ART UNIT PLAN TEMPLATE (revised 12/2016, TDH)

Kansas State University College of Education

Art Education Program

AUSTRALIA’S ABORIGINES: Dot, Dot, Boomerang : )

By Michaela Strahm

I. NAME: Michaela Strahm

II. GRADE LEVEL OF STUDENTS: 4th

III. CONTENT AREA: Elementary Art Class, 50 minutes long.

IV. PHILOSOPHY OF ART TEACHING:

The incorporation of art education is important in schools because it teaches
students to think creatively, to make connections, and problem solve. Art reflects
and affects community, culture, relationships. Teaching art in schools will help
students to see multiple perspectives, make qualitative judgements, and be actively
involved in their world. Students will gain confidence as they overcome challenges,
will learn to discover multiple solutions, and will gain practical skills to design and
build practical solutions and purposeful artistic expressions.
A great teacher will not give up on any student, and will seek to understand
first. The teacher will encourage and challenge students to take risks, discover, and
self-direct. The teacher will give students exceptional opportunities and support to
pursue art making. A good teacher will be take interest in the life of every student,
will be involved outside of school, and will be responsible for his/her own personal
growth, learning, and tasks. Communicating clear expectations, as well as including
students in the making of class standards and rules is important.

V. FOLK ART COUNTRY, CULTURE, OR PEOPLE GROUP and RESEARCH:

A. Country, culture, or people group:

1. Australia, Aborigines
2. The Aborigines, or earliest-known, people groups of Australia are
the pre-colonial indigenous people. They are thought to have

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 migrated through Asia prior to that. Aboriginal spirituality is
similar to Native American in that it is closely associated with the
land or earth. Their culture is also marked by oral storytelling.
Much of Aboriginal artwork includes sculpture, bark and rock
paintings, baskets, and beadwork. This unit will focus on cultural
exploration, storytelling, dot-painting, mark-making, and motifs.
B. How can you teach this subject with cultural sensitivity, both for the
culture the folk art is from and it’s original purpose, as well as
sensitivity towards and to a multi-cultural and diverse elementary
school classroom:
1. To teach this subject with cultural sensitivity, it is important for
the teacher to make sure that facts that are shared are correct.
Also, it is important to show respect for an ancient cultural
community that is still alive, and not refer to it in any way that is
devaluing. In regards to the cultures of the students learning about
the culture and the fact that is most likely very different from their
culture, it is important to not lift up one culture above another.
Rather, it is prudent to encourage students to be willing to see a
new perspective and to find something to appreciate, and maybe
even look for commonalities (even if they do not like learning
about another culture).

C. 20 Facts about the country, culture or people group:

1. Indigenous, Aborigine, Aboriginal, Boomerang, Didgeridoo, Ochre,

The Dreaming, Motif, Rhythm, Movement, Symbol, Myth, Papunya,
metaphysical, hunter gatherer, territory, ceremonial, “the
country”, Impressionism, Abstract Art, mark-making
2. Facts and Definitions are listed under Research.

VI. DESCRIPTIVE TITLE AND UNIT TOPIC:

UNIT TITLE: Dot, Dot, Boomerang : )

UNIT TOPIC:
Students will ultimately create dot paintings on a boomerang shaped piece of
thin cardboard. They will use acrylic paint in typical colors associated with dot
painting (yellow, red, black, white), and learn about symbols used in dot painting.
Students will learn about connections between culture, religion, art, etc. through
reading/listening to an Aboriginal story or myth. Students will learn about
symbolism in art and the connection to cultural values and expressions. Each
student’s boomerang will use Aboriginal symbols to represent him/herself, either in
personhood or in a personal story. Students will learn about Aboriginal art materials
and surfaces. They will be able to understand how past, present, and emerging
technologies have impacted the preservation of artwork. In the context of the

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Aborigines, they will learn how Aboriginal art has stayed the same and how it has
changed since the culture is still alive today. For example, they will learn how
Aborigine dot painting didn’t become an official method until the 1970s, but rather
started as soil paintings, and then progressed to canvas and paint during the
Papunya movement.

VII. STANDARDS:
Standards:

A. Visual Arts State Standards:

1. VA: Cn10.1.4 Create works of art that reflect community
cultural traditions.
i. This standard is fulfilled in the lesson through
examination of Aboriginal historical artworks and
symbolic meaning, as well as incorporation by
students into their own artworks of Aboriginal
symbols applied to their own lives/cultures.
2. VA: Cr2.1.4 Explore and invent art-making techniques and
approaches.
i. This standard is fulfilled in the lesson through
discussing and/or using Impressionism, Abstract
Art, Mark-Making, Aboriginal Dot-Painting,
Symbolism/Motifs, Rhythm/Movement, etc.
3. VA: Pr4.1.4 Analyze how past, present, and emerging
technologies have impacted the preservation and
presentation of artwork.
i. This standard is fulfilled in the lesson through the
students’ considerations of past aspects of dot
painting, as well as current methods (i.e. students
will witness and some participate in the
demonstration with sand/soil “painting”, then each
student will experience making their own
piece/recording stories on a surface that is
permanent and is not erased).
B. National Standards:
1. Creating: Anchor Standard #1: Generate and conceptualize
artistic ideas and work.
i. This standard is fulfilled in the lesson when the
students research symbols/marks and sketch out 3
designs in their sketchbooks with personal
significance.
C. Other KSDE Standard:
1. Social Studies: 4th Grade, Standard 5: Relationships
between people, place, idea, and environments are
dynamic.

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 i. This standard is fulfilled in the lesson through
examining the spiritual relationship between the
Aborigines and the land (“country”). Reading
cultural stories, looking at arts materials found in
the landscape, and studying the artwork processes
of the Aborigines also reflects the importance of the
environment to the Aborigines.

VIII. CONNECTION TO SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT GOALS: Not applicable.

This information is not provided to student interns.

IX. RATIONALE:

A. WHY WILL THIS ART PROJECT SUPPLEMENT AND ENHANCE STUDENT

LEARNING FOR THE CORE LESSON YOU ARE INTEGRATING?
a. This art project will assist in learning the social studies lesson
about the dynamic relationships between elements of culture by
dot painting personally significant symbols as a reflection on the
motifs the Aborigines painted from their ideas about their
environment. These paintings will be done on a representation of
a tool (boomerang), painted with “environmentally derived”
materials (pigments will be ochre-colored).
b. As a real-life application, students will take away the ability to look
at new ideas objectively, as well as the ability to incorporate new
ideas into their own knowledge and interpretations. Students will
gain a broader understanding of their world, the global world, and
ultimately, perspective. Students will learn to learn from others.

B. WHY IS THIS MATH-SOCIAL STUDIES-LANGUAGE ARTS-SPANISH-

SCIENCE CURRICULUM INTEGRATION IMPORTANT?
a. The social studies standard states that learning about
“relationships between people, place, idea, and environments are
dynamic” is an age appropriate lesson for fourth-graders. A social
studies curriculum integration is important because it fosters a
global perspective as well as innovation. Students will be able
make real-life connections by using a foreign art-making method
and way of telling stories to tell their own. Using a new lens fosters
a sense of empathy and understanding. Students will be able to see
how past, present, and future interrelate in terms of the technical
process in art-making, as well as determining creative solutions to
express personal experiences, and innovative processes. Learning
about things have been viewed and done in the past that are
different than the present, help form queries that can shape the
future to bring exponential growth and innovations.

