LESSON PLAN

Student Teacher: Aurora Macek

Lesson Title: A Lesson in Fluidity: Self-Expression Mixed Media Paintings
Grade Level: 8th Grade
Number of Students: 10
Time available for this lesson: 6 (40 minute) sessions
Central Focus (Big Idea):
Students will explore concepts of personal identity and learn to visually represent emotion
and personal characteristics through self-portraiture, color association, and manipulation of
watercolors. By associating themselves with the material of water and concepts of fluidity,
students will have a greater understanding of their physical and emotional connection to
elements of the natural world.

Social Issues / Concepts of the Lesson

 Identity
 Emotional Expression
 Self-Acceptance
 Unpredictability
 Growth
 Transformation

Essential Questions
 How are humans connected to water both physically and emotionally?
 What is fluidity?
 How can concepts of fluidity be associated with identity?
 How can varying states of water relate to varying states of human emotion?
 Why is it important to accept one's emotions?
 How might emotion be expressed through color and abstraction?
 How can emotions be expressed in ways other than talking?

Illinois Arts Learning Standards:

Anchor Standard #1
Generate and conceptualized artistic ideas and works: creativity and innovative thinking are
essential life skills that can be developed.
VA:Cr1.1.8 Document early stages of the creative process visually or verbally in traditional or
new media.
In this lesson: After viewing works by artists Yelisaveta Bible and Anna Matykiewics,

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 students will demonstrate their understanding of expressionism by posing in a
creative way that is representational of their own personal characteristics

Anchor Standard #2
Organize and develop artistic ideas and work: artist and designers’ experiment with forms,
structures, materials, concepts, media, and art making approaches.
VA:Cr2.1.8: Demonstrate willingness to experiment, innovate, and take risks to pursue idea,
forms, and meanings that emerge in the process of art making or designing.
In this lesson: Given paper, watercolors, a brush, salt, crayon, straws, water, paper towels,
and isopropyl, students will exhibit their willingness to experiment with new materials by using
at least 3 water color techniques demonstrated in class.

Anchor Standard #3
Revise, refine, and complete artistic work: artists and designers develop excellence through
practice and constructive critique, reflecting on, revising, and refining work over time.
VA:Cr3.1.8 Apply relevant criteria to examine, reflect on, and plan revisions for a work of art
or design in progress.
In this lesson: Given only water colors and paper, students will successfully demonstrate
understanding of expressionism through creation of painting emotion studies activity.

Anchor Standard #6
Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work: objects, artifacts, and artworks
collected, preserved, or presented by artists, museums, or other venues communicate
meaning and a record of social, cultural, and political experiences resulting in the cultivation
of appreciation of understanding.
VA:Pr6.1.8 Analyze why and how an exhibition or collection may influence ideas, beliefs, or
experiences.
In this lesson: After completion of self-portraits, students will successfully communicate which
intentional artistic choices might influence the viewer in an artist statement.

Anchor Standard #7
Perceive and analyze artistic work: Individual Aesthetic and empathetic awareness developed
through engagement with art can lead to understanding and appreciation of self, others, the
natural world, and constructed environments.
VA:Re7.1.8 Explain how a person’s aesthetic choices are influenced by culture and
environment and impact the visual image that one conveys to others.
In this lesson: Given a variety of pigments, students will demonstrate their understanding of
color association through written explanation of intentional color choice.

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Anchor Standard #8
Construct meaningful interpretation of artistic work: People gain insights into meanings of
artworks by engaging in the process of art criticisms.
VA:Re8.1.8 Collaboratively develop meaningful interpretations, supported by evidence, of
artworks through describing and analyzing feelings, subject matter, formal characteristics,
artmaking approaches, contextual information, and key concepts.
In this lesson: After creation of identity self-portraits, students will write an artist statement that
is reflective of the technical process and use of materials, as well as representational
elements present in their work.

1. Objectives: IALS Goal Codes

1.1 Conceptual/Cognitive Objectives: VA:Re8.1.8
 OBJECTIVE I- Given a presentation on fluidity, students will be VA:Cr3.1.8
able to thoughtfully discuss the metaphoric associations of
water to ourselves.
 OBJECTIVE II- Given a presentation on expressionism, VA:Cr1.1.8
students will creatively pose for a reference photograph in a
way that is representational of personal emotion or
characteristic.
 OBJECTIVE III- Given a handout on color association,
VA:Pr6.1.8
students will successfully communicate why color choice was
VA:Re7.1.8
used to convey emotion or personal characteristics.

1.2 Artistic Skill Objectives:

 OBJECTIVE IV- Given a reference photo, pencil, and
crayon, students will successfully create form through use VA:Cr2.1.8
of line.
 OBJECTIVE V- Given a reference photo and grid,
students will proportionally draw their self-portrait using VA:Cr3.1.8
line.
 OBJECTIVE VI- Given a presentation on fluidity and

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 demonstration on water color students will creatively VA:Cr2.1.8
convey emotion through use of materials.

2. Assessment Criteria:
OBJECTIVE I- Students have thoughtfully discussed connections to water.
OBJECTIVE II- Students creatively posed for a reference photo in a representational
manner.
OBJECTIVE III- Students have successfully communicated color choice and association in
artist statement.
OBJECTIVE IV- Students have successfully created form and depth through use of line.
OBJECTIVE V- Students have proportionally draw self-portrait.
OBJECTIVE VI- Students have creatively conveyed emotion successfully using 3 water
color techniques.
3. Learner Characteristics:
3.1 Developmental Rational
This lesson is appropriate for 8th grade students because it is a time period in a student's
life where they are discovering new emotions for the first time. Our whole lives are a
constant struggle to deal with our own emotions, and this project will give students a new
perspective on how to channel and accept their emotions, while understanding we may
never have full control over them, much like how we can channel and guide water, but we
will never have full control over the element. Wachowiak (2009) states, “This is a time of
increased awareness and self-consciousness, sensitivity to the differences in others,
identification with a peer group, and heightened emotional responses” (p.115).
In an increased time of self-awareness and sensitivity, this project will help students
explore both of those concepts. Self-portraiture is a good opportunity to explore ideas about
ourselves, our emotions, and our character. According to Wachiowak (2009) “a
preadolescent likes to draw portraits and self-portraits and capture their own and their peers’
changing self-image” p.116). These self-portraits will be an anchor in student's life to
remember themselves exactly as they were during a time period of so much change.
Wood (2009) states students during this age are in need of a challenge, they complain
about a work load but really do want a challenge. The technical skill required to create form
through use of contour line will allow students to demonstrate their ability to successfully
take on a new challenge p.176. Wood (2009) states students cognitively have a greater
understanding of abstraction at age 14 and will be able to comprehend what is means to
demonstrate emotion through expressionism and abstraction p.175.

