EDUC 3501 – DEF

Ryan Massini 001092214

Curriculum Ideologies Assignment (Week 1)
October 18, 2017
ED3503
Mini Unit Plan Assignment

Part 1: Unit Overview

What are the “Big Ideas” of this program?

In the front matter:
Our goal is to give the students an individual, visual, learning, communication,
creative, cultural and environmental experience through visual arts.

In the Concepts:
Our goal is to introduce students to multiple mediums.

What are the “Big Ideas” associated with this particular unit?
Breaking down the specific GLE’s in the front matter:
Individual Experience: pride in achievement, a sense of worth, practice in
making decisions, enabling the child to grow in: individuality, self-awareness,
creativity.
Visual Experience: contribute to the child’s development of perceptual
awareness in manufactured forms.
Learning Experience: an understanding of art media and their appropriate use,
an understanding of the expressive content inherent in visual forms.
Communication Experience: ability to express through images
Creative Experience: experiences with various media and art materials,
examining and exploring a variety of visual communication forms and purposes,
contemplating possibilities and exploring the imagination as a source of images,
expressing feelings and individual messages.
Cultural Experience: awareness of cultural aspects of the visual arts, an
appreciation of artistic accomplishments.
Environmental Experience: visual arts are an integral part of daily life.

Part 2: Unit Rationale

Within the front matter of the ART EDUCATION program outline there are a few
general expected outcomes that overarch the entire K-9 programs. The front
matter is very important to the development of the student’s: pride, perceptual
awareness, comprehension of visual imagery, self-expression and cultural
awareness.
Pride comes from the student’s ability to create and understand art pieces. Their
“validation” comes from having an “audience” to share their creations. Positively
encouraging the students to create something new or “their own” helps the
students self-expression. Teaching children how to communicate their emotions
in a productive way. In doing this, the student will learn a solid foundation in
visual imagery or visual communication which is a key part of literacy.
Understanding meaning behind symbols or imagery is a necessary part of
adapting to our culture. I chose specific outcomes within this front matter to help
create a project that encompasses as many of the program fundamentals as I
could.
Component 2: Students will impose standards on designed objects and invent improved versions
Component 3: Students will interpret artworks for their symbolic meaning.
Component 6: Students will employ surface qualities for specific effects.

Purpose 2: Students will illustrate or tell a story

Purpose 3: Students will decorate items personally created
Purpose 4: Students will express a feeling or a message
Purpose 5: Students will create an original composition, object or space based on supplied
motivation.

This assignment I created is very current and popular and will easily grab the
focus of all students. By studying a very popular and topical medium like comic
books I am also able to introduce elements of self-confidence, self-esteem, and
pride in character. Comic books may seem silly, but for some young people,
being able to attach a sense of self to their heroes gives this medium a lot of
meaning. Teaching the basics of a very popular artistic medium will help the
students with artistic fundamentals such as: color, design, movement,
perspective, as well as honing their drawing and painting skills. Beyond this,
however, the medium lends itself well to encompassing the crux of the front
matter.

This lesson has individual, visual, learning, communication, creative, cultural and
environmental experiences built right into its foundation. Visually, the comic book
aesthetic is unique and creative. Within this project the students are learning a
new medium (comic books), a mode for creating comic book panels (pencil, ink,
paint), art fundamentals (drawing and painting), and are also analyzing and
interpreting their values and interjecting these elements into their own artworks.
Culturally, the superhero genre is very prominent, so I thought it would be
prudent to use the student’s natural interest to my advantage. Visual
communication elements are involved in the creation of their “heroes” because
the students will be using “visual cues” and “symbols” to represent the ideals of
their characters.

This lesson plan was designed with the intention of making a deeply personal
connection with art. Comic books are just the vehicle to what I’m truly hoping to
accomplish. I want my students to realize that there is more to art than just
simply drawing a photorealistic picture. Art is deeply personal and is an amazing
tool for self-expression.

Part 3: Driving/Key Questions

What is a hero?
How am I like a hero?
What do I like about me?
What makes me special?
These are the general personal questions my students will be addressing.
Within the ART ED curriculum I am addressing questions like:
What is the significance of color?
What emotions do specific colors convey?
How do I show multiple perspectives?
How do I convey action in a still image?
How do I best “frame” an image?
How do I show depth?
How are comic books laid out?
What elements do comic books have? Comic book covers have?

