K-1: Telling Our Stories through Mixed Media - Kah Yangni

Objective/Essential Question:

Look at art in children’s book illustrations and identify the story told. Experiment with mixed media to tell a story about their life. How does composition help artists tell a story in their illustrations?

Assessment:

Students will demonstrate their understanding by creating their stories through multi-step mixed media projects. They will illustrate a main character, and incorporate at least 2 different mediums from options provided.

Key Points:

Learn about connecting our daily lives with beauty in art and visual storytelling.
Focus on positive messages and a personal connection to their artwork.
Explore making colorful painted paper to be used as collage. Encourage sharing their paper with students at their tables.

Opening:

Welcome students and read Not He or She, I’m Me; illustrated by Kah Yangni
Engage students by asking: “What is your favorite part of your day? Or week?”

Introduction to mixed media and making fancy paper:

Look at Kah Yangni illustrations and consider how she made them.
Talk about what we like about Kah Yangni’s art and why.
Talk about storytelling in one artwork. Who’s the main character, what are they doing, and what does the space they are in look like?

Guided Practice:

Provide students with paint and paper for step 1: making colorful fancy paper for collaging day 2. When completed, prompt them to sketch their idea with paper and pencil.
Provide examples on the smart board.
Encourage students to work together when making paper if they want to.
Day 2: use handmade paper to make large elements of their projects. Glue down and draw in details with marker, crayon, or oil pastels.
Encourage adding a sentence or words if they choose.

Independent Practice:

Brainstorm self stories of their favorite part of their day, place to be, people to be with.
Allow students to select their materials as needed on day 2.
Walk around the classroom to support and monitor students' work.

Closing:

Take time at the end of class to share their stories with classmates at their tables.

Extension Activity:

For early finishers, encourage them to add 3D elements to their designs with construction paper.

Standards Addressed:

National Visual Arts Standards:

VA:Re8.1.Ka - Interpret art by identifying subject matter and describing relevant details.
VA:Cn10.1.Ka - Create art that tells a story about a life experience.

4: Burlap Embroidery - Ruth Miller

Objective/Essential Question:

Learn about a new material and safety using sewing tools. Learn about quilting and the significant role fiber arts and quilting have played in Black History.

Assessment:

Students will demonstrate their understanding by using learned sewing stitches in their own unique designs. They will demonstrate caution when working with sewing needles and fabric scissors.

Key Points:

Learn how to safely use a sewing needle and fabric scissors.
Learn how to use simple stitches like drawing lines with a pencil.
Experiment with beads, felt, and other embellishments.

Opening:

Welcome students and share a Quilting and Black history video.
Look at simple embroidery patterns used throughout history.

Introduction to simple embroidery stitches:

Show how to thread a needle and tie a knot.
Demonstrate the running stitch, satin stitch, and couching with yarn.
Show videos and examples of embroideries by Ruth Miller.

Guided Practice:

Provide students with burlap squares, needle, thread, and scissors.
Provide examples on the smart board and past student work.
Encourage students to help each other.

Independent Practice:

Instruct students to outline their ideas for their design first on paper.
Transfer design to burlap squares with black marker.
Allow students to select their extra materials as needed.
Walk around the classroom to support and monitor students' work.

Closing:

Take time at the end of class to share as a group what felt good about sewing and what felt challenging. Allow them to offer suggestions to each other.

Extension Activity:

For early finishers, encourage them to add a border or extra embellishments with felt, beads, and more.

Standards Addressed:

National Visual Arts Standards:

VA:Cr2.2.4a - When making works of art, utilize and care for materials, tools, and equipment in a manner that prevents danger to oneself and others.
VA:Cr1.1.4a - Brainstorm multiple approaches to a creative art or design problem.

5: Paper Pulp Mobiles - Yuko Nishikawa

Objective/Essential Question:

Experiment with a new material. Learn and apply construction techniques for hanging objects. Consider gravity when working with durability of the materials. Make something playful or whimsical and abstract.