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 3.2 Special Needs Adjustments
Students with special needs may have trouble with the technical aspect of grid drawing
to get shape of student portrait. Once the line drawing of their self-portrait is in place through
aid of teacher, students should be able to create contour line to make form and add water
color as they wish.

References:
Wachowiak, F. (2009). Emphasis art: a qualitative art program for elementary and middle
schools (9th Ed.). New York: Allyn & Bacon, Inc.
Wood, C. (2007). Yardsticks: Children in the classroom ages 4-14. Turner Falls, MA: Northeast
Foundation for Children.

4. Literature and References

4.1 Rationale
Middle school is a time where student’s lives are changing at a rapid rate. In America, this is the
transition year, the final year before embarking on their journey to high school. This is a huge
step for students as this is the year they will spend fostering a new sense of independence,
parting from friends, making new friends, and discovering a new identity. With such great
change in the external parts in a student’s life comes great change in the internal parts of a
student’s life as well. In order to ease the transition between middle school and high school and
develop skills that equip students for such change, emotional intelligence must be taught and
encouraged. According to Nguyen-Huy (1999), “Emotional intelligence facilitates individual
adaptation and change, and emotional capability increases the likelihood for organizations to
realize radical change” (p, 1).
Teaching student’s emotional intelligence will help them better realize the changes occurring in
their lives and help them to be critically aware of their reactions to such changes, as well as
prepare them to become conscious consumers of the new information they will intake in high
school. This lesson was centered around emotional intelligence. Students created abstract
expressionist self-portraits centered around concepts of fluidity in order to detect and accept
their own emotions, as well as accept the change that occurs around them. Freedman (2003)
states, “the historical separation of knowledge from feeling as a foundation of Western
philosophy has devalued the importance of emotion to cognition and resulted in a lack of
serious consideration in education of the realm of life called the arts” (p.63). Emotions are
intricately tied to cognition and understanding one’s emotions could lead to the development of
cognition in other fields as well. This lesson will help students not only in developing emotional
intelligence but aid their cognition across all disciplines and many other areas of their lives.

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References:
Freedman, K. (2003). Teaching Visual Culture. New York, New York: Teachers College Press.
Nguyen-Huy, Q, (1999, April 1). Emotional Capability, Emotional Intelligence, and Radical
Change. Academy of Management Review. Volume 24 (2).

4.2 Background
In order for student’s to better express their unarticulated feelings, concepts of abstract
expressionism were introduced. According to Barret (2017), “Expressionist theory appeals to
common sense. It draws upon experiences of artists who have strong feelings and different
ways of looking at the world who attempt to express them by their chosen medium, whether in
poetry, film, or paint” (p.66). In this case, watercolor paint. Expressionism is a means of
communication between maker and viewer. The maker displays their work and the viewer is
either moved by it or not.
When regarding abstract expressionism, this relationship between maker and viewer is
important, but not vital to the work. Abstract expressionism could be used as a means of
communication to articulate thoughts and emotion, or it could just be used as an outlet for the
artists own self-expression, without it having to be viewed by anyone. In Movements in Modern
Art: Expressionism, Behr (1999) quotes famous painted Matisse stating, “Composition is the art
of arranging in a decorative manner the various elements at the painter’s disposal for the
expression of his feelings” (p. 7). This new lens to view art through the emotional feeling that it
gave rather than the realistic quality of things displayed allowed artist to break boundaries and
express themselves in ways that weren’t historically accepted in the realm of fine art.

References:
Barret, T. (2017). Why is that art? New York, New York: Oxford University Press
Behr, S. (1999). Movements in Modern Art: Expressionism. Cambridge, United Kingdom:
Cambridge University Press.

4.3 Information about related artists, styles, movement or cultures

Expressionism- Expressionism is a style of painting, music, or drama where the artist seeks to
express emotional experience rather than impressions of the external world. The students will
be exposed to several expressionist contemporary artists. This will link to their own self-portraits
because the examples will give them a better idea of how they can convey a certain feeling.
Abstract Expressionism- Abstract Expressionism is a term applied to a movement in
American painting that flourished in New York City after World War II, sometimes referred to as
the New York School or, more narrowly, as action painting. The varied work produced by the
Abstract Expressionists resists definition as a cohesive style; instead, these artists shared an

