UNIT OF STUDY

Grade Levels: 10th through 12th grade

Instructor: Kelsey Bunnell

Website: https://trashionunit.weebly.com/

Enduring Idea for Unit of Study: Sustainability

The Enduring Idea for this unit of study is Sustainability but what does that mean? On a global level
sustainability means that the needs of the current generation are being met without hurting future
generations' ability to meet their needs (globalfootprints.org). In other words, we aren't using more
resources in a year than the earth can produce in a year.

Unit of Study Rationale:

Sustainability is important for students to learn because it will determine the future of the earth. We have
to work towards a sustainable future or we will run out of resources like fresh water and energy, which
are integral for the survival of the humanity. This unit is different from other units of study because it not
only teaches students about sustainability as a global issue, but also as a personal one.

This unit will show students how their personal actions every day produce waste and expend non-
renewable resources and guide them in researching and brainstorming ways that they can move towards
more sustainable lives. Students will collect and reuse their own trash so they can see how much trash
they are producing and instead of contributing to the problem by sending it to a landfill they will reuse it.
This will teach students that art does not require expensive materials and can be made with anything.

Unit of Study Medium: Recycled Materials:

The students will be collecting their own materials by collecting things they would normally throw away
like plastic bags, paper scraps, used tarps, cardboard, and more to make a piece of clothing modeled after
clothing from their favorite store. Students will learn how to draft a pattern for a garment, cut their
materials and sew them together to make a finished piece.

Unit of Study Objectives: Students will be meeting TEKS High School Art 1 Critical Evaluation and
Response D and National Standards VA:Cr1.1.IIIa. (listed in detail below).

Trashion Show
University of North Texas Art Education

I. Lesson Number, Grade Levels, Title, and Duration:

Lesson 4, 10th through 12th grade, Trashion Show, 10 days of one and a half hour classes

II. Lesson Rationale:

In this lesson students will learn about the sustainability of their favorite clothing stores and
how clothes from those stores are made. This will teach students about how their clothing
impacts the environment and about the work and effort that goes into making clothes so they
are informed of how sustainable their choices of clothing are.

III. Key Concepts:

Constructing a garment
Fast Fashion
Sustainability in the Fashion Industry/Where clothes come from

IV. Essential Question:

How are clothes constructed?
Is your favorite clothing store sustainable?

V. Lesson Objectives:
The student will be able to construct a recycled piece of clothing by drafting pattern pieces and
sewing together recycled materials to make a piece of clothing.
The student will be able to critique the sustainability of their favorite clothing by researching and
reporting on where that stores clothing comes from and how it is made.

VI. Specific Art Content:

Drafting a pattern piece, clothing construction, sewing techniques, and using recycled materials for
a sustainable art practice.

VII. Resources & Materials for Teacher:

How-to-Video by Kelsey Bunnell. How to draft a garment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAuWexlF3_w

Sewing basics https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ef--qhq25s

Fast Fashion Ted Talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5r8V4QWwxf0

Computer with Internet access

VIII. Resources & Materials for Students:

Assorted thread
Either a sewing machine or needles and thimbles
Recycled materials collected by students
Butcher paper
Markers
Scissors
Sewing clips
Other supplies students may need like paint and brushes
Computer with Internet access and Microsoft Word

IX. Instruction and Its Sequencing:

Day 1 of the Lesson

1. Introduction/Motivation:
I will start the day with a discussion with students by asking them the following questions:

Where did the clothes you are wearing right now come from? When students check their
labels, and give countries like China and Indonesia, I will ask them:

What resources did it take for that piece of clothing to be made? How much water? How
many people worked on or handled this piece of clothing before it got to you?
 When they cannot answer, I will show them the facts on my homepage:

A typical pair of jeans takes 900 gallons of water to make and this fact about fresh water
loss our fresh water needs are predicted to exceed supply by 40% in 2030, what do you
think that means?

If they need a little more guidance I will add: what does that mean for you, someone who
drinks and needs fresh water? Or what about the fashion industry, which uses so much
water? After that I will let discussion proceed and interject as needed to keep conversation
going and on topic.

