Plaster Masks and Vejigante

Melissa Miller
A. INTRODUCTION
TEACHING CONTEXT
Type of school? Elementary School
In what setting? Urban
List any special features of the school or classroom setting (e.g., themed magnet, classroom aide,
bilingual, team taught with a special education teacher) that will affect teaching during this
learning segment.
Ogden historically scores high on all standardized tests and has high academic performance. In
the last two years, they have performed over 20 percentage points higher than the district
averages, and ten percentage points higher than the state averages. ISAT breakdowns by grade
are similar to the behavior of scores as a school. This is obvious just talking with students and
observing classes. Students have thoughtful and insightful ideas and answers and are able to
articulate their ideas clearly and coherently.

Ogden recently became an IB school, so Katrina is going through many changes as the planning
structure has slightly changed. Now, Katrina makes lessons in the PYP format and adheres to
their prioritized standards. The IB system is set up to prepare students for the IB high-school,
which in turn prepares students for college-level work. The goal of the school is to be aligned
with the high and middle school, so that elementary students are prepared to go through the entire
system at Ogden. As it stands now, most of the students at the Ogden high school did not go to
elementary school at this campus. Katrina bases all of her lesson plans as well as her rubrics for
grading on the PYP model, so she also had to change many of her projects. This year, she started
to get many ideas for projects and assignments from Pinterest, SchoolArts, Scholastic Arts and
LAB Books. Most of what she does is the same lesson, so she does it for the entire school for the
entire week. This means she is planning one lesson per week, and making adjustments to make it
appropriate for each grade level. The only students she sees more than once each week are the
fifth graders, who she sees twice. They do a more involved and developmentally appropriate
version of the assignment and usually end up with more time to do a challenge assignment.
Discipline is a non-issue at Ogden. The biggest problem Katrina faces with regard to discipline is
students talking out of turn. She gives very specific and concrete directions, and she has no
defiant students, nor do any other problems arise. She maintains a presence of authority with her
voice that also communicates a deep caring for students. There were a couple of other teachers
that came in while Katrina was teaching, so the atmosphere is very open-doors.
12.8% of students at Ogden are on IEP's, or enrolled in the SPED program. Many of the students
are strategically grouped with other students who can help them, and many of them have aides
that follow them to all classes during the day. The severity of special needs ranges from ADD to
autism to severe physical and mental handicaps.
Ogden has a brand new building. It is state-of-the-art and beautiful. There is a rooftop
playground and garden, as well as a side playground for students to enjoy. The classrooms were
intended to be spacious, although the crowding has limited that. They have brand new computers
and all of the latest technology. All classrooms have Smartboards. There are beautiful mosaics
in the hallway. The teachers are all encouraged to use space in the halls to display student
work. There is also a brand new library with a wealth of resources for students to
use. Similarly, the gymnasium is state of the art, and can easily and quickly be transformed to a
performance hall, with basketball hoops that retract upwards with the push of a button. The
school has a plethora of books, computers, ipads, sports equipment, etc. This is heaven for
teachers.
Katrina's classroom has six sets of tables to make six different table settings. Five or six students
sit at each table, and the tables are large enough for the largest students, so they have plenty of
room to work without touching or bothering their neighbors. Each student works on top of a
cutting mat, and they use that as their individual work station. Each table also has a bucket of
supplies that are organized for easy use. To keep track of student work that takes more than one
art class to create, Katrina has folders for each class, and then table folders within each class
folder. At the beginning of a class, one student from each table collects the table folder and passes
out the work.
Katrina Cabrera has taught art for twelve years, and although she used to teach in the basement of
an old building, she has a beautiful classroom inside of a beautiful state-of-the-art school. At this
campus she teachers just Kingergarten through fifth grade, and some years, she teaches middle
school at the separate campus for the other half of the year. Her room is large enough for all of
her materials (in fact, it is two rooms with the divider opened) and she is meticulously
organized. She has students' art work, key vocabulary, and adult artwork (including her own)
displayed around the room. In our coursework, we read about the importance of a stimulating art
room for students. She indeed has an aesthetically rich classroom. She also has bulletin boards
displaying art and processes. Katrina has also been allowed to use some of the space in the
hallways to display student work. Katrina has done Art Link, another art exchange program
which uses international classrooms, in the past and has some images from the exchange around
her classroom.
