Curriculum Design
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A Design Unit For
Middle School Art
Wholeness 
Enjoy and accomplish more.
Rationale
Understanding the principles and element of Design is fundamental for giving expression through art to ideas arising from our creative intelligence. This Design unit is a curriculum that I would offer to Middle School students at the beginning of their school year. If Art was mandatory in every Middle School grade, then I would teach this unit in the 7th grade and repeat it again with new lesson plans in the 8th and 9th grade in order to address and emphasize the importance of Design to art students in all of their Middle School years and to give them a solid foundation from which to do advance work in their high school art classes.
Strong design principles are the foundation for every successful art project. They can be thought of as the theory of the art process. The principles of design include balance, variety, radiation, rhythm and repetition, emphasis, unity, and domination-subordination. The practical application of these principles o use the elements of design. The elements of design include line, shape, color, value, texture, and size. This Design Unit emphasizes the principle and elements of Design within the context of a variety of 2 dimensional and 3 dimensional art projects. The students' understanding of design will grow as they build up layers of experience with different lesson plans. They will be shown the unity and relationship among the separate principles and elements of design and how they all work together in infinite combinations to create art.
Design Unit Objectives
By the end of the unit the students will be able to
- understand the threefold self-referral process of creativity that always includes the artist, the process of creating, and the object created
- recognize and define 2 dimensional and 3 dimensional art
- express and manifest new ideas through the application of the principles and elements of design
- use tools and materials more skillfully
- make use of an art journal on their own to record future artistic ideas and thoughts
- be confident of the merit and uniqueness of their artistic ideas
- recognize and appreciate artists, art styles, and artwork
- reflect and participate in art critiques as a critic and as an artist
- initiate independent projects that allow personal interpretation and self expression
- demonstrate the intimate relationship between Art and Nature
- give expression to abstract ideas
- take advantage of the particular properties inherent to individual materials
- explain and apply the concept of spatial relationships to their work
- recognize and use art as a tool of communication and celebration of cultural diversity
- recognize the role and value of Art in life
- recognize the relationship between Art and all other disciplines
Design Unit Outline
An art journal to be created as an ongoing assignment
Art history past and present
Principles of Design exercises in construction paper
Drawing with charcoal
Drawing with black and white chalks plus one color
Color Theory and color mixing exercises with tempera paints
Making an Artist book that includes a writing component
Hands collage group project (optional)
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Week One Principles of Design Introduction to Art
Journal Artist of the Week - Matisse's use of design Design Collage Journal sketch - thumbnail sketches Design Collage Journal sketch Design Collage Journal sketch Design Collage Journal sketch Week Two Introduction to Charcoal Draw with Charcoal and newsprint Art History - the use of drawings Introduction to Still Life Drawing Begin a still life Journal sketch Lecture on Value and Tones Work on still life Contour drawing with charcoal Work on still life Turn in journal sketch Finish still life Group viewing and critique Week Three Metamorphosis Drawing Art History - Renaissance drawings Journal- texture exercise Metamorphosis Drawing Metamorphosis Drawing Metamorphosis Drawing Turn in journal exercise Finish drawing, Fill out self evaluation Mat and
label for display Week Four Introduction to Color theory and Color Wheel Color Mixing demonstration Paint a color wheel Art History - The Impressionists Paint 16 step value scale from black to
white Paint 8 step value scale in one color Paint color grid Paint and finish color grid Week Five Introduction to Watercolor Artist of the week - Klimt, Art Nouveau, Art
Deco Art Journal - patterns Watercolor demonstration - color blending Draw out organic pattern design Watercolor pattern design Watercolor Turn in journal pattern sketches Finish watercolor, fill out self- evaluation Mat and label for display Week Six Introduction to Artist Books Artist of the week - William Blake, artist and
writer, and artist books of the 60's Make four sample books with four different
bindings Come up with Artist book idea Artist book Artist book Artist book Review for Artist of the week test
OVERVIEW CHART
Week One
Unifying Theme: Harmony exists in diversity.
Lesson Plan: The Seven Principles of Design and an introduction to the Art journal
Description: Students construct collages on paper that express balance, variety, repetition-rhythm, emphasis, radiation, and domination-subordination. Students hear a presentation on art journals, their benefit to an art student and how to begin creating one.
Art History: The design genius of Matisse and samples of art journals
Art journal: 7 thumbnail sketches for the 7 principles of Design
Standards: National standards 1 and 2
Time: 5-7 periods
Main points:
1. Design is one of the cornerstones of the art process.
2. The principles of Design are balance, variety, repetition-rhythm, emphasis, radiation, domination-subordination, and unity. Composition applies one or more design principles in every piece of art.
3. Even a simple collage with black and white construction paper becomes a powerful work of art with the proper application of design principles.
4. Matisse used design principles to create colored paper collage masterpieces.
5. The art journal is a diary for the art student to informally record ideas and sources of inspiration for future art projects.
6. As we study past and current artists they inspire us to appreciate art and to understand art traditions.
7. The art journal is a tool for self-reflection, the principles of design are tools to be used in the process of making art, and art history builds on traditions of past artists. These are the foundations of art for a beginning art student.
Week Two
Unifying Theme: Do less and accomplish more
Lesson Plan: Charcoal Still life
Description: Students are introduced to drawing in charcoal with exercises in drawing from a still life. Their task is to draw a still life that emphasizes one or two principles of design along with learning the properties of charcoal and how to apply it to paper. They are also going to learn about warm up exercises, tone, light and dark values and contour drawing
Art History: Samples of famous artist drawings as works in their own right and as studies for bigger works.
Art journal: A contour drawing of the students' feet
Standards: National standards 1 and 4
Time: 3-4 periods
Main points:
1. Charcoal in its various forms is a medium that offers a wide range of possibilities.
2. The entire range of tones from black up to white is possible with charcoal.
3. Drawing warm-up exercises loosen the eye and the hand.
4. Contour drawing is a drawing technique that uses the simplicity of the line.
5. Drawing is the alphabet of 2- dimensional art and charcoal is one of it's many
languages. Evolution occurs in a simple and natural way.
Week Three
Unifying Theme: The nature of life is to grow.
Lesson Plan: Metamorphosis drawing adding color to black and white.
Description: The assignment is to make a four part drawing taking an object and with each consecutive drawing, gradually changing it into another natural recognizable form. This assignment uses white and black chalk with the intention of how adding color (the paper) increases the number of possible outcomes and decisions to be made in the process of creating the final drawing. The composition needs to emphasize one or more design principles as well as the element of texture.
Art History: Early Renaissance conte chalk drawings of different subject matter.
Art journal: A one page drawing in which the page is equally divided into a 6- part grid with examples of 6 different textures.
Standards: National standards 2 and 3
Time: 4-5 periods
Main points:
1. Different shapes may be found repeated in nature and in man- made objects.
2. Similarities as well as the obvious differences may be found in two very different objects.
3. Color has an enlivening affect on our lives, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
4. Art has the ability to change our perception of the world. Art made from a deeper quieter part of ourselves is a transforming experience.
Week Four
Unifying Theme: Every Action has a reaction.
Lesson Plan: Color Theory with Tempera
Description: Students will observe a presentation on color theory, how to paint using tempera on paper, and mixing colors. They will create a color wheel, work out exercises with primary and complimentary colors, and create a final grid painting emphasizing the design principle of repetition and element of color with the use of shades and tints.
Art History: The Impressionists
Art journal: Painting a 16 step value scale from white to black and another 8 step value scale with one primary or complimentary color.
Standard: National standards 1,5, and 6
Time: 5 periods
Main points:
1. The world is filled with color.
2. Color theory begins with an understanding of the color wheel
3. Colors are divided up into primary, secondary, intermediate colors and grays.
4. Colors have an influence on the colors around them.
5. Color mixing creates tints and shades of the original color. A tint is created by adding white to a color, and shades are created by adding black.
6. We can mix infinite combinations of colors. We have infinite potential.
Week Five
Unifying Theme: The whole is greater than the sum of the parts.
Lesson Plan: Watercolor and intermediate colors
Description: Teacher will give an introduction to the technique and tools of watercolor. The assignment is a watercolor on heavy weight drawing paper in which the student first draws out organic shapes in a puzzle type format that creates an abstract pattern. The shapes will be filled in with two different colors that will blend in the middle to create a third color. Students will keep in mind the radiation principle of design and pattern as an element of design.
Art History: Gustave Klimt, Art Nouveau, Art Deco
Art journal: A page of pattern ideas using markers
Standard: National standards 1,3,4,6
Time: 3-4 periods
Main Points:
1. Watercolor is a painting medium for paper.
2. Wet on dry, and wet on wet are two watercolor techniques.
3. Watercolors naturally mix into one another to create new colors.
4. The element of pattern and overlapping shapes may be used to create depth.
5. Water color is a rich a fluid medium. Art allows us to be fully self expressive.
Week Six
Unifying Theme: Outer depends on inner.
Lesson Plan: Making an artist book
Description: The teacher will give a history of the artist book and demonstrate simple book binding techniques. Students will make an artist book that reflects their family history, culture, and traditions. A wide range of materials will be allowed. Students will have to include a family story in their artist book. Every student will present their artist book to the class and be prepared to answer questions from their audience. The student audience will give feedback to the artist. All the principles and elements of design are at the students' disposal.
Art History: Artist books of the 60's, William Blake
Art journal: making small sample books with four or more binding techniques
Standard: National standards 5 and 6
Time: 5-7 periods
Main Points:
1. Artist books have a long tradition as seen in the work of William Blake and made a popular
come back in the 60's.
2. Artist books are a mixed media art form.
3. Artist books may be made from an infinite choice of materials and creative intelligence.
4. Artist books are a reflection of the artist. All art is a reflection of the artist's consciousness who produced it.
General Teaching Methods
This unit is designed to be taught using a variety of teaching methods. The Art History lessons are in lecture form, and presentations on new art mediums begin with a lecture format and move into demonstrations using and explaining the use of art materials. Visual aids such as the blackboard, slides, and videos are other available tools for student learning. The process of creating Art is a hands on experience and most projects may be done in class in a cooperative problem solving environment where students are encouraged to give each other help and feedback during the creative process. Class critiques are very important for encouragement, acknowledgment of work well done and reflection. They are also an effective means of student self-evaluation. Self- assessment is also built into the unit through the use of self-evaluation handouts and further assessment comes from the quality of the work done in the art journal as well as objective tests.
Understanding the role of Art in society makes the creation of art more relevant and fulfilling to the student. Within the school community, I would create gallery space in different parts of the school to display finished art projects. Field trips to local museums. and artists' studios will expand the students' awareness to the value and purpose of Art outside the classroom.
Assessment Methods:
Needs assessment: formal questionnaire or informal assessment through class discussion at the beginning of a new unit or a new lesson plan - Needs Assessment
Teacher/student discussions on the self-evaluation handouts for individual projects - Student Self-evaluation
Class Art Critiques
Objective Art history test - Assessment Methods
Finished assignments in the art journal
Attendance and punctuality
Classroom etiquette
Final subjective teacher and student evaluation
Portfolio
Technology Based Lesson Plans
Throughout the unit I will have students do a 5-minute presentation on an artist or art medium of their choice. They will have to find their information on the web and share their sources with the class.
Students need to become familiar with computer art programs such as Photoshop and create a very basic sample work of art to present and turn in with their portfolio. They will also turn in a one page description of the art program they used and their method of operation for creating their artwork. They may work on this as they have time in class, during study hall, and on their own as they have access to the computer technology.
More detailed Lesson
Plans: