[Insert Unit Title Here]

Unit Information: Color and Harmony

Teacher Sara Hyatt

Grade/Subject: Art 8

Length of Unit 4 weeks

Alignment with Student Goals

Key Academic Outcomes

How are students developing skills that build towards the key academic outcomes in your course? Include information about
students’ current progress and describe how students’ work within this unit will build upon these skills.

● Build on a working vocabulary of the elements of art and principles of design, beyond rote memory, specifically
the element of art color and principle of design harmony.
● Gain a working knowledge of the art-making technique of creating the 12 colors of the color wheel and creating a
visual arrangement that shows harmony.
● Make connections between personal interests and art skills through exposure to working artists, art history, and
art process exploration, specifically connected to color theory and harmony.
These Key Academic Outcomes are great for building knowledge base around art content and begin to build towards
choice based art-making influenced by historical and contemporary art but it was still very much direct instruction based
and lacked independent exploration of content.
Art skills:
● Students will plan and work on a variety of art making processes throughout the school year that will include
independent work, social collaboration, critiques and self-expression. For this unit students will create a color
wheel and choose how they would like to represent their knowledge in a personally expressive manner.

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It should be noted that the artwork that was the product of this lesson was a piece that included the 12 colors of
the color wheel but could be any type of content/subject that students created, and they were permitted to choose
from watercolors, tempera paints, colored pencil or a combination of those materials, which allowed for
exploration of materials. Each student practiced mixing the colors of the color wheel using watercolors prior to
working on the final project.

Application of Art to Content:

● Critical thinking – answering essential question through the use of color theory and harmony in art making,
processing content information (element of art color, principle of design harmony) and planning for art-making
from that information.
● Inquiry – how students solve art problem based on essential question(s) through the design process.
I have since begun to build on Inquiry based instruction beyond solving an art problem and have begun to create
lessons that does not merely provide information about content for students but requires them to think about what the
content is and how they might apply it to their artwork and their individual lives. In response to students questions
about the physics of color I also guided them through some research on how color is created and precieved by the
human eye.
● Looking at several artists throughout time that have used color theory in their work and studying color in the
world of mankind in general.
This is an area that visual culture could really be applied along with profession works of art. Color is used in many
products and advertising to catch our eye.
● Making connections between the element art line and the principle of design emphasis/focal point and images of
contour line artwork and self-portraiture.

Embedded Literacy Skills:

● Literacy will assist in learning about artists, offer students an opportunity to see into the lives of artists and begin
thinking like an artist and to make connections to the content.. (Selected literary pieces based color theory and
harmony.
Speaking and listening: (whole class, small group, "pair and share", etc.)

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● Do Now post discussion – sharing written and drawn responses for to content literacy and/or sketchbook drawing
prompts with their small groups and then sharing out responses.
● Instructional group discussion – post direct instruction and exploration of new material students will share their
experiences with each other and what they have learned and then share whole group.
● Daily formative reflections- students will reflect silently on what they learned, what they had success with and
what they struggled with, then share small group followed by sharing whole group. They will also shout out any
artwork they observed being created during class that was exemplary.
Most of the written literacy used was content based and rather boring. What I think I would have done differently is
had students reflect on their knowledge, opionions, and personal experiences with color and had them share those
written works instead or in addition to.

Core Understandings
Unit-Level Understandings
Unit-Level Understandings are derived from the Essential Questions and the content of the unit, to ensure that each unit and lesson is
driving towards the bigger questions addressed by the course. Please list the Essential Questions from your Scope and Sequence with
corresponding Unit-Level Questions and Understandings.
1. Essential Question: How and why does art record and communicate the human experience?
a. Unit-Level Question: (1a) what does color communicate? (1b) how do artists use color?
b. Unit Level Understanding: Color has been used to express and invoke certain feelings/emotions, draw attention
and communicate tone and mood in artwork. As artists we can learn to use color to achieve such things in our
own artwork.
These are great essential questions that I think could have been tied into the written literacy pieces more.
Unfortunately, we got consumed with art making and process that we missed the opportunity to really discuss and
explore what color expresses and how the students use color in their own life, therefore missing an opportunity for
connectivity.
2. How does art expand and enhance our thinking?