All of Katrina's materials live in a very particular place. After talking with her after class, I learn
that she has a budget of $0 given by the school. Her position is actually only partially funded by
the school. The other half is funded by the "Friends of Ogden," a group of local companies and
neighbors that support the community school. The school is in an affluent neighborhood, with
less than 3% low income, so they are ineligible for Title I funding. However, Katrina fund raises
a great deal of money, which covers all of her materials including her computer, printer,
projector, Elmo, and all of the actual art supplies. She also stocked the high school art teachers
with supplies, and uses her supplies in both the elementary and middle schools. She fund raises
in three main ways. The first is her art fair, which is an annual event. She has the students create
many of the items that are then sold during the fair, including reproductions of famous paintings,
and a project (last year it was pillows and this year, it is these masks.) She also works with
Square One Art, a website that allows parents can to purchase student artwork made into mugs
and mouse pads, among other things, and the school receives a percentage of the
proceeds. Lastly, during report cards, Katrina sells Ogden Owls T-shirts and hoodies for parents
to buy, which she also receives a portion of the profits from. She recognizes the unique setting
she works in as being profitable for these efforts, and knows that if she were in another
neighborhood, or even as she has tried with older kids at the middle school, the parents and
families do not buy nearly as much and she is therefore less successful.
One of the requirements of the PYP system is that students keep what is called a DW, which
stands for developmental workbook. Students essentially treat them as a sketchbook, and
Katrina bases much of what she does around the DW's. For instance, when students finish an
assignment early, they do a reflection, and then they are allowed to work on a DW Challenge,
where they grab a noun, adjective and verb, and make a silly sentence with those three words, and
finally draw a picture that illustrates their silly sentence. She also uses Zentagle to prompt
student creativity. They often are a routine also at the beginning of the class for students to
brainstorm, or reflect from the last lesson.
Describe any district, school, or cooperating teacher requirements or expectations that might
affect planning or delivery of instruction, such as required curricula, pacing plan, use of specific
instructional strategies, or standardized tests.
Ogden International Elementary School is located on the north side of downtown Chicago on
Fulton between State and Dearborn. It is surrounded by many office buildings, high rise
apartments, and high-end shopping.
According to the Illinois School Report Card, the school has 27.6% low income students,
although Katrina Cabrera, my cooperating teacher, said that it is much lower, in fact less than
3%. The surrounding community does not include many low-income families. Being in
Streeterville, on the north end of Chicago's downtown loop, most families are quite affluent. The
school is considered international because of the many international communities
represented. The work in the surrounding neighborhoods bring families of many different places
and occupations. For that reason, the school also has many students with limited English
proficiency. There are 11.9% of students at Ogden considered Limited-English
Proficient. Katrina has seen many students come through whose parents are ambassadors, or
something similar. Also for that reason, the demographics are diverse, with 43% of students being
white, 20% Black, 17% Latino, 11% Asian, 1% American Indian, and less than 1% Pacific
Islander.
The largest class at this school last year was 36, and this year was 31. Katrina explained that
more and more people want their children to come to school here, and since it is a neighborhood
school, it is starting to become overcrowded with large class sizes, and more students than they
anticipated. In fact, many local families who were previously sending students to places like
Francis Parker or the Latin school, and paying up to $30,000 each year for each student, found
that they could send their students to an equally great school for free in their neighborhood, and it
has a brand new building. As a result, the school is already over-crowded and it is their second
year open. Since it is a neighborhood public school, they cannot turn students away, and need to
accommodate for the growing student body. They have already converted some extra science
rooms and computer labs into fully functioning classrooms.
The parents at this school are extremely involved. Katrina invites parents and community
members to play a central role to the success of her department. During several observations,
parents or former teachers at the school have come in to work with students on a project. It seems
to be part of the culture of the school to come into classes and share a very open-doors
policy. Katrina also involves the community frequently and in other ways. She works with other
art teachers (music, drama) on collaborative projects. She takes her students on field trips, like on
a sculpture walk around town to some of the most infamous public landmarks,
There are many English Language learners at this school, and students who have special
needs. There are many aides who come into the classes with students who have special needs, so
it is common to have many other adults in the room.
