GRADE 6 PICTURE BOOK
MAKING UNIT PLAN
Christina Shorrock
JUNE 12, 2015
ED 3700-OL CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION FOR NON-MAJORS ART
Dr. Janice Rahn
ELA/ART: Picture Books Stage 1 – Desired Results
TRANSFER GOAL
Established
Goals
Students will:
Practice
using color
to create 3D
images
Use color to
create mood
and
expression
Create
texture
collages
Students will encounter different illustration styles in picture books
and use the same techniques to apply it to their own unique picture book.
Students will develop skills of visual literacy
MEANING
Enduring Understandings:
Essential Questions:
Students will understand that…
Students will keep considering…
U1 – Color can have an impact on mood and
expression
U2- Illustrations add just as much to a story as the
words do (visual literacy)
-
U3- Texture helps add visual interest and depth in
images
To what extent to illustrations tell
a story?
How does color affect the outcome
of a rendering?
How does texture affect the
outcome of a rendering?
Practice
stenciling
Create a
final
picturebook
composition
ACQUISITION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS
Students will know…
-
-
Students will be skilled at…
How to apply the basic skills they’ve learned to the
final project.
The importance of critique and reflection in their
work and other’s work.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Identifying and re-creating different
textures
Explaining the differences between warm
colors and cool colors
The practices of using highlights to create
a 3D effect, using color to create
expression, collaging, stamping, and
stenciling
Critiquing themselves and other’s work in
a constructive and respectful manner
Reading a visual text
STAGE 2 – Evidence
Evaluative Criteria
Performance is judged in terms
of – Critique and the
Assessment Evidence
Students will need to show their learning by: Showcasing their
mastery/chosen pieces and explaining the techniques that they used in
completion of their final
picture-book
Participation- class
discussions, project work,
experimenting with texture
and color and materials,
taking risks in their final
work
Completion- proper use of
techniques, clean appearance.
Creativity- showing a sense of
individualism in their final
project
illustrating. Students will also submit a final picture book (likely using
the technique that they are most fond of) for a summative assessment.
Students will create their own picture-book, using techniques showcased
by three different children’s book illustrators. Students will practice all
techniques and use their classmate’s critiques to choose one technique
to master and include in their own unique book that they write and
illustrate. Students will also have the opportunity to share and present
their children’s books in a class sharing day.
NOTE: For the purposes of this assignment, I’ve briefly mentioned some concepts we
will be studying in ELA, but have only included the Art curricular outcomes and art
lessons
Summary:
This unit is an integrated unit focusing on both visual art and language arts for an
upper elementary classroom (grades 5-6). The students will learn the fundamental
principles of not only writing, but illustrating their own picture-book. This unit will
incorporate drawing, experiments in print-making, and collaging. Students will examine
various picture-books to reflect on the illustrating techniques as well as encounter various
children’s book illustrators to incorporate some basic art theory into their learning.
Students will also have the chance to practice techniques that are used in illustrations
focusing on texture, color, and expression in particular. This unit is intended to promote
literacy of the written elements of stories, but also to promote visual literacy and how
illustrations can actually communicate as much as words and speech do. Students will
participate in reading and working with picture books and students will also participate in
a variety of centers where they will examine illustrations as well as create their own using
the same techniques. Students will also have the opportunities to select their mastery
pieces and have them “critiqued” in a gallery walk of the classroom. This unit should take
about 1-1.5 weeks in an elementary classroom.
Rationale:
This unit is unique in that it will be primarily focused on the illustrations of picture
books. In grades five and six, students are more than capable of reading most picturebooks. Their language and vocabulary is fairly simple and students will likely be literate in
terms of comprehension. However, this unit intends to focus on the illustrations to
promote visual literacy and inspire some critical and creative thinking of the students in
the visual arts and language arts disciplines. Students will also be less likely to feel
intimidated, because they are working with texts that are perhaps familiar to them already
and are slightly below their reading level. We will be looking at three artists in particular:
Eric Carle, Michael Martchenko, and Marcia Brown whom all have very different techniques
in illustrating.
I also believe that this unit could be adapted for older grades by asking deeper
critical inquiry questions. Additionally, students could also work through a novel and
create their own picture-books while learning the same design techniques (slightly
adapting the texts and final studio activity of creating one picture-book for a common novel
that everyone reads). Teaching strategies are also adaptable to meet the needs of the class.
Students will be provided with visual exemplars and the picture-books will be avaialbe for
perusal.
The critique stage of this unit allows students to choose their favorite work, or work
that they’re most proud of, which is empowering. Students also have lots of opportunities
to practice three key techniques in illustration in order to gain confidence and promote a
love of visual arts. In my experience, students love gathering around a book and talking
about what they see, how they feel, and asking questions for further inquiry. Picture-books
are a great way to engage students. Overall, I think that this is a well-rounded unit that
really focuses on art and attempts to make one of the core subjects more accessible, while
infusing critical and creative thinking into each lesson.
Unit Outcomes:
GLO:
REFLECTION
- Component 2 (Assessment)
B. Designed objects can be evaluated on the basis of function and attractiveness.
C. Criteria are necessary for the evaluation of designed objects.
- Component 3 (Appreciation)
A. Artistic style affects the emotional impact of an artwork.
B. An artwork can be analyzed for the meaning of its visible components and their
interrelationships.
C. Artworks contain symbolic representations of a subject or theme.
D. Artworks can be appreciated at many different levels, literal and symbolic.
E. An art critic helps us to understand works of art
DEPICTION
- Component 6 (Qualities and Details)
A. Colour harmonies affect the mood and feeling of the viewer
C. Distinguishing characteristics of things can be portrayed vividly or subtly.
COMPOSITION
- Component 8 (Unity)
A. Implied line produces tensions and connections to achieve unity.
C. Transitions of colour, texture or tone relate the parts of a composition to a unified whole.
F. Pervasive colour, texture or tone can unify a composition, as from an overall wash of
paint, a glaze, a textural additive, a surface treatment, or the like
EXPRESSION
- PURPOSE 2: Students will illustrate or tell a story
- PURPOSE 4: Students will express a feeling or a message.
- PURPOSE 5: Students will create an original composition, object or space based on supplied
motivation.
Text Resources:
A Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Andrew’s Loose Tooth by Robert Munsch
Stephanie’s Ponytail Stephanie’s Ponytail by Robert Munsch
Smelly Socks Smelly Socks by Robert Munsch
Once a Mouse by Marcia Brown
Lesson Summaries:
1: This lesson will involve reading and analyzing one Robert Munsch book. Other texts will
be used for examples of illustration. Students will be introduced to the differences between
warm and cool colors. Students will discuss how color can represent and explain mood and
expression.
2: Students will practice drawing cartoon faces (profile and/or straight-on). They will
manipulate facial features to create expressions and add colors and highlights using tint to
create a 3D look to their faces.
3: Students will get a tutorial on how to properly critique each other. They will have a
gallery walk and comment period. Students will then reflect on the critiques received and
write a reflection.
4: Students will read Eric Carle’s text. They will discuss premise of the novel, details on
characters and plot. They will also discuss similarities and differences between the
illustrations they see here and the cartooning seen in Martchenko’s illustrations. Students
will be introduced to the technique of collaging and different ways we can create texture in
illustrations. Students will start their own illustrations.
5: Students will get a work period for finishing their illustrations with the technique of
collaging. They will also have a short gallery walk to display and critique their finished
work.
6: Read Marcia Brown’s text. Students will get a tutorial on how to stencil. They will
encounter a variety of ways to stencil. Students will also be introduced to the stamping
technique, but I am not positive there would be time to experience stamping, especially
since Marcia Brown’s text seems to reflect stenciling technique more.
7: Students will spend this class creating their own stencils and experimenting. First, using
geometric shapes and then creating a scene with one character and some background
detailing. Students will paint over these stencils to create an image. At the end of the
period, students will receive information for their culminating assignment.
8: Students will go over the writing process and discuss all of the things learned in this unit
so far. Students will have the period to start writing their stories and planning a minimum
of 3 illustrations. Students can choose which ever technique they like best to create their
illustrations.
9: Work period
10: Work period (students will need to complete this for homework if not finished by now)
11: This is the final lesson of the unit. This will be a sharing day. Students will share their
stories with classmates (could take the form of a formal reading in front of the class)
- Students will share what techniques they used for their illustrations
- Students will have the opportunity to put their books on display (maybe in the library or
in the classroom somewhere).
Lesson Plans:
Lesson 1 (Intro to Picture Book Unit: Robert Munsch) 3-4 classes
Objectives:
- Students will recognize that artistic style affects the outcome and emotion of an
artwork
- Students will recognize the impact of color on the mood and tone of a piece
- Students will use tinting and highlighting to create 3D images
- Students will use color to express emotion
- Students will employ techniques that create expression
Vocabulary:
- Warm colors, cool colors, highlights, tint, expression, visual literacy
Materials:
-Andrew’s Loose Tooth by Robert Munsch
-Stephanie’s Ponytail by Robert Munsch
- Smelly Socks by Robert Munsch
- Hand out on warm/cool colors
- Hand out on drawing profiles
- Acrylic and/or watercolor paints with brushes
- Paper
- Smartboard
Intro:
- Show students cover of Robert Munsch Book (Andrews’ Loose Tooth)
- Encounter Robert Munsch and Michael Martchenko – compare illustrations from different
texts by Michael Martchenko
- What do you notice? How does the artist make the characters look 3D? Does the
illustrator’s use of color suit the words/messages/mood of the book? What makes
you think that it does? Students will likely comment on the colors, facial expressions, and
the slightly “messy” look of the illustrations.
- Mini lesson on warm colors and cool colors. Also an opportunity to discuss how the colors
communicate a message of mood and add detail to the story.
-What mood do you think that warm colors are associated with? What about cool
colors?
Body:
- Students will practice using warm colors and cool colors as well as trying to create
expression
- Draw profiles (or straight-on) outlines of faces (draw as student draw on the whiteboard)
- What do you look like when you’re angry, sad, happy, surprised? Students can make
faces and comment on what features of their face change (brief open discussion)
- Students will draw up to 5 profile or straight-on images of faces and manipulate the facial
features to create expressions and moods
- When completed, students will choose either warm or cool colors for their faces as well as
using white highlights to add more detail and realism to their cartoon face profiles
- Tell them to use Michael Martchenko’s pictures as inspiration
- Acrylic or watercolor paints would work
Students may need an extra period to finish their paintings
- Give a tutorial on how to critique properly (not about criticizing or complimenting, but
commenting on what you SEE, what it reminds you of, or how it makes you feel)
- Gallery walk and critique for one period after paintings complete and posted around room
(students can use sticky notes and post beside paintings, then individuals can collect their
own sticky notes and read and reflect on their experience)
Conclusion:
-Students will write a one page reflection on what they learned for the last few lessons in
art as well as about their experiences making the art and what they’ve learned to improve
Lesson 2: Picturebooks (Eric Carle and Collaging) 3-4 classes
Objectives:
- Students will recognize that texture produces an effect on the overall rendering
- Students will use techniques of collaging to create texture
Vocabulary:
Collage, texture,
Materials:
- A Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
- Other collaging artists (look up)
- Tissue paper (of various colors)
- Pens/pencils
- Paper
Intro:
- Students will read the Eric Carle text
- Discussion on messages of the text
- Did you notice any differences between these illustrations and Michael
Martchenko’s illustrations? How do you think they were created?
- What is special about the colors here?
Body:
- Show students hard copy exemplar of collaging technique
- Ask students to gently feel the exemplar picture, then to feel the book page
- What do you notice? How come these two feel differently?
- Tell students it is now their turn to create these
-Students will draw their own images of either an animal, insect, or imaginary character
that would possibly be in a picture-book. Inform them to draw very lightly, because this
drawing will merely act as an outline for them to have a guide of where to collage
-If desired , students can label (lightly) what colors they want to use and where
-When finished students will start to collage atop their drawings
Students may need an additional work period to finish the collaging part of their art
Conclusion:
- Students will display their works around the room and perform a gallery walk again
- Students will be asked to critique two classmates and write a personal reflection
- What was different about your experience of collaging and your experience of
creating expressions for characters?
Lesson 3: Stenciling (Once a Mouse by Marcia Brown) 2-3 classes
Objectives:
- Students will employ techniques of stenciling to create unique effects
- Students will identify important elements and shapes within an image to create
effective stencils
- Students will compare and contrast illustration techniques
Vocabulary:
Stenciling, print-making,
Materials:
- Once a Mouse by Marcia Brown
- Styrofoam sheets (or plates, if easier)
- Acrylic Paint
- Brayers
- Paper
Intro:
- Read Marcia Brown’s text Once a Mouse
- Discuss differences between illustrations in this text and the one’s previously studied
- How do you think that these illustrations were created?
- What are the similarities and differences between all of the picture-books we’ve
studied (venn diagram on smart-board) Discuss characters, art techniques, lessons, plot,
etc)
- Encounter: Stenciling (examine various artists, use google images to show students
different ways it can be done)
Body:
- Provide students with a brief tutorial on how to properly stencil
- Students will draw shapes and cut them out to practice stenciling
- Draw a geometric pattern of some sort, students can get creative with the types of shapes
and choosing what to cut out and what to leave in order to create a cool stencil to project
onto another page
- When completed a stencil page, students can choose a color (or two colors) of paint to go
over their stencil with onto another sheet of paper
- Students can further their practice by creating a stencil of an animal or a small scene (like
would appear in Once a Mouse )
- Students should draw image first, adapt it to make it into an easy stencil, and then choose
what to cut out, focus on basic shapes, instead of cutting very small details. For instance, if
they were to draw a tiger, cut out the stripes and paws and part of the face. You still get the
image of a tiger, but it is simplified.
Conclusion:
- Critique a partner, have them tell you exactly what they did in executing their image
- Have a grand discussion about this once everyone has shared with their partners
- Students will receive their final assignment hand-out
Lesson 4: Final Picture-Book
Materials:
Intro:
- Review with students: techniques we have learned about in art as well as the writing
process
- What do illustrations communicate? What does it mean to be visually literate?
- Brainstorm as a class, making a mind-map of potential story ideas. Start students off with
a few ideas or examples of my own, and asking students about characters, plot, conflict, etc
to get their memories and minds going
Body:
- Students will begin their writing process, first with brainstorming ideas for themselves,
then by drafting and free-writing, then editing (self and peer), and making their final copy.
- Students must focus on writing their story before they can begin illustrating
- Students may brainstorm ideas and techniques for their illustration
- Students can create their illustrations using the technique of their choice (students may
use multiple techniques for their illustrations, but it would be more complicated and may
not create a cohesive book)
Students will receive 2 periods to work on these before it becomes homework
Conclusion:
- Students will participate in a sharing day where they read their stories to the class
- This will take the form of a presentation (reading of their book, discussion and reflection
of how they created it)
- Students will also self-evaluate their work