Megan Ford-Eubanks Unit Overview Olentangy Liberty Middle School 6th Grade Gifted 2013-14 UNIT OVERVIEW Unit

Theme: Identity Unit Essential Questions: How does digital media affect visual culture? How does digital media different from other forms of artmaking? In what ways are you familiar with digital media? How do artists express their identity using digital media? How does digital media affect your identity? In what ways do you examine digital media for personal meaning? How can you use digital media to express yourself? Unit Key Concepts: Artists often incorporate digital media into their artmaking. Artists use digital media in a variety of ways. Identity is constantly affected by visual culture. Visual culture has become more complex due to digital media. Artists often express their identity through their artmaking. LESSONS LESSON 1: Creating a Traditional Self-Portrait Description: In this lesson, students will be introduced to the self-portraits. They will research an artist from a pre-determined list, locate that artists self-portrait, and explain how they think the life, period in which the artist lived, and technique of that artist affected the meaning of the self-portrait. Afterward, students will learn and demonstrate the basic facial proportions and create their own self-portrait in a traditional medium. Ohio Academic Content Standards Met: 2PE: Discover and articulate how the media forms of the day use art and images to communicate messages and meaning. 2PR: Experiment with a variety of techniques and working methods when creating an original work of art. 6RE: Develop and use criteria for self-assessment and to select and organize artworks for a portfolio. Artist(s) Discussed and Used: See attached sheet for Artist Study for students.

Lesson 2: A Look at Identity through the Lens Description: In this lesson, students will discuss visual culture and the impact it has had on their identity. Students will examine and respond to self-portraits/portraits from contemporary photographers. Using their knowledge of traditional self-portraits from Lesson 1, students will compare their portraits using new media techniques and evaluate the changes in what is being communicated (i.e. stereotyping will also be discussed). Afterward, they will develop a conceptual plan and design for how they can communicate their identity through a photograph. Students will then work on pairs to photograph each other, while learning how different camera functions affect the photograph and the meaning being communicated. Ohio Academic Content Standards Met: 1PE: Describe how art and design elements and principles are used in artworks to produce certain visual effects and create meaning. 4PR: Transform perceptions and processes into two- and threedimensional artworks. 4RE: Defend artistic decisions using appropriate visual art vocabulary. Artist(s) Discussed and Used: Cindy Sherman William Wegman Nikki Lee Bill Jacobson Jeffery A. Wolin Yasumasa Morimura Lesson 3: Identity through Consumerism Description: In this lesson, students will discuss consumerism and how it affects their identity. Using their knowledge of how digital media has affected portraiture, they will then evaluate how material culture has influenced the definition of identity and how it can be communicated through a work of art. After examining artists who work with material culture as their subject matter, students will reflect on how material culture has affected their own identity and what artifacts/objects they imbue with personal value and memory. Using that knowledge, students will select an artifact/object and photograph it (while taking into consideration how the photograph will communicate meaning). Afterward, they will consider how the meaning communicated by the original photograph is continually altered as they work through the series of exercises using GIMP. Ohio Academic Content Standards Met: 3PE: Compare and contrast visual forms of expression found throughout the local regions and in different cultures. 2PR: Experiment with a variety of techniques and working methods when creating an original work of art. 5RE: Assess personal progress to improve craftsmanship and refine and complete works of art. Artist(s) Discussed and Used: Fred Wilson (Mining the Museum)

I would like to think that objects have memories, and that we have memories about certain objects, Wilson says, a lot of what I do is elliciting memory from an objects. Andy Warhol, 100 Campbell Soup Cans, 1962. Andy Warhol, Brillo Boxes, 1969. Claes Oldenburg Andreas Gursky (Prada Series) Lesson 4: Identity through Digital Postcards Description: In this lesson, students will continue to explore their identity as they revisit their original photographs from Lesson 2. Through selected examples, students will discuss how the artists were able to evoke particular meanings and emotions through their artwork. Students will also examine how text affects the interpretation of the image. Using their original photographs,as well as both other found and created imagery, students will create a series of 3 postcards expressing some aspect of their identity. After creating their first 2 postcards, students will participate in a selfassessment and group feedback activity that will help refine their ideas and improve the interpretation of meaning within their artworks. Upon completion of their postcards, students will use Richard Serras Verb List, as well as play strategies, to continue altering their photographs and explore how their choices alter the existing meaning. Ohio State Academic Content Standards Met: 2PE: Discover and articulate how the media forms of the day use art and images to communicate messages and meaning. 5PR: Engage in visual problems of personal or social relevance showing focus and persistence to complete the task. 3RE: Explore and discuss how aspects of culture influence ritual and social artwork. Artist(s) Discussed and Used: Frank Warren, PostSecret Barbara Kruger Lucas Samaras Richard Serra, Verb List Play Strategies Trinidad Mac, Auliffe Lesson 5: Refection on the Digital Media Approach to Self-Portraits Description: In this lesson, students will discuss the criteria for evaluating the artworks and using those criteria, they will assess their own artmaking (created both through traditional media and through digital media). They will reflect on the successes of both methods, as well as the meanings conveyed through each artwork. Each student will then have another student examine their artwork and discuss the meaning and emotion they observe within it. Afterward, students will be presented with an assessment rubric where they must provide information about the techniques they used and the meaning they created in their artworks. Finally, students will be given a post-unit survey, where they will evaluate how the techniques and ideas they explored have affected their interest in digital media and their use of technology.

Ohio State Academic Content Standards Met: 1PE: Describe how art and design elements and principles are used in artworks to produce certain visual effects and create meaning. 3PR: Generate ideas and engage in thoughtful planning when solving a visual art problem. 6RE: Develop and use criteria for self-assessment and to select and organize artworks for a portfolio. Artist(s) Discussed and Used: Students can reflect on artists within the group discussions.