Unit Plan: Value

Theme (purpose) and General Description

A. Value is explored through a sequence of activities in which students (1)

complete a value scale and value of a sphere in graphite and charcoal, (2)
relate values of a sphere to values in real life (3) explore value through
charcoal drawings of a stone still life set up, and (4) create final charcoal
drawing of a black and white photograph that represent a full value scale.
B. Grade Levels: 10-12th
C. Time: 5-90 minute periods

Standards

Standard 1-Making: Students will assemble and create drawings by

manipulating art media and by organizing images with the elements and
principles.

Objective 1: Refine Techniques and processes in a variety of media.

Objective 2: Create drawings using art elements and principles.

Goals

A. To develop foundational knowledge about value.

B. To explore value through a series of still life observational drawing.
C. To gain experience in using graphite and charcoal mediums.
D. To demonstrate understanding of value through final drawing of a black and
white photograph.

Essential questions

A. What is value?
B. What are the ways to create and build up value?
C. How do the values on a sphere translate to values in real life objects?
D. Where in life do I notice and recognize value?

Concepts

A. Value is an element in art that we use to portray how light and dark appear
visually.
B. Value is the lightness or darkness of tones/colors.
C. White is the lightest value and black is the darkest value. The value half-way
between these extremes is called middle-gray.
D. There are scales of value that appear on an object: Highlight, halftone, core
shadow, reflected light and cast shadow.
E. There are a variety of methods to build up value such as shading, blending
and crosshatching.
 F. The value with in a drawing or a photograph can have varying qualities that
deal with brightness, darkness, and contrast of values. Light, middle and dark
tones.

Cultural Exemplars (visuals)

PowerPoint presentation on value

Images of charcoal drawings focusing on value
Example value scales
Examples of shading, blending, and cross hatching
Value spheres
Black and White images with varying brightness/darkness and contrast

Materials

Paper
Charcoal
Graphite pencils
Erasers
Lights and clips
Stones (variety of tones)
Apples
Value Worksheets
Sketchbook
Scope and Sequence of Experiences

Day 1: Introduction to Value

Content Objective: Through a PowerPoint presentation, worksheets

and sketchbook activities students will learn about value.

Learning Objective: Students will be able to re-create value scales

using shading, blending, and crosshatching methods of drawing.

Language Objective: Students will be able to identify value scales in

the correct order through worksheets that provide them the space to
fill in the corresponding tone.

Essential Question:

What is value?
What are the ways to create and build up value?
Procedures of the day:

0-5 minutes: Students will begin class with a bell ringer; the bell
ringer will be a pre-assessment about what knowledge they
already have about value. The bell ringer will ask students to
shade a sphere with the correct value scale.

5-20 minutes: PowerPoint lecture introducing value concepts and

definitions. Value methods demonstration: crosshatching,
shading, and blending.

20-30 minutes: Activity: Students will be given a lamented

image of a shaded sphere (some are done correctly and others
are incorrect) and asked to work with a partner to decide if the
sphere is shaded correctly and answer why or why not.

30-90 minutes: During this time students will be given two mini
assignments to a finish. The first is a value scale worksheet that
provides practice in creating scales through different methods of
drawing: crosshatching, shading and blending. The second is
creating the value for a sphere using the correct labels. Students
can use a worksheet I have provided or create a space in their
sketchbooks. This assignment will be a formal assessment to
inform whether or not students have grasped the foundational
concepts of value.
Day 2: Sphere to apples

Content Objective: Through demonstration and still life studies,

students will use value components of a sphere to translate value into
real life objects.

Learning Objective: Students will be able to create a value drawing

of an apple, through observational drawing, using the value
components of a sphere.

Language Objective: Students will compare and contrast values of a

sphere to the values of a real apple through value studies using
graphite.

Essential Question

How do the values on a sphere translate to values in real

life objects?

Procedure of the day:

 0-5 minutes: As students enter class they will be asked to
complete a bell ringer in their sketchbooks. I will later check
these off as students are working on their exercise for the day.
The bell ringer will be a question asking about the definition of
value.

5-15 minutes: During this time we will review value concepts

and techniques, clarify and questions and transition into the
next concept: values of a sphere in apples. Students will be
asked to create observational drawings of apples using graphite.
I will quickly demonstrate the value methods students will be
using.