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Unit-Level Question: (2a) Why do we need to understand color?(2b) How has my understanding of color and
a.
color relationships changed? (2c) how will understanding color theory and harmony help me with future artwork?
b. Unit Level Understanding: Students will learn about the creation of color from the primary colors, the color
relationships that exist on the color wheel and use that information for art creating. Students will study images
that show harmony and how to create it within a piece of work.
3. Essential Question: What skills and vocabulary do I need to appreciate visual art?
a. Unit-Level Question: (3a) what is the element of art Color? (3b) what is the principle of design Harmony?
(3c) how can I apply them to art making and understanding? What is the history of color in science?
b. Unit Level Understanding: Students will learn about and practice color theory in order to create an
individualized color wheel that shows harmony. Students will continue to work on their critiquing skills
through a new understanding of color and harmony.

2. Standard or Learning Target

Students will use knowledge of both structures and functions.
2.1 Demonstrate an understanding of the elements and the principles of design.
2.2 Demonstrate critical thinking skills in addressing visual arts assignments.
2.3 Demonstrate an understanding of various sensory and expressive qualities in a work of art.
Objectives and Daily Questions
Objective
● SWBAT Understand and utilize the color wheel, color theory, color relationships and harmony.
● Students will utilize the design process to think critically and problem solve in preparation for a
summative project that shows their understanding color and harmony.
● Students will practice using color to show expression. Again, the focus of this project really turned to
what the subject matter of each was rather then what the specific piece was expressing. Aesthetics
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 [Insert Unit Title Here]
over expression. The students enjoyed getting to choose their medium and their images but a
personal connection was missing because they were not personally expressing anything in particular,
which is needed to create meaning from art making.
Daily Question
● (3a)What is the element of art Color?
● (2a)Why do we need to understand color?
● (2c) how will understanding color theory and harmony help me with future artwork?
● (3b) what is the principle of design Harmony?
● (3c) how can I apply Color to art making and understanding? How can I apply harmony to art making
and understanding?
● (1a) what does color communicate?
4. Standard or Learning Target
Students will understand the visual arts in relation to history and cultures
4.4 Reflect on how cultural factors of time and place influence the meaning of artworks.
4.5 Reflect on how historical and cultural factors influence contemporary artwork and visual culture.
Objectives and Daily Questions
Objective
● Students will study the use of color throughout the history of man.
Daily Question
● (1b) how have/do artists use color?
1. Standard or Learning Target
The student will reflect upon and assess the characteristics and merits of their work and the work of others.
5.4 Understand the strategies involved in a successful critique
Objectives and Daily Questions

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 [Insert Unit Title Here]
Objective
● SWBAT participate in a written and/or oral critique of their work of the work of a peer.
The focus on these critiques had been primary on learning to describe, analyze, interpret and evaluate
which was primary teacher led instruction. Since this critique I have been first hosting an open
discussion about peer artwork just for the experience of looking at and talking about artwork, and I am
working on taking more of a facilitator role in these discussions in order to let students take ownership
of their critiquing process and use of knowledge.
Daily Question
● Daily Questions
What do you see in the artwork?
How does the artist use the principles of design?
What meaning do find in the artwork?
What is your opinion of the artwork?

Standards and Objectives

2. Standard or Learning Target
Students will make connections between arts and other disciplines
6.1 Demonstrate an understanding of similarities between visual arts and other academic disciplines.

Objectives and Daily Questions

Objective
● SWBAT recognize the connection between color in art and color in science/physics.
Daily Question
● How is are perceived by the human eye?
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 [Insert Unit Title Here]

Instructional Strategies

Differentiation
How will you differentiate instruction for students in need of additional support? Include specific details for accommodations and modifications
related to each key academic outcome. How will you extend and accelerate the learning of students performing at or above grade level?

● Delivery of new information will be given verbally, in written format and with images.
● Instructions will be given verbally, in written format and through modeling.
● Students will have options to explore artistic outcomes beyond them modeled example if they choose to challenge
themselves through the use of a variety of materials.