LESSON OVERVIEW
Lesson Subject and Topic: Mask-making with emphasis on pattern and color scheme, following
students' work with self-portraits, they will continue their understanding of these topics, as well
as understanding self-expression in three dimensions
Grade Level(s): 2nd Grade
Brief Description of Lesson: Students were plaster-masked last week and will start decorating
their masks this week. They will plan out their artwork, and discuss the importance of
brainstorming their work before they begin. We will work with a story of carnival in Puerto
Rico, and students will be challenged to incorporate a use of pattern and complementary colors as
they design their own masks to reflect their own personality and sense of self. We will also
discuss the use of masks throughout history and their importance in Puerto Rican culture.
B. DESIRED RESULTS: STAGE I: IDENTIFY DESIRED RESULTS (IPTS# 1, 2, & 4)
Enduring Understandings & Essential Questions IPTS# 1, 2 & 4
1. Enduring Understandings:
Planning out artwork before beginning a final draft is important to work through ideas
and visually see how the elements and principles work together best.
Complementary colors and patterns can enhance a work of art.
Puerto Rican culture makes use of masks to celebrate during Carnival.
Masks have been used for many reasons and in many ways throughout different cultures
and throughout time.
Like a self-portrait, masks can be used as a way of expressing one's self, but allow for
that expression in three dimensions.
Many art media and materials are used differently and often in combination to create a
successful piece of work.
2. Essential question(s):
How should I begin a piece of art?
How can I express myself in three dimensions?
Why are masks used in art, and what has their function been in other cultures?
How does use of color or pattern make a piece of art more successful?
How are different media and materials used independently or together to create a
successful piece of work?
C. COMMON CORE STANDARDS
D. NATIONAL CONTENT STANDARDS
IL.25.A
STANDARD: Understand the sensory elements, organizational principles and expressive
qualities of the arts.
IL.26.A
STANDARD: Understand processes, traditional tools and modern technologies used in
the arts.
IL.27.A
STANDARD: Analyze how the arts function in history, society and everyday life.
NAEA.VA.K-4.1
CONTENT STANDARD: Understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes
NAEA.VA.K-4.4
CONTENT STANDARD: Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and
cultures
NAEA.VA.K-4.6
CONTENT STANDARD: Making connections between visual arts and other disciplines
E. GRADE LEVEL PERFORMANCE DESCRIPTORS
IL.25.A.1d
> Visual Arts: Identify the elements of line, shape, space, color and texture; the principles
of repetition and pattern; and the expressive qualities of mood, emotion and pictorial
representation.
IL.26.A.1e
> Visual Arts: Identify media and tools and how to use them in a safe and responsible
manner when painting, drawing and constructing.
IL.27.A.1b
> Identify how the arts contribute to communication, celebrations, occupations and
recreation.
NAEA.VA.K-4.1.3
Students use different media, techniques, and processes to communicate ideas,
experiences, and stories
NAEA.VA.K-4.1.4
Students use art materials and tools in a safe and responsible manner
NAEA.VA.K-4.4.1
Students know that the visual arts have both a history and specific relationships to various
cultures
F. KEY CONTENT KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
Knowledge and Skills IPTS# 1, 2 & 4
Students will know (knowledge):
1. It is important to plan out art work before beginning a final draft in order to cultivate
and brainstorm ideas, edit, and visually see the play of elements and principles.
2. Complementary colors are found across from each other on the color wheel, and those
colors look their best when they are placed together.
3. Patterns are a repetition of shapes or lines and can often enhance a work of art.
4. Masks are used as a way to celebrate Carnival in Puerto Rican Culture.
5. Masks are a vehicle for self-expression in three dimensional art.
6. Plaster can come in a powder form, but when wet, dries hard, keeping the form in
which it took when it was wet.
Students will be able to:
1. Mix paint to create colors that they will use to express aspects of themselves on their
mask, applying it effectively onto their mask.
2. Plan out their artwork by using a mask template before they begin working with their
actual mask.
3. Implement both pattern and complementary colors in their masks.
4. Express themselves through paint and other decorative materials on their masks.
G. ACADEMIC LANGUAGE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
Academic Language Knowledge and Skills (Identify language demandswritten or oral
students need to understand and/or use: vocabulary or key phrases, syntax, and
discourse). Identify vocabulary needed for the lesson and identify demands related to either
syntax or discourse.
EVERYDAY
VOCABULARY
(TIER ONE)
GENERAL ACADEMIC
VOCABULARY
(TIER TWO)
CONTENT-SPECIFIC
ACADEMIC VOCABULARY
(TIER THREE)
Paint
Masks
Envision
Template
Identify
Connect
Explain
Plaster
Pattern
Line
Shape
Complementary Colors
Primary and Secondary
Colors
Students will know:
1. The definition of the word complementary and why it is used to define colors.
2. That envisioning is seeing an idea in your head, and that brainstorming and
using the template helps develop artistic ideas and lead artistic decisions.
