Georgia Standards

South Carolina Standards

Key Vocabulary

Materials

• Small cardboard tiles with a hole cut out for stringing (several per student)
• Magazines
• Scissors
• Glue
• Oil pastels
• Modge podge sealant
• Paint brushes or sponges to apply modge podge
• Raffia/string/yarn
• Miscellaneous collaging materials like various types of paper and stickers

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

• Project an example of a collage artwork, such as a collage by Karen Michel. Ask students to work collaboratively to engage in the See, Think, Wonder Artful Thinking Routine.
  • First, students will identify what they see in the image. Emphasize that they should make objective observations about the image (i.e. physical features, colors, textures, etc.).
  • Next, ask students to identify what they think about the image. Emphasize that students should be creating inferences using visual evidence from the image.
  • Finally, ask students what they wonder about the image.
• Facilitate a class-wide discussion around students’ observations, inferences, and questions.
• Explain to students that this is an example of collage art. Ask students if any of them has made or knows about collage. Explain that a collage is an artistic work made by combining and pasting materials and images over a surface.

Work Session

• • Show students examples of collage art by Basquiat, Michel and Rauschenberg (see links in “Additional Resources”).
    • Ask students to compare and contrast the collages. Students should notice how different the artists’ styles are even though they are using the same artform of collage.
  • Tell students that they will be making a collage that tells a story.
  • Have students brainstorm a personal or fictional narrative experience. Students will need to establish the setting, characters, and main plot points.
  • Facilitate a discussion around examples of symbolism.
    • Draw or project symbols on the board such as a peace sign, a heart, a smiley face, a stop sign, etc. Ask students to tell you what each means. Then, explain that a symbol is an image that communicates meaning.
    • Explain to students that they will be using cardboard tiles and magazine images to represent these elements visually. Each tile will represent something different–one tile for each setting in the story, one tile per character, one tile per plot point, etc.
    • Have students brainstorm with a partner how they could represent each of their story elements using visuals.
  • Pass out cardboard tiles that will function as pendants on their necklaces. Have students write their names on their tiles.
  • Students will be given magazines and will cut out images and symbols that represent something from their narrative. As these images are cut out, comment on how the student has had an aesthetic reaction to the color, shape, or image and have the student reflect about this.
  • Students will glue these images onto their tiles.
  • Tell students that negative space in art is the area around the subject matter, or the “empty space”. Students will look at the negative space in their work and fill it with color, textured papers, or text.
  • Students will complete their collaged pieces by adding a touch of oil pastel to the edges, giving the pieces a border, and seal with a modge podge (or watered down glue mixture).
  • Students will then string their completed pieces onto yarn or raffia, creating a wearable piece of artwork. Remind students to think about sequencing as they choose the order in which they string their collage tiles.
    • For example, if a character is not introduced until after the beginning of the story but before the rising action, the character collage tile should probably be strung between the exposition and rising action tiles. Or, if the setting changes for the conclusion of the story, the corresponding setting tile should go after the climax tile but before the conclusion tile.

• Optional: Allow students to add additional decorative elements, such as pony beads, wooden beads, or buttons to give their necklaces more character.

• Once students have completed their necklaces, each student will write their narrative essay. Narrative writing should meet the grade level standards criteria.
  • Students should be sure to include descriptive details and sensory language, transitional words and phrases, logical sequencing, and a sense of closure.
  • Students should engage in a peer review process if time allows.

Closing Reflection

Allow students to share their personal narratives with each other, using their necklaces as part of their presentation.

Assessments

Formative

Teachers will assess students’ understanding of the content throughout the lesson by observing students’ participation in the activator, discussion of collage as an artform, discussion of symbolism and story elements, artmaking process, and conferencing with students during the writing process.

Summative

CHECKLIST

• Students can tell a narrative using symbolism through the artform of collage.
• Students can use logical sequencing when creating their collage necklace compositions.
• Students can tell a narrative through writing that includes the elements of a story and meets grade level criteria.

DIFFERENTIATION 

 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

*This integrated lesson provides differentiated ideas and activities for educators that are aligned to a sampling of standards. Standards referenced at the time of publishing may differ based on each state’s adoption of new standards.

Ideas contributed by: Debi West, Drew Brown, and Katy Betts. Technology by: Ramsey Ray.

