Name: SeongEun Yun

Lesson Title: Bookbinding: Accordion Style

Grade Level: Middle school or high school

Aesthetics, Art History, Interdisciplinary Connections

Artist/Culture/Movement Interdisciplinary Connections

Keith A. Smith (bookmaking artist), Marie History, Literature, Math
Kelzer (paste paper artist)

Aesthetic Concepts Elements/Principles of Art

How can books be an art form? How does Color, Line, Texture, Pattern, Repetition,
one’s cultural background influence his/her Variety, Unity
art making?

Art Vocabulary: Media and Materials needed:

Paste paper, Bookbinding, Abstract Watercolor paper, White drawing paper,
Tempera paint, Scraping tool, Chip brush,
Bookbinding board, Book cloth,
Construction paper, Elmer’s glue, Scissors

Content Standards

Content Standard 1 – Artistic Perception

1.6 Describe the use of the elements of art to express mood in one or more of their
works of art.
Content Standard 2 – Creative Perception
2.4 Demonstrate in their own works of art a personal style and an advanced proficiency
in communicating an idea, theme, or emotion.
Content Standard 3 – Historical and Cultural Context
3.3 Investigate and discuss universal concepts expressed in works of art from diverse
cultures.
Content Standard 4 – Aesthetic Valuing
4.6 Develop written criteria for the selection of a body of work from their portfolios that
represents significant achievements.
Content Standard 5 – Connections, Relationships, Applications
5.2 Create a work of art that communicates a cross-cultural or universal theme taken
from literature or history.

Learning Objectives
1. Students will create a unique accordion book of their own.
2. Students will demonstrate their knowledge of their cultural/traditional background.
3. Students will experience the art of making paste paper and bookbinding as well.
Anticipatory Set:
On the first day of the project, I will begin the class by showing some examples of paste
paper (from Pinterest). Then I will demonstrate how to make paste paper and explain the
brief history of it while demonstrating. Handouts of history of paste paper will be given
to the students so they could read at any time. Examples of accordion books will be
shown (from Pinterest). They will be also briefly introduced to paste paper/ bookmaking
artists and other styles of bookbinding.

Objective/Purpose:
Books surround us; it is an everyday object that the students handle everyday such as
textbooks, comic books, magazines, notebooks, etc. We often do not recognize how art
is involved in our everyday life. Through the craftsmanship of this project (bookbinding
process), students will learn to understand and investigate how the art is involved in our
everyday life by looking the world with artist’s perspective.
In the students’ unique accordion books will contain brief history of the individual
students’ cultural background. In the United States are many different cultures that come
from many diverse immigrants, especially in Southern California. Students will learn to
value diversity and understand individual’s different points of view that come from
different cultures and traditions.

Model:
I’ll be demonstrating three major processes: creating paste paper, bookbinding, and
folding papers.
Paste paper: I’ll demonstrate to create various, unique paste papers by using different
tools and techniques after applying the paints on the paper. Proper way of using
paintbrushes will be also demonstrated.
Folding papers: To create an accordion-style book, any kinds of hard edge tool will be
used to create a sharp, clean edge when folding the paper.
Bookbinding: Gluing the paste paper on a board to create the cover of the book will be
demonstrated using brushes. This technique will help the students to apply the glue
evenly, without creating any bubbles when pasting it on a board.

Check for Understanding:

I would walk around the classroom to see if the accordion-paper is folded in right
direction and book covers are functioning properly.
 Step by Step Instruction of Lesson

Instructional Strategies Student Activities

Day 1
Paste paper
I will show them various examples of paste
paper (found in Pinterest) and introduce
paste paper artist (Marie Kelzer) then begin
demonstration. While demonstrating, I will
explain a brief history of paste paper.
Hand out sheets of the history of paste
paper to the students.
I will walk around to check if the students
are using the materials properly.
Day 1
After seeing the examples and teacher’s
demonstration, they will make 3-4 paste
papers of their own.
(Optional) Students may search for paste
paper artists.
Students will read the handout on their
own.