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 C. WHAT IS ONE CRITICAL THINKING STRATEGY YOU WILL USE IN THIS
ART PROJECT AND LESSON WITH STUDENTS AND HOW WILL THEY
BENEFIT FROM IT?
a. Students will analyze and break down information, make
associations, and reconstruct knowledge to look at things
differently. They will accomplish this through analyzing Aboriginal
artwork and connections to culture. Students will make
associations and form new perspectives through applying the
analytical knowledge to form their own pieces of dot-painting
artwork.

X. LEARNING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:

A. Understand: Students will be able to summarize the effect of mark-
making in conveying rhythm and movement.
B. Analyze: Students will be able to deconstruct cultural artifacts.
C. Analyze: Students will be able to integrate new with prior
knowledge.
D. Evaluate: Students will be able to reflect on connections between a
culture’s experiences and symbolism.
E. Create: Students will be able to create artwork that uses symbols
to convey personal culture.

XI. INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN:

A. LEARNING STRATEGIES:
1. Demonstration: Students will demonstrate thinking about artistic
processes by taking photos of their work in progress, and writing a
few sentences about their work. (Day 3, 4, 5)
2. Demonstration: Students will demonstrate an understanding of
symbolism through writing about using their own created symbols
in their artwork. This will be written about in the Snapshot Blog.
(Day 5)
3. Demonstration: Students will demonstrate their knowledge of
movement and rhythm in a class wide drag and brag in which they
can talk about their work. (Day 5)

B. ADAPTATIONS/DIFFERENTIATION:
1. Whole Group:
a. In this particular art unit, no differentiation is needed. All students
can equitably complete this project.
2. Small Groups:
a. Table Groups: The teacher will circulate the studio and assist each
table, providing more instruction.
3. Student A-This student has an emotional/social disorder:

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 a. Scissors Skills: The teacher will pre-cut the boomerang for a
student lacking scissors skills.
b. Name: The teacher will ask the student to put his/her name on the
project in a decorative way (or the teacher can do it). This is very
important and will help the student feel special and important.
c. Movie Imagery: For the dot painting, this student can choose an
animal/character from a movie that he/she likes to incorporate (it
is still a story with personal significance, just not directly from
his/her own life).
d. Cool-Down Period: The student may need some time to
decompress from a lot of social interaction, stress, or noise. The
teacher should learn to look for triggers of emotional/behavioral
triggers to help avoid them. The teacher should also recognize and
allow for the student to go by him/herself in another part of the
classroom for a while to cool down before rejoining his/her table.
4. Student B-This student is ESL:
a. Flashcards: The teacher will give the student that is ESL flashcards
with important terms that will brought up in class 1-2 days prior
to discussing those words in class.
b. Table Groups: The teacher will place this student with primary
English speakers at table groups. This helps the student learn
English by practicing it with those who already know it in ordinary
conversation.
c. Writing: When students reflect on their artistic processes and the
project, the teacher will allow the ESL student to write in his/her
own native language if he/she would like to, and have a person
knowledgeable in that language help grade it. Also, ESL students
often will speak in a mix of English and their native tongue as they
learn English; the teacher must recognize that this may show in
their writing as well, and be willing to work with it.

C. ACTIVE INQUIRY, STUDENT CENTERED, AND MEANINGFUL STUDENT

ENGAGEMENT:
1. Activities:
a. Principle-Rhythm: In dot painting, students can visually see the
patterns the mark-making dots form, and the striking results of
creating their own dot paintings.
b. Curriculum-Social Studies: In a social studies context, students will
explore the relationships between peoples and the environmental
features and resources surrounding. This will occur through
reading Aboriginal stories, and reflecting on personal experiences
and culture as the students design their boomerangs.
c. Contemporary Art-Chuck Close: Students will learn about a
contemporary artist that is making art using dots and lines in a
new way. Learning about this artist also incorporates learning

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 about abstract art. Students will learn about new and different
ways to use simple marks to convey meaning and movement.

2. Motivation (Questioning Strategy):

a. “What are some places, ideas, people, animals that are unique to
your experiences and environment?”
b. “How does “the country” impact Aboriginal artwork?”
c. “In what ways could you use the technique of dot painting in a
new, innovative depiction?”
d. “How do you interpret this symbol, and what do you think it
communicates about the artist?”
e. “What are some examples of cultural symbols you see every day?”

D. INTEGRATION OF TECHNOLOGY:
1. Teacher Use for Planning and Teaching
a. Powerpoint: The teacher will use a self-created powerpoint
as a visual aide to guide learning.
b. Kahoot It: The teacher will ask students questions, and
allow students to respond in typed responses through their
iPads.
c. Youtube: The teacher will show students a video about
boomerangs and how they work.
2. Student Use During Unit:
a. iPads: Students may use their iPads to find animal
silhouettes and Aboriginal symbols.
b. Literacy Integration: Students will look up Aboriginal
stories on given websites to read in groups.
c. Snapshot Blogs: Students will take pictures of their project
in-process, and at the end to show progress. The writing
portion will demonstrate understanding.

E. INTEGRATION OF READING STRATEGIES:

1. Entry Tickets: Students will answer the question “What is a
symbol?”. This will activate student prior knowledge and provide a
ready framework to be expanded.
2. Small Group Read-Alouds: Students will look up an Aboriginal
myth (from the URL provided by the teacher), and read it at their
tables. Students will be asked questions about what kinds of
characters were in the stories (i.e. animals, natural elements, etc.),
what the students thought they might represent, and/or what they
learned from the stories.
3. Snapshot Blogs: Students will take pictures of their project in-
process, and at the end to show progress. These will be combined
on a Word Doc with 3-5 sentences of writing answering the

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 question “What symbols did you use and how does it reflect
something about your life?”.

F. INTEGRATION OF CRITICAL THINKING STRATEGIES:

1. Analyze: Students will analyze and break down information. They
will accomplish this through analyzing Aboriginal artwork and
discovering connections to cultural elements (environment, ideas,
people, places).
2. Analyze: Students will integrate prior knowledge with new
knowledge by making associations and creating dot-paintings.
3. Create: Students will then create their own dot-painting artworks,
applying the analytical knowledge combined with their personal
experiences.

G. INTEGRATION WITHIN AND ACROSS CONTENT FIELDS:

1. Science Integration: Discuss the geology behind paint pigments
used by the Australian Aborigines. Yellow was made from ochre.
Other rocks that pigments were taken from included gypsum,
charcoal, and pipeclay.
2. Science Integration: Watch Youtube video about boomerangs. It
should discuss the specific airfoil shape of boomerangs that cause
it to spin, etc. This incorporates the science field of physics.

