Art
in its Contemporary Setting
Taught by Kyra Rice
10th Grade at Dolores Huerta High
27 students
daily lesson plans
MONDAY
- week
one
OBJECTIVE
Giving Students Voice, Create Class Manifesto: Students will have defined
the terms, values, conditions and rules of this classroom's cultural environment
in a class manifesto. Create journal covers with manifesto written on
it.
Create Journal Covers with Manifesto: covers constructed out of a choice of papers that teacher brings to class. The class manifesto will be written/displayed on journal covers.
INSTRUCTIONAL
MATERIALS
Students already have journals for this class and are to bring them to
class every day. Teacher will bring to class at least 40 pieces of paper
from my collection for journal covers. Glue stick for Victor (see special
considerations). Colored pencils and markers are already in class. One
journal cover decorated and assembled for demonstration. Computer in class
for student who has special writing needs.
SPECIAL
CONSIDERATIONS
There is a student, Victor, who has Multiple Sclerosis and has difficulty
with tactile motor skills, although he can type relatively well. He has
a journal that is designed so that you may insert blank pages for sketches
and printed pages for journal entries. I will encourage Victor to do as
much as he can and offer assistance when he needs it with folding and
placing cover onto his journal. I will offer Victor the option of typing
out the manifesto and pasting it to journal cover, but he will be encouraged
to design background with colored pencils and markers himself.
PROCEDURES
- 35 minutes: class gets settled, teacher to ask students what they understand
the word "manifesto" to mean, writing volunteers' responses on the board. When no more volunteers the teacher will write standard American dictionary definition
of the word "manifesto" on board. Teacher will ask students to consider a manifesto for this
class room's cultural environment with the objective of creating a "safe
space" for students to talk openly and freely about journal reflections,
and personal and artistic issues as they relate to their artworks. Class will engage in discussion. As the discussion evolves students will be asked to
write down any issues that come up for them that may be important to consider
for the class manifesto. Teacher will also participate in discussion and
journal note taking, revealing her own thoughts, issues and conditions for a safe classroom culture. Rules of the manifesto will be enumerated and written on board by a volunteer to be copied by each student and written on their journal covers.
- 5 minutes: teacher will demonstrate how to fold and put on journal covers
from one she brought to class.
- 15 minutes: students will choose paper, and begin to design and assemble journal
covers. Manifesto is to be written on the cover of the journal. If not
completed, they have manifesto written down and can complete at home as
homework, designs may evolve throughout semester.
SAMPLE
STUDENT PRODUCTS
Students will have defined a safe space for themselves and
for group the group as a whole. Students valus and goals for the class
will be defined as a group and will be visibly written on their journal covers
as their own class manifesto.
ASSESSMENT
Every day throughout semester participation will be assessed on a scale
of 1 to 3 points. 3 points if participated and engaged, 2 points if engaged
but participating minimally, 1 points if participating but not in an effective
way that dispalys the student is engaged with issue at hand, no credit
if disruptive, and/or never participated, had nothing to add when called
upon and seemed disengaged.
Final outcome of class manifesto will be graded as credit for entire group if completed by end of class and 1/2 credit if it flows over to next day because of a lack of student participation.
The journals will be assessed throughout the semester (including cover design) each week for credit if being used as suggested by teacher, or no credit if student fails to use it as a resource each week. Teacher will assess and take notes on each student's journal each week.
REFLECTION
By having it visible at all times on student journal covers, the safe space manifesto frames all of the written and reflective work students will do in their journals. With
the manifesto journal covers I am intentionally making them highly visible
with the hope that it might stimulate conversation for my students outside
of the class with other students, friends and family so that they can
continue the discourse on what it means to honor a safe space for open
dialogue.
Another aspect of the student creation of the manifesto is to begin engaging the students in critical thinking skills; discussing and clarifying class objectives, assesing thier own and others' conditions and rules as appropriate or not tose objectives.
LITERACY
ASPECT
Students will be "speaking out loud" about what is necessary
for them to feel safe when discussing personal issues as they relate to
violence, current events and their own art. Discussion will foster an
environment where students will be exploring what makes them feel safe
or not. As the discussion evolves students will be writing any issues
that come up for them, that did not get addressed in the discussion, that
may be important to consider for the class manifesto. Teacher will also
participate in discussion and journal note taking, revealing her own thoughts,
vulnerabilities and conditions. Students and teacher together will thereby
be creating the safe space they need as their terms and conditions are
revealed, defined and implemented then written out as the class manifesto
encasing (enshrining even) the journal work they do.
TUESDAY
- week
one
OBJECTIVE
Students
should have basic understanding of the term "propaganda" and how art was
used as propaganda during WW1.
INSTRUCTIONAL
MATERIALS
Slide projector, slides of WW1 era art works, slide list, prepared lecture
notes on slide show, instructor's journal.
PROCEDURES
- 25 minutes: slide show and lecture. Students to be taking notes.
- 3 minutes: revisit "safe space" class manifesto
- 15 minutes: class discussion of key points of slide show and notes that
students took during sideshow lecture. Teacher will remind and emphasize
key points of lecture if I do not hear the students addressing them during
discussion from their notes.
- 7 minutes: students will sketch and write expressing how the material
makes them feel and what they think on a personal level about material
covered.
SPECIAL
CONSIDERATIONS
Victor will use computer to type his journal reflections and notes on
lecture. Blank pages have been inserted for any sketches he may want to
do. Help Victor insert his printed pages at end of class.
SAMPLE
STUDENT PRODUCTS
Students will leave class knowing how to define "propaganda"—with
a written definition in their journals—and how it was used in the
arts during WW1 era. They will also have written reflective thoughts about
material covered. An example journal reflection would be: "I never knew
what 'propaganda' meant. Now that I do I feel like I can understand what
is presented to me in some of the arts and in advertising a little more;
what I see could be some politician's opinion or agenda they are trying
to push on me....instead of just seeing it and thinking 'that's just the
way things are.' I'm really glad that I know this!"
ASSESSMENT
To be determined in weekly journal assessment. Participation to be assessed
each day as described on Monday.
REFLECTION
What I am hoping for toady is that with this issue of propaganda the students
will understand that they can in fact take a more critical look at the
visual culture they are immersed in and know that what they see is not
necessarily what IS. I hope this will empower them to some extent in the
direction of the projects that follow about commentary and encourages
the students to eventually take an active role in the creation of their
visual culture...not just be subordinate to it..
LITERACY
ASPECT
-homework 1. Journal writing: Where do you see propaganda used in our
world today? What forms does it come in? Can you identify it? How do you
feel about propaganda when you identify it; do you believe in it? do you
let it influence the way you think about an issue? never, always, sometimes?
-Students will be asked to take notes on slide show and lecture as a means
to understanding propaganda and WW1 era art.
-Class discussion of notes taken during lecture
-End of class journal reflection: sketches and/or writing expressing how
the material makes them feel, what they think on a personal level about
material covered.
WEDNESDAY
- week
one
OBJECTIVE
1. read local news
2. Reveal the similarities (propaganda) and differences (presentation) in what is produced in the arts today as compared and contrasted with WW1 era art.
3. Familiarity with format of the post card during WW1 era and its propagandistic power.
INSTRUCTIONAL
MATERIALS
Slide projector, slides of WW1 era post cards, slide list, prepared lecture
notes on slide show, list of venues for student to find post cards locally,
instructor's journal.
PROCEDURES
-25 minutes: students present their findings from homework. Ask the question
'what is and what is not propaganda?'. Create a more thorough understanding
of their knoeledge of propaganda as it was used in WW1 era and apply that
knowledge to their contemporary findings.
- 15 minutes: present slide show of Post card art of WW1 era. Students
take more notes on what the different imagery means or implies.
- 10 minutes: explain homework (see literacy aspect bellow) .