2. Guided Practice
After the discussion, I will show students the Ted Talk on Fast Fashion and ask them the
question are you wearing fast fashion right now? How do you know? We are going to use the
computers to research some of your favorite clothing stores and find out where your clothes
come from.

By the end of class tomorrow I want you to have 2-3 clothing stores options that you would
want to research and do your project on.

3. Independent Practice
Students will have access to a laptop cart or a computer lab to do their research

4. Closure
What is the most interesting thing you learned today? I will allow discussion for about 15
minutes and then remind students that their store options are due the next day.

5. Formative Evaluation
During the discussion if students seem confused, arent speaking much, or are asking more
questions than making statements, I will spend more time on the subject to clarify. While
students are researching, I will walk around the classroom and make sure students are on task.
If students are looking at something they shouldnt on their computers then I will give them
one warning and take away their computer privileges for the rest of the day on the second
warning.

6. Classroom Management Procedures

While leading discussion, I will use questions to keep students on task and keep them off the
computers. When students are on the computers I will walk around monitoring their activities on
the computers and will remove students from using the computers if they are off task after one
warning.

Day 2 of the Lesson

1. Introduction/Motivation:
I will start the class by introducing the project. For this project, we are taking all that trash
we collected and we are going to make clothes. Each of you is going to make a piece of
clothing inspired by the store you pick. This can be a shirt, a dress, a jacket, but Id rather
you not try to make pants. You will make this garment to fit you. You will also be turning in
 an artist statement that tells me why your garment is more sustainable than if you had bought
it from the store and whether you think that store is sustainable or not I will go over the
rubric with them as well.

2. Independent Practice

Students will get back to research and when they have their 2-3 stores picked they can come up
to me and I will make a list of everyones picks so no two are doing the same store. If someone
has already picked the students top 2-3 then I will allow him or her to do the same store as
someone else as long as his or her garments look different. I will not allow more than 2 students
to do the same store unless at least one of them is a different gender or different gender identity
because their garments will definitely look different and I will allow a male student and female
student to do the same store for the same reasons.

When students have picked their store, they can go back to their computers and keep researching
that store.

3. Closure
10 minutes before class is over, I will have any remaining students come give me their options
and finalize the list. If students do not have any options I will have a couple on hand to assign
them.

4. Formative Evaluation
Students chosen store will give me attendance and let me know which students are struggling
by which students had options and when in class they came to me with them. I will also walk
around and help any struggling students.

5. Classroom Management Procedures

When students are on the computers I will walk around monitoring their activities on the
computers and will remove students from using the computers if they are off task after one
warning.

Day 3 of the Lesson

1. Introduction/Motivation:
This will be the last day for researching your stores in class, after today you will have to do
research on your own time. I also want you to start sketching your ideas for your piece of
clothing. By the end of class tomorrow I want to see at least 3 different sketches.

2. Independent Practice
Students will get back to research and research the rest of class.

3. Closure
10 minutes before class is over I will remind students of their sketches due the next day and
have them shut down the computers

4. Classroom Management Procedures

When students are on the computers I will walk around monitoring their activities on the
 computers and will remove students from using the computers if they are off task after one
warning.

Day 4 of the Lesson

1. Introduction/Motivation:
I will start the class by showing students my video about drafting a garment. I will remind
them that this is only one way of making a pattern and that they can come to me or do
research on their own if they want more instruction. I will also let students know that they
will have to complete their pattern pieces before they can start prepping their materials.

2. Independent Practice
Students will work on sketches in the art classroom. When they are done with their sketches
they will have short informal meeting with me to discuss their sketches, what materials they are
looking at using, and the store they picked and how that inspires those sketches. I will either
send them back to work some more or we will pick a sketch and they can begin to move forward
with their projects.

3. Closure
At the end of class I will remind students to start bringing in clothes to make patterns and let
students know that they have to complete patterns before they can prep their materials.

4. Formative Evaluation
Students will be showing me their sketches and explain them which will show me their level of
understanding and progress on the project.

5. Classroom Management Procedures

I will monitor the classroom from a table or my desk and walk around occasionally to see how
students are doing and keep them on task. Sketch meetings will be conducted at my desk or
monitoring spot, where I can see the classroom but students can have a one on one conversation
with me.