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interest in using abstraction to convey strong emotional or expressive content.
Students will briefly be exposed to concepts in abstract expressionism that relate to their own
self portrait.
https://www.moma.org/learn/moma_learning/themes/abstract-expressionism/
Rupi Kaur (b. Oct. 4, 1992)- Rupi Kaur is an Indian- born Canadian artist, poet, and performer.
Rupi’s mother encouraged her to draw from a young age, and she views her life as an
exploration of artistic journey. She has two New York Times best selling books of poetry
containing her own illustrations. The students will be studying a work of hers from the book “Milk
and Honey”.
Sanober Kahn- A poet based in Mumbai. Kahn says it’s a trademark of a poet to see beauty in
ordinary things. She says it is a means of personal expression and a way of honoring what joy
and sorrow can bring. Students will read a micro poem from her book A Thousand Flamingos.
Toby Malek- Toby Malek’s water color paintings focus exactly on what we will be focusing on in
class, how we will let the materials guide our pieces. Toby’s work is inspired by collective
subconscious influences. Toby Malek is a Canadian artist who has showcased his work in
Austria, Germany, the UK, and Canada.
Yelisaveta Bible- A Ukranian artist who’s work focuses on fluid study self portraits.
Painting: Watercolor on Paper.
What could be better than the sincerity of the supersensible learning of the subtle reality within
the mystical act of trusting.
Learning is not a passive contemplation, but an active performance and it is inseparably
connected with the practical transformation of the world.
If you can see the subtle beauty of this world, then it is only because you have it inside you. It is
a kind of reflection that emotions can access directly.
And how amazing that the fusion of the material turns into a boundless life harmony.
In the whole matter of destroying the harmony stays safe. It is a necessary suddenness of the
unexperienced constancy that gives a rise to love by warm vibes.
Within all of this, the feeling of eternity in a moment rises.
https://www.saatchiart.com/art/Painting-solution-80/1100389/4490236/view
Anna Matykiewics- A polish artist working in Ireland. She claims her work is a journey that
allows her to connect to her inner self. Her paintings express a certain dialogue between her
and herself, her and her emotions. Her portraits display a whole spectrum of feelings and are
about accepting all of those emotions and living a positive life, honoring the good with the bad.
Lindsay Rapp- Lindsay Rapp started her career in Boston, Massachusetts. She has always
found an interest in the sea and been drawn to the water. She moved to Laguna Beach last year
and continues to paint the ocean. Most of her work focuses on a feminine energy connected to
the water.
“As many have done in mythology, I relate the beauty and energy of water to feminine power.
Water has long been equated with the feminine aspects of creation, nature and spirituality. I see

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the ocean as life giving, fertile, powerful, sensual, changing and mysterious. In my art, my brush
strokes mimic expressions of water. My paints create currents, splashes and fluidity. I am
inspired by water's glimmering interaction with light. I discovered a unique technique to imitate
the effects of water's refractive nature: using rare precious materials such as genuine metallic
seashells, dichroics, 24k gold, silver, and using layers of translucent, reflective plexiglass. The
harmony of these elements combined with the dichotomy of my muses' power and softness
reflects my interpretation of the sea in relation to femininity.”
https://lindsayrappgallery.com/pages/about-the-art
Carne Griffiths- “Working primarily with calligraphy inks, graphite and liquids, such as tea,
Griffiths’ fascination with drawing focuses on the creation and manipulation of the drawn line.
Images explore human, geometric and floral forms, in a combination of both literal and abstract
translation and in response to images and situations encountered in daily life. Images are
recorded in a dreamlike sense onto the page where physical boundaries are unimportant. His
work creates a journey of escapism which focuses on scenes of awe and wonder, projecting a
sense of abandonment and inviting the viewer to share and explore this inner realm.”
https://www.carnegriffiths.com/about
Florian Nicolle- 'Mixed Media' has become a bit of a buzz-phrase lately with many artists
adopting the technique. Graphic designer and illustrator Florian Nicolle is one such artist who's
succeeding at combining classic painting with digital to create unique and stunning portraits. "I
try to create an image that retains the freshness of the first paint stroke, the expressions of the
line have to be very free and spontaneous while keeping a rigorous drawing."
Florian's technique is to combine layers of newsprint, watercolors and pencil with digital painting
to give the finished images depth and emotion.“
https://www.creativeboom.com/inspiration/portraits-by-florian-nicolle/
Aykut Aydogdu- Aykut Aydoğdu is a graphic designer and artist based in Istanbul. He perfectly
creates surreal and conceptual illustrations that engage the mind of the viewer rather than his
eye or emotions. All Aykut's artworks are entirely digital, drawn or painted with the use of a
tablet in Adobe Photoshop.
https://www.photographize.co/articles/aykutaydogdu/

5.2 Instructional Resources and Materials:

Digital Camera
Powerpoint presentation
Information on expressionism
Information on fluidity
Milk and Honey- book of poetry
5.3 Art Materials for the Lesson:
Several sheets of water color paper

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 watercolor boards or drawing boards
painters tape
water colors
10 brushes
pallets
water containers
paper towels or towels
Pencil
10 black crayons
Salt
Isopropyl
Straws
ink
6. Management and Safety Issues:
6.1 Organization of Supplies

Day 1- 10 pretaped watercolor paper on boards along with palettes, paper towels, pigment,
brushes, and water cups ready to go, front of the class room.
Projector set up and ready to go for presentation.
Bag of emotions ready for students to draw from.
Name Tags at front of room.

Day 2- Powerpoint presentation on facial expressions ready to go.

Think sheets on emotions and character traits ready to go.
Water color demonstration station ready to go.
Salt, acid, crayons, pencil, water colors, palettes, water in cups, two pieces of pretaped papers.
ready to be adhered to the watercolor board, one is gridded for demonstration practice.
Station in hallway for reference photo photographs ready to go.
Camera is ready to go and Kayla knows how to take portraits.

Day 3-
Students large papers are taped to drawing boards.
Grids are already drawn.
Sample for demo hangs from the front of the room.
View Finder and grids are on students desk.
Student name tags are out on desks.
Pencils and erasers, and rulers are ready.

Day 4-

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Black crayons are at the front of the room along with pencil and eraser.
Several sheets of paper are laid out for practice.
Taped underdrawings are in a stack at the front of the room, ready to go.
Example for demo is taped to the board in front of the class.

Day 5-
Palettes for water color are laid out and ready to go.
Water color materials like salt, acid, etc. Are laid out at front of the room for sharing. Small
containers are available so students may take supplies back to their desks.

Day 6-
Presentation of artist statement power point is up.
Student projects are laid out by name tag and desk.
Journal paper and pencil are ready to be used.
6.2 Clean-Up of Supplies
Day 1-
Students will carefully stack their watercolor studies at the front of the classroom when it is time
to clean up.
Students will wrap their palettes in saran wrap and stack them at the front of class.
They will clean their brushes in the water then dump their water, stack the cups.
3 volunteers will take sponges and wipe up any remaining water.

