NAME: _______Nora and Emma_______________________

DATE: ________10/09/223____________

Plan for an Art Experience

Title: D is for Dinosaurs
Grade Level or Course: Kindergarten

OVERVIEW
Generative Topic for Inquiry (Big Idea):

Description of the Big Idea/Generative Topic for Inquiry to be explored and relevant Contemporary
Artists (historical artists may be included as well):

Write a short paragraph here that describes the Big Idea/Generative Topic for Inquiry to be explored in
this lesson and how the artists included in the unit relate to the big idea. As a reminder, you should aim
to include contemporary artists; in this case, those whose work can be accessed in Georgia museums and
galleries. Works by historical artists can be paired with those of contemporary artists (see your Teaching
Contemporary Art with Young People book for examples). Picture books that offer artistic content or
illustrations are also a suitable option for inspiration.

Relevance for Learners:

What are the characteristics of the learners and the context in which you are teaching?

Mrs. S’s classroom involves a diverse array of kindergarten students. The students are high
energy, but are nonetheless attentive and excited about art. These students are in their third
month of their first year of formalized public education. Mrs. S has noted that because of this,
her students are at different stages of learning and are still in a very exploratory stage of their
lives. Mrs. S has also pointed out to us that, because her students are in early stages of learning,
she enjoys seeing them play and become acquainted with their materials.

How and why is this lesson relevant for the learners?

Such context is relevant to the structure of our lesson because it informs our mindset behind
allowing time for the kindergarteners to play with the clay as they mix colors. Becoming well
acquainted with one’s materials as an artist is crucial to the creative process, even if such
engagement is not evident in the final product.
How does this lesson address the diverse social and cultural contexts of the students in your class? (one
paragraph and/or bulleted list)

- Allows time for students to learn a material through play

- Play is not something that students get to engage in throughout the school day
- The students in Mrs. S’s class do not exhibit signs of physical disabilities, so all of the students
will be physically able to play with the clay and make an imprint with their chosen
dinosaur/object
- Our chosen artist, Hessa al Ajmani, uses the imprints of objects from nature in her pottery in
order to address themes of time, place, and records. Providing students with an example of a
non-western artist, who bases her work off of local/seasonal flora brings attention to diverse
cultures and ways of making.

Rationale grounded in Contemporary Theories of Art Education:

Write one paragraph about how this lesson is grounded in contemporary theories of art education. You
should refer to specific authors, book chapters, articles, or theories discussed in the course and include
appropriate citations.

We feel as if this lesson is grounded to some contemporary theories of art education and artists because
many contemporary artists use three dimensional materials in their art processes and works of art. So,
in this lesson plan we are introducing a three dimensional material (air dry/ model magic clay) for the
students to creatively shape into a shape they want. Then the students are learning how to press molds,
meaning they get to do and see how pressing an object into the clay leaves a print, which many
contemporary artists are doing such as the artist we are going to b e showing as an example.

Enduring Understanding:

These are broader, more conceptual understandings about art that extend beyond this specific lesson.
What are the big things about art that you want students to begin to understand through this lesson?
Choose 1 from the National Visual Arts Standards. If you need to adjust it slightly to fit the focus of your
lesson, that is fine as well.

● Students will understand:

○ The process of creating a record of a physical object through the process of
“Printmaking”
○ How to connect with materials through play
○ The relevance of play in a creative process
○ Skill principles such as color mixing, printmaking, etc.

Essential Question:
(What provocative question will foster inquiry and understanding of the big idea and lesson concepts?
Start with the NVAS essential questions as a guide but write your own version of a question that works
for your specific lesson. One essential question is enough. Keep in mind that an essential question gets as
what is big and important for students to understand; it is different from a discussion question.)

How can I explore the process of printmaking through play with new materials?

Standards

(Use the NAEA National Visual/Media Arts Standards and the GA Visual Arts Standards to locate specific
standards for your chosen grade level(s). Choose up to 3 that are most relevant to your lesson. You must
address at least two of the following: Creating, Presenting, Responding, Connecting)
- VAK.CR.1
- VAK.CR.2
- VAK.CR.4
- VAK.CR.5
-VAK.CN.1

Objectives:

(These are specific to your lesson. In order to help students develop the above enduring understanding
and respond to the essential question, what specific things should students learn by the end of this
lesson?)

