Signs and Symbols
Farmington Public Schools
9th Grade
Fine and Applied Arts
Marela Zacarias
DRAFT: 6/27/07
Farmington Public Schools
1
Table of Contents
Unit Summary
………………….….…………..page(s)
Stage One: Standards
Stage One identifies the desired results of the unit including the broad understandings, the unit
outcome statement and essential questions that focus the unit, and the necessary knowledge and
skills.
The Understanding by Design Handbook, 1999
…………………………….... page(s)
Stage Two: Assessment Package
Stage Two determines the acceptable evidence that students have acquired the understandings, knowledge
and skills identified in Stage One.
……………………………… page(s)
Stage Three: Curriculum and Instruction
Stage Three helps teachers plan learning experiences and instruction that aligns with Stage One and
enables students to be successful in Stage two. Planning and lesson options are given, however teachers
are encouraged to customize this stage to their own students, maintaining alignment with Stages One and
Two.
………………..……………… page(s)
Appendices
….....………………………. page(s)
Marela Zacarias
DRAFT: 6/27/07
Farmington Public Schools
2
Unit Summary
Students in Art and Design will explore the meaning of signs and symbols, in particular how signs and
symbols are used to express identity. Through research of symbols in different cultures and the use of
symbols by well known artists, students will understand that signs and symbols are relative to the people
who view them and the people who produce them and that as artists we create our own group of signs and
symbols to represent our own identity.
At the end of this unit students will produce a linoleum cylinder seal that represents their identity through an
assemblage of personal symbols.
Marela Zacarias
DRAFT: 6/27/07
Farmington Public Schools
3
Stage One: Standards
Essential Understanding #1- Production
As a result of the Farmington Public School’s K-12 Art Program, all students will understand that the
making of visual art enables people to develop and express perceptions, ideas and feelings about themselves
and the world.
Content Standards:
Essential Understanding #1- Production
1.10 By the end of grade 12, students will control the elements, principles, materials and processes of the
visual arts, including two/three dimensional and electronic, to make clear artistic intent in the fine and
applied arts at a proficiency level appropriate for high school.
1.13 By the end of grade 12, students will be able to express artistic content through artistic (visual) means
with specific artistic intent.
1.11 By the end of grade 12, students will be able to develop and express perceptions, ideas and feelings
in creative ways in the fine and applied arts using representational, abstract and non-objective modes
of thinking as reflected in a portfolio of work.
Essential Understanding #2- Perception
2.23 By the end of grade 12, students will analyze social and cultural influences as it affects their own
perception and understanding of designed objects and artworks from various times and cultures.
Essential Understanding #3- Reflection
3.16 By the end of grade 12, students will articulate artistic intent and content in his/her works of art.
2.31 Students will analyze social and cultural influences as it affects their own perception and
understanding of designed objects and artworks from various times and cultures (CTS 4b)
Essential Understanding #4- Work Ethic
As a result of the Farmington Public School’s K-12 Art Program, all students will understand that
seriousness of purpose toward the production and valuing of art results in higher achievement.
4.15 By the end of grade 12, students will be able to value quality work, pay attention to details and meet
deadlines.
4.16 Use resources for making art i.e. books, museums, libraries, computers, the Internet, specialized tools
and experts.
Technology Standar #1: Information Accesing: Information skills and strategies are necessary to
effectively locate and se resources for solving problems conducting research and pursuing personal
interests.

Students will demonstrate ability to extract and organize relevant information from a variety of
source formats.
Technology Standar #2: Communication: Technology can be used to create written, visual, and
multimedia products to communicate ideas.
Marela Zacarias
DRAFT: 6/27/07
Farmington Public Schools
4

Students will use work processing software to compose, edit, and revise ideas for clear
communcation and purposeful writing in papers, essays and reports.
Unit Outcome Statement
As a result of this unit, students will understand through their research and present to the class how signs
and symbols from different cultures have been used in art throughout history. Students will also show how
symbols are an expression of culture and how their meaning is relative to the context into which they are
produced. Students will then apply this understanding into their own artwork to create their own set of
artistic symbols. By the end of this unit, students will create an identity seal linoleum cut and will write a
one-page essay describing the meaning of their symbols in their own cultural context
Essential Questions
Are signs and symbols universal?
What role does culture play in the interpretation of signs and symbols?
How does time influence the meaning of signs and symbols?
Marela Zacarias
DRAFT: 6/27/07
Farmington Public Schools
5
Knowledge and Skills
The Knowledge and Skills section includes the key facts, concepts, principles, skills, and processes called for by
the content standards and needed by students to reach desired understandings.