Day 2-
Students will put names on their think sheets, clearly label their emotions and characteristics in
their water color studies, place both at the front of the classroom.
Students will dump water and stack cups.
Place saran wrapped palettes in box at front of room. Lay color studies out to dry.
2 students volunteer to wipe up desks.

Day 3-
Working with only pencil and grid today.
Students will hang their view finder in and make a stack of drawing boards.
One student will wipe desks of debris.

Day 4-Students will place black crayons and pencils in bin at front.
Students will stack drawings.

Day 5-Students will lay drawings out to dry, lay against wall.
Students will dump and stack cups of water.

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Place used palettes at the front of the classroom.
2 students will volunteer to wipe desks.
All borrowed materials to the front of the classroom.
Day 6-
Students will hang in assignments and written artist statements.

7. Vocabulary:
ABSTRACT- A style of art that uses shapes, designs, textures and colors in a way that
emphasizes moods or feelings.
ANALYZE- To separate and examine critically so as to determine the essential elements or
meaning.
ASSOCIATION- Something that corresponds to a feeling, memory, idea, or thought in an
abstract or concrete way.
ASYMMETRICAL - Different on either side of a central axis
BACKGROUND - Parts of an artwork that are in the distance and lie behind objects in the
foreground.
BLEED - Printing beyond the edge of a sheet's trim marks so that the printed image extends to
the edge of the trimmed sheet. In preparing art for reproduction, the studio allows
an additional 1/8" beyond the trim lines for a bleed.
BLEND - To mix colors together. Also to move smoothly from one color to another without
making a line.
BLIND CONTOUR DRAWING - A kind of drawing done in one continuous line, in which the
pencil is kept moving while the eyes remain on the object, never looking down at
the paper.
BODY PROPORTIONS - The relationship of the sizes of one body part to another and to the
rest of the body. For example, the head usually makes up about one-seventh of a
person's total height.
CHARACTER- The sum of the features and traits that make up an individual.
COLOR - the hue value and intensity of an object. The primary colors are red, yellow and blue;
every color except white can be created by combining these three colors. Color is
an important element of design.
COMPOSITION - The arrangement of shapes and colors of a painting or sculpture in a
pleasing, decorative or expressive, well designed way. The term also refers to
any work of art.
CONTEMPORARY ART - Generally defined as art produced during the second half of the 20th
century.
CONTOUR - The outline or edge of a figure or object. In contour drawing, a single, continuous
line is used to draw the outline of an object.
CONTRAST - A large difference between two things; for example, hot and cold, yellow and

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 purple, and light and shadow. Contrasting patterns or colors add excitement,
drama and interest to a picture.
COOL COLORS - The family of related colors ranging from the greens through the blues and
violets.
CRAYON RESIST - A type of picture in which wax crayon is used to cover certain areas of a
surface that the artist does not want to be affected by paint or another substance
to be put over the crayon. Since wax repels water, the paint will not cover the
crayoned part.
CREATE- To evolve one’s own thought into a work of art or invention.
CREATIVITY - the ability to design or make something new and original, using the imagination
rather than imitating something else.
CRITIQUE- a detailed analysis and assessment of something, especially a literary,
philosophical, or political theory.

DEPTH - The third dimension of front to back or near to far, represented in an artwork by the
actual or apparent distance from bottom to top or front to back. Techniques of perspective are
used to create the illusion of depth in a two-dimensional painting.
DESCRIBE- give an account in words of (someone or something), including all the relevant
Characteristics, qualities, or events.

DISTANCE - The third dimension of front to back or near to far, shown in a two-dimensional
painting by using techniques of perspective.
DRY BRUSH - Technique in which a brush drags or skims undiluted paint over the surface of a
painting so that the paint is left only on raised points, to create a broken effect.
ELEMENT - Artistic design considerations such as color, line, texture, shape or form and space
ELEMENTS OF DESIGN - Basic parts which are put together to compose an artwork. These
include line, shape, space, texture, color and value.
EMPHASIS - The use of opposing sizes or shapes, contrasting colors or other means to draw
attention to certain areas or objects in a work of art. Emphasis is a principle of
design.
EXPRESSIONISM - The painting of feelings, sometimes with recognizable images, often totally
abstract.
EXPRESSIVE QUALITIES - The feelings, moods and ideas communicated to the viewer
through a work of art. This aesthetic quality is favored by emotionalism
FIGURE - The human or animal form used in creating art; e.g., figure-drawing.
FLUIDITY- the state of being unsettled or unstable; changeability.
FOREGROUND - The part of a work of art that appears to be in front, nearest to the viewer.
FORM - An object that has depth as well as height and width. For example, triangle, which is
two-dimensional, is a shape, but a pyramid, which is three-dimensional, is a form.

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 Also, a style of creating art according to a certain standard or technique.
FREE-FORM - Having an irregular, or non-geometric shape. A free-form shape is made up of
curving, irregular lines.
GRADATED WASH - A wash that is light at the top, where little color has been applied, and that
gradually becomes darker at the bottom, where more color has been applied.
GRID - Horizontal and vertical lines drawn on a piece of paper, dividing it into equal squares. An
artist uses a grid to copy pictures by drawing what is in each of the squares
separately.
GROWTH- the process of developing or maturing physically, mentally, or spiritually.
METAPHOR- a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to
which it is not literally applicable.
IDENTITY- the fact of being who or what a person or thing is.
IMAGERY - The imaginative expression of objects, feelings, ideas and experiences in art.
Imagery can depict both physical and nonphysical things.
INTENSITY - The brightness or dullness of a hue or color. For example, the intensity of the pure
color blue is very bright; if a lighter or a darker color is added to blue, the intensity
is less bright.
LINE - A continuous mark with length and direction, created by a point that moves across a
surface. A line can vary in length, width, direction, curvature and even color. Line
can be two-dimensional (created by moving a pencil on paper), three-
dimensional (created with string or wire) or even implied (not represented by an
actual line but suggested by the boundaries of a shape or form). Line can also
refer to the outline or shape of an object.
MANIPULATE- To handle, manage, or use with skill in a process or treatment.
NEGATIVE SPACE - The space not occupied by an object itself but circulating in and around it,
contributing to the total effect of the design.
ORGANIC - Free form, or a quality that resembles living things. The opposite of mechanical or
geometric.
OUTLINE - A line that shows the edge of an object. Outlines show two-dimensional shapes.
OVERLAPPING - One shape or part covering up some part or all of another. Overlapping
objects appear closer, and this is a perspective technique used to show distance
in pictures.
PALETTE - The tray or board on which colors are mixed.
PORTRAIT - A painting, sculpture, drawing, photo or other work of art showing a person,
several people or an animal. Portraits usually show just the face, but can include part or all of
the body, as well.
PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN - Guidelines that aid in effectively arranging and composing designs.
These include balance, contrast, variety, pattern, rhythm, emphasis and unity.
PROPORTION - The relationship of the size of one part to another or to the whole. In painting