Students will:

- Students will listen to a brief presentation about the relevance of the project (as it is based on
Mrs. S’s broader unit of the alphabet) to the letter “D” and will be introduced to the idea of
creating a record of an object by pressing it into another material.
- Students will watch a demo on how to create a press mold
- Advise against smashing the toy dinosaur into the clay or not pressing hard enough
- Advise that the students keep their clay at the right thickness so that the toy dinosaur
does not press through the clay.
- Inform students of the fact that the colors will not mix easily and that they will have to
work as squishing the clay together
- Students may leave the colors relatively un-mixed if they want to have “swirls”
in their clay
- Students will be given two colors of primary clay to mix by rigorously squishing it together
- Students will get to play with the clay as they mix it. Playing with the clay will act as a
sort of kneading that encourages the colors to mix easier.
- Students may choose between dinosaurs to imprint in their clay. Through this process they will
learn that only the shape of the dinosaur, and not the color will leave an impression
(Consider objectives related to: 1) artistic habits, perspectives, and attitudes; 2) important knowledge,
concepts, or ways of thinking; 3) artistic skills and practices)

Once Sentence Artmaking Prompt: Create a fossil of your liking using the modeling clay and plastic
dinosaurs.

Learning Tasks (Evidence of Understanding):

What instructional and art-making activities will assist students in demonstrating understanding? In
other words, what will students do and/or make that will show they have learned what you set out for
them to learn? (Will they discuss the work of an artist? Will they investigate an artwork and present their
interpretations to the class? Will they experiment with certain art techniques or materials? Will they
learn specific artistic skills or ways of working? Will they participate in a peer feedback session? Etc…)

What is the role of the students in the art-making processes within this experience?

Remember that you want students to create art that comes from them, not you. Ask yourself these
questions to avoid an entirely teacher-directed approach: Will students generate ideas? Will the art-
making allow for students’ stories (real or imagined) and/or voices (ideas, opinions, commitments, etc.)
to come through? Will students have opportunities to work like artists (i.e. take risks, problem-solve, play
with materials, make choices about materials, collaborate, research, learn from others, etc.)?

Important Vocabulary and Definitions (defined appropriately for grade level):

Artist Information for Art Experience 1

STOP HERE FOR PRACTICE LESSON

START HERE FOR GROUP LESSON PLANNING ACTIVITY

Classroom Environment:

The classroom environment is part of the learning experience. What special steps might you take to
create an environment that is especially inspiring or suitable for this unit?

How does this lesson demonstrate a commitment to culturally sustaining approaches to pedagogy
(refer to Buffington, 2019)?

Instructional Activity (discussion, feedback, presentation, etc.):

Preparation:

List the resources and/or materials you will need in order to execute this experience. As much as
possible, include images and informational resources that you need for the experience either within the
plan (links) or in an appendix. Also, list anything you will need to do in order to prepare (understand
certain content knowledge, stage the classroom, etc.)

Clean-up Procedures:

(Specific procedures for putting away student work, art materials, cleaning student work areas, etc.)

Assessment (SAVE FOR A LATER DATE):

How will the students’ understanding and work be assessed?

● The students' work will be assessed by their ability to mix their clays together and create one
along with pressing the dinosaurs into the clay and making a fossil. The students will have full
range of creativity when it comes to what colors they use, how they mix their colors, what shape
they make their fossils into, and which dinosaurs they choose to press into the clay to make
their own fossils.
● Before the lesson we (the teachers) will go over and demonstrate the material and how to use it
properly, this way the students know and understand what we will be making. During this time
we will ask and answer any questions that are relevant.
● During the experience we will check for understanding by walking around, conversing about why
they may have chosen to do certain things or what the student may be thinking about, and help
and answer any questions the students may have as they work.
● At the end we will ask the class as a whole what they enjoyed most about the assignment, if
they would do it again, do they like the material we used, how else could you use that material,
and answer any questions they may have.

Create assessment criteria that evaluate student understanding based on:

● The big idea, enduring understanding, and essential question

● Your objectives for this art experience

Consider:

● Initial assessment
○ Will it be helpful to assess a learner's prior knowledge before or at the outset of the
experience?
● Progressive/Formative assessment
○ How will you check for understanding during the experience
● Final/Summative assessment
 ○ How will you assess what students understand, know, and can do by the end of the
experience?
○ Include rubric(s) if applicable.

Differentiation (SAVE FOR A LATER DATE):

● We will address the needs of students with disabilities by providing any and all assistance. Such
as, if the student needs to sit closer due to a hearing or vision impairment during the
demonstration then we will do so. The demonstration will also be through the projector type
thing so all students can see and learn by a visual demonstration. We, as the teachers, will also
make sure all accommodations of any IEPs are met. This lesson is great for students with tactile
and sensory requirements, because it allows the students to have a very hands-on experience
with what they are making. This lesson is not culturally jarring for any student, but allows them
to have creative freedom with the materials provided.