Students will be able to:
1. Explain how masks are used to celebrate Carnival in Puerto Rico.
2. Interpret the meaning of complementary colors in connection with the meaning
of the word, "Complement."

H. ENGLISH LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
English Language Development Knowledge and Skills (for starting, emerging, and developing
ELLs)
EVERYDAY
VOCABULARY
(TIER ONE)
GENERAL ACADEMIC
VOCABULARY (TIER
TWO)
CONTENT SPECIFIC
ACADEMIC
VOCABULARY (TIER
THREE)
Masks
Paint
Identify
Explain
Envision
Plaster
Pattern
Line
Shape
Primary and Secondary
Colors
Students will know:
1. Which colors are primary and which are secondary.
2. That envisioning is seeing an idea in your head, and that brainstorming and using the
template helps develop artistic ideas and lead artistic decisions.
Students will be able to:
1. Explain how masks are used to celebrate Carnival in Puerto Rico.
2. Identify a color as being primary or secondary.
I. ASSESSMENT TASKS: STAGE 2: DETERMINE ACCEPTABLE EVIDENCE
Assessment Tasks: [Stage 2: Determine Acceptable Evidence] IPTS #8
a. Pre-requisite/Prior knowledge for Both Content and Language
Students just finished a lesson on self-portraits, so the concept of expressing themselves through
the artwork is familiar. They also just used complementary colors in the lesson, and developed an
idea of pattern. They also learned what complementary colors were and are working on being
able to identify and remember the three different pairs. Many students successfully incorporated
them into their last project, but many still need help to know the correct combinations. Many
students also used several simple patterns, and their examples were, for example, square, triangle,
square, triangle, square, triangle, and so on. Students are familiar with the vocabulary
surrounding the lesson today, but it could be developed deeper.
b. Formative Assessment for Both Content and Language:
1. Student Product and/or Performance (tests, worksheets, oral presentations, etc.)
I will evaluate students' templates before they work on their masks. Students will show me their
envision step before they will be allowed to move on to the painting aspect of the lesson. I will
have a list of what should be on their template/ envision sheet, so that they can see easily if I send
them back to their seat for not completing part of the requirements. I will also be able to see
quickly if they do not understand any of the concepts. If, for instance, they do not use
complementary colors, their patterns are not consistent or overly simplistic, I know that I will
need to re-explain that concept to a student individually or as a group.
2. Other Forms of Assessment (e.g. checklists, teacher questions, etc.)
I will walk around during the lesson to ensure that students are effectively mixing paint according
to what they have on their plan.
I will ask the following questions throughout the lesson:
Which colors pairs are complementary of each other?
Why do we use complementary colors?
How can I find complementary colors on a color wheel?
Why is it important to work on a template and envision my work before I begin?
What does envision mean?
What is a pattern? How can I make a pattern more interesting than a simple repetition of
two shapes or lines?
Why do Puerto Ricans use masks in their celebrations? What are they celebrating?
Assessment Tasks: [Stage 2: Determine Acceptable Evidence] IPTS #8
Assessment Criteria (Link back to your objectives statements)
Students will be evaluated on their ability to:
1. Mix paint to create colors that they will use to express aspects of themselves on their
mask, applying it effectively onto their mask.
2. Plan out their artwork by using a mask template before they begin working with their
actual mask.
3. Implement both pattern and complementary colors in their masks.
4. Express themselves through paint and other decorative materials on their masks.
c. Summative Assessment
3. Student Product and/or Performance (tests, worksheets, oral presentations, etc.)
Students' summative assessment will be based on their ability to decorate their masks according
to their envision step. Students will spend the rest of the day working on their masks, and after
the next lesson, they will be evaluated on the criteria above. Because they will be finishing this
during the next class, this daily lesson will not have a summative assessment.
TEACHING AND LEARNING: STAGE 3: PLAN LEARNING EXPERIENCES
J. Time Required for Lesson Segments
SET/HOOK 10 MINUTES
TEACHER INPUT 10 MINUTES
GUIDED PRACTICE 20 MINUTES
CLOSURE 5 MINUTES
K. Grouping Arrangements
WHOLE
CLASS
As class, students will listen to directions, participate in the reading section of the hook, and
answer questions, reviewing previous knowledge and
understandings.