Day 5-9 of the Lesson

1. Introduction/Motivation:
Classes will begin with short discussions on how the assignments are going and answering
questions. I will also give students reminders of how long they have to complete the
assignment. After about 20% of the class has completed their patterns are prepping their
materials, I will show the sewing basics video and give a demo on either hand sewing or
using the sewing machine (depends on resources).

2. Independent Practice
Students will work on drafting their patterns, prepping their materials and sewing their projects.

3. Formative Evaluation
As students work I will have at least 2 short meetings with them during the process about how
its going and their piece. If most of the class needs more time then I will give them more time.

4. Classroom Management Procedures

 I will monitor the classroom from a table or my desk and walk around occasionally to see how
students are doing and keep them on task. I will try to meet with 10-12 students a day so that I
can meet with each student twice during the process.

Day 10 of the Lesson

1. Introduction/Motivation:
Before class I will set up a runway and have students put on their garments.
2. Independent Practice
Students will model their projects and give a short presentation of their artist statement
explaining the piece and discussing the sustainability of their piece in comparison to the store
they researched. Students will have a critique/dialogue about each piece before moving on to the
next one.
3. Closure
After the critique, we will have a class dialogue about what we learned about sustainability
over the course of the unit.
4. Formative Evaluation
Student participation in the dialogue will let me know each students level of understanding.
5. Classroom Management Procedures
I will lead the discussion and keep students on the topic of each piece and sustainability.

X. Summative Assessment and Evaluation:

Quality assessment examines both products and processes (Beattie 6).

Score Excellent 20 Good 10 Needs Development 5

Artist response clearly Artist response is 300- Artist response is less
states students opinion 500 words or is missing than 300 words or is
on the sustainability of one of the follow missing 2 of the
their chosen store versus students opinion on the following: students
their garment, what their sustainability of their opinion on the
inspiration for their chosen store versus their sustainability of their
garment was, and 1 way garment, what their chosen store versus their
they can make a more inspiration for their garment, what their
sustainable choice in garment was, and 1 way inspiration for their
their everyday lives in they can make a more garment was, and 1 way
500 words. sustainable choice in they can make a more
their everyday lives. sustainable choice in
their everyday lives.
Students garment is Students garment is Students garment is
complete on time, made complete but only incomplete or made of
of entirely recycled partially made of less than 50% recycled
materials, and clearly recycled materials or materials and not
inspired by their chosen not clearly inspired by inspired by their chosen
store their chosen store store at all
Student has 3 complete Student is missing Student is missing all
sketches and pattern sketches or pattern sketches or pattern
 pieces for their garment. pieces pieces.
FINAL SCORE / 60

XI. Interdisciplinary Connections:

This lesson is very closely linked to science because it talks about how the fashion industry is
irresponsibly using non-renewable resources and having a negative impact on the environment.
This lesson is also related to economics because clothing store make unethical decisions so they
can get more products out for cheaper.

TEKS and National Standards.

TEKS:
117.302. Art, Level I (One Credit), Adopted 2013.
(4) Critical evaluation and response. The student responds to and analyzes the artworks
of self and others, contributing to the development of the lifelong skills of making informed
judgments and reasoned evaluations. The student is expected to:
(D) select and analyze original artwork, portfolios, and exhibitions to form
precise conclusions about formal qualities, historical and cultural contexts, intentions,
and meanings.

and National Standards:

HS Advanced
VA:Cr1.1.IIIa.
Visualize and hypothesize to generate plans for ideas and directions for creating art and design
that can affect social change.

and
HS Advanced
VA:Cn11.1.IIIa
Appraise the impact of an artist or a group of artists on the beliefs, values, and behaviors of a society.

XII. References & Resources:

Beattie, D. K. (1997). Assessment in Art Education. Worcester, Massachussetts: Davis Publications, Inc.

How to draft a garment video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAuWexlF3_w

Sewing basics https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ef--qhq25s

Computer with internet access

Fast Fashion Ted Talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5r8V4QWwxf0

Article about fashion and water https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/intelligence/5-

sustainability-threats-facing-fashion