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 and sculpture, for example, an artist tries to achieve the right size or proportion of
a nose to a head and a head to a body.
REALISTIC - Looking like real people, objects or places as we actually see them. Realistic art
portrays lifelike colors, textures, shadows, proportions and arrangements.
RENDER - To reproduce or represent by artistic means, such as drawing, painting or sculpture.
REPETITION - Repeating a part of or a pattern in a work of art. Repetition makes the parts of a
picture come together.
RESIST - A type of art in which oil or wax, which will not mix with water, is used to block out
certain areas of a surface that the artist does not want to be affected by paint,
varnish, acid or another substance.
SCALE - The relationship between the sizes of parts in an artwork to their size in reality. If a
picture is drawn to scale, all of its parts are equally smaller or larger than the
parts in the original.
SCALE DRAWING - A reproduction of a drawing in which the dimensions and sizes are in the
same ratio as in the original. Scale drawings are usually made by using a grid
and can be smaller, larger or the same size as the original.
SCALING - Calculating the proportions of art for enlargement or reduction to fit a particular area.
SELF ACCEPTANCE- the act or state of accepting oneself.
SHAPE - A definite form outlined by lines or a change in color or shading. Shape is an element
of design.
SPACE - The open parts between or inside shapes. Spaces have their own shapes and also
serve to make objects in artwork stand out. Space is an element of design.
SYMBOL - Something that stands for something else, especially a letter, figure or sign that
represents a real object or idea.
TRANSFORMATION- a thorough or dramatic change in form or appearance.
WARM COLOR - A color that gives the feeling of warmth. Yellow-green, yellow, yellow-orange,
orange, red-orange, red and redviolet are warm colors.
WASH - The background of a watercolor picture prepared using thin, watery paint applied
quickly with large, sweeping brushstrokes.
WATERCOLOR - A transparent paint made by mixing powdered colors with a binding agent and
water. The term also refers to a painting done with watercolors.
UNPREDICTABILITY- inability to be predicted; changeability.

8. In-Class Activities:
Time Learning Activities Purpose
8 minutes Orientation/Engagement/Motivation: Students sitting in semi-circle will
Introduce myself. promote open dialogue.
Ask students to gather in semi-circle

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around projector.
Once situated, I will ask students to grab
name tags. Promotes students to make
Our project is going to be expressionist connections about water with
mixed-media self-portraits. We will be themselves. Draws links to
working with a fluid medium. emotional association with
• What do you think of when you physical materials.
think of the word fluidity? What do Doing an interactive activity at the
you think its definition is? start of class will make students
(Show power point slide of definition of feel more comfortable talking to
fluidity) eachother.
THINK MAP BEFORE NEXT SLIDE
• Do you think humans could also be
considered fluid? How so?
Ask for volunteer, have write on white
board descriptive words associate with
water and fluidity while class makes
suggestions (sopping, bubbling, boiling,
soaking, sinking, submerging, pooling,
dripping, etc.) in a think map (3 minutes)
Ask students which emotions they feel
about each descriptive word about water
(3 minutes) off each previous thought Makes connections to water in
bubble. ways that students can
understand.
Topic Question:
 How are we physically related to
water?
(Made of 70% water)

Association Questions:
 What happens when we don’t get
enough water? (Dehydration)
 What happens when we ingest too
much water?
 (We drown)

Visualization Question:

15
  When you look at this image of
water what do you feel?
 What emotions do you associate
with the image?
(show powerpoint slide of several different
images of water at different states)
Providing visual examples of
“emotional” states of water to
further understanding on the
concept.

Show two short poems by Rupi Kaur and

Sanober Kahn on powerpoint

 How are these poems connecting

human emotion to water?
 What does Rupi Kaur mean when These poems provide evidence
she says she is like water? that people have thought and
(When she says she is soft enough to written about water and its
create life she is talking about the source connection our emotions.
of all life- think about everything that is
alive- all of it is made of water)
 Like what?
(plants, animals, bugs)
 How is Sanober Kahn connecting
herself to water?
(We accept all states of water, we aren’t
mad at the water for acting the way it acts,
we know its not the waters fault that it
storms, do you think her poem could be
about accepting our own emotions?)

Transition Question:
 How might an artist use water to
convey emotion?
(Show them term expressionism on power
point slide)

10-12 Presentation/Explicit Instruction: This topic question opens ideas up

minutes -Show slides on artists Yelisaveta Bible about what expressionism is and
how students can use the

16
Topic Question: materials as a means for
 How has is this different from a expression.
regular self-portrait? This also opens students minds to
(Its proportional, but parts of the image thinking about intentionality.
are skewed, its different colors, the colors
are bleeding)
 Do you think the artist painted this
way intentionally?

Association Question:
 How has the artist used the
medium of water to connect back
to her inner emotions? This transition question will
(She made the colors bleed, she mixed segway into further discussion of
certain colors, she used certain colors) color association.

Visualization Questions:
 What colors has the artist used?

Transition Question:
 Has this choice of color by the
artist contributed to the emotions
you felt associated to it?

Topic Question: Students will gain understanding

 Did you know that colors have of how they could use color to
associations? convey their own characteristics or
-Switch to power point slide emotions.
Define the word association

Association Question:
 When you look at this color what
do you feel?
Ask students, then reveal color on power
point Students can make a connection
Go through all colors between how color and physical
Go to slide of color association manipulation of materials can

17
 convey meaning to the viewer ‘
Show slides of Toby Malek for color Using comparison to make
association connection.

Visualization Question:
 How has the artist used color to
convey a certain mood?

Transition Question:
 If you had to create a self-portrait
that was representational of your
personal characteristics, what
colors would you use?
 If you didn’t use color what
strategies would you use with the
materials to convey a certain Anna Matykiewics self-portraits
emotion? have very similar concepts and
 How would you manipulate your technical aspects to the students
materials? projected projects.

Show students self-expressionist

paintings from Anna Matykiewics
Transition Question:
 How has this artist used line and
color to convey a feeling or
emotion in their self-portrait?
Show examples of self-portraits they are
going to make

10-12 Structured Practice/Exploration:

Students are given watercolors and
palette, hand out on color association, 2
small cups of water, a brush, paper
towels, and watercolor paper, pretaped
This gives students a chance to
work with the medium the first day
so that they make connections
with the materials while conceptual
elements are still in their mind.

18
 onto a board

Assignment: students are asked to focus Connecting meaning with making.

on a single emotion from a bag of
emotions using just the medium as a
means of expression.
No representational imagery allowed- just
focusing on medium as means for
expression.
3 minutes Discussion

 Closure Question: Volunteers are Discussing intentional choices to

asked to discuss which emotion
they selected from the bag and
how they tried to convey it using
color and manipulation of water
color.
represent emotion will give
students better clarity on how they
can get their message across to
the viewer.
Students can also give others new
ideas on how they might convey
certain emotions through the
material.

5 minutes Clean Up Watercolor palettes can be

Once a few students have spoken about reused, they do not need to be
their intentional decision to manipulate washed out.
materials in order to convey emotion,
students will bring their studies to teacher
with emotion written somewhere within the
painting.
Students will dump water and return their
palettes to the box.
Day 2:
Time Learning Activities Purpose

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5 minutes Orientation/Engagement/Motivation

Students will be shown a brief power point This shows students that they can
presentation on facial expression. express themselves through body
language and gives them ideas of
Topic Question: how to convey emotion through
 How can we tell how someone self-portraiture.
feels without them talking?
(facial expression, laughing, crying, body
language)
Visualization Question:
 What is an adjective that can
explain how this person is feeling?
(happy, sad, angry, excited, determined,
etc.)
Show slides of people expressing different
emotions.
Transition Question:
 If you had to make a facial
expression that captured your
overall mood, what do you think it
would be?
5 minutes Brainstorming
Students will engage in brainstorming
activity where they circle all the emotions This will be used for which
that they have been feeling lately. emotions and characteristics they
Students will also circle all the feel are important to convey to the
characteristics they think define them on viewer about themselves in their
the same sheet of paper. piece.
On the bottom of the paper, students will
write three emotions and three
characteristics they wish to convey to the
viewer through their self-portraiture.
10 minutes Teacher Demonstration
 Students will gather around
teacher. This demonstration on watercolor
 Teacher has a sheet of water color will give students a better
taped onto board. A tape grid understanding of how they can

20
 separates the paper into 10 manipulate materials as well as
sections. care for their tools.
 2 cups of water are next to the
paper along with a paper towel and
a palette of water color paints.
 Teacher will give demonstration on
various water color techniques in
each labeled box. Including,
 First, Wash- water is applied to the
entire square, pigment and water
are mixed and then added to the
brush and applied to the wet box,
creating a nice even coating of
pigment.
 Clean brush in dirty water cup.
 NEXT: Gradient wash- water is
applied to clean, taped off square,
water and pigment are mixed and
applied to clean brush, pigment is
applied heavy at top and gradually
fades out to bottom.
 Clean brush in water cup, wipe
dry.
 NEXT: Mixed color gradient wash-
water is applied to clean, taped off
square, water and pigment are
mixed and applied to clean brush,
pigment is applied heavy at top
and gradually fades out to bottom.
 Clean brush in dirty water cup.
 NEXT: Another pigment and water
are mixed, same process is
repeated from bottom to top.
 (get volunteer)
 NEXT Dry brush- No water is
added to surface of paper before
applying water and pigment mix,

21
 this creates more control.
 Clean brush.
 NEXT: Acid Drip- A wash is
applied to the square, varying
colors as you wish, then isopropyl
is dropped onto the water color
(get volunteer).
 Clean brush.
 NEXT: Crayon Resist- A design or
drawing is drawn in crayon and
then a layer of water color is
applied. The wax from the crayon
will repel the water and the
drawing will show underneath.
 Clean brush.
 NEXT: Bleeding/Blowing- A heavy
amount of pigment is added to
water. We apply pigment to the
paper and over saturate with water
from our brush, blow water with
straw or physically lift painting up
to create a dripping affect.
 NEXT: Salt- A wash is applied to
the clean square and salt is
sprinkled over top. The salt creates
a heat that pushes the water away
from it.
 NEXT: Saran wrap-A wash is
applied, and several other
pigments are added, a piece of
crumpled saran wrap stays in that
square, ready to dry.
 Once dry and removed it creates a
rock like texture.