SPECIAL
CONSIDERATIONS
Victor will be using computer for note taking. It is very important at
this point to try to make the discussions as engaging as possible, and
the slide shows INTERESTING for these kids. The first few days of this
unit are quite academically challenging. I do not want to loose Tavious
and Rosa!
SAMPLE
STUDENT PRODUCTS
Students will have an expanded understanding of the power of the post
card for propagandistic use. Sample journal note: "Post card were the
only way that people could communicate with each other over seas. Every
person who was at war and every family member who wanted to communicate
with loved ones would send post cards...that's A LOT of post cards circulating
around the world! And a lot of people who were vulnerable to their loved
ones at war and the patriotism of those guys fighting, all looking at
and being influenced by the stuff on the cards."
From the homework they will be able to identify propaganda in their own surroundings and begin thinking more critically about their visual culture. Example journal reflection: "I saw a commercial on TV about some SUV and it said that it was 'the American way of life...something to be proud of.' Well I am an American and our family only owns one small car that my mom has to take to work. My brother and I have to take the bus to school..and my dad is all about 'fuel efficiency'. Are we less American because we do not own a SUV? I'm proud of our life without no SUV!" This would be a great discussion catalyst for the war in Iraq, the US's oil interests as associated with US value in oil and a guilt free excessive oil consumption...who knows where the conversation will go. The point is to encourage the kids to start thinking more abstractly and conceptually about their visual culture so that they can begin to participate and take an active role in it—through advertising or the arts.
ASSESSMENT
To be determined in weekly journal assessment. Participation to be assessed
each day as described on Monday.
REFLECTION
I know that a lot of these students do not have much support for their
school work at home and I am concerned that even as they watch TV—which
could be a source for their homework—they will forget or just not
to do their journal reflections. I hope that the kids that DO come to
class with reflections will encourage the kids that are not, that it is
not that hard, that what I am asking is that they look more carefully
and critically at what they are already staring at every day.
LITERACY
ASPECT
-Discussion of students journal reflection homework, note taking during
slide show with follow-up discussion of key points.
-homework:
1.
find, read and write a summary on current event form newspaper, news magazine,
or the web
2a. FOR Friday students are asked to bring in 3 postcards from 3 different venues. Give students a list of recourses where they can find post cards: Quantity Post Cards in North Beach, art gallery stores; card stores, parties or all ages clubs will have promotional post cards, etc. AT LEAST ONE OF THEM HAS TO ADDRESS ISSUE OF VIOLENCE, CURRENT WAR /EVENTS, OR WW1.
2b. Write journal entries for each: -discussing formal elements: materials used, composition, type of art or representation, propaganda? commentary? beauty? etc., - why student chose that piece; what they like, dislike; what they think about the content; and what venue they found each post card in. Bring post cards to class. Due next Monday.
THURSDAY
- week
one
OBJECTIVE
Students understand some of the origins of violence from material covered
so far as well as current war situation and events.
INSTRUCTIONAL
MATERIALS
Journals, news paper article addressing local violence or current war
situation. Prepared discussion points and question for class discussion
PROCEDURES
-5 minutes: revisit class manifesto
-10 minutes: students present current events.
-25
minutes: engage discussion, encourage students to talk about the violence
that occurs in their lives. Must be handled with delicacy. Ask if what
is going on in the world today, in their homes, in their 'hood, in the
country, and in this moment in history have any connection. Most importantly
discuss what we can do to eliminate violence from our community, and interactions.
Give students a list of community outreach services for youth of domestic
violence
- last few minutes: begin a drawing/painting in journal of your reaction
to today's discussion, finish tonight as homework. This can be in any
medium and any style—expressionist, cartoon, impressionist, literal/figurative,
etc. Also encourage students to think about today's discussion when being
out there in the community and finding their post cards.
SPECIAL
CONSIDERATIONS
Must be extremely sensitive to the fact that some students come from households
that have domestic violence and others who can not even imagine that but
are well aware of the violence that has been occurring within their own
communities. If a student reveals domestic violence at home (because we
have done such a great job of creating a "safe space" for open dialogue!)