PAIRS
Students need to ask the student next to them before they ask me whether or not they can move
on to the painting section of the lesson. This ensures that students are identifying each of the
qualities that are required of the project. They will be learning from each other by pointing out
aspects that they see and connections they are making, or finding a gap in understanding.
INDIVIDUAL
Students will work on their projects individually, starting with their brainstorming/ envision/
planning step, and then after they have checked with a partner, they will work independently on
their painting.

L. Materials and Technology [LIST ALL RESOURCES].
1. Textbook or Instructional Program
Vejigante Masquerade by Lulu Delacre, Scholastic Trade, 1993
2. Other resources
a. Materials
Templates for masks
Markers
Pencils
Erasers
Tempera Paint
Paint Brushes
Plastic tubs for rinsing brushes
Palette for mixing paint
Aprons
Butcher Paper to protect tables
b. Technology
Laptop with Prezi, shown here:
LCD Projector
Document Projector
M. Teacher's Preparation
Cover tables with butcher paper to protect tables
Prepare Prezi with examples of masks for students to see and be inspired from
Prepare examples on a template as well as masks for students to see and generate ideas
from
Organize materials and distribute them to each table.
Organize Square1 art that students are going to finish before they start painting, ensuring
that all students finish
N. Set/Hook
Engage and focus students for 2-3 minutes. Specific plans for establishing a hook or set
should be evident; take students' prior experiences and knowledge into account; and
require student participation.
Plans:
We wiill start by reading the book that has to do with Carnival. I will show students the
cover and I will ask, "Have you ever heard of Vejigante? What do you know about it?
Does anyone know what Carnival is?" As students answer or do not know answers, I will
ask them to listen, while I begin reading. Because the book is longer than I would like to
spend reading, and there are no shorter books, I will only read the English version, and I
will skip parts of the story to finish in time. I will use the document camera so that
students can see the pictures while I am reading. When I am done, I will ask students,
"Why do think I read you this story and how might it relate to the masks we made last
week? What else did we learn in the last few weeks? What do you think we will be
thinking about as we make our masks?"
Anticipated Time: 10 minutes
Pre-requisite/prior Knowledge: Students have already experienced being masked with
plaster, which was a new experience for most students. They made comments last week
about not knowing which students were which without being able to see their face. They
also experienced the qualities of plaster and how it hardens, keeping its form. Students
will also be challenged to make connections between what they have been learning about
pattern and color with what they are about to do, and how else it might be applied.
Formative Assessment: I will be asking questions to ensure they still remember what we
have already learned about the patterns and colors, and also how well they retained the
ideas from the story by asking, "What is Vejigante? Why do they use masks? What are
they celebrating?"
O. DEMONSTRATION/LECTURE: Plans for teacher input in the form of explanations and
modeling
Explain and identify your execution of the following procedures: (1) connecting
previous and current learning; (2) teacher modeling (including a logical sequence or
chunking of the explanation or modeling); (3) use of academic language to develop
content understanding and (4) checking for understanding of the procedures, expected
behaviors, and anticipated products.
Plans:
I will move into the lecture part by using a presentation to walk through more
information about more information on Vejigante, Carnival, and Puerto Rico. I will then
work in another reminder about which pairs of colors are complementary and what
patterns are. Because I am challenging students to use more complex patterns, I will
show them examples of patterns that are simple, and ask them why some of the more
complex patterns are more interesting and why they might better help them express
aspects of themselves.
Next I will give students more examples of what the Vejigante masks look like, and show
the process of thinking through the envision process, making sure to think aloud, "I am
not going to just jump into my painting because I want to make sure that I am thoughtful
and create something that I am proud of. What might be hard about jumping right in?" I
will then move into showing students how I have completed all aspects of the
requirements on the template, how to ask a neighbor if everything looks good, and how to
mix the paint and work with it at my table, and finally how to clean up my materials at
the end of class.
I will also include important points like:
How much paint is appropriate to use, based on how much will be used on the
mask
That this will be part of the art fair project, which their parents will be able to
purchase at the end of the school year as part of their art bags
How to mix colors
What happens if two colors that you want to remain separate get mixed on top of
each other on their mask, and how to avoid that by not painting on top of already
wet paint.