(How will you address the needs of the diverse learners in your class? This includes not only students with
defined disabilities, but also: students who may learn best through movement, tactile experiences, visual
instructions, etc.; culturally and linguistically diverse students, and more)

LEARNING PLAN
(STEPS FOR IMPLEMENTING THE ART EXPERIENCE)

This is a script of how you will lead the art experience—what you will say and do—and how students will
respond.

Consider:

● Begin with a “hook” to grab students’ attention and get them engaged
● Move to instruction, discussions, learning, and art-making
○ Be specific. For example, stating “discuss an artwork by a specific artist” is not specific.
Describe what you will say about the work, what questions you will ask the students,
what discussion strategies you will use, etc.
○ Make sure to describe what students will do in response to your instruction/activities.
For example, if you list discussion questions, also list anticipated/desired student
responses.
● Build in formative assessment/feedback time where needed
● Provide closure at the end of the experience. For example, review key concepts, essential
questions, etc.

The Teacher will: The Students will:

(adjust headings and timing as needed) (fill out this section when relevant)

Prior to the Experience

 ● Will make sure there is enough ● Come in and sit quietly on the rug.
materials for all students. ● Listen to the instructions.
● Make sure each student's name ● Ask questions.
is written on a piece of paper for ● Watch a demo.
students to place finished ● Ask questions.
projects on.
● Make sure dinosaurs are out on
the tables to be ready to be
used.
● Cut clay packets in half to get
ready to distribute.
● Go over instructions and then
demo.

Instructional Time (time: 5-10 minutes)

1. Stand at the board, waiting ● Students come in, sit on the rug very
patiently for students to come in quietly and ready to listen.
and sit down quietly to start
instructions.

2. Ask the students if they could ● Students answer the question, and ask
guess what we may be doing in any questions they may already have.
class today, or are working with,
and then answer their questions
or acknowledge their answers.

3.Watch the letter D video. ● Students listen and sing along to the
letter D video.

4. Go over instructions or general ● Students listen to instructions and watch

ideas of what we are doing and demo, ask questions.
making, ask students if they have
any questions, and then show them
the demo and answer any
questions as they may come up
while doing the demo.

10
Making Time (time: 20-25 minutes)
 5. Teachers will make sure all Students will begin to work in their spaces,
supplies are passed out, and go rolling their clay together, and stamping in their
around helping the students if they dinosaurs to their clay how they want to, and
need any help opening packages or
raise their hand to ask any questions they may
simply just checking out and
have.
conversing about their work and
choices that they are making in
their art.

● As students start to get done
teachers can make sure to
remind students to put
dinosaurs on the tray, their clay
on the piece of paper with their
name on it, and then make sure
to take their art work to the
drying rack and give them blocks
to play with until the end of
class.
● Students put their clay on the piece of
paper with their name on, raise their
hand for the teacher to come get it to put
on the drying rack, and then sit and wait
patiently until they receive blocks or
something to play with during free time
until the end of class.

Sharing and Closure (time: 10 minutes)

7. Teachers will ask students to ● Students will clean up, putting blocks and
clean up and put all the dinosaurs dinosaurs in the tray on the table and
and blocks from free time on the then sit quietly and wait for further
tray in the middle of the table and
instruction.
then put down their heads quietly
to wait for further instruction.

8. Teachers remove trays from
tables to help clean up, and then
while they are sitting quit with call
on or announce which table can get
in line to line up to leave.
● Students sit quietly, wait for their table to
be called, and then quietly walk and line
up.

9. Ask students to be quiet, and in a ● Students line up, stand quietly, get a
line to make sure they are ready for stamp on their hand from their teacher,
their teachers to pick them up. And and one person may receive an art star if
as they go out the door give
the teacher seeks it.
everyone a stamp, and if they want
to, the teacher can give an art star
to the person they think deserved
one or worked the best that day.
add numbered rows as needed
Reflective Notes (SAVE FOR LATER DATE)
● Everything went as planned and well. Students were excited, and most students had
never worked with clay or a three dimensional material before the lesson. Students
asked questions and really paid attention to the instructions and demonstration, and
then did exactly what they were told when it came time to work. The students enjoyed
and liked that it worked with their sensory motor skills, they loved the feeling of the clay
and some didn’t want to stop playing with it! All students enjoyed the creative freedom
they had by picking out what dinosaurs they wanted to use and how they wanted to
stamp them in their clay. Once they were done we ass teachers collected all students'
clay and put it on the drying rack for them, and then gave them blocks to play with until
the class time was over and it was time to go. The students really enjoyed the play time
as well because we gave them blocks and suggested since they still had the plastic
dinosaurs at their table to play with, that they maybe make homes for the dinosaurs to
live in and they really liked that. Overall, the lesson as a whole went great!