I will talk to the student privately, offer help from a specialist, as
well as inform him or her of community outreach services for youth of
domestic violence. I will also report it to the principal.
SAMPLE
STUDENT PRODUCTS
Students will leave class with a knowledge of how community, society and
political climate have an influence on individual lives and may contribute
to stress at home and in the streets. Students will have different perspectives
on eliminating violence as well as beginning to think about how they can
have an active roll in eliminating it from AT LEAST their own interactions.
Sample Journal reflection: student sketches an image of a waist sight,
a large hole in the ground that is filled with guns to be buried. People
of many races are gathering at the hole and dumping their guns into the
hole voluntarily. A large tractor is drawn at the edge of the image with
its shovel full of dirt raised over the hole.
ASSESSMENT
To be determined in weekly journal assessment. Participation to be assessed
each day as described on Monday.
REFLECTION
My hope is that students will become aware of the fact that their are
alternatives to violence—even though it is present in society and
throughout history—but there is help out there if they are subject
to it or inclined in that way.
LITERACY
ASPECT
-Revisit class manifesto
-discus istudent summaries on current events with student note taking
-discus issues of violence in our everyday lives as it applies to current
events, students and teacher take notes on discussion
-discus students' notes and key points.
FRIDAY - week one
OBJECTIVE
1. Students will have a clear understanding of the fact that with careful
observation and critically thinking about what is going on around them
they can have an impact on their worlds through their own art and expression.
2. Overcome any obstacles students may me encountering with material or homework.
-INSTRUCTIONAL
MATERIALS
-Post card collection for students to choose from. Here are a few
examples:
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A dog, carrying a piece of meat in his mouth, saw the reflection of it in the water; and snatching at the shadow lost the meat itself... ... German has lost the prosperity she had so laboriously acquired in the vain endeavor to obtain the mastery of the world.
|
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 |
1918: Austrian Fieldpost. Lithographed postcard. Scarcer lithographed postcard from W.W.1 depicting a soldier with Austro Hungarian eagles. |
|
W.W.I.: The flags of the French Infantry troops |
W.W.I. Self made Field Post Card 1916: A piece of bark from a birch tree was the material for this unusual piece of postal history. An additional piece of moss has been added. |
|
|
Man on horse, "Die Heim..." (Ludwig Koch 1918) The postcard shows a man famous for wondering the trenches and taking injured men to medical aid. (example of WW1 Poast card art that is not propaganda in nature) |
|
WW1: Mocking card Russian Tsar in Galicia Ca. 1916: "What the Giant did in Galicia". postcard depicting the Russian Czar blowing away the European soldiers. |
6th Austrian War Bond: M. Lenz, Postcard Saint George on a white stallion fighting against a dragon. This postcards was issued by the K.K. priv. Wiener Bank Verein for promotion of the 6th Austrian War Bond. |
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-
List of web sites for students to research WW1 post cards
1. Propaganda Post Cards: http://www.ww1-propaganda-cards.com/
2. The World In a Post Card: http://members.ozemail.com.au/~rodeime/postcards/
3. Graphic Witeness: Visual Arts and Social Commentary: http://www.graphicwitness.org/ineye/pcs5c.htm
4. WW1: An Almost Forgotten Language: http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-slang/ww1.htm
-
List of hip-hop sites relevent to social commentary:
1. Latino hip-hop at Bownpride.com: http://www.brownpride.com/
2. Asian-American social commentary at About.com: http://chineseculture.about.com/cs/socialcommentary/
3. Boogie Down Productions: http://www.mp3.com/boogie-down-productions/artists/12/summary.html
4. RapNews.net: http://www.rapnewsdirect.com/News/2004/11/01/Rap.Soc.Cons/
5. Isreal in the 21st Century: http://www.cicweb.ca/Israel21century/arts/hiphop.cfm
-instructor's journal
PROCEDURES
- 3 minutes: revisit class manifesto
-
10 minutes: have students volunteer to show and discus their journal art
from yesterday's discussion. (Not all students need to show their work
with class.)