How to ensure safety during the process, by not putting anything near your
mouth or eyes, that paintbrushes should only be used to put paint on the mask,
etc.
How masks will be stored at the back of the room
Students who have not finished their Square1 Art Self Portraits need to finish them before
moving onto their masks, so they will be given their portraits and everyone else will be
given a template to begin with.
Anticipated Time: 10 minutes
Pre-requisite/prior knowledge: Again, I will be working on reminding students some of
the concepts they have already learned, so they will be making the connection that both
complementary colors as well as pattern can be transferred to three-dimensional art, as
well as the connection that they will be expressing aspects of themselves through their
masks, in the same way that they did with their self-portrait in the last few weeks.
Formative Assessment:
Before allowing students to begin working, I will ask students to answer the following
questions:
When I am done talking, what is the first thing you should do?
When you are done with your brainstorming what should you do?
If I can't find the marker I need for a particular place, what can I do?
What do you need to do before I start painting?
What are the important things to remember when cleaning up?
If I haven't finished my Square1 Art, what do I need to do before my
brainstorming?
What are the requirements that I should be looking for in my neighbor's work,
and my own before I ask for permission to start painting?
Who remembers all the directions you will be doing today?
P. Plans for Guided Student Practice:
Plans: Students will begin working independently at their tables with either their Square1
art or their brainstorming. While they do that, I will be walking around, pointing out to
students that I see creative patterns, correct complementary colors, and aspects of self-
expression. When I need to adjust, I will ask students, "Is this a set of complementary
colors? What is red's complement? How can you make this pattern more interesting?
Remember a pattern is something that repeats, so is this repeating correctly here? How
are you expressing aspects of yourself with squares and triangles?"
I will give students time warnings throughout their work time, encouraging them not to
spend too much time on the brainstorming aspect so that they can begin working on their
masks. I will say, "We have ten minutes of work time left, so if you are still working on
brainstorming and envisioning, you may want to think about moving on so that you have
time to begin painting today."
When a student asks me if they can begin their masks, I will ask them if they have all of
their requirements, and if they asked their neighbor before I look at it. I will then do a
quick check and give them feedback based on what I see. I will use the questions above,
or encourage students by pointing out their use of interesting organic or geometric
shapes, or different kinds of lines, emphasizing their vocabulary by using it in context
while also praising their use of creativity. I will then give students permission to go find
their mask from the appropriate box at the back of the room, with help from a volunteer
or my cooperating teacher who will be stationed there. They can then begin working.
Anticipated Time: 10 minutes
Pre-requisite/prior knowledge: Again, students will interact with their prior knowledge of
pattern and color schemes, as well as the ability to express themselves through the art. I
will also be emphasizing other related vocabulary and concepts, like that of shape and
lines in their patterns. They will be working through a process very similar to that of their
self-portrait, because they will be choosing their patterns and colors and will be working
in two dimensions. Later they will be asked to expand that into three dimensions.
Formative Assessment: I will be walking around the room to check for understanding
and that students are following directions. The fact that students have to first show me
their brainstorming before they begin painting will serve as a formative assessment, that
they understand what the requirements are, and also understand how to address the
misunderstandings with students whose artwork is not meeting the requirements.
Q. Plans for Creative Interpretation IPTS# 1*
Students in this class are often encouraged to, "be their own artist," and not copy examples they
see from the board. I will continue to instill this in students by repeating it during the lesson. If
students clearly remember the concepts are ready to move on, I will explain tertiary colors to a
small group, and show them how to find complementary colors for tertiary colors, encouraging
them to try to use a more challenging pair of complementary colors. Besides picking their own
pair of complementary colors, they are also challenged to pick their own patterns and expand
them besides simple repetition of two shapes or lines. However, they are picking the kinds of
lines and shapes they will be using. Lastly, I will be emphasizing the idea of experimentation,
encouraging students to try some patterns to see if they get any new ideas, or any other concepts
develop through the process. Throughout the lesson, I will encourage students to "Try it! See
what happens!"
R. Plans for Independent Student Practice [IPTS# 1 & 2] Homework or independent practice
for student related to the lesson.