H. COMMUNITY RESOURCES:
1. The art class will cooperate with the music class to present an art
gallery the night of the spring program. The music class will
incorporate didgeridoos in their program.
2. The teacher will display student artwork at a local bank.
3. The teacher will invite an artist to come to class.
4. The class will take a field trip to the zoo to look at native
Australian animals in person. Students will sketch animals there,
and use these when making their boomerangs.

I. REVIEW EISNER’S 10 LESSONS THE ARTS TEACH. SELECT ONE OF

EISNER’S POINTS AND WRITE WHY THAT POINT IS REFLECTED IN THIS
ART PROJECT AND HOW STUDENTS WILL GRASP EISNER’S POINT
THROUGH MAKING THIS PROJECT. [1-2 paragraphs]
1. Lesson 3: The arts celebrate multiple perspectives. One of their
large lessons is that there are many ways to see and interpret the
world. This lesson is taught through exploring the point of view of
another people group, in this case, one that sees everything
through the lens of viewing the land as something spiritual.
Students will make connections between art-making and culture
in using symbols in artwork to show his/her personal experiences

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 of life. Students will get a taste of how the Aborigines of Australia
used dot painting to express their cultural stories.

XII. INSPIRATION:
A. HISTORICAL ARTIST:
i. Georges Seurat
1. Georges Seurat is one of the leaders of the Impressionist
movement. Many of his paintings are entirely composed
of touching dots. While that is different than the usually
separated dots of the Aborigines art, the same qualities
of rhythm and especially movement are emphasized
and used.
2.

B. CONTEMPORARY ARTIST:
i. Chuck Close
1. Chuck uses both dots and lines, the simplest organized
marks, and uses them in unique ways by wrapping the
lines around to form layered dots. Each dot is not
spherical, but organic. Altogether, they are arranged in a
grid, and form an image when placed together.
2.

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C. CORE SUBJECT ASSOCIATED PERSON:
i. Geoffrey Bardon
1. Geoffrey was an art teacher who briefly taught at an
Aboriginal school in Papunya Tula, near Alice Springs in
the early 1970’s. He was the one to encourage his
students (who were helped by the elders) to paint their
dreamings, specifically the “Honey Ant Dreaming”.
While he left after only a short time (1-2 yrs), this was
the beginning of the Western Desert Painting
Movement. This was the first time these Dreaming
paintings were recorded on physical lasting surfaces
other than rocks, to be displayed and sold. He also
wrote a book about his time there and involvement
even after leaving Papunya about the artworks and
Aborigine people.

2.

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 3.

D. GENRE OF ART EDUCATION:

i. Globally Inspired Art: This unit focuses on the genre of globally
inspired art. Students learn, through these lessons, about
another culture, continent, and country. Different
environments, attitudes, and wildlife are discussed. Through
book readings, pictures, and examples, students learn about
indigenous art, also known as folk art. Students can explore
another environment through visiting the zoo’s walk-through
Australia exhibit. Students also learn about past and present
artists whose work reflects similar artistic principles to that of
the Aboriginals. Students also recognize that the intent and
cultures surrounding the artists impact their works in different
ways.

XIII. INSTRUCTIONAL UNIT PLAN:

A. Lesson One Title: (introduction with slide show) Good Eye Might!
Description:
The beginning is the best place to begin. Today, the focus of the class is to
explore the history and wealth of the culture of the Aboriginal people of Australia.
Students will learn about where Australia is and how the Aborigines are similar to
the Native Americans of the United States in that they are pre-colonial inhabitants of
their land. The students will learn about their cultural myths/narratives, their
land/environment, etc. At the end of this lesson, the teacher will introduce a little bit
about their art-making.

Student Supplies:
 iPad (if a 1:1 school, or teacher will check-out cart from
school)

Teacher Supplemental Materials:

 Self-created Powerpoint slides with Internet Images

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  Projector
 Screen
 https://www.didjshop.com/stories/bluetongue.html “The
Rainbow Serpent” “The Origin of Water”
 Maps of Australia (printed off on 8.5x11 paper) to give to
the students

Exemplars:
 Teacher-made example of a dot painting (“The Rainbow
Serpent”)

Objectives:
C. Analyze: Students will be able to deconstruct cultural artifacts.
D. Analyze: Students will be able to integrate new with prior
knowledge.
E. Evaluate: Students will be able to reflect on connections
between a culture’s experiences and symbolism.

Instructional Strategies/Activities:

Activities for Today’s Lesson in Order of Completion:

1. The teacher will start off with a fun introduction: teaching the
kids to say “G’day mate!” with an Australian accent.
2. The first few minutes will be a group discussion about what
students may already know about Australia. Students may
respond to questions using Kahoot It! on their iPads.
3. The teacher will show a few slides to demonstrate the
geographic location of Australia, and discuss the history of the
Aborigine peoples of Australia briefly.
4. The students will be divided up into groups. On their iPads,
they will look up
https://www.didjshop.com/stories/rainbow.html with
Aboriginal stories. They will read “The Rainbow Serpent” out
loud in their small groups.
5. As a whole class, the teacher and students will discuss the
characters in the story.
6. The same small groups will also read “The Origin of Water”.
7. The whole class will discuss the fact that the characters are
animals, but act like people (personification). This story tells
that it has a moral. The class will discuss what a “moral to the
story” is.
8. The teacher will show an exemplar of dot painting for the
rainbow serpent that he/she made him/herself. The students
will discuss how the picture represents the story, and how the
characters are very human-like though they are animals. The
students will analyze the artwork to break down different

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 elements of culture (ex: different dot patterns represent land-
masses, etc.)

Pre-Diagnostic Assessment:
A. Class Verbal Quiz at the beginning of class to discover what
students already know about Australia and indigenous
people. (Kahoot It!)

Standards Met by Assessment: C.1

Objectives Met by Assessment: B, C, D

Specific Adaptations/Differentiation:
All Students: none

Focus Students:
1. A)
a. Cool-Down Period: The student may need some
time to decompress from a lot of social
interaction, stress, or noise. The teacher should
learn to look for triggers of
emotional/behavioral triggers to help avoid
them. The teacher should also recognize and
allow for the student to go by him/herself in
another part of the classroom for a while to cool
down before rejoining his/her table.
2. B)
a. Flashcards: The teacher will give the student that
is ESL flashcards with important terms that will
brought up in class 1-2 days prior to discussing
those words in class.
b. Table Groups: The teacher will place this student
with primary English speakers at table groups.
This helps the student learn English by
practicing it with those who already know it in
ordinary conversation.

Integration Categories: TS, RS, CT, IC

B. Lesson Two Title: (more Unit content and demonstration) Good Eye Might!
Description:
Today’s lesson is focused more on the art-making aspect of the Aborigines
culture. Students will learn about Geoffrey Bordon and Papunya Tula. Students will
learn about the Western Desert Painting Movement that sprang from this. The
teacher will talk about the dreamings of the Aboriginals, their spiritual relationship
to the land, and the demonstration of these things in their artwork. Dot painting will
be explored above other Aboriginal artwork forms.

