II.

Lesson 2, Choosing an Animal That

Represents an Culture, Grades 6-8, 3
days:
II. Lesson Rationale:
In this lesson the students will learn how to represent a culture through specific artistic styles.
This lesson will also give the students a chance to find an animal and a way to represent the
animal in talisman form. The students will begin using the skills, tools, and stoneware clay
covered in the previous lesson to begin working on their animal of choice.

III. Key Concepts:

Understanding cultural symbolism of animals.
To gain the skills necessary to build sculptures.
Using the skills and terms from the previous lesson.

IV. Essential Question:

How does an animal represent your culture or background?

V. Lesson Objectives:
Students will be able to:
o Create an animal from clay based off the information given in the last lesson.

o Construct a sculptural form from stoneware clay that is offered by the teacher and
by using the techniques from the previous lesson.

o Use clay as a sculptural medium.

o Understand how animals represent people or cultures through specific stylization

of artistic practices.

o Draw inspiration from critical reflection.

VI. Specific Art Content:

3D Design elements
Sculpture
Ceramics
Slab building

VII. Resources & Materials for Teacher:

Powerpoint, internet, computer, projector, projector screen, clay, rolling pin, clay sculpting tools,
cup, water, slip, scoring tools.

VIII. Resources & Materials for Students:

clay, rolling pin, clay sculpting tools, cup, water, slip, scoring tools, plastic bags.

IX. Instruction and Its Sequencing:

Day of the Lesson: Day 1
1. Introduction/Motivation:
The teacher will begin class with a PowerPoint presentation on different cultures around
the world and how they make animal sculptures that represent themselves.

2. Guided Practice
The teacher will display an animal he or she has made representing a culture and
explain how they managed this. The teacher will then ask the students what culture they
would want to represent through a specific animal and style of painting and to begin
brainstorming on this.

3. Independent Practice
The students will work on a blank sheet of paper provided to them depicting an animal
and pattern of color that depicts a culture of their choosing.

4. Closure
After drawing the animal and design they want displayed, the students will turn it into
the teacher for evaluation.

5. Formative Evaluation
The teacher will monitor the students to make sure everyone is participating and
drawing an animal and design as discussed at the beginning of class.

6. Classroom Management Procedures

Walk around the class.

Day of the Lesson: Day 2

1. Introduction/Motivation:
The teacher will begin class by passing out the sketches the students had completed
the following class and explain that they will sculpt the animal that they drew this day.
2. Guided Practice
The teacher shows a video on techniques in ceramics. Afterwards the teacher will do a
short demonstration of sculpting an animal from clay.

3. Independent Practice
The students will work on their animals for the remainder of the class period.

4. Closure
Five minutes before the end of class, the teacher will ask that the students wrap their
animals with the plastic bags provided by the teacher to prevent them from drying and
to store them on the shelves in class

5. Formative Evaluation
The teacher will monitor the students to make sure everyone is participating and
sculpting their animal.

6. Classroom Management Procedures

Walk around the class.

Day of the Lesson: Day 3

1. Introduction/Motivation:
The teacher will begin class letting the students that this is the final day they will have to
finish their animals as they are due at the end of class.

2. Guided Practice
The teacher will leave the finished piece he or she has made in front of the class and let
the students know this is what they are ultimately looking for.

3. Independent Practice
The students will work on their animals for the remainder of the class period.

4. Closure
Five minutes before the end of class, the teacher will ask that the students leave their
animal out to dry on the shelves in class.

5. Formative Evaluation
The teacher will monitor the students to make sure everyone is participating and
sculpting their animal.

6. Classroom Management Procedures

Walk around the class.

X. Summative Assessment and Evaluation:

Category Exemplary Satisfactory Emerging Scor

e
Participation Worked well with the Worked with the Didn't work well with
other kids and did their group but did little the other students
fair share of work. work. and didn't do any of
the group work.

Finished piece The work was well put Work was put Work was not
together and met the together finished.
expectations somewhat.

Content Student has made an The structure is The sculpture

understanding excellent animal that is somewhat assigned was either
representative of such representative of not made or had
that is in talisman an animal and has little to no effort put
form. a resemblance to into it
a talisman.
Sketch An animal and design Animal and design Animal and design
are drawn that drawing is mostly are not finished or not
accurately represents finished somewhat attempted and has
a specific culture. representing a little to no
culture. resemblance of a
culture.

XI. Interdisciplinary Connections:

Social studies.

XII. References & Resources:

XIII. Art TEKS

117.202. Art, Middle School 1, Adopted 2013
(c) Knowledge and skills.

(1) Foundations: observation and perception. The student develops and expands visual
literacy skills using critical thinking, imagination, and the senses to observe and explore
the world by learning about, understanding, and applying the elements of art, principles
of design, and expressive qualities. The student uses what the student sees, knows,
and has experienced as sources for examining, understanding, and creating original
artworks. The student is expected to:

(A) identify and illustrate concepts from direct observation, original sources, personal
experiences, and communities such as family, school, cultural, local, regional, national,
and international;

(B) understand and apply the elements of art, including line, shape, color, texture, form,
space, and value, as the fundamentals of art in personal artworks using art vocabulary
appropriately;

(C) understand and apply the principles of design, including emphasis,

repetition/pattern, movement/rhythm, contrast/variety, balance, proportion, and unity, in
personal artworks using art vocabulary appropriately; and

(D) discuss the expressive properties of artworks such as appropriation, meaning,

narrative, message, and symbol using art vocabulary accurately.

(2) Creative expression. The student communicates ideas through original artworks
using a variety of media with appropriate skills. The student expresses thoughts and
ideas creatively while challenging the imagination, fostering reflective thinking, and
developing disciplined effort and progressive problem-solving skills. The student is
expected to:

(A) create original artworks based on direct observations, original sources, personal
experiences, and the community;

(B) apply the art-making process to solve problems and generate design solutions; and

(C) produce artworks, including drawings, paintings, prints, sculptures/modeled forms,

ceramics, fiber art, photographic imagery, and digital art and media, using a variety of
materials.

(3) Historical and cultural relevance. The student demonstrates an understanding of art
history and culture by analyzing artistic styles, historical periods, and a variety of
cultures. The student develops global awareness and respect for the traditions and
contributions of diverse cultures. The student is expected to:

(A) identify the influence of historical and political events in artworks;

(B) identify examples of art that convey universal themes such as beliefs, cultural
narrative, life cycles, the passage of time, identity, conflict, and cooperation;

(C) explain the relationships that exist between societies and their art and architecture;
and
(D) explore career and avocational opportunities in art such as various design,
museum, and fine arts fields.

XIV. National Art Standards

6th
VA:Re.7.1.6a
Identify and interpret works of art or design that reveal how people live around the world
and what they value.

7th
VA:Re.7.1.7a
Explain how the method of display, the location, and the experience of an artwork
influence how it is perceived and valued.

8th

VA:Re.7.1.8a
Explain how a persons aesthetic choices are influenced by culture and environment
and impact the visual image that one conveys to others.

6th
VA:Cr.2.3.6a
Design or redesign objects, places, or systems that meet the identified needs of diverse
users.

7th
VA:Cr.2.3.7a
Apply visual organizational strategies to design and produce a work of art, design, or
media that clearly communicates information or ideas.

8th
VA:Cr.2.3.8a
Select, organize, and design images and words to make visually clear and compelling
presentations.