Georgia Standards

South Carolina Standards

Key Vocabulary

Materials

• White paper
• Pencils
• Fine tip black markers
• Markers in multiple colors
• Oil pastels
• Images of Ndebele artwork

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

• Using an image of Ndebele artwork, ask students to work collaboratively to engage in the See, Think, Wonder protocol.
  • First, students will identify what they see in the image. Emphasize that they should make objective observations about the artwork (i.e. lines, colors, shapes, etc.).
  • Next, ask students to identify what they think about the image. Emphasize that students should be creating inferences using visual evidence from the image.
  • Finally, ask students what they wonder about the image.
• Facilitate a class-wide discussion around students’ observations, inferences, and questions.

Explain to students that they are looking at an example of Ndebele artwork.

Work Session

• Discuss the importance of a handprint, thinking about how each hand print is unique, just as each person is unique.
• Ask students to choose three things about themselves that make them unique. Students should complete the sentence, “I am ________, ________ and ________”.
  • Allow students to pair share.
  • Ask several students to volunteer to share one thing about their partner that makes them unique.
• Tell students that they will be using the art of the Nbedele people to inspire a “self-portrait” that shows what makes them unique.
  • Have students follow along with this chant saying:

Ndebele, Ndebele,  

With their hands they made their art! Colors, lines and shapes,  

These are the elements from which to start!
Rhythm-ong ©

• Show students on a map where the Ndebele people are from–primarily South Africa and Zimbabwe.
• Facilitate a brief discussion about the art of the Ndebele Tribe, looking closely at their colored patterned artworks.
  • Direct students to describe the types of lines used to create patterns.
  • Then, ask students to describe the color combinations that the artists use.
  • Have students conduct additional research on the Ndebele people and the role of art and decoration in their culture (see “Additional Resources”).
• Give each student a piece of scratch paper. Students should fold the paper into thirds.
• At the top of each section, have students write the adjective describing themselves that they identified earlier.
• Have students experiment with different types of patterns and lines to express each adjective. For example, if a student wrote “outgoing”, they may try a pattern that uses a bold line. If a student wrote “kind”, they may make a pattern with loopy, flowing lines instead of sharp angles.
  • Project an image of the art of the Nbedele people to remind students of the types of pattern and lines they used in their art.
• Pass out paper. Demonstrate to students how to trace their hand with a pencil onto their paper. Students will go over their hand outline in black marker.
• Using black markers, students will choose line designs from their scratch paper to fill in their hand outline. They should include one pattern for each personal characteristic.
• Tell students to select three colors–one for each characteristic that makes them unique.
• Students will then begin the coloring process. Tell students to color in the spaces between the black lines with the colors they selected, paying close attention to each individual shape created. Encourage students to “paint” with their markers by coloring their “brush strokes” in the same direction.
• Students will then embellish their art with oil pastel blending techniques using a cool (green, blue, violet) or warm (red, orange, yellow) color palette. They will go around the hand with their darkest value color first (red or violet), medium value (orange or blue), then lightest value (yellow or green) to create a “glow”.
• Finally, students will write about their artwork in multi-paragraph form.
• Writing requirements:
  • In their writing, students should include the following:
    • Who the Nbedele people are and the role of art and decoration in their culture (students should use information from their independent research).
    • How students’ art is inspired by the art of the Nbedele people.
    • The three personal characteristics they identified.
    • Which patterns and colors correlate to which characteristic.
    • How each color and pattern shows each personal characteristic.
    • How they made their artwork (what were the steps).
  • Students’ writing should be well-organized and group ideas together logically. It should have an introduction and conclusion.
  • Students should use visual art vocabulary (line, shape, color, and pattern) in their writing.
  • Students should use transitional words and phrases to link ideas and develop structure.

Closing Reflection

• In small groups or with a partner, students will present their artwork to their classmates.
  • Students should share how the artwork of the Ndebele people influenced their pattern choices.
  • Students should share the colors and patterns they used and why they selected them.

Assessments

Formative

Teachers will assess student understanding through student discussions of the art of the Nbedele people; students’ use of line, shape, color and pattern; and students’ ability to select colors and patterns that have personal meaning.