The Understanding by Design Handbook, 1999
Knowledge
Gain understanding of Egyptian geroglyphics
Gain understanding of Greek vase paintings
Gain understanding of symbol systems in Surrealist art
The meaning of signs and symbols depends on cultural context and changes over time
Gain a better understanding of their own expression through symbols
Elements of a linoleum cut
Elements of slab hand building technique in clay
Elements of how to make a print with a linoleum cut
Skills/Processes
Produce a linoleum carving
Clay slab building techniques
Craftsmanship
Effort and work completion
Research
Thinking Skills
Compare and contrast the meaning of symbols in different cultures
Describe, analyze, interpret and evaluate signs and symbols
Reflect on one’s own group of signs and symbols
Demonstrate understanding of symbols in one particular culture/artist’s work
Stage Two: Assessment Package
Throughout the unit students will work on their sketchbook drawing and reflecting on the meaning of
symbols. They will do research about signs and symbols from a particular culture or artist and will give a
presentation on their findings to the class. By the end of the unit, students will incorporate their knowledge
of signs and symbols into the creation of an identity cylinder seal linoleum print that will then be printed
onto a slab of clay to create the cylinder seal. Students will write a one page essay about the meaning of the
signs and symbols of their piece and will present their work to the rest of the class during critique.
Final Unit Assessment:
Goal: To incorporate your knowledge of signs and symbols into a cylinder seal linoleum print that will
demonstrate your understanding of the relationship between signs and symbols and the culture and time in
which they are produced
Role & Audience:
You are a citizen of the city of Uruk during the emergence of urban life in Mesopotamia (ca. 4000 to 3100
BC) and you need to make a cylinder seal to print on important documents. The symbols you use on the
cylinder should represent your identity in today’s society.
Situation:
You will review your notes and research on symbols as well as the information you learned from your peers
and use this information to create your own set of symbols for your cylinder seal. You must incorporate the
following:

Two symbols that you found throughout your research that can be applied to who you are today.
Marela Zacarias
DRAFT: 6/27/07
Farmington Public Schools
6



Three new original symbols that represent who you are
The print must be done in negative/positive
The block should be created as the reverse of the final image
Performance:
You will create a cylinder seal using linoleum carving to create the image and then transferring the image
onto a slab of clay. Finally you will create a cylinder structure with the slab that could be used as a vase.
Your final piece should be accompanied by a one-page essay that explains how the symbols on your
cylinder reflect your identity. Once you finished your project you will present it to the class during critique.
Standards & Criteria for Success:
1.12 Students will control the elements, principles, materials and processes of the visual arts, including
two/three dimensional and electronic, to make clear artistic intent in the fine and applied arts at a
proficiency level appropriate for high school.
1.13 Students will be able to express artistic content through artistic (visual) means with specific artistic
intent.
1.13 Students will be able to develop and express perceptions, ideas and feelings in creative ways in the
fine and applied arts using representational, abstract and non-objective modes of thinking as reflected
in a portfolio of work.
2.23 Students will analyze social and cultural influences as it affects their own perception and
understanding of designed objects and artworks from various times and cultures.
3.16 By the end of grade 12, students will articulate artistic intent and content in his/her works of art.
2.31 Students will analyze social and cultural influences as it affects their own perception and
understanding of designed objects and artworks from various times and cultures (CTS 4b)
4.15 Students will be able to value quality work, pay attention to details and meet deadlines.
4.16 Students will use resources for making art i.e. books, museums, libraries, computers, the Internet,
specialized tools and experts.
Students will demonstrate ability to extract and organize relevant information from a variety of source
formats.
Students will use work processing software to compose, edit, and revise ideas for clear communcation and
purposeful writing in papers, essays and reports.
Criteria for Grading:
Art Rubric (see appendix)
Tests, Quizzes, and Other Quick and Ongoing Checks for Understanding
Sketchbook entries
Oral presentation on symbols
Visuals and notes of oral presentation
Group critique
Self-Assessment
Marela Zacarias
DRAFT: 6/27/07
Farmington Public Schools
7
Projects, Reports, Etc.
Presentation on symbols’ research
Linoleum cut print
Clay cylinder
Identity cylinder seal
Marela Zacarias
DRAFT: 6/27/07
Farmington Public Schools
8
Stage Three: Learning Experiences and Instruction
Learning Experiences and Instruction
Marela Zacarias
DRAFT: 6/27/07
Farmington Public Schools
9
Guiding Questions
Instructional Strategies
Lesson Topic: The meaning of signs and symbols
Why do humans create symbols?
Brainstorm on the meaning of
symbols (I will provide visual
How does the meaning of symbols examples)
change from culture to culture?
Show power point presentation
What is the hidden meaning of a
on Egyptian geroglyphics, Greek
symbol?
vase painting and surrealist art.
Checking for
Understanding
Teacher will clarify vocabulary
and terminology
Quick write on guiding question
number 1.