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Student Supplies:
 Sandpaper
 Brushes/sticks
 iPads
 Homemade watercolor blocks (cornstarch recipe)
 Ziploc bags
 Sketchbooks
 iPads
 Graphite No. 2 pencil
 Cups
 Styrofoam plates

Teacher Supplemental Materials:

 Ochre rocks
 Sand
 Stick
 Shallow, clear, plastic box
 Projector
 Screen
 Overhead
 Self-made Powerpoint slides
 Homemade watercolor blocks (cornstarch recipe)
 Paintbrushes
 Printed computer sheets of Aboriginal symbols
 Didgeridoo music (Spotify)

Exemplars:
 Sandpaper with dot painting on it (made by teacher)

Objectives:

B. Understand: Students will be able to summarize the effect of

mark-making in conveying rhythm and movement.
C. Analyze: Students will be able to deconstruct cultural artifacts.
D. Analyze: Students will be able to integrate new with prior
knowledge.
E. Evaluate: Students will be able to reflect on connections
between a culture’s experiences and symbolism.

Instructional Strategies/Activities:

Activities for Today’s Lesson in Order of Completion:

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1. The teacher will have Aboriginal didgeridoo music playing as
students walk in.
2. As an introduction, and an activation of prior knowledge, the
teacher will ask students a few questions about the prior day’s
information.
3. The teacher will then show a few powerpoint slides about the
Papunya Tula Western Desert Painting Movement that started in
the 1970’s. This discusses how the art-making of the Aborigines
has changed, especially in primary purpose and in materials as
well.
4. The teacher will demonstrate drawing in the sand that is an
Aboriginal tradition on an overhead machine.
5. The teacher will talk about different surfaces to draw/paint on,
and how these have changed over time (Caves, rocks, body paint,
sand, to canvas, walls, bark, etc.).
6. The teacher will talk about how the Aboriginals found materials
around them from natural resources to make art.
7. For example, the teacher will pass around some ochre rocks, and
demonstrate grinding them up into paint. The teacher will talk
about geology and various other rocks that provide pigments in
paint.
8. Students will get to grind up their own “rocks” (watercolor blocks)
and mix them with water to paint on sandpaper sheets.
9. The teacher will ask students to recall discussing symbolism in the
previous lesson. Then students will be asked to brainstorm
different symbols that could represent themselves, sketching out
ideas in their sketchbooks.
10. The dot painting project will be introduced briefly by showing the
finished exemplar. This way, students know what they are
working towards.

Formative Assessment:
1. Students will be given an exit ticket asking them to recall facts
about the Papunya Movement (they can talk with a neighbor for
this one), reflect on symbolism, and talk about personal symbols.

Standards Met by Assessment: A.1, A.2, A.3, B.1, C.1

Objectives Met by Assessment: B, C, D, E

Specific Adaptations/Differentiation:
All Students: none

Focus Students:
1. A)
a. Name: The teacher will ask the student to put
his/her name on the project in a decorative way

15
 (or the teacher can do it). This is very important
and will help the student feel special and
important.
b. Movie Imagery: For the dot painting, this student
can choose an animal/character from a movie
that he/she likes to incorporate (it is still a story
with personal significance, just not directly from
his/her own life).
c. Cool-Down Period: The student may need some
time to decompress from a lot of social
interaction, stress, or noise. The teacher should
learn to look for triggers of
emotional/behavioral triggers to help avoid
them. The teacher should also recognize and
allow for the student to go by him/herself in
another part of the classroom for a while to cool
down before rejoining his/her table.
d.
2. B)
a. Flashcards: The teacher will give the student that
is ESL flashcards with important terms that will
brought up in class 1-2 days prior to discussing
those words in class.
b. Table Groups: The teacher will place this student
with primary English speakers at table groups.
This helps the student learn English by
practicing it with those who already know it in
ordinary conversation.
c. Writing: When students reflect on their artistic
processes and the project, the teacher will allow
the ESL student to write in his/her own native
language if he/she would like to, and have a
person knowledgeable in that language help
grade it. Also, ESL students often will speak in a
mix of English and their native tongue as they
learn English; the teacher must recognize that
this may show in their writing as well, and be
willing to work with it.

Integration Categories: RS, CT, IC

C. Lesson Three Title: (more demonstration, studio workday) Rhythm & Movement
Description:
Rhythm and Yellow starts off with a recap of remembering that paint
pigments can be made out of rocks, and often were by the Aborigines. The full
description of the boomerang dot-painting project is given, and students continue to

16
develop their ideas. The teacher stops the class midway to comment on class
progress and ask if any students need clarification. The teacher also discusses the
element/principle of art that is Rhythm and how the dots form this in their precise,
ordered placements. The teacher will talk about boomerangs, how they were made.
The physics of the airfoil design will also be discussed.

Student Supplies:
 Sketchbooks
 Graphite No. 2 Pencil
 iPad (for research)
 Colored pencils
 Scissors
 Cardboard/thin chipboard
 Boomerang template
 Papers with Aboriginal symbols (print-outs)

Teacher Supplemental Materials:

 Teacher-created Powerpoint
 Projector
 Screen
 iPad
 Graphite No. 2 Pencil
 Cut-out cardboard boomerang
 Papers with Aboriginal symbols (print-outs)
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKpV9ZT4V5g

Exemplars:
 Cardboard boomerang cut out

Objectives:
A. Understand: Students will be able to summarize the effect
of mark-making in conveying rhythm and movement.
B. Analyze: Students will be able to deconstruct cultural
artifacts.
C. Analyze: Students will be able to integrate new with prior
knowledge.
D. Evaluate: Students will be able to reflect on connections
between a culture’s experiences and symbolism.
E. Create: Students will be able to create artwork that uses
symbols to convey personal culture.

Instructional Strategies/Activities:
1. Demonstration: Students will demonstrate thinking about
artistic processes by taking photos of their work in progress,
and writing a few sentences about their work.

17
Activities for Today’s Lesson in Order of Completion:
1. The teacher will have the sandpaper artworks hanging up on the
wall. When the students come in, the teacher will ask them to
recall what kind of rock the ochre rock is.
2. The teacher will give an overview of the boomerang dot-painting
project using Powerpoint slides.
3. The students will continue to work on their sketches, researching
symbols (Aboriginal symbols, animal silhouettes) on their iPads.
They will make three sketches.
4. Halfway through the class, the teacher will stop the class and talk
about Rhythm in the precise placements of dots.
5. The teacher will also talk about the boomerang itself. The teacher
will show a video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKpV9ZT4V5g about the
aerodynamics of the boomerang. Then, the teacher will show an
exemplar of a cut-out from cardboard. The students can cut out
their boomerang shapes if their sketches are done and have been
approved by the teacher.
6. Students will take a photo of their sketches once they are done.