Summative Assessment
Include the additional following items as attachments along with submission of the Unit Plan here:
1) Planning for art creating
2) Final Summative Artwork – Rubric
3) Final Critique – Written

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 [Insert Unit Title Here]

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 [Insert Unit Title Here]
Please include the following in the Unit Calendar:
1) Type of Lesson (Inquiry, Direct Instruction, Writer’s Workshop)
2) Skill or Objective (Include Grammar mini-lesson and Reading and/or Writing objectives or areas of focus)
3) Plan for remediation and re-teaching
a. To include structure for revision and writing conferences
b. May be a placeholder for remediation, with exact objective to be developed based on within-unit student data
4) Plan for assessment and tracking of skills within the unit

Unit Calendar: <September/october>

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

[9/ 18-19] 9/20-21] [9/22]
Skill: SWBAT Understand and utilize the color wheel, color theory, Skill: SWBAT Understand and utilize the color wheel, color theory, Highlighted areas imcomplete
color relationship color relationship Type of Lesson: Introduction,
Review – Color, Project expectations Direct Instruction
Literacy-: Text on the Color Guided Practice- color mixing
INM- Project Expectations, Color Theory Independent Practice/ Create- watercolor color wheel Skill:
Exploration- Color Theory Practice Reflection Literacy
Check for Understanding Plan for Remediation - correct color relationships INM
Reflection Exploration
Plan for Remediation – Vocabulary - Color wheel names Check for Understanding
Reflection

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 [Insert Unit Title Here]
[9/25-26] [9/27-28] [9/29]
Skill: SWBAT Understand and utilize harmony. Skill: Students will utilize the design process to think Type of Lesson:
Literacy – Text on harmony critically and problem solve in preparation for a
Exploration/Hook – harmony drawing Skill:
Review – Color, Project Expectations
summative project that shows their understanding color
INM- Harmony and harmony. NO CLASS
Independent Practice- harmony practice drawing Exploration – Color and harmoy drawing
Remediation – Review- Color,Harmony, Project Expectations and Design Process
Independent Practice- Design Process
Reflection
Plan for Remediation - general understanding of using both color and
harmony

Unit Calendar: <October >

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

[10/2-3] [10/4-5] 10/6
Skill: SWBAT use a “selfie” photograph to create a self-portrait. Type of Lesson: Independent Practice Type of Lesson: Independent
Literacy- Frida Kahlo Practice
Review– Line/Emphasis/Frida Kahlo/Project Expectations and Skill: SWBAT use a “selfie” photograph to create a self-portrait.
Process Exploration- Different Self-portrait approaches Skill:
Independent Practice/ Create-all parts of the self-portrait, Review- Line/Emphasis/Frida Kahlo/Project Expectations and Process Exploration
Reflection INM- Finished/complete artwork, attaching the work. Review
Plan for Remediation - Check for understanding during work time Independent Practice/ Create- all parts of the self-portrait, Independent Practice/ Create
Reflection Reflection
Plan for Remediation- Check for understanding during work time

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[10/9-10] [10/11-12] 10/13
Type of Lesson: Independent Practice Type of Lesson: Independent Practice– Summative Assessment Type of Lesson: Independent
Practice
Skill: SWBAT use a “selfie” photograph to create a self-portrait. Skill: Students will understand and participate in a critique of their
Exploration – Emphasis in art own work or the work of a peer both written and orally. Skill:
Review - Line/Emphasis/Frida Kahlo/Project Expectations and INM – Critique Process and Expectations Literacy
Process Independent Practice/ Create-Check for understanding Exploration
Independent Practice/ Create-Check for understanding Reflection- Critique - summative assessment, Review
Reflection Collect summative projects - display mastery Independent Practice/ Create-
Plan for Remediation - Check for understanding during work time Plan for Remediation- Critiquing beyond describing, using Check for understanding
explanation Reflection
[date] [date] 10/20
Type of Lesson: Type of Lesson: Type of Lesson: Independent
Practice
Skill: Skill:
Skill:
Exploration
Review
Independent Practice/ Create-
Check for understanding
Reflection

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