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Student Teaching 2023
Roosevelt High School: August 20- October 13
North River Elementary: October 15-December 8
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Unit Plan- Sculpture 1 at Roosevelt High School
Description: I created and taught a unit for the sculpture 1 class at Roosevelt High School. This unit involved students creating a soap sculpture of an animal of their choosing. The unit was inspired by ancient Chinese jade sculptures and so I taught the students about the history and importance of such sculptures in the Chinese culture. In addition, students learned what about subtractive sculptures and then created their own using soap. Students planned and sketched their animal, carved it out of soap using clay carving tools, and then wrote an artist statement about their piece.
Rationale: This unit provided students with an art history lesson regarding ancient Chinese jade sculptures. They learned about how significant the art form was for the culture, showcasing the impact art can have on people and societies. In addition, students learned about various subtractive sculptures and then were able to get a hands-on experience where they practiced and learned how to carve. The unit tasked students with choosing an animal to be their good luck charm, similar to the way the ancient Chinese would sculpt jade good luck charms. This prompted students to make a connection with their artwork, which they then practiced writing about in an artist statement.
Unit Plan - 3rd Grade at North River Elementary
Description: This unit taught students about symmetry and how to apply it to art. Students learned what symmetry is, then looked for it in artwork by the key artists. There were 3 key artists that students learned about, all who created colorful and patterned images of insects. Students were then tasked to draw their own symmetrical bug, first with pencil, then they outlined with black crayon. Finally, students painted their completed bugs and the background with watercolors. The final step was to create a name tag for displaying their bugs, which included their name and the type of bug they painted.
Rationale: This unit gave students a hands on opportunity to learn about and practice using symmetry. In addition, students saw the way something like insects, which many were not fond of, can be seen as art. They practiced looking at and analyzing artwork by other artists, and then created their own inspired by such artwork. Students could draw whatever sort of bug they wanted, as long as it was symmetrical. They were given a reference sheet of 8 different bug shapes that they could use to guide their drawing, however, everything was up to them. This allowed students to get creative and express themselves, and some of them even came up with background for their bug. They also got to practice using different materials, including watercolor paints, as well as getting to experience the way the paint resists the crayons they used to outline.
Assessment Methods- Roosevelt High School
Formative
Description: During my soap sculpture unit, my formative assessment was in the form of an assignment that students completed prior to beginning the carving of their soap. Students had to choose an animal to sculpt that represents good luck to them. For the assignment, students wrote down the animal they choose and an explanation of why they associated that animal with good luck. Then, students had to sketch 3 different angles of their sculpture: the front, the top, and the side.
Rationale: I chose this assignment as a formative assessment because I wanted to check in on students before they started actually carving their sculpture. I wanted to ensure that students understand the way they would have to sculpt their piece "in the round" which is why I had them sketch the different angles of their animal. In addition, I made sure every student had a personal explanation for why they chose their animal before they began sculpting.
Summative
Description: The summative assessment for the soap sculpture unit was the completion of their soap sculpture and a written artist statement in which they answered a handful of questions about their piece and the process of creating it.
Rationale: By completing a finalized soap sculpture, students showcased the learned skill of carving, as well as persistence and dedication, considering the process was slow and required substantial effort. The artist statement included two paragraphs, one in which students discussed the animal they chose and described their sculpture. The second paragraph was about the process and how the student felt about it. The two paragraphs together gave me a look at the student's overall understanding of the unit, as it addressed the multiple parts of it.
Assessment Methods- North River Elementary
Formative
Description: For the symmetrical bugs unit that I taught to third grade, my formative assessment was done by asking my students to give me a thumbs up, sideways thumb, or thumbs down. After explaining and going over symmetry in depth, I asked my students to show me their understanding of symmetry with their thumb.
Rationale: By asking my students to show me their understanding with their thumbs, I was able to easily and quickly check how successful my lesson was. I wanted to know if my explanation of symmetry was enough or if I needed to continue going over it. All my students had done a thumbs up so I knew I was able to continue on with my lesson. If any of the students had shown a sideways thumb or thumbs down, I would have further explained until all students had their thumbs up.
Summative
Description: My summative assessment for the symmetrical bugs unit was the students successful completion of their bug painting. The biggest thing that I was checking for was that their painting was symmetrical. In addition, when demonstrating how to paint the bugs, I emphasized quality work and putting time and effort into staying in the lines and being neat, so that is also something I looked for.
Rationale: By checking that the students paintings were symmetrical, I was able to assess students understanding of the term symmetry and their ability to apply it to their artwork. In addition, since I discussed quality work with the students, I was able to assess their willingness to slow down and be neat with their lines, showcasing their ability to produce quality work to the best of their ability.
PROFESSIONALISM, ADVOCACY & LEADERSHIP: PAL 1
Description: For my PAL 1, I visited a weaving exhibit at my local library that showcased a number of woven artworks by various artists.
Rationale: Last year I had actually written and taught a unit on weaving to our ISU hosted Saturday art class. That is why this exhibit peaked my interest. By attending and viewing the exhibit, I was able to see how professional artists incorporate weaving into their artwork and see the level of skills they had to showcase.
PROFESSIONALISM, ADVOCACY & LEADERSHIP:PAL 2 Description: For my PAL 2, someone from my community was hosting a birthday party for her daughter and posted on a neighborhood facebook group about being looking to hire someone who could do activities with the kids during the party. They had specifically shown interest in arts and crafts so I reached out and explained that I am about to graduate with my art education degree and that I would love to plan an art project to do with the kids. The kids at the party were between the ages of 7 and 9, and there were 7 of them. I planned two different art projects for us to do. For the first project, I taught the kids about pointillism and showed them how to use q tips and paint to create paintings. I gave them a few ideas for subject matter, including flowers, a butterfly, a heart, and a rainbow.
Rationale: I loved that I was able to take this opportunity to engage with my community and put myself out there as a professional. I was able to gain experience and the mom mentioned to me afterwards that one of her friends was interested in having me come for her kids party in the future! This gave me the chance to build up a reputation for myself and it went really well and the kids had fun!
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