Day 2 Day 2
Book covers After observing the teacher’s
demonstration, students will choose one
In the beginning of the class, introduce paste paper (least favorite) to practice
Keith A. Smith (bookmaking artist) and creating a body of book covers in a small
show some of his works. Also, different size. Once they have successfully
styles of bookbinding will be shown on the completed practice version and were
powerpoint. proved by the teacher, they may begin to
create two sets of book covers.
I will demonstrate how to glue the paste
paper onto the board, using a brush. Then I
will also demonstrate to assemble the
boards and a book cloth to make a body of
book covers.
I will walk around to make sure if the
students are using the materials in a proper
way, and their book covers are functioning
properly. I would allow them to start on the
bigger sized book covers after their practice
version has been checked with me.

Day 3
Accordion papers
I will show my own example of accordion
book; then demonstrate how to fold the
papers and connect two different papers to
make a long accordion-style paper.
After demonstration, I will explain what we
Day 3
After observing teacher’s demonstration,
students will make their own accordion-
style paper.
Students may use some class time to
research about their cultures/traditions if
needed.
will be filing in this accordion book. I will
have my own example of how I have
depicted my cultural background and show
it to the students.
Day 4
Thumbnails
I will check students’ thumbnails to
approve them to start filling their pages.
Day 5-7
Filling the pages / Finish binding / Wrap
up
When the students are almost done with
their pages, I will demonstrate how to
assemble the accordion pages and book
covers (which we have made in day 2).
Day 8 & 9
Discussion
I will recapitulate what we have done
throughout the lesson, then explain what
they will be discussing in the class.
I will share my book first, as an example of
how to share their books; and then conduct
the discussion so all students can be
engaged in this time.
Students will work on thumbnails of each
page.
Day 4
Students will work on thumbnails of each
pages and review with teacher before
starting on their book.
Once they have their thumbnails ready,
students will work on
writing/drawing/coloring to tell/illustrate
the cultures they come from.
Day 5-7
Students will be working on their pages.
After seeing the teacher’s demonstration
and once they are done with their pages,
students will assemble their pages and book
covers to finish up their accordion books.
Those students who didn’t finish their book
during class time will take it to home to
finish it over the weekend, and bring it
back to the next class.
Day 8 & 9
Students will take turn to share their own
unique books. They will briefly describe
about their cultural/traditional background
and explain how they feel like they fit into
that culture.
Critique/Discussion:
On Day 8 & 9, students will have time of discussion as a class by sharing their unique
books. After discussion, students will be given a self-evaluation paper to fill in and write
a short paragraph of what they have learned through this lesson, and what they liked
about this lesson. They will also choose one favorite book of their peers’ to write a
comment about it.
Aesthetic questions will be discussed both verbally and in writing.

Special Needs Considerations: Teacher will demonstrate a step-by-step process of

production. Students with low vision/hearing will be seated/standing closest to the
demonstration table.
English Language Learners: Relevant image of art vocabularies will be included in the
PowerPoint and teacher will talk slowly, using simple terms, while demonstrating to
serve as a visual learning. They will be given the sentence starter for their written
evaluation.

Assessment/Scoring Rubric
 1 2 3 4
Criteria

Craftsmanship The book covers The book covers The book covers The book covers
are wrinkled, and are wrinkled, and are somewhat are unwrinkled
pieces are falling binding is weak. wrinkled and and binded strong
off. Accordion Accordion paper binding is not enough to hold the
paper is folded sticks out of the strong enough. contents inside.
unevenly with book. Accordion paper Accordion paper
dull edges, and fits in the book. is folded evenly
sticks out of the with sharp edge.
book.

Elements and At least 2 At least 3 At least 4 At least 5

Principles of elements/ elements/ elements/ elements/
Art principles of art principles of art principles of art principles of art
were used. were used. were used. were used.

Content Student’s Student’s Student’s Student’s

cultural/traditional cultural/traditional cultural/traditional cultural/traditional
background is background is background is background is
poorly described. somewhat somewhat well described
The book barely described. The described through through
contains drawing. book contains depiction/writing. depiction/writing.
more of writing The book contains Student used
than drawings. more of drawings interesting
than writing. composition with
accordion style.

Time Used Student did not Student somewhat Student somewhat Student invested
invest time to invested his/her invested his/her lot of time to
search any time to search time to search describe his/her
information about about his/her about his/her culture/tradition
his/her cultural cultural cultural by taking extra
background. background. background. time to search
Student did not Student finished Student finished information.
finish the book. ½ of the book. ¾ of the book. Student
completely
finished the
assignment.