Students will spend the rest of the work time working on their color mixing with the paint, and
applying paint to the mask. They also need to make sure and write their names on the inside of
their mask with a Sharpie, which I may need to help them with. They will share the paint among
the table, but will be working independently during this time. While they are working, I will play
music that is played from various other countries that celebrates Carnival as well. Students will
finish this project next week, as they continue painting, and they will also see a demo on how to
apply other additions to their masks, like feathers, jewels, etc. I will again remind students that
these projects are for the art fair, and we want to ensure that students are creating thoughtful
projects that are successful and that they are proud of. I will be walking around during this time
helping students to problem-solve and ensuring that the paint is being mixed correctly.
If for some reason a student finishes early, they will begin their reflections, which asks them to
think through their process, how they feel about their work, and what was challenging about the
project.
S. Closure (brief teacher or student-led review, with reference back to essential questions and
enduring understandings)
Plans:
Students will work at their tables to clean up their work. I will dismiss them by table to put their
work at the back of the room in the assigned place for their class period. When they get back to
their tables, they need to ensure that their paintbrushes are washed off, palettes are clean, and
everything is put away. I will keep track of which tables are ready first so that I can dismiss them
in that order. I will use a countdown to ensure that there is a sense of urgency in the
process. When everything is cleaned up, I will ask students to raise their hands to respond to the
following questions:
How are you expressing aspects of yourself with the mask you are creating?
What are masks used for Puerto Rico?
What is Vejigante?
How are you using more complex patterns than you did last week on your self-
portraits?
What are the pairs of complementary colors we need to be using?
What is challenging about this?
Where are you getting ideas from?
What might you do differently when you begin next week?
Anticipated Time: 5- 10 minutes
COMMENTARY (Prepared before teaching the lesson)
1. Explain how your plans build on previous learning experiences and have the potential for
helping students to create and/or respond to the content and to make connections between
primary concepts within your content area and so deepen their learning of the content.
Students have already worked with artwork that has primarily focused on themselves through
their self-portraits directly prior to this project, but also with other art over their last two years at
Ogden. Also, we worked on both complementary colors and with pattern directly before this
lesson, so they will be challenged to work on more complex patterns, to see them two
dimensionally instead of just one dimensionally and also to reach beyond just alternating between
two shapes or lines. They are also going to think about how to emphasize a pattern by working
primarily with that pattern in relation to the other aspects of their work. They will also be
encouraged to find connections between the aspect of self-expression and the kinds of patterns
they create.
2. Describe how your planned formal and informal assessments will provide direct evidence
of students abilities to create and respond to content concepts throughout the learning
segment.
I will assess student understanding through a variety of questions and walking around the
room. Because second graders are more inclined to answer questions regardless of whether or not
they feel confident in their answers, I will be able to trust their responses as being indicative more
of the class' understanding as a whole. However, I will also have students have their nametags
out on their desks so that I can also randomly call out students, although I will need to be careful
as to not create an unsafe environment and put students on the spot so that they do not feel
successful in the classroom.
Also, the main assessment I am focusing on is that of the template work. Students will need to
stop as a checkpoint after they have completed this step to ensure that they are set up for success
in their projects, but also to check for understanding that they can create more interesting patterns
than the simple patterns that were prevalent on their self-portraits.
3. What do you know about your students ability in one or more of the following areas: to
persist in the application of content concepts, to create and respond, to problem solve, to
think critically, and to believe in their ability to learn the content?
Students at this age are fairly confident in their ability to create successful artwork and learn new
concepts. When I have asked students in the past to describe what they have learned, they are
excited and eager to share out, and enthusiastic about learning new concepts. Students at this
level at Ogden rarely sit with an eraser for the majority of the class period, and are confident in
their ability to draw and create. I did, however, receive many questions about drawing things like
noses. When I encouraged students to try, most of them were able to work with the skills they
had, and were pleased with the results. I saw a variety of nose shapes turned in on their final
portraits, which shows that students are also internalizing the idea of, "being your own artist."
4. What do you know about the students physical development (e.g., students fine motor
skills) or conditions (e.g., attention deficit, processing issues) that will affect instruction for
the central focus?
Students are at a variety of stages developmentally at this age. Some students have much better
control over utensils at this point than others. I have noticed that when encouraging some
students to press lightly with their pencil for easy erasing on their self-portraits, many of them do
not understand how to press down lightly. Many of them are able to draw a straight line with
little problems, and others that have not gained control over their pencil. For this reason I am
breaking down steps to make them as clear as possible, and avoiding having students making
many small details on their mask.
Also their attention span is quite short, and as they come in to art, they are used to getting right to
work, working actively on a project and finishing within the day. For this reason, I am trying to