drawings.
Essential Questions:
 How can the study of discrimination impact youth cultures by broadening their perspective about its
impact globally?
 How does developing critical awareness of discrimination change the effects of discrimination and help
to raise conscious citizens?
 How can art change the perspectives and opinions of young people around issues of discrimination?
 How might contemporary conceptual socially engaged art practices influence and transform
interpretations about discriminatory practices?
 How can an art lesson integrating text and image communicate a persuasive transformative message
related to the danger of discrimination in all social contexts?
Illinois Arts Learning Standards:

Standard # VA:Cn11.1.5 Identify how art is used to inform or change beliefs, values, or behaviors of
an individual or society.
In this lesson: Students will explore a form of discrimination that holds personal importance.
Through use of calligraphy, chosen symbols, and icons, students will better
understand how artwork can inform the ideals and beliefs of a given
discriminated group of people and those that discriminate against them.
Standard # VA:Re7.2.5: a. Identify and analyze cultural associations suggested by visual imagery.
In this lesson: Students will thoughtfully choose visual imagery that would support their bigger
idea, therefore learning about and applying the symbol’s cultural and social
contexts.
1. Objectives: IALS Goal Codes
1.1 Conceptual/Cognitive Objectives:
1.) Given a class discussion on issues of discrimination, students will VA:Re7.2.5

successfully map at least three possible ideas related to their chosen topic.
2.) Given a student’s chosen quote and form of discrimination, students will
creatively explore their big idea through analyzing and interpreting relevant VA:Cn11.1.5
social and cultural symbols.
3.) Given a completed visual exploration of their chosen topic, students will VA:Re7.2.5
thoughtfully discuss their artistic process and thoughts in a successful artist
statement.
1.2 Artistic Skill Objectives:
4.) Given a chosen form of discrimination and quote, students will creatively VA:Re7.2.5
draw at least one visual symbol that helps support their big idea.
5.) Given a single quote, students will inventively modify the quote’s words in VA:Cn11.1.5
visually compelling ways using at least two separate hand-drawn fonts.
6.) Given a 16x16 piece of paper, students will uniquely construct calligraphed VA:Cn11.1.5
words and social/cultural symbols in a compelling, balanced composition that
successfully depicts their big idea in a positive way.
Assessment Criteria:
1.) Students mapped a list of at least three possible ideas, accompanying symbols, external knowledge,
experience, and quotes they have considered further artistically exploring.
2.) Students explored their big idea through analyzing and interpreting relevant social and cultural symbols.
3.) Students discussed their artistic process and thoughts in an artist statement.
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4.) Students depicted at least one visual symbol to support their big idea.
5.) Students modified the quote’s words using at least two separate hand-drawn fonts.
6.) Students constructed calligraphed words and social/cultural symbols together in a composition that visually
narrates their big idea in a positive way.
Developmental Rationale
It is easy to believe bigger social and cultural topics should be avoided with early adolescent classrooms
due to age and inexperience. However, George (1997) disputes this by saying “the concerns of early
adolescents are most often personal or micro-versions of larger concerns in the world” (p. 87). Although
certain types of discrimination, as we understand it, may not be widely experienced by this age group,
discrimination and its negative beliefs still exist amongst children, even if it takes on a different set of
vocabulary such as “bullying”. In this way, it is possible to mend the gap between discrimination and
students lived experiences. After all, the issues children deal with now are the experiences and beliefs that
evolve into discrimination down the line. More importantly, this project is adaptable to each student’s life
experience thus promoting a more personally meaningful and empathetic understanding of discrimination.
5th grade students are beginning to question their place in the world and the bigger picture. According to
Lowenfeld (1987), this is the perfect age to give students the space to artistically explore these issues.
Lowenfeld states that “during this stage, nine to twelve, the child is gradually moving away from a
dependency on the concrete and is now beginning to deal with abstract concepts” (p. 313). Through using
words, that which are concrete, and supporting symbols, that which are abstract, this lesson encourages
students to tackle larger concepts at a level they understand.
Students with special needs: For students with possible muscular or texture-sensory issues, they will be
given the opportunity to choose an artistic medium that is most comfortable for their needs. Students with a
hearing disability will be able to review a pre-recorded discussion of the power point material in their own
time. Students with visual issues may receive large, physical prints of each PowerPoint slide. Students with
anxiety or other verbal impairments will be able to jot down their thoughts instead of verbally participating.
Students with attention disorders will be able to walk around the class when they need extra stimulation.
CLD students will be encouraged to use a quote and conduct research in their native language.
Literature and References
Rationale of this lesson: The past year has shown that there is an entire generation of children willing to
recognize and fight back against police brutality and, most recently, Asian hate crimes. For example, the
reevaluations made on the Derek Chauvin trial would not have been made possible if this generation did not
find deep anger at the discrimination that runs through our country’s veins, enough to take to the streets in
protest for months. Social media platforms are the first to be hit when there is a major discrimination crime
in this country. News outlets are flooded regularly with the next big mass shooting, the next big hate crime,
the next person of color murdered at the hands of the law. Children are not exempt from this.
Jane Elliot in A Class Divided identifies the common paradigm of “explaining things away” when a historical
event and crime takes place. However, in her approach of truly taking apart discrimination for what it is at
the core helped those students better understand how it can take many forms beyond racial crimes;
discrimination can exist within the very essence of our speech habits and thought patterns. This includes
the way children interact with each other every day and that at the heart of much bullying is discrimination,
or in the people students do and do not speak to, in the way they speak; discrimination is not only an adult
discourse.
Background of the topic
Discrimination is not just an American ordeal. Much of it can be traced back to terf-wars and white and light-
skinned conquistadors and colonials that invaded what was new territory to them and would commit entire
genocides to the native people based on race, resources, and/or religion. The deprived slaves they would
bring along the way further established discrimination of those groups of people that would persist into how
those minorities are seen in modern day.
Discrimination also stems from eugenics and the many forms it has taken around the world, whether it be to
only have a certain gender of child, to weed out the disabled members of society, or the dictatorship that
often follows huge periods of famine and destruction left from war and devastation. This, as well as many
factors others, lead to immigration, which has it’s own deep and hateful roots in discrimination. Even
something like language and dialects both stem from and further enable discrimination.
In America, discrimination is the foundation of our capitalistic, neoliberalistic government. The golden
standard of a working member of society, the one most likely to achieve an ‘American Dream’, already
paints a picture in our minds: white, educated, well-versed, conventionally attractive, able-bodied…all things
that are discriminated against.
Information about related artists, styles, movement or cultures
Contemporary art has deeply impacted the way we subconsciously react to commercial symbols and
presentation. Graphic design specifically has been the main contributor of making symbols and presenting
text in ways that sway our beliefs. Advertisements, mass production, much of the market is geared towards
influencing our beliefs of something. In this same way, these very concepts of design can be applied to
artwork to create impactful, influential work. For example, the artists known for their calligraphy work such
as Steve Powers and Lawrence Weiner weaponize this subconscious reaction to the ways text is presented
in order to move their audience.
Postmodernism is another art movement that has deeply impacted the way we interpret art. By decoding
the male and white canon art history has established, underneath it we find layers of discrimination,
explaining what narratives of history we are told and what parts of history reach the 21st century.
The Civil Rights movement, as well as the first and second feminist waves, were key historic movements
that allow educators to be able to discuss the social injustices we are able to today. Without this, concepts
like Freire’s problem-posing education would be utterly inaccessible to those it impacts most.
Artist Information
Stephen Powers was born in 1968 in Philadelphia. After moving to New York City post-graduation in
1995, his career took off as a publisher and artist, focusing heavily on the ways text and imagery come
together. He began working on street signs but moved to entire building and gallery walls.
http://www.artnet.com/artists/stephen-powers/biography
Lawrence Weiner is a huge name when it comes to presenting art as language. Born in 1942, he has
heavily toyed with how art can be read, literally. He has made tremendous contributions to media such as
tattoos, graffiti, advertisements, prints, and so on.
https://www.lissongallery.com/artists/lawrence-weiner
Tiziana La Melia is a young artist based in Vancouver. She works with everything from abstract lines to
huge paintings and large 3D installations. She is also a poet and uniquely uses music and other forms of art
when presenting her work.
https://www.tizianalamelia.com/cv
Ben Eine is a London based artist who got his start in graffiti and moved into typography. He has hugely
contributed to the way art and music collide in unique, modern ways. For example, he has now published
official fonts that are available to the public.
https://beneine.co.uk/
Anastasia Klose is a young artist in Syndey Australia who enjoys playing with childlike artforms and words
in her work. She explores the connection between human and nature in her work in wild, abnormal ways.
https://anastasiaklose.wordpress.com/biography/
Barbara Kruger is an iconic feminist artist who explores ideas of gender and society in her work using old-
timey monochromatic photography and bold text.
http://www.artnet.com/artists/barbara-kruger/
Description of visual examples
Steve Powers, Untitled (Always

