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Grade Level or Class: High School Art II

Title of Unit: Abstract Living

Estimated Length of Entire Unit: 3 weeks of 5, 1.5 hour classes per week. (24.5 hrs)

Description of Unit: Within four weeks students will learn what abstraction is. Firstly the students will learn of processes previously developed by the famous innovators of abstract art. Secondly the students will design their own process paying particular attention to the connection of the literal movement and learned painting techniques. Using this planned process the students will create a piece of artwork.

Goals of Unit:

Students will be able to understand abstract expressionism, action painting, and landscape action painting through participation in exercises that walk through the processes.

• Students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of Richard Diebenkorn’s abstract landscape series, Wassily Kandinsky’s abstract expressionism work, and Jackson Pollack’s action painting work by participating in several discussions about the work.
• Students will be able to write and design an abstract painting process independently.
• Students will be able to complete and manage an abstract painting process.
• Students will be able to participate in an abstract painting critique.

Lessons:

• “O’ What Colored Boxes We Can See” – We will look at Richard Diebenkorn’s process of abstracting landscapes in his Ocean Park series and walk through the process of landscape abstraction ourselves.
• “The Heartbeat of a Line” – We will look at Wassily Kandinsky’s abstract expressionism innovations and discuss them. We will then create our own piece of abstract expressionism that depicts different ways of using line and paint to represent emotion.
• “Action Painting” – By participating in a group action painting process the students will be able to connect with the powerful innovations of action painters like Jackson Pollack.
• “Response Abstraction” - Based on all of the knowledge presented through the different exercises students will create and execute a self designed abstraction process.

Assessment: A comprehensive rubric detailing achievement on multiple levels will be provided to each student. Largely, the entire unit is based on a combination of milestone markers to be completed and factored with comprehensive self-evaluations of effort and success of objective achievement.

Standards: This unit meets several of the NH State and National standards addressed as a necessity for a high school visual arts program:

NH State Frameworks:

• Curriculum Standard 1 : Apply appropriate media, techniques, and processes. Meets additional proficiency standards Grades 9-12.
• Curriculum Standard 2 : Identify and apply the elements of visual art and principles of design. Meets additional proficiency standards Grades 9-12.
• Curriculum Standard 3 : Select and apply a range of subject matter, symbols and ideas. Meets additional proficiency standards Grades 9-12.
• Curriculum Standard 4 : Analyze the visual arts in relation to history and culture. Meets additional proficiency standards Grades 9-12.
• Curriculum Standard 5 : Analyze, interpret and evaluate their own and others’ artwork. Meets additional proficiency standards Grades 9-12.
• Curriculum Standard 6 : Students will make connections among the visual arts, other disciplines, and daily life. Meets additional proficiency standards Grades 9-12.

National Standards:

• Content Standard 1 - Understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes.
• Content Standard 2 - Using knowledge of structures and functions.
• Content Standard 3 - Choosing and evaluating a range of subject matter, symbols, and ideas.
• Content Standard 4 - Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and cultures.
• Content Standard 5 - Reflecting upon and assessing the characteristics and merits of their work and the work of others
• Content Standard 6 - Making connections between visual arts and other disciplines.

Optional Information:
This unit is heavily reliant on a constant community-centered approach of discussion and evaluation of each individual as an active and recognized participant in the class learning. Each day the students will have an opportunity to share a part of themselves with the group. This enables not only a responsive classroom, but also a community of learners and assertive reflectors of community dynamic and active respect giving. In completing a class styled in a community-centered approach, the students achieved learning goals that are not addressed specifically by the set standards in visual art, such as: respect, active listening, caring, honor, pride, and social responsibility.

Portfolio Content

1. Philosophy of Education
2. Sample Unit Plan
3. Sample Lesson Plan
4. Daily Plan for Course Introduction
5. Assessment Statement
6. Assessment Examples