15-80 minutes: Work period. Groups of 4-5 students will work

around an apple still life set up with a focus light to create value
studies. Students will be asked to create 2 drawings using 2
different value methods. As students work, I will walk around to
check off bell ringers and assist any students who many need
extra support. If students dont complete exercise they may
come in during lunch or take it home to complete.

80-90 minutes: Closing dialogue about similarities and

differences between values of sphere and values of an apple.
Tell students what to expect for the next class period.

Day 3: Still Life Value Studies (formative assessment)

Content Objective: Through still life value studies students will

practice observational drawing.
 Learning Objective: Students will gain value drawing skills through
observational drawings of a stone still life setting with a focus light.

Language Objective: Students will relate observational value

drawing to value scales exercise.

Essential Question

How do the values on a sphere translate to values in real

life objects?

Procedure of the day:

0-10 minutes: Assignment introduction: Students will be creating

a series of quick value studies using a blending value method
that will later be incorporated into a later project. Students will
choose a location around the stone still life set up and use
charcoal to develop value drawings.

10-75 minutes: The rest of the class period will be designated

work time. This assignment is expected to be completed during
class time. As students work, I will walk around and make sure
students have the support that they need to complete the
assignment. I will have conversations with students about what
they are working on and discuss the approach they are using to
create drawings.

75-90 minutes: Closing discussion and clean up. Think-Pair-

Share: What value concepts did you notice while creating your
study? What were your strengths and weakness when creating
your study? After the Think-Pair-Share we will re-group as a class
and discuss the expectations for next period. Students will be
asked to take a black and white photograph of something they
love and bring it to class with them.

Day 4: Final Value Drawing (summative assessment for value unit)

 Content Objective: Through final drawing project students will relate
value concepts to black and white photographs.

Learning Objective: Students will create graphite or charcoal

drawings of the black and white photographs they have taken.
Students will identity the lightness, darkness and contrast of an image.

Language Objective: Students will investigate value in their chosen

black and white photographs through drawing.

Essential Question

Where in life do I notice and recognize value?

Procedure of the day

0-10 minutes: PowerPoint lecture recapping value concepts and

introducing next and final project for value unit. The final project
expectations are: Students will create drawings referencing the
black and white photographs they took or from my collection.
Students can use either graphite or charcoal for drawing.

10-90 minutes: Students will get supplies they need, print off
images, and begin working on their final drawing. Students will
be given the rest of this period and next period to complete
drawings. As students work I will walk around and help any
students who need extra support in starting drawings.

Day 5: Final Drawing (summative assessment for value unit)

Content Objective: Through final drawing project students will relate

value concepts to black and white photographs.

Learning Objective: Students will create graphite or charcoal

drawings of the black and white photographs they have taken.
Students will identity the lightness, darkness and contrast of an image.

Language Objective: Students will critique final value drawings in

small groups and identify strengths and weaknesses of work.

Essential Question

Where in life do I notice and recognize value?

Procedure of the day

0-5 minutes: We will quickly go over expectations of the day and

students will gather what supplies they need work on their final
drawings. Students will have until the last 20 minutes of class to
work on their drawings and then we will gather in small groups
to engage in mini critiques. Projects do not have to be finalized
for critiques.
 5-70 minutes: Students will work on their final drawings.

70-90 minutes: Students will engage in critique about their final

drawings in small groups. Topics that will be discussed will
include: why they chose the photograph they did, the value
method they used, and the tonal quality the work possesses.
Students will constructively critique the strengths and
weaknesses of their work and talk about the most and least
favorite aspects of the assignment.

Evaluation Procedures:

Reflection on Planning and teaching: Were my teaching strategies

affective and engaging? What could I modify for next time to better support
my students? Did students grasp the concepts a value? Were they able to
create value scales, value spheres and observation value studies? Did
students create final projects that reflect a deeper understanding of value
concepts?

Observation of Student Behaviors: Were students engaged in exercises

and group activities? How did students respond to discussion and critique
questions?

Assessment of Products: Exercises and final projects will be turned into

me and graded using a point system, exercises being 10 points and the final
project being 50 points. Students will be provided written criteria for their
final projects and this rubric will explicitly state the expectations for the final.
Grading will be based off of the rubric.