Advance), 2010
This Steve Powers piece will be

a good introduction to talking
about calligraphy. It is clear that
the word ”advance” is also
advancing in size. I am showing
this for students to visually
understand how the presentation
of a word can mimic the words
meaning.
Lawrence Weiner, Untitled

Exhibit Poster, 2012
Lawrence Weiner uses the literal

meaning of his words to help the
presentation of them. Because
”High and Low” are curved down
as if actually going high and low
and ”around and around” follow
the same sentiment, it serves as
a good follow up from the Steve
Powers piece last presented and
for students to better understand
the literal presentation of a word.
Tiziana La Melia, Page of
Vapours, 2012
Although the meaning of the

words in Tiziana La Melia “Page
of Vapours” piece is unclear, the
way she presents those words
gives each rendition an entirely
different meaning. This is a
good example of the impact that
presentation has on meaning. It
is also extremely creative and
lets students know just how far
they may push their boundaries
with their lesson.
Ben Eine, Only Human, 2020
Ben Eine’s “Only Human” font is

a great example of calligraphy
having multiple meanings
beyond the words themselves.
There is a clear positive
commentary on human nature
through strictly the use of letters.
This gives students a better idea
of how far words can be
stretched and molded so as to fit
bigger ideas.
Steve Powers, Untitled (Prepay
is on), 2009
This Steve Powers piece is a

great introduction to symbolism.
The part the phones play in this
piece is amplified by the quote.
By using phones here as a piece
of symbolism, they no longer
strictly represent a technological
device. Now, their meaning
transforms into the idea of
compassionate communication.
This is an easier one that will
help students adjust to the idea
of a picture meaning something
past its surface definition.
Anastasia Klose, Untitled (The

Past), 2010
Klose uses one symbol here to

represent youth. Because there
is only one symbol, there is less
to unpack for students. The
meaning of the baby bird is
directly informed by the text,
which if what I am looking for to
help check for student
understanding.
Barbara Kruger, Untitled (Your
Body is a Battleground), 1989
Kruger uses one symbol that is

seemingly straightforward,
though heavily impacted by the
text she uses. This will push the
conversation and therefore
understanding between art and
social issues. This way,
students can really begin to
piece together how this art
project can be used to inform
social issues.
Steve Powers, Coney Island is

Still Dreamland, 2016
I will introduce these last few

Powers pieces as we look closer
at what students will actually be
creating. After reviewing
symbols and calligraphy in art,
students will be more inclined to
think about these pieces at a
deeper, more analytical level. I
can ask students to describe
what they see and be able to
more clearly follow up with “and
what do you think that means”?
Steve Powers, Coney Island is
Still Dreamland, 2016
I like this Powers piece because

of the talking points it poses.
The “Me” within the “You”, the
“Caution” looking like a street
sign, these are all great places
to ask students “Why would the
artist make that decision”?
There is direct correlation
between the pictures and
calligraphy.
Steve Powers, Coney Island
is Still Dreamland, 2016
This Powers piece has a lot of

places worth analyzing. This
will be a great piece to finish
the PowerPoint with.
Considering how dense it is
and how many discussion
points it poses, every student
will notice something different
in this piece, serving as further
revenues for diverse
interpretation. This piece
condenses everything
students have thought about
so far and is a great milestone
to check for understanding
before introducing teacher and
student examples.
List of references
George, P. S. (1992). The middle school and beyond. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and
Curriculum
Lowenfeld, V. (1987). Creative and mental growth New York, NY: Macmillan
Asian Hate:
Hong, N., & Bromwich, J. E. (2021, March 18). Asian-Americans Are Being Attacked. Why Are Hate
Crime Charges So Rare? The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/18/nyregion/asian-
hate-crimes.html.
Derek Chauvin:
Griffith, J., & Siemaszko, C. (2021, April 21). Derek Chauvin guilty of murder in George Floyd's death.
NBCNews.com. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/derek-chauvin-verdict-reached-trial-over-
george-floyd-s-death-n1264565.
A Class Divided:
Peters, W., Consortium of Public Television Stations., Yale University., & PBS Video. (1985). A Class
divided. Washington, DC: PBS Video.
Eugenics:
Reynolds, P. (2021, February 24). UVA and the History of Race: Eugenics, the Racial Integrity Act,
Health Disparities. UVA Today. https://news.virginia.edu/content/uva-and-history-race-eugenics-racial-
integrity-act-health-disparities.
Collonials and Discrimination:

Das, A. C., & Singh, S. (2013). Discrimination and Difference, Racial and Colonial: An Overview of M.G
Vassanji’s The Gunny Sack and No New Land. The Criterion, 4(V).
American Dream and Discrimination:

Armstrong, J., Carlos Chavez, F. L., Jones, J. H., Harris, S. D., & Harris, G. J. (2019). “A Dream
Deferred”: How Discrimination Impacts the American Dream Achievement for African Americans. Journal
of Black Studies, 50(3), 227–250. https://doi.org/10.1177/0021934719833330
Idea Mapping
Instructional Resources and Materials
This lesson will include a PowerPoint using the artists mentioned above. Each one of these artists is important
to the main idea as they all use text and symbols in unique ways.
It will also include a guided think sheet where students may map out possible ideas in a more organized
fashion. Here, there will be sections discerning main ideas from research and visuals.
Students will write an artist statement using a worksheet with prompts directing them where they could begin
writing. Because this is a personal project, prompts are kept loose in order to give students the space to
personalize their work and really explain the meaning without sticking to a harsh format.
I will be demonstrating and modeling three times, one on composition that will use premade fonts and cut out
drawings with tape to stick and unstick to the presentation board, one on thumbnails using the teacher
example, and one on transferring said thumbnail to the final paper while using a ruler as needed.
Art Materials for the Lesson: 16x16 inch paper, 8 ½ x 11inch paper, colored pencil, crayon, marker, tape,
ruler
Organization of Supplies
DAY 1: I will have a piece of paper on each student’s desk as they come in. The back of one piece of
paper for each table will have a star on the back. That student will be the “table captain”, responsible for
collecting and distributing supplies at the end of each day. With the last 5 minutes of class, students will be
given a large piece of construction paper. They will fold this in half, put their name on the front, and put their
worksheets and work from the day inside. Table captains will be called upon to collect their table’s folders.
They will be shown the designated storage compartment meant for their class and put these pieces away
before leaving.
DAY 2: Table captains will be asked to retrieve their tables folders in the beginning of class. This
instruction will be up on the board and be made a regular occurrence with each class. When it is time to
pick up, students will store their work back in their folders and table captains will be asked to collect and put
their table’s work away.
DAY 3: Table captains will be asked to retrieve their table’s folders at the beginning of class. Students that
are ready to begin coloring will be able to come up to a bin of supplies at the front of the class and retrieve
the coloring materials they need. This will be staggered as students will only come up once they are ready
to begin working. When doing so, they will take a plastic bag, put their name on it, and use this to store their
materials in. When it is time to clean up, students will store their work in their folders, put their coloring
materials in their bag, and give these to their table captain to put away. If there are any marks on the table,
it is up to the individual student to wipe them during this clean-up time.
DAY 4: Table captains will be asked to retrieve their table’s folders and baggies of material at the beginning
of class. When it is time to clean up, students will store their work in their folders, put their coloring materials
in their bag, and give these to their table captain to put away. If there are any marks on the table, it is up to
the individual student to wipe them during this clean-up time.
of class. When it is time to clean up, students will store their work in their folders, put their coloring materials
in their bag, and give these to their table captain to put away. If there are any marks on the table, it is up to
the individual student to wipe them during this clean-up time.
of class. When it is time to clean up, students will store their work in their folders and give these to their
table captain to put away. If there are any marks on the table, it is up to the individual student to wipe them
during this clean-up time. The bags of coloring materials will be turned in as students exit the classroom for
the teacher to later distribute back in their proper containers.
Clean-Up of Supplies
DAY 1: It is up to table captains to return materials to the designated class storage spot.
DAY 2: It is up to table captains to return materials to the designated class storage spot.
DAY 3: It is up to table captains to return materials to the designated class storage spot. If there are any
marks on the table, it is up to the individual student to wipe these down with Clorox wipes provided at the front
of the classroom. Table captains, upon return, will inspect their responsible table for any remaining markings.
As students exit the classroom, they will turn in their bags of coloring materials.
Vocabulary: Art Terms/Vocabulary/Higher Level Thinking Verbs
Discrimination: Unfair, unjust treatment of certain groups of people

