Digital Unit Plan Template

Unit Title: Abstract Expressionism unit plan Name: Hoa Phan

Content Area: Content Area: Visual Arts ( Drawing and Painting ) Grade Level: 7th-8th grade
CA Content Standard(s)/Common Core Standard(s):
Visual and Performing Arts: Visual Arts Content Standards.(VAPA)

1.0 ARTISTIC PERCEPTION

1.1 Use the element of arts and principles of design to analyzes and evaluate artworks from art movements.
1.2 Student will demonstrate their artistic process and show how artworks correlate to Abstract Expressionism.
1.3 The elements of arts and the principles of design will be use to explained the effectiveness of art styles in Abstract Expressionism.
2.0 CREATIVE EXPRESSION
2.3 Student will create an original work of art in analogue form as well use digital mediums.
2.5 Artworks from student will have a central idea that connect to themes from Abstract Expressionism.
3.0 HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT
3.2 Student will compare, contrast, and analyze of art from Abstract Expressionism and relate the artworks to their art in the from of reflections and discussions.
4.0 AESTHETIC VALUING
4.1 Students will make connections and form independent opinions on artists and their artworks from Abstract Expressionism.
4.3 Students will use concept and main ideas in abstract art to construct an interpretation on artwork from art history.

Big Ideas/Unit Goals:

Main Questions
What is Abstract Expressionism?
What did these abstract painters paint and why?
How can you incorporate their techniques and philosophy into your paintings?
Big Ideas
-Abstract expressionism started in the early 1940's
-Abstract artist wanted to broke from the norm of figurative art.
-Abstraction is about the raw mood and raw emotion instead of a narrative.

Student objective/goal

-Students will be able to recognize Abstract Expressionism.

-Students will be able to explain and infer themes in abstract art by examining the material, color, and style.
-Students will know the key figures of the Abstract Expressionism Era.
-Students will learn the techniques used by abstract artist like Pollock's drip technique.

Unit Summary:
 In 1939, Pollock visited the Museum of Modern Art, this is where he began experimenting with abstraction and non-figurative
work. This is believed by some to be the start of Abstract Expressionism era. In the following years, many artists began
experimenting with non-figurative painting and diving into the subject of raw emotions invoked by colors and strokes instead of
paintings of conventional people and places. Jackson Pollock drip technique was one of his most iconic painting styles and was said
to be invented in a barn. At the height of Pollock popularity in 1947-1950's, he was the feature in a four-page spread, in Life
magazine for his paintings. Even though the Abstract Expressionism movement was said to be like nothing the art world seen at the
time many artists brought inspiration from the previous generation from the early modern art era. Students will learn the history
of abstraction and how abstract artists used painting techniques to create mood. In addition, students will play with interactive
digital content for sketching and inspiration. A program like Pixelator and WeaveSilk lets student experiment in real time how to
make and develop interesting composition and ideas for their artworks. The goal of the unit is for students take what they learn
from the lesson and prior experiences to create unique abstract art.

Assessment Plan:
•Discussion on Abstract Expressionism.(What Formative: Summative:
movements inspired the Abstract Expressionism •Questions- How can you (the student) use •Final painting project using action painting
artists.) action painting techniques?
•Survey of famous artists in the 1940s-1960s. • •Test on the history of Abstract Expressionism
(Who used Action painting?) •Timeline of major events before, middle and movement
after the movement.
•
•Concept maps of each artists' techniques and
styles.
•
•Quiz- draw 3 examples of different painting
techniques.

Lesson 1 (Teacher Lecture) Abstract Expressionism Presentation

Student Learning Objective: Acceptable Evidence Lesson Activities:
- The goal of this (Assessments): Student will be doing an Abstract Expressionism worksheet that follows the presentation
lesson is for -Completed worksheet.
students to learn -Answering questions
about the history during lecture.
and major artists
of the Abstract
 Expressionism
movement.

Lesson 2 (Webercise/ iPad Lesson) Art Quest!

Student Learning Objective: Acceptable Evidence: Lesson Activities:
-Students will learn about Completion of Art quest Students are to complete the Art Quest activity by researching online to answer the questions.
the different styles and with all questions
techniques used from the answered.
art movement.
Lesson 3 (Graphic Organizer)
Student Learning Objective: Acceptable Evidence: Lesson Activities:
-Students will learn about -Rubric Timeline of Helen Frankenthaler. Student will view videos and articles on Helen Frankenthaler and show
one of the key artists from -completing timeline why she was a dominant figure in the art world.
Abstract Expressionism
and form individual
opinion of her artwork and
life.
Unit Resources:

What is abstract expressionism? - Sarah Rosenthal- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG9jQBj1eqE

Jackson Pollock documentary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfwUxQrDGqw
Willem de Kooning _ Abstract expressionism - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnOk8mj3n5I
https://www.moma.org/interactives/destination/#

Useful Websites:

Understanding Color https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qj1FK8n7WgY&t=98s

http://bomomo.com/
http://www.pixelator.co/
http://weavesilk.com/