15 minutes Independent Work Time This gives students time to try out

22
 Students will each be given 2 pretaped various water color techniques
gridded watercolor papers on watercolor from demonstration.
board. The independent time allows
Students will each demonstrate their students to be able to go in the
understanding of the techniques shown in hallway one by one for their
class by making their own squares from portraits without missing any
demo. instruction.
The second piece of paper will be broken
into 6 boxes, students will have to create
shapes or use techniques they learned to
convey the emotions that they narrowed
down in their think sheets.
While students are working, one by one
they will go into the hallway where Kayla
is ready to photograph them for their facial
expression.
Photographs should include full top of
head and start of shoulders.
Closing Question:

 Can someone tell me what their

favorite water color technique
was?
 What pigments were you leaning
more towards for your piece?
5 minutes Clean Up
Refer to section 6.2 for clean-up
procedures.
Day 3:
Timing Learning Activities Purpose
7-10 Orientation/Engagement/Motivation
minutes Hand out larger, pregridded water colors This demonstration on gridding
attached to board along with pregridded will show students how to
reference photo. proportionally and accurately
Explain concepts of gridding, why their enlarge their self-portraits.
self-portraits are gridded, how to use their Technical skill is very important to
view finder, how to match up students in this age group so
corresponding squares, how to pick where being able to accurately draw

23
 your portrait is going to be places on the themselves will be important to
paper. them.
This gives them the tools they
need to make an accurate
representation
25 minutes Student Independent Work Time Scaling and drawing and making it
Students will be allotted 25 minutes to proportional can be very time
draw themselves on their pregridded consuming for students.
papers.
2 minutes Discussion Drawing a proportional drawing for
Closure Question: the first time can be very
 What were the challenging aspects frustrating for students and talking
of this piece to you? about these frustrations might
alleviate them
4 minutes Closure/Cleanup
Refer to section 6.2 for clean-up
procedure

Day 4:
Timing Learning Activity Purpose
10 minutes Orientation/Engagement/Motivation: Students will learn how to use
Students are shown a few slides about contour line to create value,
contour line texture, and depth within their self-
 What is contour line? portrait.
Demonstration on blind contour and then
contour line drawing
Show example with string

Students practice once on paper by

drawing their own hand using contour line.

20 minutes Student Independent Work Contour line is somewhat of a hard

Students will apply knowledge from concept to learn, students will
contour line demo to their own self- need as much time as possible to
portraits. They will use contour line to work on their contour drawings.
build the form of their face.
This will be done in crayon as our self-
portraits will wax resist against the

24
 expressionist colors we will be adding on
later.

5 minutes Closure Discussion: Discussing student work reinforces

 Who wants to show their contour concepts learned that day and
line drawing? demonstrates to students that their
 Who wants to show something work is important.
they are proud of about their
drawing?
 What is something you like about
this type of drawing?
5 minutes Clean Up
Refer to 6.2 for clean-up procedures

Day 5:
Timing Learning Activities
5 minutes Orientation/ Engagement/ Motivation
Hand out student think sheets, color
association, and previous water color
studies for reference.
Explain to class sequence of events
Topic Question:
 Can someone explain to the class
what kinds of emotions or
characteristics you are thinking of
putting into your self portrait
through color?
23 minutes Student Independent Work Time
Students will get 20 minutes to add color
to their piece and use various water color
techniques to convey meaning in their
piece.
5 minutes Closure Discussion:
 Can someone volunteer to show
the class their self portrait?
 What water color techniques did
you use from our previous
demonstration?
Purpose
This will be a refresher on
concepts learned from previous
lessons so that they can
incorporate it into their final piece.
Having students share their ideas
will help others to feel more
comfortable expressing
themselves .
Students will demonstrate their
understanding of concepts
explored in previous lesson.
Discussing student work and
sharing intentional artistic
decisions can boost student
confidence and show that their
work is cared about.

25
  How did you convey emotion
7 minutes Clean Up
Refer to section 6.2 for clean up
instructions

Day 6:
Timing Learning Activities Purpose
5 minutes Orientation/Engagement This gets students to start thinking
Topic Questions about their artist statements.
 Who can tell me what This connects concepts learned
expressionism is? throughout the lesson to what
Association Questions: they are going to put in their artist
 Who can tell me how we are statement.
connected to water through
fluidity?
 Who can tell me how we can
manipulate water in order to
convey a certain emotion?
 Who can tell me what an artist
statement is?
Visualization Questions:
 Who can tell me what an artist
statement is suppose to include?
 How can we create a fluid artist
statement?

20 minutes Students will be given a short presentation Students who have never written
on how to write an artist statement and an artist statement before may
what they are going to include within their feel overwhelmed of they are not
statement. given instruction beforehand.
15 minutes Presentation of Project/Closing This provides each student to
For each student that comes up- share completed projects with the
 What do you notice about their class.
project?
 What emotion do you think they
were trying to capture?
 What do you think they were trying
to say about themselves?

26
  What colors did they use to
represent these things?

9. Critical Comments and Reflections

Final Teaching Reflection

Surprises

My biggest surprise during my clinical experience at St. Mary’s for middle level was the students.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with eighth graders since I had only ever taught 3 rd grade. I thought that the

students would be a little more closed off and reserved, but all my students had a good attitude and good

humor and were ready to participate in classroom discussions. I was also surprised by how self-conscious

all the students were. Although they were excited to participate in discussions, they were very self-

conscious about showing their own work. I believe this is because they were self-portraits and a lot of my

students, especially my girl students, were very body conscious.

Best Ideas

Student responses

The best ideas that took place from students were present within their facial expressions and body

language within their pieces and their artist statements. After I gave a short demonstration on different

body language by making students act out emotions, the students all had to think of ways they could

convey their emotions through body language. One student, Josh K. did a particularly good job choosing

how he was going to convey “spunky”. He held his hands up and out stretched with his mouth wide open.

Several other students came up to me to show me how they would demonstrate their emotions through

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body language as well. I felt that one of my students, Aubrey, had an amazing artist statement as well:

“Self-worth and self-empowerment: I chose this emotion because it is what I want to see

in myself someday. I used a lot of different colors and layered them to add depth to the portrait. I

wanted it to look chaotic to symbolize my thoughts and constantly changing life, and the colors

and facial expression pull through to give the impression that I am still in control.