Calligraphy: Decorative handwriting
Symbol: A thing that can represent something else
Composition: The way a piece of art uses space
Space: The distance around, between, and within components in art
Positive Space: The area of interest in a piece of art
Negative Space: Unoccupied Space in a piece of art
Balance: The spatial distribution of visual weight in a piece
Thumbnail: A quick, loose, mini version of a piece of art or its elements to test how it sits in space and/or
composition.
Describe: To explain what is visually apparent
Analyze: To attach possible meanings and purposes to the description of a piece
Interpret: To describe what something means to the individual
Compare: To find the similarities between two given items
Contrast: To find the differences between two given items
Question: To ask something that is not completely apparent
Critique: To describe the things in a given piece that work well, that do not, and offer possible solutions and
feedback
8. In-Class Activities:
Time Learning Activities Purpose
DAY 1:
Introduction
3 minutes “Good morning class, my name is Miss Students are shown mutual respect
Welsh, my pronouns are she/her, and I will and understanding right off the bat.
be your new art teacher. I am so excited This creates comfort and trust in the
to be here with you! I am here to make classroom, which is vital especially
every student feel understood while also for the topics and areas of
learning about you and with you. We will discussion this lesson explores.
kick off the day with a quick and fun
activity to get our hands and brains
working. In front of you should be a piece
of paper. Some of your pieces have a star
on the back of them. Remember who you
are, as I will have a special task for you
later.”
There will be a sheet of computer paper
at each student’s desk as they come in.
Each piece will say either ‘head’, ‘legs’, or
‘torso’. One piece at each table will have
a star on the back, these students will later
become ‘table captains’. I will verbally
give a verbal drawing prompt for each
piece of paper and five minutes to
complete said prompt. The prompts will
also be up on the board.
“You will be drawing part of a body within

the marked section of your paper.
Together, we will combine the body parts
and create an entire person. However, the
parts will not match each other.
“Instead, for the head, I want you to draw Students are asked to draw people
someone that does not look like you. in ways unlike themselves. I do this
They don’t have to be real, but do think because approaching the subject of
about what you like about this person. Do discrimination with a “colorblind”
they have curly hair? Freckles? A funny mentality does more harm than
nose?” anything.
Students will enter the discussion
“For the torso, draw the person wearing with a more positive view on a
clothes you think are cool. Is the person surface level difficult because they
big? Small? Glamorous?” are focusing on the things they like
about the drawings and therefore,
“For the third piece of paper, draw the legs the traits they like in other people.
of the person in a funny way. Do they
have animal legs? Banana legs?
Students are all given these
5 minutes “You will have five minutes to draw your drawing prompts so they will have
interpretation. If you forget, the prompts more of an active connection and
will be on the board. There is no right or emotional response to the
wrong here so long as you have fun with upcoming discussion on
it!” discrimination. This is because
they all had a hand in creating what
---- the discussion starts with.
“Now that we are done, those that have a

head piece please give your character a
name on the back sheet. Everyone pass
them down to the end of your table and I
will collect them.”
I do this to create exquisite corpse
2 minutes I will now arrange them in a mismatch of drawings using the pieces students
parts at the front of the class, taping them hand in. I chose exquisite corpse
together and putting their name above drawings because they are
their heads. inherently funny and engaging,
everyone gets an engaging prompt,
7 minutes “These are our new classmates! Can and because the finished drawings
anyone raise their hand and tell me a few have so many oddities, it offers
things you like about our new friends and major talking points when
why? I will start. I like how curly _____’s introducing discrimination.
hair is. (I like Sally’s legs because they
remind me of a squid. I like Tom’s dress
because it is unique.)
Using student’s own examples as

I will now be pointing to certain drawings the initial mode of exploring
and using their names. I will give them discrimination will help students
character voices and talk as if they are emotionally relate to the topic on a
talking, making sure to slow speech down level they understand, especially for
and leave room for thought. “Now, what if students that may have never
Sally (referring to the drawings and their experienced or understood
names) here said ‘I don’t like the way your discrimination prior.
legs look, Amy’? Or what if Erin said she
doesn’t like people that look like Brenden?
What if Alex said, ‘I don’t talk to people
with hair like Trent’? What do you think is
going on here?” (I think Alex is being
mean to Allison, I think they are being
bullied)”
Motivational Statement Students will make the connection

between the things they enjoyed
“But we just got done talking about adding to their creation and the
what makes these people likeable and things they like about other
unique! Why would Sally say that student’s works to the idea of
about Amy’s legs when we all like her discrimination. This is to
legs? I would be so hurt if someone emphasize why discrimination is so
said that to me, especially because I unjust in a positive, encouraging
can’t change the way my legs look.” way.
 Who can tell me what they think is

going on here? (I think this is
bullying. I think this is unfair. I
think they are being mean)
I will build off the answers students

provide and eventually introduce the word
“discrimination”. “Has anyone heard this
word before? Students relate this previous
exercise to personal experiences
 Who can tell me what they think and real-life examples they
this word means? (I think it means understand. This way, the topic of
when one person isn’t nice to discrimination is better paced as
someone else. I think it’s when a students drive the conversation with
person judges someone else.) examples they know and relate to.
 “Who can share an association
they have with discrimination? It
can be a memory, a story, a news
story, anything. (I heard this on
the news in 2020, my favorite
character was discriminated
against because of her hair, my
sibling was discriminated against
for their weight) Giving the actual definition to
students after the class discussion
“Discrimination is the unjust treatment allows them to form their own
of different categories of people. meaning and understanding of
Discrimination is based in stereotypes discrimination before solidifying it
and prejudice, and is most commonly with the actual definition. This
around race, age, sex, gender, process makes for a more
sexuality, appearance, religion, the list memorable learning process.
goes on”.
I will then briefly explain the assignment

they will be doing before showing the
PowerPoint. “Each of you will make a
piece of art about a form of discrimination
that is meaningful to you using the text
from a chosen quote and pictures. These
are called ‘calligraphy’ and ‘symbols’
respectively.”
7 minutes
Presentation/Explicit Instruction: By giving many photo examples,
students get a better understanding
I will now bring up a PowerPoint that of how a picture can mean
shows how different artists approach something more abstract and how
symbols and calligraphy. this can be supported using text.
 Who can tell me what they think

the word ‘calligraphy’ means?” (I
heard ‘calligraphy’ used with I do not show explicit examples of
writing, I think it means text.) discrimination in art in this
 Who can tell me where in real life presentation. This is to allow
can someone see calligraphy? students to first and foremost
(Advertisements, television) understand the key elements of
 Who can tell me what they notice calligraphy and symbols in art. This
about the way calligraphy is used lets students interpret their chosen
here? (The words get bigger in form of discrimination in the way
Power’s ‘Advance’ piece, the they see fit without a prerequisite
words are on a curved line in that a piece of presented art may
Weiner’s Exhibit Poster piece, the set.
words look like a picture in Melia’s
Page of Vapours piece and Eine’s
Only Human piece)
 Who can tell me how this relates to
the meaning of the words?
 (The word is “advance” and the
letters are advancing in Steve
Powers Advance, the words are
“around and high and low” and
they are doing what they mean in
the Lawrence Weiner Exhibit
Poster piece)
 “Can somebody tell me what they
think a ‘symbol’ means?”
(“I think a symbol is something that
means something else. Something
that has a deeper meaning.”)
the symbol is? (I think it is the
phone in Steve Power’s Prepay is
On piece, I think it is the bird in
Klose’s Untitled (The Past) piece)
 Given the context the calligraphy
provides, how do you know what
this piece means? (We use phones
to talk so I think Steve Power’s
Prepay is On piece shows how we
talk to people, In Klose’s Untitled
(The Past) piece I think the bird is
a symbol for being young because
it is talking about the past and the
bird is a baby, I think the symbol in
Kruger’s Untitled (Your Body is a
Battleground) is the woman
because of all the stuff women
have to do to look pretty)
 How does the calligraphy relate to
the symbols? (It says “Sad World”
and the world looks sad under a
raincloud in the first of Power’s
Coney Island pieces, In his second
Coney Island piece he talks about
making a dime and shows two
nickels which make a dime)
Although students will ultimately

choose one form of discrimination,
each student needing to explore
15 minutes “With the remainder of our time, you will multiple ideas forces them to think
choose at least three different forms of about discrimination in ways they
discrimination that you feel strongly about may have never thought were
and begin jotting down quotes for prevalent. This makes for a more
each/important people on the subject, empathetic discussion on the topic
draw any ideas and symbols you find when it comes time to conduct
relevant, and list any relevant life research and critique.
experiences or external knowledge that
applies to the topic. When we come back
to class, we will work more on this. By This is to give students multiple
then, you will need to decide on one topic thinking points for their project and
that you will create your piece on.” a head start when considering the
possibilities.
I will then hand out a sheet of possible
quotes students may choose from if they
do not have/cannot find one. I will also Assigning table captains assures
hand out large folders to each student. there is no major congregation
3 minutes around storage bins at any given
time. It also builds connections
CLOSURE: Students will store their between the students at a given
thinksheets in their folder. One student at table.
each table (the one with the star on the
back of their sheet) is responsible for
returning the folders to the proper place in A few students will share their ideas
the classroom. with the class. This will make for
“Please put your name on your folder as common ground to build empathy
well as any work you did today. Put any and understanding for
material into your folder. Those that had a discrimination. It also lends to
star on their piece of paper earlier, you will widen the scope of understanding.
be table captains. You will be responsible This is important because some
for collecting your table’s folders at the students may feel isolated or
end of each day and putting them in the concerned after the topics
class storage bin. At the beginning of discussed.
each class, you will get your tables folders
as you sit down.”
After students clean up and are ready to
leave, I will verbally ask a few students
some closure questions.
 What was one thing you learned

today? (I learned what
discrimination means. I learned We will end class by sharing
whay calligraphy means) inspirational quotes to leave
 “What was one form of students feeling empowered and
discrimination you thought of? thinking about artistic possibilities
(Skin color, weight, how someone for next class.
looks)
 What are some quotes that you are
considering and why? (This quote
is from my favorite song; I really
relate to it.
DAY 2
Structured Practice/Exploration
5 minutes INTRO: On the board I will reiterate what This is to jog student’s memories in
table captains should do: distribute their a way they better understand, as it
table’s folders as well as retrieve their is being explained by fellow students
table’s number of laptops/tablets. I will and not a teacher.
then greet the class and ask a few
students:
 Who can tell me what they
remember from last week? (I
remember making the legs for a
drawing. I remember learning
about discrimination)
 Who can tell me what they
remember about discrimination? (It
means to be mean to someone. It
means to assume something about
someone.)
 Who can tell me something that
can be considered discrimination?
(Bullying, not talking to someone
because of how they look)
 Who can tell me what they recall
about calligraphy? Symbols?
(Calligraphy is fancy writing. A
symbol is something that means
something else.)
10 minutes “We will spend another 10 minutes Discussing with others will help the
working on our think sheet from last week. elimination and decision-making
You will be allowed to discuss with other process. Students will be able to
students, brainstorm, as well as use the search and use outside sources
laptops to research further quotes and because they can then information
symbols. By the end of the 10 minutes, that is personally meaningful. By
you should have chosen one form of waiting for the second session to
discrimination to use. On the board, I bring in the technology to research
have a few websites you can use to help on their topic, students will be
find quotes.” revisiting what they already know
and have started verses scrambling
to pull ideas strictly from online.
5 minutes I will then present students with a This is to introduce and model the
demonstration of the creation process of way composition works in a given
this project. To model, I will put a large piece. I use precut pieces with tape
square piece of paper at the front of the so as to not settle on one “right” way
class. I will then have certain fonts, texts, of composing a piece. Thinking
and images premade, all cut out, and all aloud’ helps to reassure students in
will have tape on the back. I will go over their own creation process and show
some possible ways to juxtapose the text what is normal and what may not
with the images by introducing be.
composition. I will ask “Who can tell me
what they think composition means?” I will
explain this further by rearranging the cut-
out elements to create different
compositions through untaping and
retaping elements. I will be thinking out
loud the entire time, saying things like
“Maybe I will put this here? No, actually I
feel it is too close to the edge. Maybe I
will put it here so it is closer to this part of
the text. Oh yeah that looks better! That
way it guides my eye across these lines”
Transitional and Visual Questions

This is to check for understanding.
 “Who can tell me if this looks It also helps connect the visual
good? (give demo example) Why aspect of the project to their
or why not?” (“It looks very messy, planning.
it looks very busy, everything is far
apart”)
 “When I am composing this, I want
to think about space and how
much space is where. Who can
tell me where they see a lot of
space in my demo? (I see it in the
corner, the middle)
space does in a piece of art? (It
spreads stuff out)
 “When there is a lot of ‘stuff’ going
on in one part of the piece (and
give example), who can tell me
what feelings can that evoke? (“It
is busy, it is cluttered, it is like
anxiety/fear”)
 “When I use this all red and sharp
text instead of my cursive blue text,
what feelings/difference can that
evoke? (“It makes you pay more
attention to that one part. It is
more distracting.”)
 “Who can come up and give me a
‘bad/good’ example of space
use/composition?” Why did you do
that the way you did? (It is
balanced, it is cluttered, it is
equally spread out)
Students will better understand why
5 minutes I will then model how to make a thumbnails are useful and what
thumbnail. exactly they do in the planning
process.
 “Who has ever made a birthday
card that you couldn’t fit all the
letters on? Who can tell me what
that looked like?” (The ‘B’ was too
big, I started out too big)
Starting off with the birthday card
“A thumbnail would fix this because it is to demonstrates that thumbnails and
test how big or small something is on a planning are useful beyond this
piece of paper before you even touch the lesson alone while using an
paper itself.” I will demonstrate the example most students have
birthday card example by starting off with experienced.
a big box and writing “Happy Birthday”, so
the letters are too big and have to shrink to I “think aloud” here to not only show
fit on the page. “If I were to redo this, I students the steps in making a
would make a thumbnail first. You always thumbnail, but to also explains why
start a thumbnail in the shape of my final they are done this way. This helps
paper but much smaller. In this case it is a to show that students are not just
rectangle. I will mark with a line where I doing this as ‘busywork’.
want my words to sit on the paper. In this
case, I want them at the top of the card
and in the center. It helps to draw a line
down the center and a line across the
middle. This is to check for balance, so
there’s a balance between the stuff in one
section in comparison to another. I can
then either count how many letters are in
“happy” and “birthday” and then count
equally across my thumbnail, I can take
visual measurements, there is no right way
to start so long as you are happy with the
placement of everything in the end. This
will show me in miniature form everything I
will draw before I draw it so I don’t end up
cramming. If I don’t like one thumbnail, I
don’t fuss over it, I make another.”
I ask this to check for student

 Who can tell me why I might do understanding.
this before I make a piece of art?
(It helps plan, it helps lay things
out)
This mends the gap between the

I will mark out where I want everything on birthday example to the lesson.
my piece to go using big shapes and lines. This part of the demonstration is
“It helps to keep thumbnails quick and important because it more closely
simple, using lines and big shapes to map resembles what task students will be
out where I want things to be. Try to make doing themselves for the rest of the
multiple thumbnail drawings and sketches day.
this way”.
I will then demonstrate how to make a

thumbnail of the piece I demonstrated
prior to the happy birthday piece using the
same idea. “I again always start with a
box the same shape of my final paper but
smaller. I will mark this piece in the middle
so I can make sure it is balanced. I will
then mark in big shape chunks where I
want my words will go without writing the
word out. Then I will fit my letters into it. I
will also mark where I want to put my
symbols using one or two big shapes to
represent where they will go.”
“Are there any remaining questions before

we hop into thumbnail drawings and
sketches?”
“Please check in with me once you feel

confident in your ideas and thumbnails.
We will then move onto the final piece!”
Students create multiple thumbnails
12 minutes Guided Practice/Feedback: and sketches in order to explore
more than one possible
Students will be asked to create at least composition. It also reestablishes
two thumbnail drawings, any preliminary their understanding of composition
sketch work of fonts, and other ideas. and balance. They will check in
They will need to check in with me before before their starting on the big paper
proceeding to the final piece. I will also be so as to approach the final piece
walking around expressing what I feel with more confidence.
students are doing well.
This is to check for student’s

Visualization Questions individual understandings. This
way, no single student goes without
To correct any misconceptions or their misunderstandings clarified,
struggles I see students having with they are allowed to question without
composition and to spark thought, I will fear of judgement. This way, no
talk with individual students about their single student ends up doing far
pieces until day six, asking questions like worse than others if they all had to
check in before proceeding.
 What do you think makes a piece
too “cluttered”? Do you see any of It is also to check their ideas for
this in your own work? (“If a lot of strong execution before they get to
stuff is in one area and not the their final piece. This assures every
rest”) student to be confident going into
 How can you better utilize the their final project.
space in this part of your
thumbnail? (“I can make my text
bigger, I can make my symbols
bigger, I can add color in the back)
 What else could your words be
doing instead of standing on a
straight line? (They could go
longways, they can go upside
down, they can go across”)
 This is a great start! Now, if you
were to ‘break some rules’, how
would you make this piece more
interesting to you? (“Maybe I can
make my letters really big and
have my picture on top. Maybe I
can make my quote scattered and
not in a straight line. Maybe I can
make part of the quote
unreadable”)
Once they feel confident/have gotten their

green light, they can use the remainder of
class to work on their final 16x16in paper. This is to check to see if students
3 minutes understood why I did the
demonstrations I did. It reiterates
CLOSURE: “Table captains, it is that time the information in a way the
again. Please collect your classmate’s students understand because it is
work folders and laptops and store them in coming from other classmates and
the proper area.” not a teacher.
After students have wrapped up, I will

verbally ask a few students for their
thoughts.
 Who can tell me in what ways

making a thumbnail helped? (“It
helped me brainstorm. It helped
me go through a lot of ideas”)
 Who would like to share an idea
they had that did not turn out the
way they thought after making a
thumbnail? What did you do to
adjust? (“I wanted to make this
cool fire background but after
making a thumbnail I realized it
would be a lot.” I colored the
background red instead)
 Who can tell me how making a
thumbnail helped/did not help
better prepare them for their final
product? (“It helped me lay out a
bunch of ideas. It helped me figure
out where things will go later on.”)
DAY 3
Independent Practice/Application
3 minutes INTRO: I will greet the class and remind This is to refresh students’ memory
table captains to get materials. I will then on what exactly they will be doing.
ask students in the beginning of class: Some students may have forgotten
 Who can tell me what they why they are drawing small boxes
remember about our last class? with shapes in them. Therefore,
 Who can tell me what a thumbnail these introduction questions and a
is? (It is a box that helps plan. It is demonstration in the beginning
a mini version of your art) serve to strengthen the visualization
 Who would like to share their idea process.
for their final piece?
4 minutes I will then refer to a piece of square paper This is to more closely resemble the
on the board. I will use the thumbnail I work students will be doing in their
made last class and demonstrate how to own piece and strengthen the visual
translate the thumbnail to the final piece. reasoning for why a thumbnail is so
This time I will not use the taped pieces important.
from the last demonstration and instead
draw everything out.
“If this was here in my thumbnail, I am This is to model exactly how

going to put it in around the same spot on students will be transferring their
my big paper. I will mark that space in the thumbnail to their final piece. I
paper and then fit the letters in it the same demonstrate this because this level
way I did my thumbnail. Although I am of planning is not common at a 5th
drawing with a marker so everyone can grade. Showing exactly how a
see, you want to draw lightly in pencil thumbnail relates to the final piece
because you will be erasing your pencil assures students that everything will
marks before you color. When I want a fit the way they planned on their final
straight line to write on, I will use my ruler paper.
to make a line that I can draw on. You do
not need to follow your thumbnail 100% so
long as you are happy with the way your
calligraphy and symbols sit on the page.”
“When you are ready and have things This is to avoid students from
sketched out, you may come up to the congregating all at once. It also
front table and gather only the material avoids students needing to regather
you need. Be sure to also grab a small and return materials between
bag, you will put your name on this and classes. It lessens the risk of lost
temporarily store your gathered coloring class material.
materials in it when it is time to clean up.”
“Remember, first you start in light pencil This is to reiterate the method
and mark out where you want everything students should follow when
in big shapes. Then you start to fill in beginning their piece to avoid
letters and sketch in your drawn symbols. becoming overwhelmed or students
Only when everything is laid out in pencil disregarding their thumbnails
that you can collect your coloring material. entirely.
By the end of today’s class, try to have
everything should be sketched out in light
pencil on your 16x16 inch paper. Are
there any remaining questions? Let’s get
to work!”
30 minutes Students will begin sketching in pencil on

their 16x16 inch paper.
3 minutes CLOSURE: I will verbally ask students

 What quote did you end up using?
 Who can tell me one symbol they
are using and what it means to
them? (I am drawing the sun
because it is warm and reminds
me of hope)
 How did your thumbnail end up
helping you? (It helped me place
my quote, it helped me know
where to put my drawings)
DAY 4
5 minutes INTRO: I will remind table captains to get This is to give students a broader
their table’s work if they have not already. idea as to what they can do in their
I will have some more visual examples own pieces, now that they are all on
from the artists I have already presented their final paper. This is especially
on the board as students walk in. I will important at this stage as students
verbally ask: are now thinking about things like
 “Who can describe to me what they color.
see on the board?” (There are
drawings and words all in one
artwork)
this piece means? (I think it means
to be free and happy, I think it
means to love someone)
 Who can tell me what helps them
understand the meaning of the
piece? (Because they use birds
and birds can go anywhere)
 Who can tell me why they think the
artist chose these colors? (Yellow
is a happy color and it is supposed
to be a happy piece)
32 minutes “Today is a workday. I will continue to

walk around and check in with individuals.
By the end of the day, the majority of your
piece will be colored. Make sure you are
erasing your pencil lines as you go!”
3 minutes CLOSURE: Table captains will return Students get a better gauge of what
their table’s work and supplies. I will their classmates are doing so no
verbally ask a few students: one student feels isolated in the
 Who would like to share what they topic they are tackling. It also
are working on? continues to establish community
 Who would like to share a story within the classroom. It also
they feel relates to this topic? destigmatizes these kinds of
conversations about social issues.
DAY 5
3 minutes INTRO: I will remind table captains to get

their table’s material if they have not
already. I will then call on students and
ask:
 Who can tell me what they recall
doing last week? (I started on my
big piece of paper. I started
coloring in my quote)
 Who would like to share why they
chose the topic they have? (I
chose gender discrimination
because the boys wouldn’t let me
play with them last year. I chose
discrimination of African Americans
because my mom is black)
34 minutes “Today is another workday. By the end of This is important to emphasize

today, you will aim for the majority if not because students will need to keep
everything to be colored. The sixth and pace in their work in order to actively
final session we will only have a few participate in the discussion in the
minutes to finish these pieces, so be sure next session.
you are keeping track of time.”
As I walk around the class each day, I will This is to check for individual’s
be brainstorming with individual students further understanding. It is also a
about their plans and artistic choices. For way to actively reassure students
example, and give feedback.
 “This word in your quote is big and

important. What color or font could
you make it that would give it more
emphasis?” (“I can make it red
because red is in your face. I can
make it big because it is important.
I can make the words thicker for
emphasis.”)
 “What if the word you’re using is

artistically made to look like that
thing?” (“I can make the letters
look like they are spilling. I can
make the words wiggly so it looks
like they are shaking. I can make
the letters all slanted so it looks like
they are about to fall”)
 “Like the word “lonely”, what if all

the letters were spaced apart
because they are all alone from
each other? Or this word from
your quote, ‘falling’, what could you
do to make the word actually ‘fall’?”
 “How can you visually relate your
picture with the quote? (“Maybe
my words can sit on top of my
picture. Maybe the words can
wrap around the picture. Maybe
my picture can become the
words.”)
I will also briefly be showing (and thus

modeling) some successful examples of
student work to the class. I will ask these I do this to demonstrate active in-
student if it is okay that I show their work progress works and to use these
after telling them what they are doing well. pieces as launch point to further
With consent I will raise the work and emphasize the big ideas.
show it to the class, saying things like
“Larry here is doing a great job! I really
like how he made his words vary in size. I
think this makes for interesting
composition.”
3 minutes
CLOSURE: I will verbally ask some
students to share their thoughts as table
captains put away their table’s work.
 Who can tell me what kind of

issues they had when making their It is important to talk about the
piece? (“My markers were too issues students ran into and
dark and didn’t show up on my solutions they came up with to
background. My crayon was too normalize the trial-and-error
light) process. No student should believe
 Who can tell me what they did to they failed if/when they had issues
work around these issues? (“I in their piece, and hearing other
added construction paper. I students voice similar issues they
painted over a mistake. I made my had is reassuring in this way.
symbol bigger.)
 Who can give an example of a way
you emphasized part of your
quote? (I made certain words
bigger than others. I made my
words wrap around my paper.)
 Who can give me one way your
symbol relates to your big idea?
(My symbol is a fist and it looks like
it is punching the words”)
Day 6
10 minutes INTRO: Table captains will distribute their The final piece will be in a grid
table’s work. "Let’s spend the first 10 formation because it will look like a
minutes finishing up any last touches. If quilt, or collective final drawing.
you are finished, please hang your piece This is to push for the idea of
on the wall. When you do, the pieces community and unity when talking
should be aligned and touching with no about bigger questions around
spaces in between, like in a 5x3 grid.” discrimination during critique.
1 minute I will hand out the artist statement Writing an artist statement helps
worksheet after ten minutes. students adjust to talking about art,
bridging the gap between visuals
“We will work on creating an artist and writing. It also helps
statement for our piece. personalize the meanings of their
artwork.
 Who can tell me what they think an
artist statement is?” (Something an
artist writes about their work,
something that is written about art)
An artist statement is the artist talking

