A ED 489: ADVANCED PRACTICUM
Saturday School
Lesson Plan Format
Your Name: Erica Parsons
Unit Title: Little Big World
Room Number 110
Grade Level: Ages 8- Day/Date Lesson Taught:
Time of Lesson: 2 hours
10
Saturday
Lesson Title: Narrative Drawings
Number of Students: 25
This is the 3rd
Lesson of 8 projected lessons this
unit
I. UNIT RATIONALE
Size has a huge impact on how everyday objects are perceived. Size influences our
perceptions and how we relate and interact with everyday objects and in this unit
students will explore and study their own environment to gain knowledge of size and
scale. They will experiment and play with the concept of size, as they transform and alter
realities. Students will enlarge naturally small objects, and shrink larger life size objects
on a much smaller scale. Students will study artists that work with size extremes and
create their own miniatures and large-scale pieces. They will practice fine motor skills
and learn to focus on detail while creating miniatures. Then they will be challenged to let
loose, and use episodic body movements to create large-scale paintings. By practicing
these movements and motor skills students will have a better understanding of how these
interactions with their art transform the mediums they are using and how it relates to the
size and scale of the pieces they are creating. This unit will allow students to experiment
with a broad range of mediums and methods, from photography, painting, and drawing,
to working with papier-Mâché, clay, and found and recycled objects. This unit will
challenge student’s thoughts about size and inspire them to take new approaches in their
artwork.
II. LESSON RATIONALE
Students will finish up on the miniature box collage project and create miniature
sculptures to place inside their boxes that fit with their theme from last week. They will
be thinking about what special meaning their theme has to them and will carry that theme
into their sculptures. They will be introduced to artists Charles LeDray, Isaac Cordal,
and Steven J. Beckman. This will be a follow up from artist Willard Wigan and his
microscopic sculptures. These artists will serve as inspiration for their miniature
sculptures made from multi-colored model magic. Students will also create narrative
drawings of themselves, inspired by Shel Silverstein’s poem “One Inch Tall” and the
movie “Honey I Shrunk the Kids.” This drawing will get them thinking about the
concept of size and how they interact with everyday objects in their environments but on
an altered scale. They will be using their imagination to create a world where they are
either tiny or huge and will be thinking about how they will relate to everyday objects
through their drawings. It is important for them to consider how everyday objects
function on a daily basis and how that functioning is important to them. It is also
important for them to be thinking about objects that they wouldn’t normally consider on
an everyday basis. Artists shown for the first part of this lesson will also serve as an
inspiration for these drawings being that all work with either miniature objects or
miniature sculptures of people placed in an everyday environment such as a street.
IV. LEARNER OUTCOMES
Students will also have a better understanding of tiny sculpture through the presentation
of miniature sculptural artists such as Charles LeDray, Isaac Cordal, Steven J. Backman
and Willard Wigan (from the previous week.) This should help to inspire their own tiny
sculpture work to create an object/item that will be placed inside of their box that they
have given special meaning. They should also be able to state why they have chosen the
theme/object that is present in their work. They also should have a better understanding
of size through their narrative drawings inspired by Shel Silverstein’s poem “One Inch
Tall” and video clip from the movie “Honey I Shrunk the Kids.” Students will gain an
understanding of how they interact with everyday objects and will be using their
imaginations to come up with scenarios that include different environments if they were
either tiny or giant. Students should be thinking about how they will interact with those
objects and how those objects would be used if they were on an altered scale.
V. MATERIALS NEEDED FOR LESSON
A. Teacher Materials
 PowerPoint Presentation with slides of artists
 Shel Silverstein’s poem “One Inch Tall”
 Video clip from movie “Honey I Shrunk the Kids”
 Miniature Collage Boxes
 Colored markers (tentative)

Scissors

Hole punchers

Paint Brushes

Glue

Magazines, newspaper, construction paper, beads, buttons. (For
detail work)

Model Magic
 Sheets of white paper
 Sharpie Markers
B. Student Materials (with cost if applicable). You should be listing everything
here: All materials and/or resources that will be accessed/used by your students.
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Miniature Collage Boxes from previous week
Colored markers (tentative)
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Scissors
Hole punchers
Paint Brushes
Glue
Magazines, newspaper, construction paper, beads, buttons. (For
detail work.)
Model Magic
Sheets of white paper or Adding Machine Tape
Sharpie Markers
String or Fishing Line
Beads
Plastic Parts for the sculptures
a. Materials for Student(s) with Special Needs:
 TBD depending on special need of individual student
VI. TEACHING—LEARNING PROCESSES:
Throughout the Lesson Plan, Note Accommodations for Students with Special Needs
A. Starting the Lesson:
Students will be welcomed back to Saturday school and will pick up their
nametags. Students will be instructed to free draw in their sketchbooks for a
period of 20 minutes while teachers circulate the room and observe /inquire about
students’ drawings. Teachers will also set up for the lesson. After sketchbooks, a
brief PowerPoint Presentation will be given on artists that work with miniature
sculpture and a brief demo will be given to show students how to create their
miniature objects that will be placed inside their themed boxes from the previous
lesson. They will also be able to finish up on their boxes with fine detail work if
needed and will be given the option to enhance the environment inside the boxes
for their sculptures if time allows.
B. Organizer:
For the first half of the lesson, students will listen and look at a brief PowerPoint
Presentation featuring artists Steven J. Beckman, Isaac Cordal, and Charles
LeDray. This will serve as a follow up for Willard Wigan’s micro sculpture.
Craftsmanship will be stressed as well as conveying the continuation of their
theme on their boxes. (Why did they choose the theme they did and what
meaning does it have to them?) For the second half of the lesson students will
watch a video clip from the movie “Honey I Shrunk the Kids” and will be
inspired by Shel Silverstein’s poem “One Inch Tall” for creation of their narrative
drawings. Use of imagination will be emphasized and also how they would
interact with everyday objects if they themselves were giant or tiny.
C. Lesson Sequence: (Also referred to as scripting or timing).
 Welcome back to Saturday School
o Name tag and sketchbook pick up
o Sketchbook free draw for 20 minutes
 PowerPoint Presentation/Demonstration
o Instruct students to put sketchbooks away and gather in
center of room for presentation
o Miniature sculpture artists: Isaac Cordal, Charles LeDray,
and Steven J. Beckman (to serve as inspiration for their
own miniature sculptures)
o Instruct students to gather around for brief demo on how to
create their sculptures
o Stress keeping with box theme and why that object is
important/has special meaning to them
o Allow for fine detail work if needed to finish up on boxes
and provide option to have them enhance the environment
on the inside of the boxes where their sculptures will be
placed if time allows.
o Instruct students to go back to seats and begin working
(materials by teacher J will be passed out during
PowerPoint and demo)
 Project
o Kids will finish up with miniature collage box project and
create mini sculptures in first half of lesson
o Teachers will circulate room for guidance and to answer
questions
o Clean-up
 Snack/Presentation
o Students will be instructed to get their snack and go to the
center of the room for a video clip for the next project and
will also read poem.
o Show kids Narrative Drawing example---emphasize
imagination!
o Direct kids to clean-up snack and head back to seats where
Teacher J will have already passed out materials.
 Project
o Kids will begin working on their narrative drawings taking
inspiration from the first PowerPoint Presentation (artists
Steven J. Beckman, Isaac Cordal, and Charles LeDray.)
Also Shel Silverstein and “Honey I Shrunk the Kids.”
o Teachers will circulate room for guidance and to answer
questions
o Clean-up
D. Classroom:
Our classroom now includes a poster on a huge board that has our unit theme of
“Little Big World” to make the space more inviting. We have set up a space using
rugs and pillows for the kids to sit on while presentations are being given in the
middle of the room. This week a video clip will be used for students to watch during
snack time. Also we have arranged the desks in a semi-circle so that everyone can
see our presentations. This also functions as a teaching tool for the kids so that they
can see what others are doing on projects to enable them to learn from each other.
We have also included a welcome sign outside of our classroom and a tiny mouse that
says “Must be this tall to enter” keeping with our theme on size.
Our classroom desks are set in a semi-circle to promote student interaction and
provide easy walkways for teachers and students. Students sit on all sides of the
tables. The center of the semi-circle is the seating area for watching presentations,
demonstrations, and for having class discussions. Currently, PowerPoint’s are our
main classroom visuals. Although it may be complicated to have more imagery in
the classroom we have been assigned, we still plan on accumulating more visuals
that can be easily removed and stored after classes each week.
Teacher Actions
What are you doing here? Include
Questions to Ask Students:
Introduction: Students will be welcomed
back to Saturday school and will pick up
their nametags. They then will be instructed
to free draw in their sketchbooks. Teachers
will go over their lesson plans and/or
circulate the room and look at student work
to observe and inquire about more
information from the students. (Approx. 20
mins.)
Presentation Demonstration:
Teachers will instruct students to put
sketchbooks away and gather in center of
room for a PowerPoint presentation
featuring artists that work with miniature
sculpture. (Steven J. Beckman, Isaac
Cordal, and Charles LeDray.) Teacher E
will give the presentation while Teacher J
passes out materials for students.
A brief demo will be done for students by
teacher E to show them how to create a
special object made from model magic to
display inside their box that has special
meaning for them keeping with their theme.
Expected Learner Actions
