Sensory Perception
The Senses Role in Art Making, Perception, and
Experience
Carly Boyd and Kaitlin Bolton
Grade/Class
 Carly- Elementary 2nd grade in K-12 School
 The class meets twice a week for 50 minutes
for four weeks.
 Kaitlin- High school (9-12) Art Foundations
Course
 Class meets everyday, 5 days a week for 50
minutes.
Rationale

Sensory perception is essential in human knowledge and
creativity.

Perception is how we understand our surroundings
based on data collected from one’s senses.

Every human being holds his or her own unique and
individual perception.

Artists create artwork with a certain perception in mind.
Artists convey through their message through the artwork
and create a perspective for the viewers

Artists invite viewers to see the world through a different
lens-through their artwork. Understanding perception is
essential in being able to convey a message through art.
Goals
 Goal is to teach perspective.
 Learn about themselves and their identity.
 Sharpen senses and become aware of one’s
own perception.
 Learn to make keen observations, useful in all
career and academic goals.
 How perspective relates to art, the senses,
and daily life.
Elementary GLE’s
 Strand I: drawing, three-dimensional media,
Subject Matter: Fine art,
 Strand II: theme, color, space
 Strand III: Aesthetics, art criticism, experiences,
interpretations and perspectives
 Strand IV: connecting visual and performing arts,
 Strand V: identify, compare and contrast
characteristics of artworks
High School GLE’s
 Strand I: drawing, value, portrait, various media,
painting, blending, pop art still life etc.
 Strand II: Identifying elements of art. VTS, videos,
class discussion, observations activities.
 Strand III: various perspectives, aesthetics,
beliefs, experiences.
 Strand IV: interdisciplinary connections: science,
psychology, and history.
 Strand V: identify, compare, contrast artworks.
Artists: Elementary
 Nick Cave
 Geroges Seurat
 Claude Monet
 Wayne Theibaud
 Painted Words short story
Artists: High School
 Haegue Yang;
 Koo Jeong
Oslo, 1998. Crushed aspirin,
wood, and blue light,
Artists: High School
 Yoko Ono
 Marina Abramovic
 Andy Warhol
Artists: High School
 Cai Guo-Qiang
 Jennifer Rubell
 Buddy Valastro:
Yes that is a cheese
fountain. 
Enduring Ideas

Humans and artists gather information and gain knowledge by using
their senses.

Artists represent perception. Artwork is the representation of our
knowledge and experiences

Artists have embraced sensory elements in their art making

Everything humans know and understand begins with the senses..

Artists challenge viewers by activating multiple senses when viewing art
to create a unique experience and perception.

Everyone holds a different perspectives and that is how they see the
world. Perception can change based on the environment and forces
manipulating the environment.

Sensory perception makes it possible for humans to interact, create,
and analyze art.
Essential Questions:

How is sensory perception communicated through art
making? How and why do artists do this?

Can individuals perceive the same event differently? Can
artists create a work that forces individuals to see something
the same way?

In what ways are we forced to share the same perception (for
example the media, like on new broadcasts)(also looking
back at history i.e. religion, racism, politics)

How are spaces dictated to help us form a certain
perception? What factors influence this? (I.e. interior designers,
architecture, the people in that space with you)

How do our senses play a role in everything we perceive?

What is your perception? What factors other then the senses
contribute to perception?
Instructional Concepts
 Artist use sensory perception as a way to convey
an experience or feeling.
 All art involves some extent of sensory
perception.
 Sensory perception helps us understand our
surroundings.
 Sensory perception shapes our world, our views,
and our artwork.
 By incorporating the senses artists can create a
perception for the viewers
Constraints

Resources and access to museum or other art-related
resources.

Availability of projectors, smart boards, or other technologyrelated resources for projects and demonstrations.

Time-related issues and classroom management of keeping
students focused and on task.

Permission for classroom celebration.

Permission granted for invitations to class presentation.

Permission, transportation, and time to go on a one-day trip
outside to a close local park.

Food allergies could be a possible constraint in some of the
activities involving taste.
Cross Curricular
Correlations:
 Sensory perception is the state of perceiving
one’s surroundings based on observations and
information collected from one’s senses. Sensory
perception is essential in accumulating data
and knowledge and is therefore required in all
units of study. This can include physical,
emotional and cognitive variations so the unit
easily integrates with many curriculums
 In High School the students will unit crosses with
neuroscience, psychology, and history will be
discussed. Student’s past experiences is another
platform in which cross-curricular correlations will
be discussed.
Developmental Needs of
Children

This unit is designed to have the students question the
perspective in which they view the world and view art. The unit
calls on the students to look internally on their views and will
help them form identity. It also will ask students to explain why
they view things certain ways and will hopefully change things
they view unfairly. It also will develop and activate their senses.
They will view art completely and not with just their eyes.

Differentiation will be addressed by the artist journals. Students
will be given writing prompts that the instructor will check at
the end of every week. Exit slips will be assigned on days
where the material is complicated. Most of the work will be
completion and participation. The students will need to
demonstrate an understanding and questioning of their
perception and use of their senses. Students will be working in
groups where they can ask questions and help each other as
well as instructor help. The biggest concern in differentiation is
students with disabilities regarding the senses, but they will be
exempt or be given specialized instruction in areas that could
be an issue.
OpportunitiesElementary
 VTS
 Classroom celebration to experience and
record sensory observations.
 Learn how to recognize their own
interpretations/perspectives and others.
 Three-dimensional, multi-media art making.
 Create new experiences and perspectives.
 Filmed interview of personal experience.
Opportunities- High
School

Experience each of the senses in an art making
activity.

VTS

Time to look, experience, and make observations.

Learn how to recognize their own perspective and
that of others.

Multiple mediums.

Create new experiences and perspectives.

Field trip to nature and experience nature using all of
their senses.
Summative Assessment:
Elementary
 Viewing various artwork
 Artist Journal
 Thoughtful prompt responses
 High student engagement, conceptual
thinking, personal meaning in final project
 Interview of Celebration Artwork
 Artists statements
Summative Assessment:
High School

One Page Portfolio

Consist of pictures of at least 5 of their projects from the unit

one-page paper describing his or her perceptive.


It will include how their perspective has changed as well as how
the senses have given them

They may also include what they learned in lesson three about
other “senses” and factors that affect perception.

require an artist statement that explains the perspective the
student wants the viewer to see in his or her artwork.
Artist Journal

Daily prompts

Turned in at end of every week
Vocab High School

Sense

Perception

5 basic Senses

Touch, taste, smell, hearing, sight

Extra Sensory Perception

Belief

Emotion

Installation

Performance Art

The Fluxes

Intuition
High School: Lesson One
Rationale

The senses are our first step into collecting data and
knowledge; therefore all inquiry begins with the senses.

looking at how sight, sound, taste, smell, and touch play a
vital role in what we know and understand.

Perception is how we understand the information
collected from the senses. Perception and sensation are
inherently connected.

Art is the way in which humans represent their perception.
Art is also a platform in which the artists force viewers to
see a certain perspective. Some art can challenge or
reveal our perception. Other art requires us to take a
different perspective. All art activates our senses.
Students will walk away from lesson one having a
better understanding of each of their senses. They will see
the connection between what the information the senses
collect and what they perceive. Students will also learn
the connection between art, the senses, and perception.
They will see how artists create perspectives in artwork.
Lesson One: Goals
 Students will walk away from lesson one having
a better understanding of each of their senses.
 They will see the connection between what the
information the senses collect and what they
perceive.
 Students will also learn the connection between
art, the senses, and perception.

The artists will see how artists create
perspectives in artwork.
Lesson One: Big Ideas
 Art is the representation of perception
 The senses are how humans collect
information and perception is formed to
create understanding.
 Sight, sound, taste, smell, and touch are the
5 basic senses and where all knowledge
begins.
 Artists share and create perception with the
viewer.
Lesson One:
Investigative Questions
 How do artists create a “window” for us to
see?
 How are sensation and perception
connected?
 What, how, and who shaped your
perception?
 How can artists convey a perception utilizing
the senses?
Lesson One: Day One
 Preliminary Candy Activity
 Journal Prompt; : What are the senses? How
do the senses affect your life? What role are
the senses playing as you eat a piece of
candy? What is perception? How is the
candy connected to the senses,
perception, and you?
 Look at Rob Legato
 Discuss how artist create and represent
perception
Lesson One: Day Two

Journal Prompt Day 2: how do you perceive (view and understand) the
world? What factors shape your personal perception? Are there ways
in which you are forced to see things in a certain way

Drawing activity


Shoe, tennis raquet, and candle

Discuss How does drawing from imagination and still life differ?

Which drawings represent reality?

How did seeing the still life change your drawing? Was it different from
what you perceived in the first drawing?

Did the still life shape your perception?
The students will then pass around and share their drawings.

Looking at your classmates work how did they see the shoe, racquet,
and candle?

How is his or her perception different? From the angle they were
sitting?
Lesson One: Day Three
 Journal Prompt: Do you have favorite
textures? Some things you can’t stand to
touch? What about hearing- some noises
you want to hear over and over and others
can make you freak out. For example, most
people can’t stand it when someone
scratches their nails on a chalkboard. Is it
the sound you can’t stand or the feeling of
scratching your nails on the chalkboard?
Lesson One: Day Four

Journal Prompt Day 4: How can smell be incorporated
into art? How can smell affect what you are thinking
and viewing? For example, what if the gallery the Mona
Lisa was in smelt horribly bad, what would your
perception of the Mona Lisa be?

Look at article: Koo Jeong, Haegue Yang, and Cai Gua
Qiang

Painting with Kool-aid

Did you use a particular color more based on how it
smelled?

Did scent overpower your choice in paint rather then sight
and color?

What did you paint? How is your image associated with
the kool aid you smelt?
Lesson One:Day Five

Journal Prompt: How does taste shape the way you
think? Do you share similar taste with those of your
family and similar culture? What role does taste play
in your perception of the world? How could your
perception of the world be different based on taste?

Jennifer Rubell, Buddy Valastro, and Andy Warhol

Jelly Bean portrait

Why did you pick this celebrity and/or icon

What roles do the colors and flavors of jellybeans in
your artwork?

What perception are you trying to convey about
this artist?
Assessment/ Adaptation
 Artist journals will be turned in at the end of
the week.
 In section one of the course there is a
student with a hearing disability. Touch and
sound are covered on the same day to
eliminate singling out on just hearing and
possibly the student. The oobleck activity
allows the student to see the effects sound
waves have on oobleck and therefore does
not actually require listening to learn about
sound.
Lesson Two Rationale
 The five senses are not our only source of
gathering information. Our perceptions
evolve once made due to other factors
such as beliefs and other people. Some
even say there are extra sensory
perceptions (E.S.P.). Many people have
experienced a “sixth sense.” Other senses
might be internal like peace and empathy
or physical such as pain or temperature.
Lesson Two: Goals
 The goal of this lesson is for the students to
open their eyes to other factors that affect
their perception. These “senses” are unique
to them and students will not come up with
the same answers, but in the process will
question and investigate their own persona
and perception
Lesson Two: Day One

Day 6: how did this artist change your perception?
Can the artist shape your perception and force you
to view something a certain way? How did these
artists involve the viewer in their work? Did the art only
activate your 5 senses? After viewing these artworks,
what other senses were activated?

Spend the day looking at artists who work with
percpetion and can change your perception

Marina Abramovic’s The Artist is present

Yoko Ono’s Cut piece

James Luna’s Artifact Piece

Richard Serra
Lesson Two: Day Two
 Day 7: In your artist’s journal create a
brainstorming web. Fill the web with other
possible senses? 6th senses? Do you feel like
you have a sense other then the basic 5?
 Beliefs, emotions, experiences affect
perception
 Internal senses and external senses
Lesson Three: Day Three
 E.S.P, not to be confused with E.S.P.N.
 Create a 6th sense in an annotated drawing,
explaining the sense and how it works
Lesson Two: Day Four
 Workday on their 6th sense project.
 Turn in at the end of the hour with artist
journals.
Lesson Three: Big Ideas
 Learning from a different perspective
 Tracing the factors that make up individual’s
perspective
 Adapting and changing perception
 Creating an open perception
Lesson Three:
Rationale/Goals
 After learning about the different senses that
give us knowledge we will learn how
together they create a perception.
Lesson Three:
Investigative Questions
 In which ways has your perception been
challenged in this unit?
 Do your beliefs challenge what you actually
sense?
 How have you adapted your perception?
 How will the senses continue to teach you?
 What perspective do you want views to
take when viewing your artwork? Could you
teach them a whole new perspective
Lesson Three: Day One
 Nature Field Trip to a local park
 Day 10 (drawing prompt) Draw what you
see. How is nature activating all of your
senses? Record everything you can think of
and see. Organize it into an annotated
drawing in which certain sketches are
labeled. For example, if a tree reminds you
of a fork then label the tree as a fork. Draw
connections to your personal experience
and past. It is your perception you are
recording.
Lesson Three: Day Two
 We will VTS a scene from William Hogarth’s
Marriage A la Mode:
What percpetion of british aristocracy is
Hogarth portraying for us?
 Compare to V-Day Kiss. How does your
percpetion of this image change when you
discover they don’t know each other

 Day 11 (homework) At home observe your
environment. What factors do you notice
that are similar to what you drew at the
park? Has your perception been shaped by
your environment? Do you share a similar
perception to that of your family?
Lesson Three: Day Three
 Collect Artist journals.
 The final assignment will be to create a one-
page portfolio. The portfolio will include at least
5 images of the artwork created in this unit as
well as a one-page reflective thought paper
and artist statement. It is open to any medium. It
will include how their perspective has changed
as well as how the senses have given them. They
may also include what they learned in lesson
three about other “senses” and factors that
affect perception. Last the one page portfolio
will require an artist statement that explains the
perspective the student wants the viewer to see
in his or her artwork.
Lesson Three: Day Four
 Students will take and print off photos for
their one-page portfolio
 Continue to work on one-page portfolio
Lesson Three: Five
 Day 14 What has this unit taught you about
your body, your mind, and your identity? Is it
useful to acknowledge the perspective in
which you are viewing art, life, and the
world? What perspective do you want to be
seen in?
 Last work day and turn in projects the
following morning.