Art 10 Unit 2

Title of Cubism and the deconstruction of Grade Level 10 Art

Unit form.

Teacher Madison Steenhart Number of Lessons: 3

Lessons and Classes: 10
Classes

Overview of Unit & Rationale

500 words Give a clear and concise description of the Unit. State the learning objectives –
what you intend students to learn/experience. Provide a rationale that connects your unit
with your developing education philosophy. What is the value of this learning experience for
students? How does it support and challenge their knowledge, skills and attitudes? How
does it support your developing philosophy of art education?

Students will be taught about the early 1900’s movement of Cubism. Cubism was
monumental in the ways that it challenged the status quo of high art at the time. Students
will use the knowledge gained about the cubist movement to inform the ways in which they
think about making art. Through the studio classes we will explore different forms of
artwork to help students develop their skills with proportions and perspectives as well as
their ability to use different types of medium. We will use these medias in a way that
pushes the limits of what the medium is generally used for. These new-found techniques;
breaking up images, modified shading techniques, will be inspired by the cubist movement
and help students to develop a deeper understanding of the goals the movement sought to
achieve. These goals include, showing the image as what it actually is rather than simply
what it looks like, and showing the object from multiple angles at once. We will then assess
the success of our own artworks and the artworks of others (work or peers and historical
art). Students will articulate their personal aesthetics (Likes and Dislikes) and make
connections between their own work and historical art, Cubism. They will use vocabulary
learned in class to articulate their opinions which will solidify the artistic terminology.

The teacher’s choice to incorporate Cubism was made in order to expose students to
modern art that is heavy with conceptualism; modern art is not something that is widely
understood, therefore this lesson will provide deep insight into modern art. For instance,
we will study Barques, Picasso and Duchamp highlighting their ideas and goals while we
observe their work. We will uncover why they chose to change the way art was being
created at the time and pave the way for more knowledge about modern art movement and
encourage students’ curiosity about artworks they don’t yet understand. I believe this
interest in art history will foster a positive relationship between students desire to create
artwork and to learn about artwork, which will intern make them a more successful as
artists.
 Students will engage in all four aspects of discipline-based arts education during
this unit. They will develop skills in each of these categories and dive deeper into their
abilities as an artist. Fine art is a complex subject with many facets, this lesson will help
students become a well-rounded artist with knowledge about historical arts and the abilities
to use this knowledge to inspire their own works. This unit is meant to build their skills in all
aspects, preparing them for a career in this art if they so choose. The unit allows students
to work on their abilities to abstract an image as well as improve their abilities in realism. I
have included a critique using groups to enhance student ability to be articulate about their
work. They will have prompts to help them find things to speak about and consider when
looking at an artwork. I believe that students’ ability to truly look and observe artwork is
incredibly important because it opens up a new avenue of learning for them. The skills
required when looking for minute details in art are also applicable in other subjects,
specifically in language arts when studying literature as well as in science when students
are observing a lab. Critiques are also beneficial for building confidence in one’s self. The
setting of a small group critique in a low-pressure environment teaches students how to
confidently speak to others, as time goes on and groups get larger students will be able to
articulate their thoughts without fear. This is also beneficial in many other areas such as
public speaking or self-advocacy,

Statement of Inquiry/Unit Question

The Cubist movement focused on breaking up an image and creating multiple

viewpoints. In what ways can we apply Cubist approaches in our artistic practices to
impact our ability to create meaningful artwork?

Alberta Program of Study

GLE Drawing: Drawing is a visual search for meaning. Using a variety of

materials and techniques, drawing is an individual, expressive response to
some specific experience. Such experience may come from the individual or
the group, or may result from a problem to be solved, or from direct inquiry.
SLE: Scope and Sequence
Investigate
-develop and refine drawing skills and styles
C-Control of proportion and perspective enhances the realism of subject matter in
drawing.
Record
B-Developing expertise in one particular drawing medium may further develop
personal competence.
 GLE: Composition: Composition is a search for a unified visual
statement. It articulates meaning through control of elements and
their relationships. The student organizes visual material to
generate thought and to make thought visible.