Specific Adaptations/Differentiation:
All Students: none

Focus Students:
1. A)
a. Scissors Skills: The teacher will pre-cut the
boomerang for a student lacking scissors skills.
b. Name: The teacher will ask the student to put
his/her name on the project in a decorative way
(or the teacher can do it). This is very important
and will help the student feel special and
important.
c. Movie Imagery: For the dot painting, this student
can choose an animal/character from a movie
that he/she likes to incorporate (it is still a story
with personal significance, just not directly from
his/her own life).
d. Cool-Down Period: The student may need some
time to decompress from a lot of social
interaction, stress, or noise. The teacher should
learn to look for triggers of
emotional/behavioral triggers to help avoid
them. The teacher should also recognize and

18
 allow for the student to go by him/herself in
another part of the classroom for a while to cool
down before rejoining his/her table.
2. B)
a. Flashcards: The teacher will give the student that
is ESL flashcards with important terms that will
brought up in class 1-2 days prior to discussing
those words in class.
b. Table Groups: The teacher will place this student
with primary English speakers at table groups.
This helps the student learn English by
practicing it with those who already know it in
ordinary conversation.

Integration Categories: TS, CT, IC

D. Lesson Four Title: Work Day (studio lesson and work day) Rhythm & Movement
Description:
Today, students will continue to work on their projects. They must begin the
actual painting process before the end of the class. Sketches must be approved by
the teacher before choosing one to make/paint. Partway through the class, the
teacher will talk about historical artist Seurat and contemporary artist Close, both of
whose artworks implement the dot to form their artworks in different ways than the
Aborigines. These artists’ works are also great examples of Rhythm and movement.
Students will continue to keep track of their process through taking pictures with
their iPads.

Student Supplies:
 Acrylic paint
 Brushes (round)
 Graphite No. 2 pencil
 Styrofoam plate
 Newspaper/Scrap Paper
 Cardboard/thin chipboard
 Cardboard boomerang template
 Sketchbook
 Colored Pencils (opt.)
 Paint Shirts

Teacher Supplemental Materials:

 Acrylic paint
 Brushes (round)
 Graphite No. 2 pencil
 Styrofoam plate

19
  Newspaper/Scrap Paper
 Cardboard/thin chipboard
 Cardboard boomerang template
 Sketch paper
 Internet Images
 iPad
 Screen
 Projector
 Colored Pencils (opt.)

Exemplars:
 Cardboard cut-out of a boomerang silhouette
 Partially finished boomerang dot-painting with sketched
lines and some dots
 Finished boomerang dot-painting

Objectives:

A. Understand: Students will be able to summarize the effect of

mark-making in conveying rhythm and movement.
C. Analyze: Students will be able to integrate new with prior
knowledge.
D. Evaluate: Students will be able to reflect on connections
between a culture’s experiences and symbolism.
E. Create: Students will be able to create artwork that uses
symbols to convey personal culture.

Instructional Strategies/Activities:

1. Demonstration: Students will demonstrate thinking about artistic

processes by taking photos of their work in progress, and writing a
few sentences about their work.

Activities for Today’s Lesson in Order of Completion:

1. Students will come into class and wait for instructions.
2. The teacher will remind students of what took place the previous
class and acknowledge that different students may be at different
stages.
3. Some students will keep working on their sketches, but must also
have a good start on the actual painting before the class period is
over.
4. The students who are ready can sketch out their designs on their
cut out cardboard boomerangs. If they want to, they may paint a
solid background color of white, yellow ochre, red ochre, or
charcoal.

20
5. The student will paint the animal silhouette and Aboriginal
symbols in black (unless background is black; then these will be
white). The student will outline these symbols with a line of dots.
Then he/she will make another ring in another color of paint
(white, black, yellow ochre, red ochre pigments only).
6. Halfway through the class, students will take a break while the
teacher talks about dots in other artist works. The artists
discussed include Seurat and Close, who both use dots in different
ways in their artworks.
7. At the end of the class, the student will take a photo of his/her
work in progress.

Formative Assessment:
1. Students will participate in a “Drag & Brag” where each person
takes their work to the front and talk about their work.

Standards Met by Assessment: A.1, A.2, A.3, B.1, C.1

Objectives Met by Assessment: A, C, D, E

Specific Adaptations/Differentiation:
All Students: none

Focus Students:
1. A)
a. Scissors Skills: The teacher will pre-cut the
boomerang for a student lacking scissors skills.
b. Name: The teacher will ask the student to put
his/her name on the project in a decorative way
(or the teacher can do it). This is very important
and will help the student feel special and
important.
c. Movie Imagery: For the dot painting, this student
can choose an animal/character from a movie that
he/she likes to incorporate (it is still a story with
personal significance, just not directly from
his/her own life).
d. Cool-Down Period: The student may need some
time to decompress from a lot of social interaction,
stress, or noise. The teacher should learn to look
for triggers of emotional/behavioral triggers to
help avoid them. The teacher should also
recognize and allow for the student to go by
him/herself in another part of the classroom for a
while to cool down before rejoining his/her table.
2. B)

21
 a. Flashcards: The teacher will give the student that
is ESL flashcards with important terms that will
brought up in class 1-2 days prior to discussing
those words in class.
b. Table Groups: The teacher will place this student
with primary English speakers at table groups.
This helps the student learn English by practicing
it with those who already know it in ordinary
conversation.
c. Writing: When students reflect on their artistic
processes and the project, the teacher will allow
the ESL student to write in his/her own native
language if he/she would like to, and have a
person knowledgeable in that language help grade
it. Also, ESL students often will speak in a mix of
English and their native tongue as they learn
English; the teacher must recognize that this may
show in their writing as well, and be willing to
work with it.

Integration Categories: TS, RS, CT,

E. Lesson Five Title: (summative lesson and critique) Dot, Dot, Boomerang : )
Description:
The students will finish their projects in the first half of class. At the halfway
mark, students can Drag and Brag about their artworks, explaining the stories
displayed in their works. Each student will take a photo of his/her work when it is
finished. As the class finishes up, students will combine the 3 photos (sketchbook, 1
process, 1 finished) in a Word Document with 3-5 sentences describing what their
symbols, the technique of Aboriginal dot painting, and demonstrating learning.

Student Supplies:
 Acrylic paint
 Brushes (round)
 Graphite No. 2 pencil
 Styrofoam plate
 Newspaper/Scrap Paper
 Cardboard/thin chipboard
 Cardboard boomerang template
 Sketchbook
 Colored Pencils (opt.)
 Paint Shirts

Teacher Supplemental Materials:

22
  Acrylic paint
 Brushes (round)
 Graphite No. 2 pencil
 Styrofoam plate
 Newspaper/Scrap Paper
 Cardboard/thin chipboard
 Cardboard boomerang template
 Sketch paper
 Internet Images
 iPad
 Screen
 Projector
 Colored Pencils (opt.)

Exemplars:
 Finished boomerang dot-painting

Objectives:
A. Understand: Students will be able to summarize the effect
of mark-making in conveying rhythm and movement.
B. Analyze: Students will be able to deconstruct cultural
artifacts.
C. Analyze: Students will be able to integrate new with prior
knowledge.
D. Evaluate: Students will be able to reflect on connections
between a culture’s experiences and symbolism.
E. Create: Students will be able to create artwork that uses
symbols to convey personal culture.