Knowledge and skills I’m assuming are already in place:

A basic understanding of drawing and painting
How to handle paint
How to properly use paint and paintbrushes
A basic understanding of foreground and background
A basic understanding of juxtaposition
A basic understanding of shading
Primary and Secondary colors
A basic understanding of what primary colors are used for
 Comic Book Heroes Lesson Plan
Date
Teacher Name Ryan Massini 06/10/2017
(DD/MM/YYYY)
Subject Area Art Grade 5/6
Topic Comic Book Study Time 3 x 60

Front Matter:
Individual Experience: pride in achievement, a sense of worth, practice in making decisions,
enabling the child to grow in: individuality, self-awareness, creativity.
Visual Experience: contribute to the child’s development of perceptual awareness in
manufactured forms.
Learning Experience: an understanding of art media and their appropriate use, an understanding
General Learner of the expressive content inherent in visual forms.
Outcome(s) Communication Experience: ability to express through images
Taken from Alberta Program Creative Experience: experiences with various media and art materials, examining and exploring
of Studies
a variety of visual communication forms and purposes, contemplating possibilities and exploring
the imagination as a source of images, expressing feelings and individual messages.
Cultural Experience: awareness of cultural aspects of the visual arts, an appreciation of artistic
accomplishments.
Environmental Experience: visual arts are an integral part of daily life

Grade 5/6 Specific Outcomes:

Component 2: Students will impose standards on designed objects and invent improved versions
Component 3: Students will interpret artworks for their symbolic meaning.
Component 6: Students will employ surface qualities for specific effects.

Specific Learner Purpose 2: Students will illustrate or tell a story

Outcome(s) Purpose 3: Students will decorate items personally created
Taken from Alberta Program Purpose 4: Students will express a feeling or a message
of Studies Purpose 5: Students will create an original composition, object or space based on supplied
motivation.

Concepts:
Drawing and Painting

Students will be able to:

1) Students will create an original composition, object or space based on supplied motivation.
Learning 2) Students will express a feeling or a message
Objectives 3) Students will employ surface qualities for specific effects.
What do you want your 4) Students will learn and execute new drawing and painting techniques
students to learn? 5) Students will experience various media and art materials.
6) Students will examine and explore a variety of visual communication forms and purposes.
7) Students will contemplate possibilities and explore the imagination as a source of images.
Assessment 1. First Lesson will have two developed characters (one “hero” based on their personal values
How will you know your and one “nemesis” based on something they would like to change about the world. Both
 characters will be sketched with pencil, traced with ink, and (if time permits) painted. Images
will be in the comic book styles they have studied during class, including at least two personal
observations regarding comic book style.
2. Second Lesson will be the “cover of the comic book, cover will have some sort of action where
students have learned? the student has utilized a technique they have observed in class. The cover will be sketched,
outlined with ink, and painted appropriately.
3. Third Lesson will be a single cell from within the comic book. This cell must show a unique
perspective using a technique learned in class and through observing source material. This
cell will be pencil and include some shading to show depth.
Materials
What resources will you  Comic Books as source Material, Paper, Pencils, Ink, Oil Paints
need?