about what inspired their art piece, how
they made it, and what it is about. These
are personal responses. You will answer
every prompt on your worksheet in at least
2 sentences.”
I will not directly model how to write
2 minutes I will then briefly show a pre-written an artist statement, only to give an
example of an artist statement for my example and talk about it. This is to
teacher example, having used the same keep student work away from any
worksheet students will have. “I kept one example so they do not see a
things personal and meaningful. I talked given one as a “template”, therefore
directly about my artwork and my establishing the freedom students
process”. have to be open and honest in their
statements. However, I still use the
template from the worksheet
10 minutes “For the next ten minutes, we will be students will have because it will
writing our artist statements.” more closely relate to what students
will be writing about.
15 minutes Final Reflective Discussion
The remainder of the class will be spent

discussing, examining, and sitting around
the quilt of art on the wall.
Students need to enter this
“Let’s find a seat around our wall of art. conversation knowing how to talk
We will discuss each other's work, about art and experiences
describing what we see, interpreting it, respectfully because this is most
expressing how it makes us feel, and most likely a new experience to them and
of all raising our hands and being this right off the bat sets the
respectful while we do so. Feel free to, expectation.
when you are called on, share appropriate
personal thoughts or feelings that may
come up. We are creating meaningful,
emotional connections with our art and
each other in this safe space.” I will start the conversation like this
because it is a comfortable middle
 “Who can tell me what they think of ground for students that may not
our class quilt? Why does it make feel comfortable presenting or
you think of that? (I like how talking about art.
colorful it is. It makes me feel like
people out there care. It makes
me wonder about how other people
in the world deal with these
problems.) I do this to crescendo into the
association questions and really
I will build off students answers here, help students understand the power
especially ones that bring up ‘together’, behind the pieces they just made.
‘community’, and ‘oneness’, as well as
personal stories.
Association Questions Students better grasp the idea of

how art can be a vessel for
“When I see these together like this, it exploring bigger ideas.
makes me feel like I am not alone, like I
do not struggle alone in the issues I
have been discriminated for. It helps
me feel understood. Even if you didn’t
experience discrimination in a way or
form someone else has, we were still all
able to come together, learn, and
understand.
 Who would like to share their This discussion reiterates the

interpretation of a piece they like? fundamental reasons why we make
Can the artist of this piece explain work that is meaningful and
what they were going for? How personal to us. It directly shows
does your symbol, use of color, students how art can be a vessel for
and composition support that? (I talking about bigger issues and
actually made that piece based on experiences.
the time I went on vacation and...”
“This piece reminds me of self-
esteem. It makes me think of my
older sister who struggles with self-
esteem" “I actually made this piece
about being nonbinary. My chosen
colors are the nonbinary flag colors
and my symbol reminds me of my
favorite public speaker.)
 “Without naming names, who can
show us a piece that speak to you
and/or your life experiences?
Why? Can the artist of that piece
tell us what they were thinking of
when creating that work?” (“I like
the quote in _____ piece because
it reminds me of when I was 5
and...”)
 Who would like to share what kinds
of feelings came up when making
these pieces? (“I got sad for the
people that have to deal with this. I
was inspired by the quote. I felt a
little better about myself after
making this piece”)
 Who can tell me what feelings are Students talk about their feelings in
coming up now that you get to see this discussion because this is the
them all together and as a quilt? (“I age where students become
feel like part of a community”) increasingly self-conscious about
 Who would like to share their things they may feel. This further
thoughts on a piece here that expresses the idea that it is okay to
taught them something new? express these feelings and that they
What was it? Can that artist speak are inherently important, especially
on this? (“I did not know judging when we make art.
someone because of their religion
existed. I did not know people
were mean to Polish people. I did
not know the word I had been
calling my friend was mean”)
would happen if we showed our
quilt to someone that may have
once been a bully? (“I feel like
someone would see this and
change their mind about the people
they make fun of. I feel like people
would think differently about the
people they hurt.”) Students are given a chance to
reflect and internalize what they
CLOSURE: Table captains will be learned in individual, unique ways.
instructed to clean as usual. I will verbally Sharing these thoughts establishes
1 minute ask a few students as this is going on: a further sense of community and
 Who can tell me what they took comfort for talking about harder
away from our discussion today? topics, showing 5th graders that it is
(I learned that discrimination is a okay to discuss these things
big issue for a lot of different
people, I feel I understand certain
issues better) Talking about these issues is hard.
Youth of this age often recede and
“Thank you all for being so vulnerable and learn to be less vulnerable when
so willing to share your thoughts with us in someone shoots down their ideas.
1 minute discussion and in art. It is not easy, We all remember some of the first
sharing these things and being this open. times we were discouraged in our
It can even be scary, but you did it. These youth. Thanking them
conversations and shared stories may be acknowledges their work, feelings,
hard, but they are important if we are to and effort is validating and
find solutions to these kinds of issues. encouraging.
That is why I am so proud of every single
one of you. You have all made very
impactful work, work that touches the
hearts of the people that look at them. It is
projects like these that can change the
world one viewer at a time, and I truly am
so grateful.”
PowerPoint Slides:
Critical Comments and Reflections
1. Overall Teaching Surprises: The most engaged and widely interpretive student responses were derived
from the balance of less-structured student-driven dialogs and offering the structured material needed for them
to independently find answer in concepts they did not previously understand.
2. Best in each of the following sections:
2A. Student responses: The first day of class was driven by student responses. For example,
during my day 1 PowerPoint introducing symbolism and calligraphy, I had students verbally describe the
pictures they saw by asking “who can tell me what they see in this picture?” This made introducing the
vocabulary words easier as I was able to expand on their explanations rather than banking the definition to
them. Paraphrasing from student responses allowed me to go at a pace of understanding they set. I believe
the introduction PowerPoint focusing on the techniques and vocabulary words they would be directly using in
their own project helped assimilate their cognitive understanding of the project with their visual understanding
of how to do it, as demonstrated by their deepening complex verbal responses to visual questions.
2B. Questions/Dialogue: Student driven dialogue gave a bigger window for me to gauge where
students were not only in conceptually understanding, but allowed for more comfort in making and receiving
interpretations. I saw this when Hansel, on the last day, openly responded to Melrose with annoyance over her
interpretation. After some dialog between the two, Melrose punctuated this with an apology about “her
interpretation not being correct” as she had not understood a word in his piece, but I stopped and embraced
this thought. I identified how Melrose’s interpretation enriched the many possible meanings that Hansel’s
piece could offer and how her use of context clues made up for the words she did not understand. I also noted
how that dissonance of not knowing was more valuable than any possible ‘correct’ interpretation, as that simply
did not exist. I applauded Melrose in vocalizing the found meaning that made sense to her because it gave
Hansel a point of reference in considering his piece that he had not seen prior.
2C. Problem & Solving: A student’s lack of knowledge can and should be the opportunity for important
conversation. For example, during the last day’s class discussion, Melrose did not know what a ‘riot’ was, a
word that was used in Hansel’s piece. She did not want to interpret his piece because of her lack of
knowledge, but instead of asking someone else I asked her to consider her own interpretation of what hands
may symbolize, the number of symbols Hansel used, and the colors used in order to help her further interpret.
Offering Melrose more specified questions gave her the open-ended platform to interpret a piece that may
have not made total sense to her initially, as she then came to a deeply personal and engaged interpretation. I
then explained the use of context clues to create meaning in art, as this is what Melrose had just
demonstrated. Prompting students with specific questions is important for an art teacher because it gives them
the framework they need to approach art and concepts they may not understand initially while still coming to
found conclusions through conceptual and symbolic analysis.
2D. Organization: Timekeeping is essential for professionalism. After Day 1, I kept an ongoing stopwatch
at the side of my screen. I also had my script printed with the timestamps and questions I would verbally ask
during class highlighted. This assures that time in the classroom, especially when it comes to lecture and
discussion, is poignant, concise, and on-task. Otherwise, students this age can quickly disengage.
2E. Quality of Student Work: The quality of student’s work was high across the board. Based on the
feedback I gave, I saw more students shifts towards more readily utilizing the two major components we were
talking about: symbolism and calligraphy. For example, in Pablo’s feedback, I said in his feedback that he
should consider using a visual symbol to further emphasize his point. When reflecting on his piece during the
next class’s closure, he mentioned how he took the feedback to heart and added a concrete symbol. When
asked why he added what he did, he was successfully able to verbally describe how his choice in symbol
helped support his bigger idea of discrimination. This tells me he understood the technical and conceptual
vocabulary well enough to better portray his ideas in his piece.
3. Ideas for Improvement in each of the following sections:
3A. Student Responses: Student’s correct vocabulary usage informs the educator that their
understanding is solid enough to make the cognitive connection between mentally understanding a concept
and what that looks like when visually applied. Therefore, when students are responding to questions, their
classmates’ art pieces, and writing artist statements, it is important to require they use appropriate vocabulary
words. A great time to gauge this is asking that students to use at least 1 or 2 vocabulary words during
closure, as this gives the educator note of what to prepare for the next class to better support student
understanding.
3B. Questions/Dialogue: It is important to understand what students are and are not willing to openly
discuss with the class so as to organize questions to include the students that may tend to recede from
conversation. For example, allowing my two more vocal students to choose which pieces to speak on during
the final class day’s conversation left the last two students to speak on the two works left over. This was a
problem because the two pieces left over were already very similar in subject matter and concept, limiting the
conceptual conversation points that could arise. This left the last student, who just so happened to also be the
quietest, echoing vague words and short phrases that were associated with the symbols she had already used.
While this showed a base understanding of visual and word association, it did not demonstrate a deeper
understanding of discrimination until deeply prompted. In the future, I may have quieter students speak on
topics that were unlike their own to test how far their understanding of discrimination and symbols stretches, as
well as to prompt them into conversation sooner if they are not already participating.
3C. Problem & Solving: I realized I had passed-up a learning opportunity too late on Day 4. When
Melrose was interpreting Raina’s piece and said she did not know what a grim reaper was, I should have used
that opportunity to ask her to expand, perhaps break the symbol down and ask, “what do you think of when you
see skeletons” and “how does that idea relate to the quote Raina chose”? I would introduce the idea of context
clues here and how, by her creating personal meaning out of what she already understood rather than what a
grim reaper may conventionally mean, we make informed, interpretive meanings.
3D. Organization: I realized early on that I need to work on how much time I spend lingering on a given
idea. While scripting is an amazing tool for teachers, relying on it can become redundant and even robotic. In
the future, I may make direct bullet points rather than an entire script. This way, I am closer to hitting all the
key ideas I need rather than rambling, as this risks giving too much information at once and overwhelming
students to the point where they retain none of what was discussed.
3E. Quality of Student Work: Providing students early on with a rubric that reflects lesson objectives can
be a great way to assure each student reflects exactly what they understand in their final piece. For example,
after having emphasized it in a prior class, in Melrose’s feedback I mentioned how something can be
distracting if it is placed in the center of a composition, as well as her limited use of calligraphy. She
successfully identified how Pablo could make certain things in his piece more heavily emphasized with size,
calligraphy variation, and not putting elements in the center, but still made these mistakes in her own piece.
Although she demonstrated integrated learning as she understood the concept well enough to identify it
externally, she failed to do so in her own piece, as her composition sat directly in the middle and all of her
calligraphy was the same. Hansel also had a very powerful symbol and could verbally and visually
demonstrate understanding of discrimination through the artistic elements he chose, but he did not emphasize
any words or phrases with differentiated calligraphy. A rubric with exactly what is being asked for assures that
students can demonstrate their cognitive understanding both visually and verbally.
4. Differentiated Teaching: I used a PowerPoint-heavy in visuals to better scaffold student’s
understanding of vocabulary as the images were a direct demonstration of how vocabulary is applied in art.
I further demonstrated other vocabulary words with use of a mind map. This directly associated student’s
verbal responses with how I both verbally and in writing paraphrased their words. The mapping of the
vocabulary word (in this case, ‘symbol’) also demonstrated the many meanings a symbol could take on, further
supported with color coding, grouping, and visualization.
Finally, I was very hands-on for my demonstrations and modeling as not everyone can learn best through a
PowerPoint presentation or lecture alone. I used cut-out calligraphy examples with tape on the back to
demonstrate many different examples of compositions, as well as many different visual examples of calligraphy
supporting the meaning of a word. When modeling thumbnail drawings, I actively drew the process on either a
white board or on paper with my camera overhead. This in-progress visual application further supported verbal
explanation. I understand this because every student had used big shapes and fit all their words in their pieces
without squeezing, which is what I had visually demonstrated.
5. Conclusion: Students can develop deeper conceptual understandings from a wide array of resources
such as in visuals, in student-driven discussion, in answering concise questions, in writing prompts, and in
open-interpretation, so long as the scaffolded material is just as thorough, focused, and thought-provoking as
conventional verbal lecture.
Teacher Example:
Visual Board:
Big idea and thumbnail explanation