What are the students doing here?
Introduction: As students come in they
will get nametags and wear them as
teachers greet them and introduce
themselves. Students will free draw in
their sketchbooks. Students should feel
comfortable and willingly answer
teacher’s questions and speak about their
drawings. Students are welcomed to
interact with their peers, but general
classroom rules are still enforced and
students are expected to work in their
sketchbooks and behave appropriately.
(Approx. 20 mins.)
Presentation/Demonstration: Students
will gather around the center area of the
room for a brief PowerPoint Presentation
and will listen attentively and pay
attention. During the demonstration
students will pay attention on how to
create a miniature sculpture that will
represent their theme for their miniature
boxes. They will be inspired by the artists
presented and will also be reminded of
craftsmanship and fine detail work on
Students will also be reminded that if they
need to they can work on the fine detail of
their boxes with magazines, beads, buttons,
construction paper, and scraps of paper.
The option will also be given for students to
enhance the inside environment of their
boxes for their sculptures to be displayed if
time allows. Students will be reminded that
this project will be finished today with
sculptures. Students will be instructed to go
back to their seats and begin working. (10
mins.)
Project: Both teachers will circulate the
room and help students with
obstacles/questions that pertain to the
sculptures/boxes. (30 mins.)
Clean-Up: Teachers will instruct students
to clean up their materials and get ready for
snack time. (10 mins.)
Snack/Presentation: Teachers will instruct
students to go and get a snack then return to
the center of the room to watch a video clip
of “Honey I Shrunk the Kids” and to read
“One Inch Tall” by Shel Silverstein. This
will serve as inspiration for the next project
of narrative drawing where students will
either imagine themselves as a giant or tiny
person. They will be instructed to pick one
or the other and then imagine an
environment that they will have to interact
in including objects and will have to think
about how size affects that.
Questions:
If you were as big as this building we are in
what would your environment look like?
If you were as tiny as one inch or the kids in
the movie what would your environment
look like?
How would you perceive your surroundings
their miniature boxes if they still need to
finish up on them. Students will have the
option of enhancing the inside of their
boxes for sculpture placement to create a
sort of environment. Students will then
return to their seats and begin working.
(10 mins.)
***Please see a copy of the
transcription of the PowerPoint
Presentation for more information!
Project: Students will work on their
miniature sculptures/boxes paying
attention to the theme that they have
chosen for their boxes and what they will
store in them. They will ask questions if
they have them. (30 mins.)
Clean-Up: Student’s will put away
materials neatly and clean up the space.
(10 mins.)
Snack/Presentation: Students will get a
snack and then go to the center of the
room for a video clip of “Honey I Shrunk
the Kids.” They will also read the poem
“One Inch Tall” by Shel Silverstein.
Students will be inspired by these two
visuals for their next project of narrative
drawing. They will also draw inspiration
from the miniature sculpture artists that
were shown in the first half of this lesson.
Students will answer questions when
prompted and be thinking about what it
would be like to be a giant or very tiny.
Students will go back to their seats and
begin working.
Approx. 10 mins.
Project:
Kids will begin working on their narrative
drawings taking inspiration from the first
PowerPoint Presentation (artists Steven J.
Beckman, Isaac Cordal, and Charles
outside/inside and how would you interact
with them?
Teacher E will show video, example of
narrative drawing, and ask questions and
Teacher J will pass out materials for this
project. Teachers will instruct students to
go back to their seats and begin working.
(Approx. 10 mins.)
LeDray.) Also Shel Silverstein and
“Honey I Shrunk the Kids.” They will ask
questions if they have them. If there is
time students will color in their drawings
with colored markers. (Approx. 30 mins.)
Clean-Up: Students will clean up their
materials, put them away neatly, and get
ready to go home. (10 mins.)
Project: Both teachers will circulate the
room and help students with
obstacles/questions that pertain to their
drawings. If time allows students will be
instructed to color in their drawings with
colored markers. (30 mins.)
Clean-Up: Teachers will instruct students
to clean up their materials and get ready to
go home. (10 mins.)
VII. ENDING THE LESSON
A. Closure of Lesson
Instruct students to put away materials and clean-up the work space.
B. Transition to Next Lesson
Students will shift gears next week, working on large scale pieces with canvases
and paint. They will be carrying their skills over that they learned in previous
weeks in order to work big instead of small.
VIII.
DOCUMENTATION & ASSESSMENT:
How are you documenting student learning today?
Video documentation will be done during the project process and also during the
answering of questions from students during the PowerPoint presentation.
Photo documentation will be taken of the finished product through use of a camera and
students will also be reminded that they will be exhibiting their final works in an
exhibition at the end of Saturday school.
X. REFERENCES TO MATERIALS CONSULTED
http://www.boredpanda.com/tiny-sculptures-made-from-a-single-toothpick/
1. Link to artist Steven J. Backman’s art using toothpicks to create miniature sculptures.
http://www.thisblogrules.com/2010/03/tiny-cement-sculptures-melting-into-thestreets.html
2. Link to Isaac Cordal’s work on miniature sculptures that are placed in the street.
http://www.wbur.org/2010/07/16/tiny-power
http://whitney.org/Exhibitions/CharlesLeDray/Images
3. Links to Charles LeDray’s work featuring miniature sculpture.
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/one-inch-tall/
4. Link to Shel Silverstein’s poem “One Inch Tall”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EP_-m2y86ME
5. Link to video clip from “Honey I Shrunk the Kids”
FEEDBACK:
LESSON
SECTION #
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VII
SUGGESTED REVISIONS:
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: