Me, Myself and I
Titel: Me, Myself and I
Karen Wiegmink-Oliehoek & Erik van Alphen
Theresialyceum, Tilburg – The Netherlands
| Introduction | ME MYSELF and I, is a collaborative project between the subjects Arts and Technology. During a time period of seven weeks students will work three hours a week (2 consecutive, 1 single) in the Art lesson and two hours (consecutive) in the Technology lesson.
The target group for the project is first graders (age: 11-13). To guide the first-year students in their transition from elementary school to the secondary school a central theme in the mentoring lessons is: Who am I. The students have to discover who they are, what is important for them, what they like etc. This project extends on these lessons. The students have to make a 3D expression themselves. The assignment provides several fieldstudies the teacher can choose from. At the end of this semester the students have created a creative personal sculpture, using clay and the lasercutter, in which they have practiced technical skills and learned something about art movements. |
| Pre-knowledge | |
| Learning goals
● Social skills (21st century skills) ● Knowledge (theoretical knowledge) ● practical skills |
• The student has learned the meaning of divergent thinking. He/she has pushed him/herself in finding new original thoughts/ facts • students learn to take notes in their own words • during class apply acquired knowledge in the homework assignment • mix colors time-management: expressionistic painters often work quick. • increase divergent thinking skills (generate as much originals ideas as possible) • students learn how to use equipment • Students learn how to put their 2D- ideas into something 3-dimensional • The student has learned how to use color and images to make a brainstorm about him/herself visible • The students have learned theory about light & shadows • The students have learned theory lines and shapes • knowledge about expressionism (style characteristics, time and context) • apply expressionistic style characteristics into their own work. • knowledge about surrealism style (characteristics, time and context) • time-management • drawing skills • students learn how to speak in front of a group of people • Reflecting on the students’ attitude helps to increase understanding and insight and to improve its behavior. • Reflecting on the learning process can help to learn more effectively and to remember the subject matter better |
| Time | 25-30 lessons of 50 minutes |
| Assessment | How will the students be graded (what instrument will you use?) Evaluation matrix |
| Resources | Art/technology- teacher, art-classroom, technology-classroom (fablab) |
| Materials | • Paper, color pencils/ crayons/ color markers • 2B or 4B Pencil • mirror • A4 paper Stencils on: posture, light and dark, line and shape • workbook • A2 paper sheet gouache paint brushes • theory stencils about Color (J. Itten) • PowerPoint Presentation on expressionism • possibly computer with a screen • clay • illustrator • laser-cutter • plywood • worksheet with questions about the entire process workbook • final result • PowerPoint Presentation on expressionism • Pc + printer Pen |
Lesson 1-2
| Introduction | Mindmap The students will make a visual mindmap about themselves using words, phrases, drawings and colours. Students ask a family member to also make a mindmap about them. Others might perceive other characteristics. |
| Time | 2 x 50 min. (15 min. homework to finish) |
| Phase of the DBL model | Fieldstudy |
| Lesson goals/design output | a colorful mindmap using images, text and color |
| Activity | Divergent thinking |
| Materials | Paper, color pencils/ crayons/ color markers |
| Learning goals
● Social skills ● Knowledge (theoretical knowledge) ● practical skills |
The student has learned the meaning of divergent thinking. He or she has pushed him/herself in finding new original thoughts/ facts about him/herself The student has learned how to use color and images to make a brainstorm about him/herself visible |
| Extra | |
| Expert tips | The goal is to train divergent thinking. Students are pushed to continue writing down about themselves, which can be quite challenging when u are used finish your work quickly. Make together a mindmap about a random topic to show whether something is original or not. Tips: students tend to stay in the conform zone. It might be useful to prohibid certain parts: or give exemples like: I have a mindmap about a girl how plays tennis, has a brother an like to watch Netflix. Do you think this is a specific mindmap? Does this mindmap is really says something about one person at this school. |
Lesson 3-5
| Introduction | Realistic self-portrait The face is the most expressive part of the human body. Students will make a realistic self-portrait after a presentation on posture, light & shadows and line & shape |
| Time | 1 lesson of 50 min of theory on light & shadows, line & shape 2 lessons of each 50 min of making the product (self-portrait) |
| Phase of the DBL model | Fieldstudy |
| Lesson goals/design output | One realistic selfportrait using lights and shadows |
| Activity | Students will make a realistic self-portrait after a presentation on posture, light & shadows and line & shape. |
| Materials | 2B or 4B Pencil miror A4 paper Stencils on: posture, light and dark, line and shape |
| Learning goals
● Social skills ● Knowledge (theoretical knowledge) ● practical skills |
The students have learned theory about light & shadows The students have learned theory lines and shapes |
| Extra | |
| Expert tips | have them testing several pencils to notice the difference when you put pressure on a (for instance) 2H pencil and a 6B pencil |
Lesson 6
| Introduction | Learn by observing: expressionism |
| Time | 1 lesson of 50 min. (homework ca. 20 min.) |
| DBL phase model | Fieldstudy |
| Lesson Goals / results Design | Students implement the acquired knowledge in their homework assignment |
| Activity | A teacher presentation on the art movement expressionism. Students take notes. |
| Materials | Powerponit Presentation on expressionism Pc + printer, Pen workbook |
| Learning goals
● Social skills ● Knowledge (theoretical knowledge) ● practical skills |
Knowledge about expressionism (style characteristics, time and context).
