UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN: LESSON PLAN FOR PASTEL

Stage 1: Desired Results Pastels

Vermont Framework of Standards and the Grade Level Expectations
A7-8:10 Students show skill development when creating art
A7-8:14 Students analyze interpret and respond to art
A7-8:15 Students analyze, interpret and respond to art
A7-8:19 Approach to work
A7-8:20 Students develop effective, personal work habits
A7-8:21 Students demonstrate appropriate interactions


Established Goals:
1. Learn to see color and how the colors one chooses depend on the personality of the artist.
2. Learn Jeneane’s technique of doing pastels which is based on French artist Edgar Degas and American artist Mary Cassett.
3. Students will start to develop their own style.
Understandings:
Students will understand that:
1. by looking more carefully they can see “more” color than non artists.
2. they can learn to use color in a creative way that reflects their personality.
3. practice helps one to improve their ability to see and use color in a more complex manner.

Essential Question(s)
1. How do color choices convey mood?
2. How can an artist be influenced by previous artists and still keep their originality and voice?
3. How do artists overcome the fear of failure long enough to be skilled?

Stage 2: Assessment Evidence

Performance tasks
1. Students will learn one technique of using pastels.
2. Students will be able to begin to use pastels and color to convey mood.
3. Students will learn to accept mistakes as part of learning.
4. Students will produce pastel paintings that show improvement over their first efforts.
Other Evidence
1. Students focus on their work without signs of frustration.
2. Students can help others if asked.
3. Students can explain what they are doing.
4. Students will express a sense of accomplishment.

Stage 3: Learning Plan

Learning Activities
1. Slide show of pastels by Degas, Cassett and Lunn with a discussion on the essential questions
2. One day of direct instruction on pastel technique where students will follow along with the teacher as she does a demonstration of using pastels.
3. Students will do two still lives on their own.
4. Students will be allowed to chose a photograph or work of art to interpret in pastels.
5. Each day we will ask a couple of different students to put up their work so we can give them requested feedback.