LESSON PLAN FORMAT

University of North Texas

Art Education

I. Lesson Number, Grade Levels, Title, and Duration:

Lesson 1, Art I, Words, Two 1-hour class periods
II. Lesson Rationale:
Students in their teenage years are beginning to learn more about themselves, what makes them unique
as individuals, and how to express who they are and how they feel. This lesson will help students learn
to self-reflect on these aspects and to think about words that describe themselves. In addition, they will
learn to see themselves from other peoples perspectives, which is important in discerning if other
peoples opinions of them are accurate or not.
III. Key Concepts:

Identity includes how you perceive yourself

Identity includes how others perceive you
Identity is connected to self-esteem and confidence

IV. Essential Question:

How do you perceive yourself?

How do others perceive you?
How does identity affect your self-esteem or confidence?

V. Lesson Objectives:

The student will be able to make a list of words that describes their identity.
The student will be able to compare and contrast how three other people in their life would
describe them with their personal opinions of themselves.
The student will be able to sketch a word cloud of words they and others use to describe their
identity.

VI. Specific Art Content:

Art of Kelli Connell

Brainstorming process
Words as an art concept

VII. Resources & Materials for Teacher:

Computer
Projector
Identity short film https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikGVWEvUzNM
Powerpoint presentation on artist Kelli Connell

Word map/word cloud websites http://wordle.net, http://wordclouds.com, http://tagxedo.com,

or http://tagul.com

VIII. Resources & Materials for Students:

Pencil
Sketchbook
Thesaurus

IX. Instruction and Its Sequencing:

Day 1
Behavioral Objective: Students will be able to make a list of words that describes their identity.
1. Introduction/Motivation:

Have students watch Identity short film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=ikGVWEvUzNM
After film, have students briefly discuss what identity means to them based on what they
just watched as well as their prior knowledge

2. Guided Practice

Have students make a list of words (at least 10 words) that they believe describes them in
their sketchbooks
o Allow students to use a thesaurus or online thesaurus with their smartphones/tablets
to look up and explore similar words that may describe them
Have a brief class discussion during which students can share a few words from their lists
that they feel best describe them. This allows students to bounce ideas off of each other and
learn from their peers.
Introduce students to artist Kelli Connell through Powerpoint
o Relate Connells photographic work of constructed realities to how ones identity
can be constructed to look a certain way to outsiders but is actually different from
those outsiders perspectives (misconceptions of identity).

3. Independent Practice

Have students create a separate list of three people in their lives. These people can be
anyone (older/younger, relative/friend, etc.).
For homework, have students ask the people they wrote on their list how they would
describe the students identity. Some example questions for students to consider asking their
chosen people (but are not limited to) are:
o What word(s) come to mind when you first think of me?
o What character trait(s) do you think I portray well?
o If you were to choose an animal to describe me, what would it be and why?

o If you were to choose a color to describe me, what would it be and why?
o How have I impacted your life?
Students should ask each person at least two questions and write their responses in their
sketchbook. They will also write a couple sentences comparing and contrasting how each
persons response lines up with their personal perceptions of themselves and why they
agree or disagree with the other persons perception of their identity.

4. Closure

Ask if students have any questions about homework assignment and clarify anything they
may be confused about.

5. Formative Evaluation

Participation in class discussions

Check to see if students have done assignment in their sketchbooks

6. Classroom Management Procedures

Make sure Powerpoint is pulled up and working at the beginning of class

Make sure students have sketchbooks out and are actively working throughout class
Walk around classroom to make sure students are on task and to answer any questions they
may have

Day 2
Behavioral Objectives: Students will be able to compare and contrast how three other people in
their life would describe them with their personal opinions of themselves. Students will be able to
sketch a word cloud of words they and others use to describe their identity.
1. Introduction/Motivation:

Have students share with class about the people they talked with for their homework
assignment and why they agree or disagree with those peoples perceptions of who they are.

2. Guided Practice

Introduce activity: With the list of words that students created last class as well as with the
homework assignment they did, have students draw a word map/word cloud in their
sketchbooks
Show students example of a word map/word cloud through websites such as
http://wordle.net, http://wordclouds.com, http://tagxedo.com, or http://tagul.com
(students will hand-write/hand-draw theirs in their sketchbook)
o Play with size/boldness of words; bigger/bold words should emphasize qualities that
students feel better describe themselves than other words
o Students can add new words that they hadnt written down in previous exercises

o Students can also include words that physically describe them, hobbies they have,
etc. Encourage students to include as many words as possible that contribute to their
identity
o Students can put their words in a certain shape design as the example websites show
but it is not required
3. Independent Practice

Students will work independently on art activity for rest of class

4. Closure

Have students share their word maps/word clouds the last ten minutes of class

5. Formative Evaluation

Participation in class discussions

Check to see if students have done assignment in their sketchbooks

6. Classroom Management Procedures

Make sure students have sketchbooks out and are actively working throughout class
Walk around classroom to make sure students are on task and to answer any questions they
may have

X. Interdisciplinary Connections:
110.31. English Language Arts and Reading, English I. (b) Knowledge and skills.
(1) Reading/Vocabulary Development. (E) use a dictionary, a glossary, or a thesaurus (printed or
electronic) to determine or confirm the meanings of words and phrases, including their connotations
and denotations, and their etymology.
XI. References & Resources:
Identity video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikGVWEvUzNM
http://kelliconnell.com/
http://flakphoto.com/content/dawoud-bey-in-conversation-with-kelli-connell
http://wordle.net
http://wordclouds.com
http://tagxedo.com
http://tagul.com
XII. Art TEKS

117.302. Art, Level I. (c) Knowledge and skills. (1) Foundations: observation and perception.
(A) consider concepts and ideas from direct observation, original sources, experiences, and
imagination for original artwork
XIII. National Art Standards
VA:Cr1.1.Ia Use multiple approaches to begin creative endeavors.