Middle School Lesson Plan
Movable Activist Murals APPROPRIATE IMAGES TO CREATE COLLABORATIVE ARTWORK that sends a message
For this lesson, students work in groups to
CHOOSE ONE ISSUE OR TOPIC THAT THEY FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT. They will appropriate images that relate to their topic. The students will be able to create an activist commentary between their important issue and the environment that the mural will be positioned.
EXEMPLAR
MATERIALS • Transparency Paper • Sharpies • Paint and Paint Brushes • Magazine and Newspaper Clippings Lindsay Abramo - Master of Art in Teaching School of the Art Institute of Chicago
7th Grade Irma C. Ruiz Elementary School 2410 S. Leavitt St., Chicago, IL 60608
S t u d e n t W o r k
ARTIST INSPIRATION
Margaret Kilgallen
Barry McGee
Murals in the Community
Lindsay Abramo - Master of Art in Teaching School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Lindsay Abramo Lesson Plan TITLE: Movable Activist Murals GRADE LEVEL: Late Elementary (7th grade) TIMELINE: Three 45 minute class periods DESCRIPTION: For this lesson the students will explore activist art by creating their own movable murals that address an important issue or topic. These murals will be constructed on transparent film so that they can be moved around and become part of the environment they are located, much like graffiti and mural artwork that is found throughout the city. They will draw inspiration from the artwork of local mural artists and three contemporary artists, Margaret Kilgallen, Jennifer Mannebach, and Barry McGee. The students will work in groups and choose one issue or topic that they feel strongly about. Each student will be responsible for appropriating an image, from magazine or newspaper clippings, that relates to their topic. They will have to work together to figure out how to incorporate their image within the collaborative mural. The students will be able to create an activist commentary between their important issue and the environment that the mural will be positioned. Essential Questions: • What social issues are important to the students? • How do students understand street art and activist art? • How can students work together to create a visual commentary about their chosen issue or topic? OBJECTIVES: • Students will use elements of art to appropriate images from magazine and newspaper clippings • Students will work together with classmates to choose an important issue and create artwork that conveys a clear message • Students will be able to use artwork to address an issue or topic that they find significant STATE GOALS: STATE GOAL 25: Know the language of the arts. A. Understand the sensory elements, organizational principles and expressive qualities of the arts.
25.A.3d Visual Arts: Identify and describe the elements of value, perspective and color schemes; the principles of contrast, emphasis and unity; and the expressive qualities of thematic development and sequence. STATE GOAL 26: Through creating and performing, understand how works of art are produced. B. Apply skills and knowledge necessary to create and perform in one or more of the arts. 26.B.2dVisual Arts: Demonstrate knowledge and skills to create works of visual art using problem solving, observing, designing, sketching and constructing. STATE GOAL 27: Understand the role of the arts in civilizations, past and present. B. Understand how the arts shape and reflect history, society and everyday life. 27.B.3 Know and describe how artists and their works shape culture and increase understanding of societies, past and present. MOTIVATION / ACTIVITIES: • Day 1: • Artist presentation • Introduce project • Complete think sheet and brainstorm ideas for the project • Begin gathering images for the artwork • Day 2: • Refresher on last week’s activities • Explain what we will be doing in class • Continue working on project • Each student will choose one image to transfer onto the transparent film (trace and appropriate to create a commentary) • Once the images are traced onto the transparent film, they can begin adding color or text • Wrap up the day’s activities Day 3: • • Refresher on last week’s activities • Explain what we will be doing in class • Continue working on project • Finish filling in the images and adding text if necessary • Work together to combine artwork and install in the school • Reflect and discuss projects CLOSURE: • Reflect and discuss experience of creating collaborative activist art • Look at completed artwork MATERIALS: • Large sheets of transparent film, sharpies, paint, paint brushes, magazine and newspaper clippings