Big Idea Lesson Plan

Normally at the end of the school year I collaborate with the music teacher for a music/art show. She typically picks the theme (something that I am not always a fan of). This year she wanted to have the theme: holidays. I told her I didn't think it was the good idea. I told her if I get bored making holiday art then the students are definitely going to be bored making holiday art. I was giving the music teachers themes such as jungle, sweets/desserts, fairy tales, etc. After some persuasion, the music teacher agreed to go with the theme garden. When I was trying to think of a big idea/lesson that I would be able to teach my students, I wanted something that was going to be relevant and meaningful. I also started to think about what I have going on this year with my classes. I live in southwestern Pennsylvania and am involved with a teacher partnership with Fallingwater. This program allows students to tour the house and then I plan an art lesson based off of it. In our meeting sessions we discuss how Frank Lloyd Wright designed spaces specific to his clients and their needs. I was thinking about ways I could tie over arching themes with this and "garden" and decided that in a very broad sense I am teaching my students about life. I think the magic within a garden comes from the new life growing. There is change, growth, and metamorphosis. With lessons in architecture designed as a specific space for a certain person, you think of life and how that family will use that space. Through this lesson, I want students to create a space where life, change and growth will happen with the challenge of designing it for a specific living being.

One day as I was mindlessly scrolling through social media, an article popped up of an artist who creates homes for birds. She tapes cardboard boxes to windows so you can see the interior designs for the birds. She adds photos, couches, rugs, brooms, hearths, etc. to make the birds feel right at home. I thought this would be the perfect artist inspiration to combine this idea of garden and architectural design into my big idea of "Life"

https://twistedsifter.com/2016/11/tiny-homes-for-birds-by-jada-fitch/

http://www.jadafitch.com/

Bird House Designers

Grade Level: 5

Goal of Lesson: To allow students take on the architect/interior designer role. To create a space for a specific subject in mind

Unit Objectives: Students will learn:

1. That artist Frank Lloyd Wright was an architect who created spaces for specific interests of clients

2. what an architect and interior designer is

3. How to create a space for a specific subject in mind

Lesson Objectives: Students will learn:

1. How to create a backdrop from a cardboard box

2. How to create a clay piece of furniture

3. How to use design/art mediums to design a space based off of needs

National Standards:

VA:Cr1.1.3a Elaborate on an imaginative idea

VA:Cr2.1.3a Create personally satisfying artwork using a variety of artistic processes and materials

Pennsylvania Department of Education Standards:

9.4.3 D: Recognize that choices made by artists regarding subject matter and themes communicate ideas through works in the arts and humanities

9.3.3. B: Know that works in the arts can be described by using the arts elements, principles and concepts

Materials:

Per Student

In General

Cardboard boxes

Pencils

Paint

Sharpies

Clay

Scissors

Tape

Glaze

Paper

“Client Card”

Images of original art

Motivation:

One day as I was mindlessly scrolling through social media, an article popped up of an artist, Jada Fitch, who creates homes for birds. She tapes cardboard boxes to windows so you can see the interior designs for the birds. She adds photos, couches, rugs, brooms, hearths, etc. to make the birds feel right at home. I thought this would be the perfect artist inspiration to combine this idea of garden and architectural design into my big idea of "Life"

Through this lesson, I want students to create a space where life, change and growth will happen with the challenge of designing it for a specific living being.

https://twistedsifter.com/2016/11/tiny-homes-for-birds-by-jada-fitch/

I’m going to take images of different types of birds to create “Client Cards” students will randomly select a card and design that space for their client.

For example maybe they pick the client “Red”. Red would be a client who enjoys seeds and fruits. They enjoy perching on branches in the snow with their other cardinal friends. Red dislikes when other birds don’t share the birdfeeder and seeing their reflection because they think it is a stranger.

Can you create a house that Red would enjoy?

Art Production: Lecture/Demonstration

DISCUSSION: What is an architect? What is an interior designer? Does the space you live in affect your life? Form vs. Function. How can you create a space that is specific or tailored for one person

DEMO: I will show students beginning steps based off of that lesson for the day. This whole lesson will take multiple parts/class times. I would start by sketching my plan on a piece of paper and translating it to the box.

Evaluation: Did the students learn:

That artist Frank Lloyd Wright was an architect who created spaces for specific interests of clients

what an architect and interior designer is

How to create a space for a specific subject in mind

Adaptations:

Students may need to use various sized paint brushes to achieve the appropriate or desired control

Students may need help sketches