Instructional Strategies/Activities:
1. Demonstration: Students will demonstrate thinking about
artistic processes by taking photos of their work in progress,
and writing a few sentences about their work.
2. Demonstration: Students will demonstrate an understanding of
symbolism through writing about using their own created
symbols in their artwork. This will be written about in the
Snapshot Blog.
3. Demonstration: Students will demonstrate their knowledge of
movement and rhythm in a class wide drag and brag in which
they can talk about their work.

Activities for Today’s Lesson in Order of Completion:

23
 1. The teacher will start off the class, reminding students that
they have only half the class to finish up their projects.
2. The students will finish their projects in the first half of class.
3. At the halfway mark, students can Drag and Brag about their
artworks, explaining the stories displayed in their works.
4. Each student will take a photo of his/her work when it is
finished.
5. As the class finishes up, students will combine the 3 photos
(sketchbook, 1 process, 1 finished) in a Word Document with
3-5 sentences describing what their symbols, the technique of
Aboriginal dot painting, and demonstrating learning.
6. Students will turn in their boomerang dot paintings to be
graded according to the rubric.
7. The students will be informed that they will have an
opportunity to display their paintings at their upcoming music
concert and that they will be playing didgeridoos, Aborigine
instruments, in the concert as well.

Summative Assessment:
1. Drag & Brag: Students will explain their artwork and the
symbolism in front of the class.
2. Rubric: Students will turn in their projects at the end of class to be
graded according to a rubric (students should be given this at the
beginning of the project description so they know what to expect).

Standards Met by Assessment: A.1, A.2, B.1, C.1

Objectives Met by Assessment: A, B, C, D, E

Specific Adaptations/Differentiation:
All Students: none

Focus Students:
1. A)
a. Name: The teacher will ask the student to put
his/her name on the project in a decorative way
(or the teacher can do it). This is very important
and will help the student feel special and
important.
b. Movie Imagery: For the dot painting, this student
can choose an animal/character from a movie
that he/she likes to incorporate (it is still a story
with personal significance, just not directly from
his/her own life).
c. Cool-Down Period: The student may need some
time to decompress from a lot of social
interaction, stress, or noise. The teacher should

24
 learn to look for triggers of
emotional/behavioral triggers to help avoid
them. The teacher should also recognize and
allow for the student to go by him/herself in
another part of the classroom for a while to cool
down before rejoining his/her table.
2. B)
a. Flashcards: The teacher will give the student that
is ESL flashcards with important terms that will
brought up in class 1-2 days prior to discussing
those words in class.
b. Table Groups: The teacher will place this student
with primary English speakers at table groups.
This helps the student learn English by
practicing it with those who already know it in
ordinary conversation.
c. Writing: When students reflect on their artistic
processes and the project, the teacher will allow
the ESL student to write in his/her own native
language if he/she would like to, and have a
person knowledgeable in that language help
grade it. Also, ESL students often will speak in a
mix of English and their native tongue as they
learn English; the teacher must recognize that
this may show in their writing as well, and be
willing to work with it.

Integration Categories: TS, RS, CT, CR

XIV. SUPPLIES NEEDED:

A. Student Supplies:
a. iPad
b. Sandpaper
c. Brushes (rounds)
d. Sticks
e. iPads
f. Homemade watercolor blocks (cornstarch)
g. Ziploc bags
h. Sketchbooks
i. Graphite No. 2 Pencil
j. Colored pencils (optional)
k. Scissors

25
 l. Cardboard/thin chipboard
m. Boomerang template
n. Papers with Aboriginal symbols (print-outs)
o. Cups
p. Styrofoam plates
q. Pencil Sharpener
r. Scissors
s. Acrylic Paint (yellow ochre, red ochre, white, black)
t. Ivory Bar Soap
u. Newspaper/Scrap paper
v. Paint Shirts
B. Exemplars:
a. Teacher-made example of a dot painting (“The Rainbow Serpent”)
b. Sandpaper with dot painting (made by teacher)
c. Cardboard boomerang cut out
d. Cardboard cut-out of a boomerang silhouette
e. Partially finished boomerang dot-painting with sketched lines and
some dots
f. Finished boomerang dot-painting
C. Teacher Supplemental Materials:
a. Laptop
b. Printer
c. Self-created Powerpoint slides
d. Internet images
e. Projector
f. Screen
g. https://www.didjshop.com/stories/bluetongue.html
i. “The Rainbow Serpent”, “The Origin of Water”
h. Maps of Australia (printed off on 8.5x11 paper) to give to the students
i. Ochre rocks
j. Sand
k. Stick
l. Shallow, clear, plastic box
m. Overhead
n. Homemade watercolor blocks (cornstarch)
o. Brushes (rounds)
p. Printed computer sheets of Aboriginal symbols
q. Didgeridoo music (Spotify)
r. iPad
s. Graphite No. 2 Pencil
t. Cardboard boomerang template
u. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKpV9ZT4V5g
i. Video about boomerangs
v. Acrylic paint (yellow ochre, red ochre, white, charcoal)
w. Styrofoam plate
x. Newspaper/Scrap Paper

26
 y. Cardboard/thin chipboard
z. Sketch paper
aa. Colored Pencils (opt.)

XV. UNIT ASSESSMENTS:

A. PRE-DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT:
Description: Verbal Class Quiz
1. Class Verbal Quiz is given at the beginning of class to
discover what students already know about Australia and
indigenous people. Students can also respond through
Kahoot it! if they are a deaf student or prefer to not speak in
front of others.
Rationale:
1. To discover what students already know (prior knowledge)
regarding indigenous people groups of Australia, their
personal cultures, etc.
Adaptations that may be needed for student A and B or why none
are needed:
1. Student A needs none. It is equitable to participate in this.
2. Student B will need Flashcards in advance to participate
because of the language barrier. Using Kahoot It! may also
make this student feel more comfortable, since he/she can
participate without trying to pronounce words in front of
the whole class.
Unit Objectives addressed:
B. Analyze: Students will be able to deconstruct cultural
artifacts.
C. Analyze: Students will be able to integrate new with prior
knowledge.
D. Evaluate: Students will be able to reflect on connections
between a culture’s experiences and symbolism.
Unit Standards addressed:
1. C.1

B. FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT #1:

Description: Exit Ticket
1. Students will be given an exit ticket asking them to recall
facts about the Papunya Movement (they can talk with a
neighbor for this one), reflect on symbolism, and talk about
personal symbols.
Rationale:
1. Using an exit ticket is a quick and effective way to
determine if students are retaining information and
comprehending material.

27
 Specific Adaptation for Student A and B or why no adaption is needed:
1. Student A needs none. It is equitable for the student to
participate in this.
2. Student B will need Flashcards in advance to participate
because of the language barrier. Allowing the student to
write in a mixed language or his/her native language is also
an accommodation to his/her learning of English process.
Objectives addressed:
A. Understand: Students will be able to summarize the effect
of mark-making in conveying rhythm and movement.
B. Analyze: Students will be able to deconstruct cultural
artifacts.
C. Analyze: Students will be able to integrate new with prior
knowledge.
D. Evaluate: Students will be able to reflect on connections
between a culture’s experiences and symbolism.
Standards addressed:
1. A.3, B.1, C.1
Minimum level of student performance expected:
1. Student expresses complete thoughts and demonstrates
relevant knowledge/applications of the material.

C. FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT #2:

Description: Drag & Brag
1. Each student takes his/her work to the front and talks
about his/her work.
Rationale:
1. Students will analyze the processes of the Aborigines and
make connections with their own processes. They will also
discuss symbolism as well as the technique/effect of dots in
mark-making.
Specific Adaptation for Student A and B or why no adaption is needed:
1. Student A needs none. It is equitable for the student to
participate in this.
2. Student B will need Flashcards in advance to participate
because of the language barrier. Allowing the student to
talk in a mixed language or his/her native language is also
an accommodation to his/her learning of English process.
Objectives addressed:
A. Understand: Students will be able to summarize the effect
of mark-making in conveying rhythm and movement.
B. Analyze: Students will be able to deconstruct cultural
artifacts.
C. Analyze: Students will be able to integrate new with prior
knowledge.

28
 D. Evaluate: Students will be able to reflect on connections
between a culture’s experiences and symbolism.
E. Create: Students will be able to create artwork that uses
symbols to convey personal culture.
Standards addressed:
1. A.1, A.2, A.3, B.1, C.1

Minimum level of student performance expected:

1. Student will be able to evaluate verbally his/her own
artwork in 3-5 sentences using prior/personal knowledge,
knowledge learned, and knowledge of the artistic
processes/techniques.

D. SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Description: Rubric
2. (Project + Snapshot Blog) Snapshot Blog: Students will
record their process of making their boomerangs by taking
photos throughout (sketches, 1 of process, 1 of finished).
Students will write 3-5 sentences about the process, using
terms they learned to discuss personal and cultural
symbolisms (These will all be on one Word Doc). Project:
This portion plus the Snapshot Blogpost will be turned in
and evaluated based on the rubric.
Rationale:
1. Students are recording a process, which continually
reiterates the lessons in their mind.
Specific Adaptation for Student A and B or why no adaption is needed:
1. Student A needs none. It is equitable for the student to
participate in this.
2. Student B will need Flashcards in advance to participate
because of the language barrier. Allowing the student to
talk/write in a mixed language or his/her native language
is also an accommodation to his/her learning of English
process.
Objectives addressed:
A. Understand: Students will be able to summarize the effect
of mark-making in conveying rhythm and movement.
B. Analyze: Students will be able to deconstruct cultural
artifacts.
C. Analyze: Students will be able to integrate new with prior
knowledge.
D. Evaluate: Students will be able to reflect on connections
between a culture’s experiences and symbolism.
E. Create: Students will be able to create artwork that uses
symbols to convey personal culture.
Standards addressed:

29
 1. A.1, A.2, A.3, B.1, C.1
Minimum level of student performance expected:
1. Student will be able to evaluate (written) his/her own
artwork in 3-5 sentences using prior/personal knowledge,
knowledge learned, and knowledge of the artistic
processes/techniques.
Expected differences between the subgroups and the remainder of the
class:
1. The behind subgroup will know less about the historical
facts, but will do fine explaining their artwork in their way.
The ahead subgroup will be able to write 2 or more
paragraphs of information and connections about their
artworks.

XVI: RESEARCH NOTES:

a. Aboriginal: original or earliest known inhabitants; native; indigenous
b. Boomerang: a bent or curved piece of tough wood used by the
Australian Aborigines as a throwing club, one form of which can be
thrown so as to return to the thrower.
c. Didgeridoo: a musical instrument of Australian Aborigines made from
a long wooden tube that is blown into to create a low drone.
d. Ochre: any of a class of natural earths, mixtures of hydrated oxide of
iron with various earthy materials, ranging in color from pale yellow
to orange and red, and used as pigments.
e. “The Dreaming”: the name for the spiritual relationship between the
Aborigines and the land, specifically it refers to the Aboriginal stories
for creation, and also includes other myths.
f. Motif: a recurring subject, theme, idea, etc., especially in a literary,
artistic, or musical work.
g. Rhythm: movement or procedure with uniform or patterned
recurrence of a beat, accent, or the like.
h. Movement: in art, created by the placement of lines, and marks which
direct the eyes.
i. Symbol: something used for or regarded as representing something
else; a material object representing something, often something
immaterial; emblem, token, or sign.
j. Myth: a traditional or legendary story, usually concerning some being
or hero or event, with or without a determinable basis of fact or a
natural explanation, especially one that is concerned with deities or
demigods and explains some practice, rite, or phenomenon of nature.
k. Papunya: the birthplace of the Western Desert Painting Movement.
The first place Aboriginals created dot paintings on permanent
surfaces.
l. Metaphysical: highly abstract, subtle, or abstruse.

30
m. Hunter-gatherer: a member of a group of people who subsist by
hunting, fishing, or foraging in the wild.
n. Territory: any tract of land; region or district.
o. ceremonial: used in or in connection with ceremonies: ceremonial
robes.
p. “the country”: Aborigine term for the land. The land is viewed as
being spiritual.
q. Impressionism:
i. style of painting developed in the last third of the 19th century,
characterized chiefly by short brush strokes of bright colors in
immediate juxtaposition to represent the effect of light on
objects.
ii. a manner of painting in which the forms, colors, or tones of an
object are lightly and rapidly indicated.
r. Abstract Art: A trend in painting and sculpture in the twentieth
century. Abstract art seeks to break away from traditional
representation of physical objects. It explores the relationships of
forms and colors, whereas more traditional art represents the world
in recognizable images.
s. Mark-making: an art term to define and discuss various applications
of media in shapes, and non-shapes, lines, etc.
t. Aborigines are Australia’s indigenous people.
u. Aboriginal art is part of the oldest continuous living culture in world
history, with Australian Aborigines having settled on the Australian
continent somewhere between 60,000 and 80,000 years ago.
v. Evidence of Aboriginal culture is found in the rock art, which so far
has been dated back at least 20,000 years, while archaeology has
dated ancient campsites back to 40,000 to 60,000 years.
w. Contemporary aboriginal art is considered to start at the desert
community of Papunya in 1971, when senior desert men began to
paint their cultural stories using modern materials. This was
prompted by school teacher Geoffrey Bardon requesting that school
children paint their own stories, leading the senior men to open up
their deeply held cultural knowledge to outside observers. The
Papunya Tula desert art movement then influenced other
communities to join the art movement through the following decades.
For more details read our article on Contemporary Aboriginal Art.
x. Aboriginal art is based on story- telling, using symbols as an alternate
method of writing down stories of cultural importance, as well as
transmitting knowledge on matters of survival and land management.
y. The tradition of drawing in the sand as a teaching method reflects the
powerful use of symbols as a recognized conveyor of meaning, even
across vastly different language groups. Story-telling and symbols
provided the starting point for contemporary Aboriginal art.
z. Aboriginal artists inherit rights to paint certain cultural stories. Artists
need authority and permission to paint traditional stories, and this