Class discussion on students’
interpretation of symbols
Lesson Topic: Signs and symbols: An expression of culture
Choose a contemporary artist
Students will present their
from the list (see appendix) and
How does culture influence the
research to the class.
do research on:
meaning of symbols?
What signs or symbols does this
Collect the notes of student’s
atist use?
Would the symbols of the artist
presentations.
What is the meaning of his/her
you chose would have meant the
signs or symbols?
same a century ago?
What is the artist’s cultural
background?
How does culture influence the
kind of signs and symbols that
this artist used?
What media does this artist use?
Could people misunderstand the
signs and symbols used by this
artist? Why or why not?
Find at least 5 visual examples of
the symbols the artist uses in his
work and use them to support
your answers.
Create a power point or slide
presetation with your visual
examples to present them to the
class.
Lesson Topic: Individual expression through the use of signs and symbols
Introduction to cylinder seals
Collect identity questionnaire
Which symbols represent who you (power point)
are?
Check sketches- one on one
Write a list of adjectives that
conference with each student.
How are the images on the
describe who you are
cylinder seals simplified to create
Check notes
and image on relief?
Fill out identity questionnaire
Check final sketch- one on one
How can you simplify or stylize
Students will come up with at
conference with each student.
your signs and symbols to create
least 10 sketches of signs and
a relief print?
symbols that represent their
Teacher approves final sketch
Marela Zacarias
DRAFT: 6/27/07
Farmington Public Schools
10
identity and will individually
present and defend them to the
teacher.
Demonstration: Teacher will talk
and demonstrate how to make
positive/negative images and how
to come up with a successful
composition.
Production: Design an identity
cylinder seal on your sketchbook
Take notes on the meaning of
each sign and symbol- make sure
to answer the guiding questions
for each symbol.
Lesson Topic: The creation of an identity cylinder seal
Demonstration: Teacher will
How does craftsmanship
demonstrate how to make a
influence the final outcome of
linoleum cut by using step by step
your piece?
already made examples and by
demonstrating how to transfer
and then carve an image on
linoleum.
Teacher will monitor student’s
work in progress and will guide
students and answer questions on
an individual bases.
Student’s self evaluation of
linoleum cut
Teacher will demonstrate how to
use and take care of tools and
materials.
Teacher will talk about safety
measures.
Why and how did people in
Mesopotamia print images on
clay?
How does the image change once
it is on a clay object?
Production: Students will
transfer their design onto the
linoleum and will carve the
image.
Demonstration: Teacher will
demonstrate how to transfer the
linoleum image onto a slab of
clay by using models and by
going through the basic steps in
front of them.
Teacher evaluation of effort and
on task behavior
Group critique of identity
cylinder seal
Teacher will demonstrate slab
building technique.
Teacher will domonstrate how to
use and take care of tools and
materials.
Teacher will demonstrate the
three stages of clay: plastic,
leather hard and bone dry and
how each stage will affect the
building process of the cylinder.
Performance: Students will
Marela Zacarias
DRAFT: 6/27/07
Farmington Public Schools
11
What are the most effective ways
of creating a print on paper using
a linoleum cut?
transfer the image of the linoleum
onto the clay. Students will then
build a cylinder shape using a
slab building technique.
* While the clay cylinder is being
fired students will create a print
of their linoleum cut on paper.
Demonstration: Teacher will
demonstrate how to create a print
on paper using the linoleum cut
by showing models and by
printing an image in front of the
students.
Teacher evaluation of effort and
on task behavior
Teacher will monitor student
work and will correct technique
on an individual bases.
Teacher evaluation of print on
paper.
Teacher will show students how
much ink to use and what is the
must effective technique of
printing an image on paper.
Does your seal represent who you
are?
After you learned about the
meaning of signs and symbols
through the work of many
different artists, how does sulture
influence the meaning of
symbols?
How does time influence the
meaning of symbols?
Production: Students will create
a print on paper of their linoleum
cut.
Reflection: Students will use their
notes on sketchbook to write a
one-page essay about the
meaning of their seal and how it
represents their identity.
Performance: Students will
present their final piece to the
class and will explain the
meaning of the symbols they
used.
Students will critique other
student’s work.
Student’s oral presentation of the
meaning purpose and artistic
considerations of their seal.
Students will complete a
reflection questionnaire
answering the guiding questions.
Teacher will evaluate work
according to the art rubric.
How does your culture influence
the meaning of your sigs and
symbols?
How does working on this project
change the way you think about
art?
Marela Zacarias
DRAFT: 6/27/07
Farmington Public Schools
12
Appendices
Complete set of Essential understandings for your discipline
Any student work sheets
List of resources including texts, videos, field trips, web sites, etc.
Marela Zacarias
DRAFT: 6/27/07
Farmington Public Schools
13