Components - use non-traditional approaches to create compositions in both

two and three dimensions
A- The use of non-traditional media affects the development of a two- or
three-dimensional object

Summary of Lessons

Lesson 1: Half Class, Art history

This lesson incorporates art history in a way that supports future art creations. The
class will explore this movement as a group. We will discuss the reasoning behind
the movement and think critically about the choices made by cubist artists and why
they might have been made. We will explore the ways images distorted and
modified feature change the audience’s interpretation. This information will be used
throughout the following lessons as students create their own artwork inspired by
this information. This supports the DBAE area of art history and culture, while we
study historical art and culture we build a knowledge base that allow students to
think deeper about their own creative explorations.
In this lesson students will also be exploring value studies to better prepare them to
shade an image. They will follow along to a video and work through some different
studies in which they will learn about shadows and how to create a convincing
object shape.

Lesson 2: 3 Classes, Studio – Shattered image Inspired by Cubism

In this lesson students are exploring their ability to manipulate a composition with
inspiration from the cubist movement students studied in the first lesson of the unit.
They will be using a grid to enlarge their images, this will help the students stay in
control of the proportions and perspectives which enhances the realism of their
drawings which we will be distorting later on. We will be using only pencil/graphite to
practice and develop skills with this specific and traditional medium, but we will be
using this medium in a way that enhances the distortion we are applying to the
image. This will help students discover ways that mediums can be used to change
a 2-dimensional drawing to make it more interesting. They will complete three
self-reflections in verbal and written formats to help deepen their thinking
surrounding their own artwork. This lesson is designed to help students enhance
their ability to interpret artworks in the future critique.

Lesson 3: 1 Class, Self Critique-

 This two-part critique lesson allows students to explore their abilities in art criticism
and expand their knowledge about aesthetics. The first part of the lesson involves a
a self critique, this critique allows students to articulate their opinions and
observations. The second part of this lesson is a written reflection that students
complete in reflection to their own art in order to articulate what they’ve learned and
what they might change in the future. This allows the teacher some insight to the
depth of thought that students demonstrate.

Unit Mapping

Lesson 1
1 Class

Resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0ki3R7q7s4
This YouTube video is shares the life and work of Picasso it will help students to understand his life
and work

Cubism presentation:

This presentation will highlight three main artists-

Pablo Picasso
Georges Braques
Marcel Duchamp

Highlighting the art works that defined cubism and the reasoning behind the movement.
Activity 1: Hook
Students will be shown a collection of artworks and then given time to think, pair, share and guess
what the ideas were and why they might have been used. No right answers are necessary here. List
ideas/guessed on the board. (will be used later)

Share video- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0ki3R7q7s4

Video information includes broad ideas of cubism.

Share slides -
Cubism originated in the early 1900s (1907-08) by Barques. Barques worked closely with Picasso
who is largely credited for starting the cubist movement with collage-based artworks - Violin and
Pipe, by Georges Braques 1913
-Share slides on these artworks

Activity 2
We will then explore
how the movement changed through time introducing Duchamp and his paints portraying movement.
(Nude Descending a Staircase, 1912)
Through class discussion
The class will discuss the artwork and the evolution of image to abstracted painting.
-The use of fragmenting and breaking up an image to create different compositions.

-Group students by table 4-5 students

-each group will come up with two things that are constant between the image and the painting and
two differences, to share with the class.

Return to slides
I will explain
how the artists came up with their ideas and why they were so monumental at the time. Showing the
timeline of the art movement

Students will participate in a whole class discussion using hot seat questioning and promting
surrounding the topic of why an artist might want to create something completely different. Or what
can we learn from this change in art?
-Students in their table groups will come up with their own definitions of art and write it down to share
with the class.

Point out differences and help the students to understand that there is no correct answer to the
question.

Closure
Reintroduce the inquiry question with an explanation of different answers. Solidify Cubism with an
exit slip
-Students will use their response to the hook

POS Connection
GLE Drawing: Drawing is a visual search for meaning. Using a variety of materials and
techniques, drawing is an individual, expressive response to some specific experience.
Such experience may come from the individual or the group, or may result from a
problem to be solved, or from direct inquiry.
SLE: Scope and Sequence
Investigate
-develop and refine drawing skills and styles
C-Control of proportion and perspective enhances the realism of subject matter in
drawing.
Record
B-Developing expertise in one particular drawing medium may further develop
personal competence.
GLE: Composition: Composition is a search for a unified visual statement. It
articulates meaning through control of elements and their relationships. The student
organizes visual material to generate thought and to make thought visible.
 Components - use non-traditional approaches to create compositions in both two and
three dimensions
A- The use of non-traditional media affects the development of a two- or
three-dimensional object

Lesson 2
Shattered Image
3 Classes

This three part lesion focuses on the DBAE concept art creation.