students learn to take notes in their own words, during class apply acquired knowledge in the homeworkassignment |
| Extra | accompanying homework assignment: browse the internet for an expressionistic piece of art. Describe, using style characteristics, how you can tell this piece of art is from the expressionism. Be specific |
| Expert Advice | Provide insight into the use of search engines. When a student types in “expressionism”, he/she does not automatically see a correct work of art. |
Lesson 7-9
| Introduction | Colour theory and expression. Some say the face is the most expressive body part of man. |
| Time | 1 x 50 min: color theory of Johannes Itten. 2 X 50 min: painting |
| DBL phase model | Fieldstudy |
| Lesson Goals / results Design | An expressionistic self-portrait |
| Activity | Students will try to rely on ‘feeling’and are going to put in on pape using goache. |
| Materials | A2 paper sheet goache paint brushes theory stencils about Color (J. Itten) workbook |
| Learning goals
● Social skills ● Knowledge (theoretical knowledge) ● practical skills |
Technical skills: mix colors time-management: expressionistic painters often work quick. The students have only 1 lesson of 100 min. to completely finish their artwork. apply expressionistic style charachteristics into their own work. |
| Extra | |
| Tips from an expert | Explain: Colors often have a meaning. For example, pastel tones often give a calm atmosphere. You could use the colour red when you want your portrait to look fiers. To make it more concrete, you can ask the students to remember an intense memory. The pupil makes the portrait based on this memory. |
Lesson 10
| Introduction | Learn by observing: surrealism |
| Time | 1 lesson of 50 min. (homework ca. 20 min.) |
| DBL phase model | Fieldstudy |
| Lesson Goals / results Design | students implement the acquired knowledge in their homework assignment |
| Activity | A teacher presentation on the art movement surrealism. |
| Materials | powerponit Presentation on expressionism, Pc + printer Pen workbook |
| Learning goals
● Social skills ● Knowledge (theoretical knowledge) ● practical skills |
Knowledge about surrealism (style characteristics, time and context) students learn to take notes in their own words, during class apply acquired knowledge in the homework assignment |
| Extra | Accompanying homework assignment: browse the internet for a surrealistic piece of art. Describe how you can tell this piece of art is from the surrealistic movement. Be specific |
| Tips from an expert | Provide insight into the use of search engines. When a student types in “surrealism”, he/she does not automatically see a correct work of art. |
Lesson 11-14
| Introduction | Design surrealistic self-portraits |
| Time | 4 x 50 min (if not finished in the given time: homework to finish all 10 designs) |
| DBL phase model | Ideation |
| Lesson Goals / results Design | 10 or more different (original!) designs |
| Activity | Students have to use their imagination and invent several original designs that shows characteristics about themselves. |
| Materials | Workbook (color) pencil pen |
| Learning goals
● Social skills ● Knowledge (theoretical knowledge) ● practical skills |
Increase divergent thinking skills (generate as much originals ideas as possible) time-management drawing skills |
| Extra | |
| Expert Advice | Talk about originality. When is something original? Give examples what is, and what is not. |
Lesson 15-16
| Introduction | students present their best idea to each other |
| Time | 2 x 50 min. |
| DBL phase model | Argumentation |
| Lesson Goals / results Design | At the end of the lesson students have presented their idea and fellow students and teacher(s) give feedback. The student will be able to change his or her plan in order to fabricate a better outcome. |
| Activity | Present Give and receive feedback |
| Materials | Workbook Possibly computer with a screen |
| Learning goals
● Social skills ● Knowledge (theoretical knowledge) ● practical skills |
Students learn how to speak in front of a group of people students give eachother feedback. |
| Extra | |
| Expert Advice |
Lesson 17-28
| Introduction | Students start fabricating their idea. |
| Time | 6 x 50 min arts 6 x 50 min technology |
| DBL phase model | Fabrication |
| Lesson Goals / results Design | An object made of clay An icon laser cutted out of plywood |
| Activity | |
| Materials | • clay • illustrator • laser-cutter • plywood |
| Learning goals
● Social skills ● Knowledge (theoretical knowledge) ● practical skills |
Students learn how to use equipment Students learn how to put their 2D-ideas into something 3-dimensional |
| Extra | |
| Expert Advice | After this stage students argument what went well, what went wrong, how to improve. So, they move back and forward to the argumentation phase or/and the ideation phase |
Lesson 29-30
| Introduction | Final presentation |
| Time | 1 x 50 min to fill in the reflection worksheet 3 x 50 min. |
| DBL phase model | Reflection phase |
| Lesson Goals / results Design | Students have fill in a worksheet and learned how to improve their attitude (for a next assignment) towards the entire process |
| Activity | Thinking back and overseeing, reflecting on yourself, your behavior or an activity |
| Materials | Worksheet with questions about the entire process Workbook Final result |
| Learning goals
● Social skills ● Knowledge (theoretical knowledge) ● practical skills |
Reflecting on the students additude helps to increase understanding and insight and to improve its behavior. Reflecting on the learning process can help to learn more effectively and to remember the subject matter better. |
| Extra | After filling in the reflection worksheet students can prepare their presentation. |
| Expert Advice | Make pictures of the final result so they can be shown on a big creen during the presentation. |