Thumbnail examples within the visual board:
Name: ______________________________
Artist Statement Outline

You will write a short paragraph detailing your topic, your personal feelings, knowledge, and
experience related to it, and your process of creating this piece. Each prompt should be answered
with at least 1-2 sentences. Artist statements are personal and meaningful, the reader should hear
your voice here!
I made this piece about __________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
This is an important issue to me because ____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
I chose this quote because _______________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
I composed my piece the way I did because _________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Name:_________________________________
Let's Brainstorm!
You will list off a minimum of three possible ideas you have for this project on the left. In the middle, you
will jot down anything you already know about the subject and personal experiences on it. On Day 2 you will
be allowed to use eternal sources to further this. On the right, you will sketch out possible symbols you can
use, calligraphy ideas, anything that you feel would help you in making your topic into an art piece. Feel free to
share ideas with other students! Ultimately, you will choose one to create a piece about.
Discrimination Research, related personal experiences

Topic Idea and feelings, quote ideas, etc. Sketches of ideas
Name: ___________________________________
Here is a list of possible quotes about discrimination to choose from. Feel free to research
and use something beyond what this list offers, though be sure to check in with me first
before you do.
“The moment a little boy is concerned with which is a jay and which is a sparrow, he can no longer see the birds or
hear them sing.” ― Eric Berne
“I think people would live a bit longer if they didn't know how old they were. Age puts restrictions on things.” ―
Karl Pilkington
“Wind does not discriminate—it touches everyone, everything. He liked that about wind.”
― Lish McBride
“I swear from the bottom of my heart I want to be healed. I want to be like others, not this outcast whom nobody
wants.” ― E.M. Forster
“If we are to fight discrimination and injustice against women we must start from the home for if a woman cannot
be safe in her own house, then she cannot be expected to feel safe anywhere.”
― Aysha Taryam
“Rather than holding so tightly to our discriminations of the external world, it would be much more beneficial if we
learned to discriminate between valuable and worthless states of mind.”
― Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
“Agreeing to disagree' isn't license to hold hateful and condemning beliefs about me as though it doesn't
negatively impact our relationship.” ― Jamie Arpin-Ricci
“Color doesn't define character, culture doesn't define character, creed doesn't define character, only conduct
does.” ― Abhijit Naskar
“Recognizing that you have a bias and blind spots is essential to personal growth.” ― Mikaela Kiner
“No American is UnAmerican.” ― Abhijit Naskar
“You cannot take vengeance on a whole people because of the doings of a few wicked men.” ― Katherine Arden
“Faced with the collective forgetting, we must strive to remember” ― Reni Eddo-Lodge
“In the unification of two minds, orientation of sexuality is irrelevant.” ― Abhijit Naskar
“The problem is, some officers put more stock in their title instead of their duty. Yes, your job title is "police." But
your duty is to protect and serve. Start there.” ― Janelle Gray
“The stigma of mental illness is first and foremost a social justice issue!” ― Patrick W. Corrigan
“Conscience is not white, black or brown. Conscience is human. It is beyond race – it is beyond religion – it is
beyond all.” ― Abhijit Naskar
"Skip the religion and politics, head straight to the compassion. Everything else is a distraction."
— Talib Kweli
“The saddest feeling is knowing you deserve freedom and still feeling caged.” ― Janelle Gray
“The problem is that rich are getting richer by not giving and poor and getting poorer by not receiving.” ― Santosh
Kalwar
“Building bridges takes us further than building walls.” ― DaShanne Stokes
“Some people would regard people who look like they do as ugly if they did not look like them.”
― Mokokoma Mokhonoana
“When we hide discrimination under the guise of 'religious freedom,' we make a mockery of human rights.”
― DaShanne Stokes
“If you can't see past my name, you can't see me.” ― DaShanne Stokes
“'If you're lying in the ditch with a truck on your ankle, you don't send someone to the library to find out how much
the truck weighs. You get it off!”
― Gloria Steinem
“We were the polite, perfectionist "good girls," who never showed our drive or our desires around men. Now we
were becoming mad women, discovering and confronting our own ambitions, a quality praised in men but stigmatized--
still--in women.” ― Lynn Povich
“Urging people to be inclusive is not an attack. It is progress.” ― DaShanne Stokes
"Islam teaches tolerance, not hatred; universal brotherhood, not enmity; peace, and not violence."
— Pervez Musharraf
“I believe in human beings, and that all human beings should be respected as such, regardless of their color.”
― Malcolm X
“A riot is the language of the unheard.” ― Martin Luther King, J
“I keep my ideals, because in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart.” ― Anne Frank
“I wish they would only take me as I am.” ― Vincent Van Gogh
“It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.” ―
Audre Lorde
“'Black Lives Matter' simply refers to the notion that there's a specific vulnerability for African Americans that
needs to be addressed. It's not meant to suggest that other lives don't matter. It's to suggest that other folks aren't
experiencing this particular vulnerability.” ― Barack Obama
“Anger and intolerance are the enemies of correct understanding.” ― Mahatma Gandhi
“Body acceptance means approving of and loving your body, despite its “imperfections”, real or perceived. That
means accepting that your body is fatter than some others, or thinner than some others, that your eyes are a little
crooked, that you have a disability that makes walking difficult, that you have health concerns that you have to deal with
— but that all of that doesn’t mean that you need to be ashamed of your body or try to change it. Body acceptance
allows for the fact that there is a diversity of bodies in the world, and that there’s no wrong way to have one.” ― Golda
Poretsky
Teacher’s Grading Rubric
Student: ________________________
1 2 3
1.) Given a class discussion Student mapped three or Student mapped three or Student
on issues of discrimination, less ideas with few and/or less ideas with a vague successfully
students will successfully nondescript list of quotes, list of accompanying mapped three or
map at least three possible symbols, external symbols, external more ideas with a
ideas related to their chosen knowledge, and/or quotes knowledge, experience, detailed list of
topic. for each. and/or quotes for each. accompanying
symbols, external
knowledge,
experience and/or
quotes for each.
Student did not thoroughly Student partially Student
2.) Given a student’s chosen explore their big idea explored their big idea successfully
quote and form of through analyzing and through analyzing and explored their big
discrimination, students will interpreting relevant social interpreting relevant idea through
creatively explore their big and cultural symbols. social and cultural analyzing and
idea through analyzing and symbols. interpreting
interpreting relevant social relevant social and
and cultural symbols. cultural symbols.
3.) Given a completed visual Student needed Student partially Student