Resource #1: https://www.mrsdion.com/advanced-studio-art/cubism-and-shattered-images-1.html

Resource #2: Vieth, K. (1999). From ordinary to extraordinary: Art and design problem solving.
Worcester, MA: Davis Publications.

In the first class students will use grids to create a simple contour drawing that will serve as a base
for their full artwork.

They will use a grid to help them practice using proper proportions and perspective.
This lesson is inspired by Cubism and is not intended as an imitation of cubist artworks.

Activity 1
class 2 “shattering” their image.
- Using lines to break up the image and change the composition. There are many different ways
they can draw their line which are outlined in the lesson plan.
On the board show examples from resource
one-https://www.mrsdion.com/advanced-studio-art/cubism-and-shattered-images-1.html
Show student the different ways they can use the lines to break up the image like the Cubist
movement,

Activity 2 -Exploration
Students will use acetate sheets to drawing different styles of line
Students will lay the acetate of their drawing to see the effect and judge whether or not it’s helping
the image.
- Repeat 3 times and document (photos sent to teacher)
Students then choose their favourite to actually apply to the drawing.
Activity 3 Closure Formative Assessment
written responses to question prompts
-What are your overall impressions of the mood, and or feeling this composition portrays, what could
possibly change this? (Bloom’s Taxonomy level: understand)
-“How have the changes to composition you made in this class changed or enhanced the overall
mood or feeling of the artwork?” (Bloom’s Taxonomy level: analyze)

Class 3
Activity one instruction:
students will use non traditional forms of shading to fill in the broken-up images.
-Each piece of the shattered image will be shaded differently from its neighbouring pieces.
Students should experiment with different depths of shading, (from dark pieces to very light pieces)

This will help students explore different forms, depths of field, and distortion without moving the
original lines of the drawing.
Activity 2

-1 Think Pair Share Reflection in response to questions

- Why does the way an image is shaded affect its overall interpretation? (Bloom’s Taxonomy Level:
applying)
-In what ways does your artwork imitate Cubism? (Bloom’s Taxonomy level: understand)
-What differentiates your artwork from Cubism? (Bloom’s Taxonomy level: understand)

POS Connection
GLO’s SLO’s
Investigate DEVELOP AND REFINE DRAWING SKILLS AND STYLES.
A. A change in drawing techniques can express a different point of view about the
same subject matter.
B. Tactile qualities of surfaces can be rendered through controlled use of line
D. Natural forms can be used as sources of abstract images and designs.
Articulate and Evaluate
USE THE VOCABULARY AND TECHNIQUES OF ART CRITICISM TO
ANALYZE THEIR OWN WORKS.
A. Discussing the components of composition is part of learning to talk about art.
Components 2
SOLVE TEACHER-DIRECTED PROBLEMS OF UNITY AND EMPHASIS IN
CREATING COMPOSITIONS.
B. Unity is achieved by controlling the elements of a composition within the picture
plane.

Lesson 3
Final Critique:
1 Class
Resource:
Critique Cards (Self-made to facilitate conversation during critique)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/190u53_Ki0xQGo_BaoPJNasEAp64b6ewQ/view?usp=sharing
This activity has been modified
Brief discussion about the Vocabulary list previously created.

-Guiding questions should be posted somewhere visible.

Activity #1
Students in groups of 5-6 will observe and discuss their art works. Using the Critique cards. Students
will be encouraged to make observations based on the historical knowledge they’ve acquired
(similarities, and differences) what they like and why.

Activity #2 Students will write down a few sentences to describe the main topics talked about in
each of their critiques. This will be used as formative assessment.

Consolidate by using hot seat questioning to answer the guiding questions (Listen below)

-What aesthetic choices do you find pleasing about a particular art work? (Bloom’s Taxonomy level:
understand)
-How these artworks relate to famous artworks, for example cubism? (Bloom’s Taxonomy level:
analyze)
-How has art history affected the way this art was created? (Bloom’s Taxonomy level: analyze)
-Where are aesthetic choices visible in this artwork? (Bloom’s Taxonomy level: analyze)
-Why might the artist have chosen that focal point? Why is the center of the “shatter” in that
particular spot? (Bloom’s Taxonomy Level: applying)
-Compare your artwork to someone else’s’ what similarities are there? What differences? How does
that affect the overall work? (Bloom’s Taxonomy Level: Evaluate)

POS Connection
Articulate and Evaluate
USE THE VOCABULARY AN D TECHNIQUES OF ART CRITICISM TO
ANALYZE THEIR OWN WORKS.
A. Discussing the components of composition is part of learning to talk about art.