-
25 minutes: Present post card collection. Given the background they now
have, have students formulate 2 - 4 questions regarding how these peices
are propagandistic in nature. Begin discussion and answering questions
as students formulate questions.
-
15 minutes: Explain homework assignment for next week: 1a. - students
will choose 3 post cards from collection that teacher brings (or 2, and
1 of the three they find themselves from Wed.'s homework). 1b. Research‹from
class lecture notes or the web. Write a list on board of web sites where
students can research the cards they chose and a list of rap and social
commentary sites (see instructional materials for list). Student are to
describe each: imagery, formal elements, historical content, and message.
1c. write personal commentary, poem, song or rap about ONE card. (if you
need inspiration or insight go to the web sites listed.) TWO OF THESE
POST CARDS WILL BE DISPLAYED AT THE ARMISTICE FAIR AND YOU ARE ENCOURAGED
TO PERFORM YOUR RAP OR SPOKEN WORD.
OR
2a. Create a post card that addresses the issue of VIOLENCE, CURRENT EVENTS/WAR
SITUATION, OR WW1. 2b. preliminary sketch of imagery you choose, materials
you will use, and describe the content/ propaganda or message. 2c. Write
personal commentary in the form of a poem, song or rap that will accompany
your post card. TO BE DISPLAYED AT THE ARMISTICE FAIR AND YOU WILL BE
PERFORMING YOUR RAP/SPOKEN WORD. Due next Thursday.
SPECIAL
CONSIDERATIONS
If students feel overloaded with the homework I will consider reducing
the number of cards from Wednesday's homework from 3 to 1. If student
only does one then post card must have to do with violence or war and
I will direct them to Quantity Post Cards in North Beach in that case.
ASSESSMENT
This assignment will be graded "A - F". If students designed their own
post card they will be graded "A - F" for each portion‹the post card and
the research/commentary. If the student did a thorough job of note taking
in class Tuesday and Wednesday (the lecture and slide show on those days
covered all of the imagery on the post cards that teacher brought into
class today) or researched the post card thoroughly from web links provided;
wrote thoughtful commentary in the form of spoken word or a rap student
will receive an "A". If they created there own post card and the image
presents some kind of comment on the relevant issues and is well crafted
student will receive an "A." If students rap is relevant to the imagery
and provides some social commentary they will receive and "A" for the
commentary portion of their grade.
If student did all research but not a thorough job of it, but have a relevant rap they will receive a "B". If student left out some of the research and does not have commentary that is applicable to the post card they will receive a "C" for effort and time put into it. Any effort less than the "C" or incomplete work will receive a "D". Incomplete projects where no research has been done and no commentary written will receive and "F".
SAMPLE
STUDENT PRODUCTS
Taviuos designs his own post card with imagery of violence and destruction,
a lot of blood and gore and weapons. He performs a rap about how the violence
is "killin' me...it's killin' me." In his journal he defines the images,
materials he used and the content of the imagery. This post card is very
literal and direct in it's display of violence but lacks commentary; it
simply is a display of violence. The rap addresses the social commentary
very well however. This project would receive an "A-" only because I would
have liked to have seen the post card imagery present some commentary
on the violence in addition to a depiction of the violence itself. His
rap successfully achieved that end. By just looking at the card I can
not tell if he is "getting into" the violence or trying to reveal it.
We see these images of violence around us all the time...what is his image
trying to say?
REFLECTION
The idea here is to get the students involved in making art that gives
them a voice in their worlds.
LITERACY
ASPECT
- Discuss how students as artists can have an impact on their immediate
surroundings and in the greater societal picture with their own commentary.
VOICE ACTIVATION:
- WW1 post card research from notes or web resources provided in class.
- commentary in the form of a spoken word or rap. .
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Culminating
Activity:
Armistice Fair