I used a few watercolor techniques including salt, crayon resist, blotting, and saran wrap. The

emotions I conveyed are a reminder to me of a future self that I strive to be someday. As I was

making the portrait, I was able to envision a side of myself that is in control of her life and

emotions, and who can be positive and confident about herself.”

Aubrey’s statement embodied what I wanted students to take away from the project and I thought she

wrote about her work beautifully.

Questions/Dialogue

The best questions and dialogue came from our first day and first presentation, when we went

into depth on how concepts of fluidity connect us to water. I was very happy with how easily the students

made connections on their own. I was worried that some of the metaphorical concepts I was trying to

demonstrate would be lost, but the presentation and dialogue I created made it easy for students to

understand. By showing poems about water and connecting emotions to various states of water, the

students were better able to get the connections. My focus and gifted student, Emma, was always first to

answer questions. In order to involve more of the class in discussion, I would use her ideas to segue into

28
further discussion for class.

Problem & Solving

Some of the problems that arose during the clinical experience came from seating arrangements. I

would let them pick their seats when they were doing well, and that would last for one class period before

I felt that they took advantage of the situation. The first time I let them sit where they pleased, they did

very well and seemed to be appreciative that they got to choose, but after they were used to it, they were

loud and chatty with their seat mates. I had to revoke privileges of their choosing seats. I did not get upset

with them for talking, but rather handled it in a no nonsense manner, telling them that they knew if they

could not handle sitting where they wanted they had to move. None of my students objected when I asked

them to move, they knew they had to earn the privilege of choosing their seats.

I also had to overcome the issue of students being too self-conscious to really invest the time in

their work. I felt like a lot of them were not working as hard on their drawings because they feared what

their peers would think. In order to overcome this, I allowed students to sit individually and have quiet

studio time. It really worked and several students told me how much they enjoyed having that time to

reflect and work during the long school day.

Organization

Because my students were using water colors and various water color techniques, there were a lot

of supplies necessary to execute the assignment. In order for everything to get done in the short 40-minute

period, I made sure all of the student's supplies were ready to go and had instruction for easy cleanup.

29
Every student had their labeled pallet, two cups of water, a paper towel, brushes, paper taped to boards,

salt, alcohol, saran wrap, and crayons ready to go before the start of class. This made it so students could

focus on their work and not spend half of the time gathering supplies.

Quality of Student’s Work

I was very impressed with the quality of student work and felt that students left feeling

accomplished and proud of their pieces. Students really got into expressionism while experimenting with

their progress work. This really helped them into their final project. Students were very familiar with the

materials by the time they started. Each student demonstrated their emotion differently. Although a lot of

instruction and guidelines were given, each piece had a uniqueness and individuality.

Ideas for Improvement

Student Responses

Some of the student's artist statements were short in length, so I would be more specific for their

artist statement prompts, or allowed more time for students to elaborate on questions and had time for me

to read them and check them before they handed them in. The questions were too open ended and some of

the students just responded with the bare minimum.

Questions/dialogue

Although students got concepts of fluidity very well in our first lesson, I wish I would have

focused on carrying those concepts throughout the rest of the lesson. I feel if these concepts would have

been fresh in their mind when they wrote their artist statements, it would have caused them to go a little

30
more in depth. I really wanted concepts of fluidity to be about accepting our emotional states as they are,

but I feel a lot of the members of the class have trouble with self-acceptance. I hope their projects helped

them with that, but I wish these concepts would have been discussed in class a little bit more.

Problem & Solving

Although I think letting the students choose their own seats sometimes gave them a sense of

autonomy, I need to be more aware of when the students are more riled up that day. Sometimes, letting

them choose their own seating caused them to get more work done, but some days all they wanted to do

was talk. I will be more conscious of the atmosphere of the room before I allow them to choose their own

seats.

Organization

For organization, I will improve by naming individuals for clean-up. Since I did it by table, a lot

of the work was falling on just a few students because they were more inclined to help than others. If I

use individual names, this will split the work more evenly and will prevent groups from designating all of

the work to one person.

Quality of Student Work

The one thing I wish I would have spent more time on is contour line drawing. I don’t think all of

the students understood fully that a contour line is supposed to trace the form of a shape, not just make

outlines. I think this would have given a lot of my students work more depth. For improvement, I would

have done a few more exercises with them to really get them to understand the concept.

31
Conclusion

This reflection made me realize the strengths and weaknesses of my overall lesson plan.

Reflecting on each day was important but reflecting on the overarching lesson gives me more ideas for

improvement which I think will lead to the outcome of better pieces. I am still very proud of all my

students work but reflecting allows me to notice if I am being the best teacher I can be.

Task 1 Part C:

Attachments:
1. Scoring rubric and assessment tools
Objectives Exceeds Meets Expectation Does not Meet
Expectations Expectations
OBJECTIVE I- Student Student Student does not
Students have demonstrated demonstrated understand
thoughtfully significant moderate metaphorical and
discussed understanding of understanding of physical value of water
connections to water metaphorical and metaphorical and
physical value of physical connection
water to water
OBJECTIVE II- Pose in reference Pose in reference Pose in reference
Students have photo is very photo is somewhat photo is not expressive
creatively pose for a expressive expressive
reference photo in a
representational
manner
OBJECTIVE III- Student successfully Student successfully Student does not
Students have explained intentional explained intentional explain intentional use
successfully use of all color use of some color of color
communicated color
choice and

32
association in artist
statement
OBJECTIVE IV- Student work Students work Student work is flat
Students have demonstrates a great possesses moderate and does not possess
successfully created about of depth depth any depth
form and depth
through use of line
OBJECTIVE V- Student drawing is Student drawing is Student drawing is not
Students have very proportional to somewhat at all proportional to
proportionally drawn reference photo proportional to reference photo
self portrait reference photo
OBJECTIVE VI- Student has used at Student uses less Student uses no water
Students have least 3 water color than 3 water color techniques to
creatively conveyed techniques to convey techniques to convey convey emotion
emotion successfully emotion emotion
using 3 water color
techniques

33