Assessment:

Students will demonstrate their understanding by first experimenting and crafting abstract forms with claycrete. They will show their conceptual understanding by making a mobile that is dainty, moves in the air naturally, and can elicit wonder or joy from the viewer.

Key Points:

Learn how to mix and mold claycrete.
Use bright, cheerful colors - these can be bold or pastel.
Make small, light-weight forms to hang off the frame.
Learn how to construct hanging artwork with varying materials.

Opening:

Welcome students and share images of the inspiration artists’ work.
Demo claycrete mixing and molding.
Show/communicate multiple steps of project and expectations. Emphasize small paper pulp forms for functionality and weight.

Guided Practice:

Provide students with claycrete to mix and mold.
Demo wire shaping and building a strong frame.
Demo attaching playful shapes with yarn or string.
Encourage students to think abstractly when making small, palm sized organic paper pulp shapes.

Independent Practice:

Mix and mold. Paint on day 2 when dry.
Make a sturdy frame to hang paper pulp shapes on.
Attach pieces with wire and string/yarn/ribbon (after demo).
Walk around the classroom to support and monitor students' work.

Closing:

Take time at the end of class to share as a group what they like and dislike about this material.

Extension Activity:

For early finishers, encourage them to add patterns or drawn details to their organic, playful, hanging shapes with sharpie or paint markers.

Standards Addressed:

National Visual Arts Standards:

VA:Cr2.1.5a - Experiment and develop skills in multiple art-making techniques and approaches through practice.
VA:Cr2.2.5a - Demonstrate quality craftsmanship through care for and use of materials, tools, and equipment.

6th: Exploring Zines with Tate Museum + fathom library

Objective/Essential Question:

How can students feel empowerment through the self expression of making and sharing zines? Have students identify what matters most to them and practice delivering information in a simple, concise, clear way in an 8 page zine.

Assessment:

Students will demonstrate their understanding by creating content and visuals for their zines that tell a story about themselves and/or the world around them.

Key Points:

Learn about the history of zines including perzines; personal zines
Understand how to fold an 8 page zine
Explore collage, mixed media, and incorporating text with images to share information quickly.
Consider zine making as a form of art activism

Opening:

Welcome students and share Tate museum video about short history of zines
Engage students by asking: “What is something you care a lot about and would like others to know about too?”

“How can you illustrate (make images) to share your message?”

Introduction to Zine types and topics:

Discuss the importance of communicating ideas with our communities and how it can help each other.
Show examples of zines from fathom library

Guided Practice:

Provide students with paper and scissors and guide them step by step through folding and cutting a zine. (video with steps available too)
Provide packet at each table from artist/educator Jen White Johnson
Encourage students who pick it up quickly to help/teach each other.
Show examples of steps/stages. Day 1: fold and brainstorm/plot out zine pages. Start with pencil sketches. Add outline with markers when ready.
Day 2: add outline, color, collage etc. Make copies to share with the community.

Independent Practice:

Instruct students to outline their ideas in their zine with pencil first, then outline and add color and/or collage.
Encourage students to experiment with different approaches and materials.
Allow students to select their materials as needed.
Walk around the classroom to support and monitor students' work

Closing:

Day 1: Have students share their ideas at their tables in small groups.
Day 2: Introduce a “closing circle” and ask a student to come up with a question to ask the whole class about their art experience that day.

ie: Did you enjoy making zines?
Or a more general question like: did you like the energy in class today?

Extension Activity:

For early finishers, share another mode of zine making. Encourage exploring another topic and making additional zines.
Invite them to read and look at zine examples from fathom library on the front carpet.

Standards Addressed:

National Visual Arts Standards:

VA:Cr1.2.6a - Formulate an artistic investigation of personally relevant content for creating art.
VA:Cr2.1.6a - Demonstrate openness in trying new ideas, materials, methods, and approaches in making works of art and design.