Introduction - We will watch a 2 minute clip of a super-hero movie! We will then have a brief discussion about
(attention grabber) what makes a “hero”.
Body Hero and Nemesis -
(Activity #1) - Teacher Actions
o On all the desks, there will be an assortment of comic books.
o I will divide the class into groups of 3 or 4 and ask the students to flip through the comic books
and make relevant notes which pertain to the provided worksheets.
o The worksheets as the students to establish a hero and a nemesis, list traits of a hero and a
nemesis and describe visuals which represent these ideas.
o Next, I will get students to list what “good” traits they have. EG) they recycle, they love their
pets, etc.
o Students will then pick one of their “good traits” and list “visuals” or “symbols” which
represent this idea and create their own superhero which uses one or more of these visual
cues.
o Now, they will need to brainstorm ideas of an appropriate “nemesis” to battle their
superheroes.
o List ideas and visuals, which contradict those of their hero.
o Quick color lesson reminder…Heroes are generally primary colors (eg.superman, spiderman,
etc.) and their nemesis usually has contradictory colors (eg.the joker, green goblin, etc.)
o When the “heroes” and “villains” are designed, I will give a lesson on how to recreate the look
of a comic book cover.
o First, I will demonstrate how to do a basic outline in light pencil
o Once that basic image is done (no need to erase) I will show how to outline the “good aspects”
of the character with a sharpie.
o This is the outline in which the students can now paint their characters using appropriate
colors
- Student Actions
o Students will use the provided comic book materials to make observations about comic book
art.
o Observations of note should include, shape, size, color, etc.
o Students will have worksheets to guide them and their observations
o Students will be asked to think about themselves and what they like about themselves or what
makes them “good” and then list “visuals” that represent their ideas
o Students will design their own Heroes (based on their own character traits) and invent a
Nemesis for their hero
o Students will use the pencil, ink, paint aesthetic common to comic book covers to represent
their heroes and nemesis.
- Assessment Evidence
o By the end of class students will have created their own Hero, used pencil to outline the image,
 ink to define the edges and oil paints to give their heroes a color palette.
o They will also have designed a nemesis for their hero using the same method.
o Their creations will be left in class, because we will now use their heroes and nemesis for the
next two parts of the lesson
o The SLO’s being studied in lesson one are:
Purpose 3: Students will decorate items personally created
Component 2: Students will impose standards on designed objects and invent improved versions
Component 3: Students will interpret artworks for their symbolic meaning.
Purpose 4: Students will express a feeling or a message
Purpose 5: Students will create an original composition, object or space based on supplied
motivation.

- Transition Details
o I will congratulate everyone on their incredible heroes and ask them to think about how comic
books show “action”. Next lesson we will be designing their comic book cover, wherein their
two characters will be “doing battle”. Students will be asked to think about their creations and
what they stand for….how might these two arch-rivals engage in a comic book battle? How do
still comic book images show “action”?
Comic Book Cover – Our Heroes in Battle–
- Teacher Actions
o
- Student Actions
Body o
(Activity #2) - Assessment Evidence
o
- Transition Details

Comic Book Panel – A Lesson in “Perspective” –

- Teacher Actions
o
- Student Actions
Body o
(Activity #3) - Assessment Evidence
o
- Transition Details
o

Closure  Specify how you will summarize/review student learning of today’s objectives
(consolidation of
 Articulate how you will connect previous lessons to upcoming lessons to promote engagement
learning)
HERO AND NEMESIS

Who are these guys:

What do you notice about their poses?

What do you notice about their colors? (hint: consider their outline as well)

DESIGN YOUR OWN SUPERHEROES!!!

Look at the comic books in your groups. Make a list on this page about everything
you find interesting!
(Hint: This can be ANYTHING you like….their poses, their costumes, anything!)
NOW, LET’S THINK ABOUT YOU

You are going to design your own superhero, based on

you!!!
Think about the heroes you just looked at, now think
about yourself. What “good” qualities do you have? What
do you believe in?
This could be anything. List all the things that make you a
good person, nothing is too weird (remember, there’s a superhero called Matter-Eater
Lad. So, yeah…nothing is too weird)
Take the next 5 minutes or so, and just list all your amazing qualities!

HOW DO WE REPRESENT YOUR HERO VISUALLY???

Now, pick one or two of your BEST traits from above…how can we represent this
visually? With symbols? (like Green Lantern) With a “weapon?” (Like Thor) With
colour? (like Superman) Maybe with all three? It’s up to you…
List all the ways you can think of below…
(Hint: If you need ideas…we can always ask google)
Now, Let’s draw a basic idea of your hero!
EVERY HERO HAS A NEMESIS
List 5 differences between Superman and Lex
Luthor. (Hint: mostly based on their looks in this
picture)

NOW WE CREATE YOUR NEMESIS

LIST AS MANY THINGS AS YOU CAN THINK OF THAT CONTRADICT YOUR HERO:

HOW DO WE REPRESENT YOUR NEMESIS VISUALLY?

Now, look through your list of your hero’s BEST traits from above…just like before…
but this time think of the opposite types of imagery
Your Hero’s Nemesis should look and feel like the opposite of your hero
List all the ways you can think of below…
(Hint: If you need ideas…we can always ask google)
Now, Let’s draw a basic idea of your nemesis!