3rd Grade

Visual Arts Lesson Plans

Discovering an Unfamiliar Pennsylvania Artist

Title : Discovering an Unfamiliar Pennsylvania Artist

Author : Sarah Frazier, Kutztown University

Subject Area/ Grade: 3rd Grade

Using a 3rd grade Pennsylvania arts standard, students will research a Pennsylvania artist in an art form that they are most uncomfortable or unfamiliar with. Teachers will create two illustrated  pages for a digital class book about their artist. 

Goals

Teachers will design research a Pennsylvania artist in an art form that they are most uncomfortable or unfamiliar with.

Teachers will create two illustrated pages for a digital class book about their artist. Each teacher will get a digital copy of the book to take with them as a resource for their own teaching practice.

Content Area and Standards

I am using this standard as an anchor point for their project: Standard – 9.2.3.H

Identify, describe and analyze the work of Pennsylvania Artists in dance, music, theatre and visual arts.

Activity

Students will be asked to identify an art form that they are least knowledgeable or most nervous about incorporating with their students (visual art, music, dance or theater).

Once they have identified their art form, they will be asked to research a Pennsylvania artist in that art form and learn about one particular work of art from that artist. 

Teachers will then create a 2-page book spread that will include:
Simple bio about the artist and the part of pennsylvania they are from
Short list of resources about the artist that teachers can use for their own classroom
Short list of lesson resources for this artist, if they exist

The book pages will have full-bleed illustrations that the teachers can create by drawing, collaging or using digital tools. I will take all of the individual pages and assemble into a digital “book” for them. The illustrations and images should be reflective of that artist’s work and career.

Joy2Learn Artists /Videos that Support Project

Richard Serra and Gregory Hines

Art Forms that May Be Included

Teacher’s choice of dance, music, theater or visual arts (my goal is to try and create an even distribution of art forms across the class so that there is at least one artist included in every art form).

Connections to Students Passion Areas and Interests

This class is focused on incorporating arts into their classroom for PreK-4th grade. In their first project students were able to create a lesson activity of their choice in any art form based on theme from a picture book. I noticed a lot of my students chose visual arts activities because it was what they feel most confident in teaching. PA elementary teachers are expected to be able to incorporate all 4 art forms into their classrooms, so I want them to tackle the thing they are most uncomfortable with in order to push them to build up their knowledge base and comfort level across all areas. 

I am hoping by making this a resource they can keep and take with them, they will be invested in creating something exciting for themselves and their classmates.

Materials Needed

Research guides, links, library resources, PA arts organizations

Book page materials:
8.5 x 11 paper, drawing materials, collage materials, glue, scissors

App: Snapseed – I’ll be teaching them how to use Snapseed to take clean, clear photos of their work and edit the photos to look nice for a digital book.

Assessment

Book pages and short written reflection.

Timeline

3 weeks