exploration of their chosen improvement discussing discussed their artistic successfully
topic, students will their artistic process and process and thoughts in discussed their
thoughtfully discuss their thoughts in an artist an artist statement. artistic process and
artistic process and thoughts statement. thoughts in an artist
in a successful artist statement.
statement.
4.) Given a chosen form of Student needs Student moderately Student

discrimination and quote, improvement in depicting a depicted at least one successfully
students will creatively draw visual symbol that visual symbol that depicted at least
at least one visual symbol supported their big idea. partially supported their one visual symbol
that helps support their big big idea. that strongly
idea. supported their big
idea.
5.) Given a single quote, Student needs Student partially Student
students will inventively improvement modifying the modified the quote’s successfully
modify the quote’s words in quote’s words using one or words using one or two modified the
visually compelling ways two separate hand-drawn separate hand-drawn quote’s words
using at least two separate fonts. fonts. using at least two
hand-drawn fonts. separate hand-
drawn fonts.
6.) Given a 16x16 piece of Student needs Student moderately Student

paper, students will uniquely improvement composing constructed calligraphed successfully
construct calligraphed words calligraphed words and words and social/cultural constructed
and social/cultural symbols in social/cultural symbols symbols together in a calligraphed words
a compelling, balanced together in a composition composition that visually and social/cultural
composition that successfully that visually narrates their narrates their big idea in symbols together in
depicts their big idea in a big idea in a positive way. a positive way. a strong
positive way. composition that
visually narrates
their big idea in a
positive way.
Feedback:_______________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
Class Photos
This was the exquisite corpse drawing students made on the first day. They were unaware of what was being
drawn on the other half of their person until we were finished.
Here I am using my student example to demonstrate places with good composition during our conversation
about thumbnails and composition. I am referencing the eye in the piece because it is the biggest part of the
composition and therefore asks that we pay more attention to it
Here I am using my calligraphy/word association examples with tape on them as moveable pieces to
demonstrate what makes a both good and bad composition
Here, I am using my whiteboard to exemplify how I would go about making a thumbnail that would end up
looking like the piece I just made. I began with making the horizontal and vertical lines on both the paper and
whiteboard, then went in to draw big shapes. The circle with the dashes in the top right corner is showing how
I might count letters to make sure the whole word fits in a space that I like.
In this flipped video, I talk about what might make a ‘bad’ composition. I specifically reference something
sitting right in the center of the page, as well as elements being too scattered.
In the second half of the first flipped video, I go about transferring a piece from a thumbnail to a final piece in
live time. Here, we see the thumbnail at the top along with other visual and verbal notes. I began by making
my horizontal and vertical lines, and by starting with my big shapes first
In my second flipped video, I show just how many different ways a thumbnail could look and now there is no
single ‘right’ way to create one so long as it makes sense to the individual. I took many visual notes, especially
noting how in one thumbnail, when I wanted more room for something, I made another thumbnail to the side of
it instead of erasing and trying to perfect the single one.
Here I am using the visual board in the flipped video.

Some shots of students sharing their work at the end of class!
This last photo is a single student holding their work up and the class sharing their interpretations of it as well
as what it means to them.
Here I demonstrate why it is important to erase pencil lines before coloring. After putting the crayon down in
the second example, erasing it ended up smudging it.
This was the same message but a different example and medium, showing how pencil can not be erased after
it is colored over.
A mind map I made from student responses

during class; I asked them to "give examples
of symbols for the word 'hope'". On the
right I asked about and started listing color
examples of the word
This was taken during the final critique. I had students photograph their finished pieces, upload them to the
zoom chat, and I pulled them up so we could all see what peers created and discuss through my screenshare.
Here, we compare and contrasted the two pieces that had similar messages. (The student on the left was sick
one of the days and could not complete their piece).
Student Work
Pablo’s Artist Statement: “In my calligraphy piece I chose the quote “I want to break free” I love this quote
because it can mean so many different things depending on when you read it in your life. This is important to
me because I always feel like I am shackled to the histories of the past. I am tied down by peoples presumed
impressions of me that’s it’s hard to be myself sometimes. That is why I chose the flowers in the back. I wanted
to demonstrate a beauty and vulnerability that is hidden by prejudice.”
Melrose’s Artist Statement: “I made this piece about discrimination. This is important to me because I believe
everyone should be treated equally. I put hands in a circle to represent that we are all in one. When I see
hands in a circle it makes me feel we are all together as one.”
Raina’s Artist Statement:

Hansel’s Artist Statement:

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Welsh Final Bound Lesson

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Turning Inspirational Quotes

into Calligraphy and Symbolic

Grade Level: 5th

Time available for this lesson: 6 40 minute sessions

Illinois Arts Learning Standards:

1.1 Conceptual/Cognitive Objectives:

1.) Given a class discussion on issues of discrimination, students will VA:Re7.2.5

1.2 Artistic Skill Objectives:

Literature and References

Description of visual examples

Steve Powers, Untitled (Always

This Steve Powers piece will be

Lawrence Weiner, Untitled

Lawrence Weiner uses the literal

Although the meaning of the

Ben Eine, Only Human, 2020

Ben Eine’s “Only Human” font is

This Steve Powers piece is a

Anastasia Klose, Untitled (The

Klose uses one symbol here to

Kruger uses one symbol that is

Steve Powers, Coney Island is

I will introduce these last few

I like this Powers piece because

This Powers piece has a lot of

Collonials and Discrimination:

American Dream and Discrimination:

Vocabulary: Art Terms/Vocabulary/Higher Level Thinking Verbs

Discrimination: Unfair, unjust treatment of certain groups of people

“You will be drawing part of a body within

“Now that we are done, those that have a

Using student’s own examples as

Motivational Statement Students will make the connection

 Who can tell me what they think is

I will build off the answers students

I will then briefly explain the assignment

 Who can tell me what they think

Although students will ultimately

 What was one thing you learned

Transitional and Visual Questions

I ask this to check for student

This mends the gap between the

I will then demonstrate how to make a

“Are there any remaining questions before

“Please check in with me once you feel

This is to check for student’s

Once they feel confident/have gotten their

After students have wrapped up, I will

 Who can tell me in what ways

“If this was here in my thumbnail, I am This is to model exactly how

30 minutes Students will begin sketching in pencil on

3 minutes CLOSURE: I will verbally ask students

32 minutes “Today is a workday. I will continue to

3 minutes INTRO: I will remind table captains to get

34 minutes “Today is another workday. By the end of This is important to emphasize

 “This word in your quote is big and

 “What if the word you’re using is

 “Like the word “lonely”, what if all

I will also briefly be showing (and thus

 Who can tell me what kind of

An artist statement is the artist talking

The remainder of the class will be spent

Association Questions Students better grasp the idea of

 Who would like to share their This discussion reiterates the