Sequence and Organization of the Unit
Our unit goal focused on the idea of community and broadening students’ perceptions of themselves, their community, and their world through the idea of Idealism. Within each lesson we used the word Ideal to ask students how all of these things could be improved in their lives. We started broad, with the ideal world or cities and progressively narrowed the focus closer to the student in each lesson.
In the first lesson, Ideal Cities, we introduced the concept of “Idealism” and showed them that there was an infinite amount of possibilities in the world. In the second lesson, the students had a more specific focus on making creatures that would go into their ideal world. They gave the creatures ideal features that they found appealing and that related to their ideal cities they had created the week before. Next, we focused on special power masks. In this lesson they got to pick their Ideal superpower and illustrate characteristics of that power in the form of a mask. They then created a story about their mask to further illustrate the power and how it would work. In the fifth lesson, we kept the topic close to the student as we had them create their ideal room using a fresco format. This lesson echoed back to the architectural idea of the ideal cities. We finished our unit with an ideal me assignment. Students explored multi-media processes while creating self-portraits.
Our unit’s goal is to expand student’s perceptions of themselves and their community by helping them find themselves in relationship to the rest of the world. We started broad, with the ideal world or cities and progressively narrowed the lesson topic closer to the student in each lesson. Within each lesson we used the word Ideal to ask students how all of these aspects could be improved in their lives.
In the first lesson, Ideal Cities, we introduced the concept of “Idealism” and showed them that there was an infinite amount of possibilities in the world. In the second lesson, the students had a more specific focus on making creatures that would go into their ideal world. They gave the creatures ideal features that they found appealing and that related to their ideal cities they had created the week before. Next, we focused on special power masks. In this lesson they got to pick their Ideal superpower and illustrate characteristics of that power in the form of a mask. They then created a story about their mask to further illustrate the power and how it would work. In the fifth lesson, we kept the topic close to the student as we had them create their ideal room using a fresco format. This lesson echoed back to the architectural idea of the ideal cities. We finished our unit with an ideal me assignment. Students explored multi-media processes while creating self-portraits.
Our unit’s goal is to expand student’s perceptions of themselves and their community by helping them find themselves in relationship to the rest of the world. We started broad, with the ideal world or cities and progressively narrowed the lesson topic closer to the student in each lesson. Within each lesson we used the word Ideal to ask students how all of these aspects could be improved in their lives.
Methods for Integrating Literacy, Numeracy, Technology and Other Relevant Subjects
Throughout our unit, we incorporated literacy skills wherever possible. Our most prominent integration of literacy was through the "Visual Narratives" lesson plan, where we asked students to create storybooks about their special power masks. This lesson required students to demonstrate their writing and storytelling skills, integrating literacy with the art-making process. Students were shown how picture books and storytelling can also be an art form. Other methods we used for integrating literacy include the brainstorming worksheet from the Ideal Rooms Fresco lesson, in which students were asked to read through a worksheet and fill out their responses, as well as the Ideal Me lesson, when students selected adjectives to describe themselves from a vocabulary list we provided them. Some methods we used for incorporating numeracy into our unit are displayed in the Ideal Rooms Fresco lesson. In the procedures for this lesson plan, we demonstrated the steps to pouring and mixing plaster into a paper plate mold for painting on. This involves numeracy, because students were asked to follow each step in sequence, so as to end up with a usable plaster surface to paint on. Another lesson which incorporated numeracy was the Ideal Cities lesson, where we demonstrated a math problem that illustrated the number of things that are possible to be doing at any point in time in their classroom, in their community, and even in the world.
We also integrated technology into our unit. Many of the lessons had powerpoint presentations used to show work examples and historical references, but the Special Powers Masks lesson incorporated the classroom's SMART Board technology to get the student's engaged. In the Masks lesson, students were asked to come up to the SMART Board and illustrate examples of symmetry and asymmetry. The technology allowed students to interact with it, as well as pre-assess the students on what they already know. Another form of technology we used throughout the unit, were art tools and material. These included things like the clay extruder, rolling pin, and other tools used to manipulate clay, as well as plaster tape and hot glue guns.
We also integrated technology into our unit. Many of the lessons had powerpoint presentations used to show work examples and historical references, but the Special Powers Masks lesson incorporated the classroom's SMART Board technology to get the student's engaged. In the Masks lesson, students were asked to come up to the SMART Board and illustrate examples of symmetry and asymmetry. The technology allowed students to interact with it, as well as pre-assess the students on what they already know. Another form of technology we used throughout the unit, were art tools and material. These included things like the clay extruder, rolling pin, and other tools used to manipulate clay, as well as plaster tape and hot glue guns.
Stratigies for Classroom Management relevant to Lesson Plans Taught in the Unit
Every day Tamara employs an excellent classroom management technique. She gathers the students in a circle around the red rug and does what she calls the gladiator warm up. During this warm up she asks every student to give a thumbs up or thumbs down according to their mood. This is a great way to find out where students are beginning their day. It is also good way to build community because she allows students to share their stories and problems with the rest of the class.
Some students demand more time than others but we all worked at providing each student with individual interaction. Working one on one with students lets them know you are invested in them and keeps them motivated. I feel that this is the key to student success.
The classroom management technique we struggled with the most this year was clean up. The lessons at the beginning of the year were especially chaotic. Clean up gradually improved over the course of the semester. We began color coordinating tables and assigning clean up duties to certain colored tables. As we put more and more thought into our clean up the end of each day began to look brighter.
Some students demand more time than others but we all worked at providing each student with individual interaction. Working one on one with students lets them know you are invested in them and keeps them motivated. I feel that this is the key to student success.
The classroom management technique we struggled with the most this year was clean up. The lessons at the beginning of the year were especially chaotic. Clean up gradually improved over the course of the semester. We began color coordinating tables and assigning clean up duties to certain colored tables. As we put more and more thought into our clean up the end of each day began to look brighter.