Summative

CHECKLIST

• Students can use the elements of line, shape, and color as tools of communication to create a unique artwork.
• Students can use the characteristics of the artwork of the Ndebele people to inspire their artwork.

• Students can use visual art to tell others about themselves.
• Students can explain their artwork through writing meeting stated requirements.

DIFFERENTIATION 

 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

*This integrated lesson provides differentiated ideas and activities for educators that are aligned to a sampling of standards. Standards referenced at the time of publishing may differ based on each state’s adoption of new standards.

Ideas contributed and updated by: Debi West and Katy Betts

Revised and copyright:  August 2024 @ ArtsNOW

Georgia Standards

South Carolina Standards

Key Vocabulary

Materials

• Visualizing Vocabulary graphic organizer
• 9” x 12” white mixed media paper
• Pencils with erasers
• Markers, crayons, colored pencils
• Collage materials
• Glue (if using collage)
• Sponges for glue (if using collage)
• Paint
• Paintbrushes (if using paint)
• Water cups (if using paint)

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

• Show students an artwork by the artist Roy Lichtenstein.
• Ask students to make observations about the colors and shapes that they see in the image.
• Next, ask students what the word means. Do students see any connection between the background and the word? If so, what?
• Help students make the connection between the meaning of the word and visuals that Lichtenstein used.
• Tell students that in the lesson today, students will be visualizing vocabulary through artwork.

Work Session

• Introduce the lesson by reviewing synonyms, antonyms, and homographs.
• Pass out the Visualizing Vocabulary graphic organizer (each student will need two). Assign a word to each student. Have them determine a synonym or an antonym of that word. Students should find the definitions for both words and use both words in a sentence on their graphic organizer. Alternatively, assign students a homograph and have them do the same thing for both words.
• Facilitate a discussion around examples of symbolism.
  • Draw or project symbols on the board such as a peace sign, a heart, a smiley face, a stop sign, etc. Ask students to tell you what each means. Then, explain that a symbol is an image that communicates meaning.
• Ask students how they could represent the meaning of their words symbolically, or using images. Students will brainstorm creative ways to visually show the meaning of their words. Have them draw in the third column of their graphic organizers.
• Tell students that now they will make two artworks to show the meanings of their words.
• Pass out a pencil and two sheets of paper to each student.
• Refer back to the artwork by Lichtenstein. Ask students to observe how and where Lichtenstein drew the word “Pop”. Students may observe that he drew it large, the letters make shapes rather than just lines, and that he placed the word in the center of the artwork.
• Have students draw their words with a pencil on their papers (one word per paper). Encourage them to write big and fill the space on their paper.
• Next, students will fill in the negative space, or “empty space”, around their words with images that represent the meaning of the word. They can draw, collage, paint, or use a combination, depending on what the teacher chooses. Encourage students to completely fill in the negative space of their artwork.
• Refer back to the artwork by Lichtenstein. Ask students to make observations about how the artist used color to make the word stand out.
  • Students may notice that the word “Pop” is much brighter than the other colors in the artwork, that he used a different color from the background, and that the letters are outlined in black.
  • The way an artist arranges the elements like lines, shapes and colors in an artwork is called composition.
  • Tell students that by using a color for their word that is different from the background images, it will create contrast and make the word stand out. Tell students that this is called emphasis in art.
• Now, have students go over their words with markers creating emphasis.

Closing Reflection

• Hang the artwork in the hallway or around the classroom. Conduct a gallery walk so that students can observe how their classmates interpreted their words.
• Facilitate a discussion around how students used images to represent meaning.

Assessments

Formative

Teachers will assess students’ understanding of the content throughout the lesson by observing students’ participation in the activator, discussion responses, completion of graphic organizers, brainstorming of ways to show a word visually, and artistic process as they create their artwork.

Summative

CHECKLIST

• Students can creatively use images in artwork to demonstrate their understanding of synonyms, antonyms, and/or homographs.
• Students can use color and shape to create emphasis in art.

DIFFERENTIATION 

*This integrated lesson provides differentiated ideas and activities for educators that are aligned to a sampling of standards. Standards referenced at the time of publishing may differ based on each state’s adoption of new standards.

Ideas contributed by: Debi West and Katy Betts.

Revised and copyright:  July 2024 @ ArtsNOW