31
 authority is vested in the custodians of the knowledge of these stories.
Ownership of stories is transmitted down generational lines, held
within certain skin groups or moieties. Therefore stories are often
managed within family groups.
aa. At the heart of Aboriginal culture and therefore of Aboriginal art, is
the Creation law set down in the Dreaming, which provides the
identity for traditional Aboriginal people and their connection to the
land. Dreamtime is one translation of the Creation time for Aboriginal
people, other terms often seen are Jukurrpa and Tingari – the term
used varies according to the particular local language. Many
Aboriginal artists paint aspects of their Dreaming, which forms part of
their inheritance and their identity.
bb. Aboriginal art is regional in character and style, so different areas
with different traditional languages approach art in special ways.
Much of contemporary Aboriginal art can be readily recognized for
the community where it was produced. Dot painting is specific to the
Central and Western desert, cross-hatching and rarrk design and x-
ray paintings come from Arnhem Land, Wandjina spirit beings come
from the Kimberely coast. Preference for ochre paints is marked in
Arnhem Land and east Kimberley. Other stylistic variations identify
more closely to specific communities.
cc. Color for Aboriginal art was originally sourced from local materials,
using ochre or iron clay pigments to produce red, yellow and white,
and black from charcoal. When the modern desert art movement
began in 1971 these four colors made up the basis of the artists’ color
range, referring back to traditional role of art in ceremony, body
painting, sand painting, story-telling and teaching. Other naturalistic
colors were quickly adopted – smoke greys, saltbush mauves, sage
greens. During the mid-1980s with the advent of more Aboriginal
women artists, a wider range of modern colors were chosen by the
artists, and bright desert paintings started to arrive on the market.
Choice of color continues to be an identifier of style for some
communities – Papunya Tula opts for soft earth colors, Western
Desert Communities opt for strong primary colors.
dd. Aerial views are characteristic of desert Aboriginal art, allowing the
artists’ imagination to hover over the country and observe both
naturalistic forms of the landscape as well as metaphysical markings –
these are the Songlines or Dreaming tracks laid down in the Creation
time by the spirit Ancestors. Knowledge of water sources and
locations of bush tucker may also be drawn onto these maps. Aerial
views are characteristic of a hunter and gatherer society, who read
the earth surface closely for signs of life, for tracking animals and
recognizing recent events.
ee. Contemporary Aboriginal art has been a stimulus for remote
Aboriginal communities, in many places being the only business in
small communities providing significant income to Aboriginal

32
 families. Aboriginal art has recognized the pre-eminent place of elders
as the holders of traditional knowledge, and many of the most
successful Aboriginal artists have been elders in the age group 60 to
80 years.
ff. The art movement has helped to strengthen culture in Aboriginal
society by reinforcing the values of traditional knowledge, which
forms the basis of Aboriginal art. Art and culture have always been
part of the trading history of Aboriginal people, a reciprocal way of
bartering knowledge as part of engaging with neigboring tribes.
gg. Aboriginal art has found a way to be represented in both modern
contemporary art collections as well as ethnographic collections. This
has been a major part of its success in communicating with new
audiences. While some elements of naturalistic depiction exist,
particularly in Arnhem Land, the stylized representation and use of
earth pigments has generally placed this in an ethnographic context.
The desert artists’ use of symbolic abstraction has been the key to this
work transferring into the modern contemporary art world, through a
process that took several decades to mature. Today the notion of the
oldest continuous living culture also being part of the most
contemporary modern artistic output is a challenge to our ideas of
contemporary Aboriginal culture.

XVII. AS A TEACHER, HYPOTHESIZE WHAT YOU THINK YOUR STUDENTS WILL

GAIN BY DOING THIS PROJECT. INCLUDE WHAT EXCITES YOU ABOUT THE
PROJECT AND WHAT YOU MIGHT BE UNSURE OF. [1-2 paragraphs]
Students will gain a better understanding of symbolism, how visual symbols
are created by humans, and ascribed meaning. They are their own form of language.
Students will learn how other cultures view nature (in this case, it is closely
intertwined with their spirituality). Students will gain a better understanding of
how to create and use symbolism for their own purposes and as an avenue of self-
expression and story-telling. Through this lesson, students will consider different
natural materials that have been used in times past and may still be used to create
artworks. Students will be challenged to think of how they can use what is available
to them to create art on their own times and terms.
A few problems that could occur may include students wanting to try to
throw the fake boomerangs. Also, students may not be interested in the wealth of
facts, so a huge challenge exists in presenting the material and information in a
relevant, intriguing way.

XVIII. REFERENCES:

XVIV. APPENDIX:

Creating a Painting : Boomerang Dot Painting

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 Teacher Name: Ms. Strahm

Student Name: ________________________________________

CATEGORY 4 Excellent 3 Good 2 Fair 1 Poor Score

Design/Composition Student applies Student applies Student tries to The student
design principles design apply design does not
(such as unity, principles principles (such appear to be
contrast, (such as unity, as unity, contrast, able to apply
balance, contrast, balance, most design
movement, balance, movement, principles to
direction, movement, direction, his/her own
emphasis, and direction, emphasis, and work.
center of interest) emphasis, and center of interest)
with great skill. center of but the overall
interest) with result is not
fair skill. pleasing.
Capturing A Paint is applied in Paint is applied An attempt has No attempt has
Style/Artist a manner very in a manner been made to been made to
consistent with that is apply paint in a apply paint in a
the technique or reasonably manner that is manner that is
artist being consistent with consistent with consistent with
studied. the technique the technique or the technique
or artist being artist being or artist being
studied. studied, but it is studied.
not effective.
Painting Skill Application of Paint is applied Control is Student needs
paint is in a careful, somewhat to work on
preplanned and logical manner. lacking. A few controlling paint
done in a a Colors remain drips, ragged and
logical, sharp and edges and failure preplanning
sequential texture is of certain areas paint
manner. evident. of pattern/texture application.
may be evident. Muddy colors,
ragged edges,
lack of texture,
drips and/or
blobs are
evident
throughout the
painting.
Time/Effort Class time was Class time was Class time was Class time was
used wisely. used wisely. not always used not used wisely
Much time and Student could wisely, but and the student
effort went into have put in student did do put in no
the planning and more time and some additional additional effort.
design of the effort at home. work at home.
mask. It is clear
the student
worked at home
as well as at
school.
Planning and Student can Student can Student can Student has
Explanation describe in detail somewhat describe how thought very
at any point describe how s/he envisions little about the
during the s/he envisions the final product project. Is
painting process the final but finds it present but is

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how s/he product and difficult to not invested in
envisions the can describe describe how the product.
final product and some of the s/he will reach
how they intend steps s/he will that goal. Has set
to reach their use to reach a goal, but let\'s
goal. Very the goal. things evolve in
focused and Focused with somewhat
goal-oriented. some planning. random manner.

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