CEDC 707/QSTA 407 The Arts: An Interdisciplinary Learning Experience
AESTHETIC EDUCATION PLANNING SESSION PAPER
CONCEPT: LESSON PLAN CONSIDERATIONS
Aim: The aim of this Planning Session Paper document is to help you understand the Aesthetic
Education method of engaging elementary school (grades 1-6) students with the arts.
OBJECTIVE: Students will create an age appropriate arts lesson plan that uses works of art as a starting
point for inquiry and experimentation using the attached template.
Frequent Questions:
What kind of considerations should I make before completing the Lesson Planning Assignment?
NEW YORK STATE ART STANDARDS
New York State Education Department Standard for The Arts
Standard 3 Visual Arts - Reflect on, interpret, and evaluate works of art, using the language of art
criticism. Students will analyze the visual characteristics of the natural and built environment and
explain the social, cultural, psychological, and environmental dimensions of the visual arts. Students will
compare the ways in which a variety of ideas, themes, and concepts are expressed through the visual
arts with the ways they are expressed in other disciplines.
ACEI STANDARDS FOR TEACHER PREPARATION
ACEI 2.5 The arts—Candidates know, understand, and use—as appropriate to their own understanding
and skills—the content, functions, and achievements of dance, music, theater, and the several visual
arts as primary media for communication, inquiry, and insight among elementary students.
ACEI 3.1 Integrating and applying knowledge for instruction—Candidates plan and implement
instruction based on knowledge of students, learning theory, subject matter, curricular goals, and
community.
ACEI 3.3 Development of critical thinking, problem solving, performance skills—Candidates understand
and use a variety of teaching strategies that encourage elementary students’ development of critical
thinking, problem solving, and performance skills.
ACEI 3.4 Active engagement in learning—Candidates use their knowledge and understanding of
individual and group motivation and behavior among students at the K-6 level to foster active
engagement in learning, self motivation, and positive social interaction and to create supportive learning
environments.
4. ASSESSMENT FOR INSTRUCTION—Candidates know, understand, and use formal and informal
assessment strategies to plan, evaluate and strengthen instruction that will promote continuous
intellectual, social, emotional, and physical development of each elementary student.
AESTHETIC EDUCATION LESSON PLAN DESCRIPTION
This FINAL PLANNING SESSION PAPER should consider the Aesthetic Education method of using the arts
in the elementary classroom. Choose one of the art works that we viewed this semester and create an
art lesson plan with the grade level of your classroom in mind. (Or choose an age, if you’re not in the
classroom). Identify the age and learning capacity: gifted, average, learning disabilities. Use the Planning
Session worksheet as a template for your lesson plan. The Lesson Plan assignment represents 10% of
your final grade.
Your lesson should highlight at least one prime artwork under study and at least one comparison
artwork that reveals variations on a similar theme, such as van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night’ and Wythe’s
‘Christina’s World’. Please label the numbered categories from the planning session worksheet and the
sub categories on the portfolio Lesson Plan pages. You should consider the following questions as you
are getting started:
CONSIDERATIONS
1. BRAINSTORMING
Ideas:
What kind of artwork is age appropriate for the elementary school classroom (grades 1-6)?
What kinds of ideas are appropriate for the age of your students?
What kinds of ideas are fun for your students to explore?
Themes:
What kind of themes are age appropriate?
How do the themes relate the elementary curriculum?
What artworks can you show your students that will create connections to your elementary curriculum?
Visual Elements [ACEI 2.5]:
How can you relate the visual elements (such as color or line) to the skill level appropriate to the age of
elementary students? That is, exploring color with elementary school students (finger painting, mixing,
blending, splattering) will be different from exploring color with high school students (symbolic color,
painting with oils or gauche or digitally mixing colors).
If your lesson explores the visual element color, how can you translate the visual element color to
another medium? PROBLEM> I would not ask preschoolers to paint with oil paints, but could use
craypas, tempera or watercolors to translate the concept of color, to a different medium. You could
explore color by observing light coming from red, green or blue flashlights or study prisms or OPEN
Photoshop and digitally transform images by using IMAGE/ADJUSTMENTS/HUE/SATURATION.
2. INQUIRY [ACEI 3.3]:
Artistic Line of Inquiry:
Ask a question that addresses the way in which visual elements are used to effect how we perceive and
understand a specific work of art.
Can you identify the visual element in the work of art that is being used in a way that is an integral part
of what makes the artwork significant? An example would be the use of line, movement and color that
are significant visual elements in van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night.’
Pedagogical line of Inquiry:
How did the questioning of artworks in the classroom help you notice and engage with the artworks?
Do your questions ask students to describe, analyze and interpret something within the artwork under
study?
Are your questions grounded in the work of art?
3. ACTIVITY [ACEI 3.4]:
Skills Activity:
What skills do your students need to open the range of choices to complete the artwork?
Which medium did you think best supports the kinds of choices that the artist uses to make the
artwork?
What kind of motor skills are required to complete an activity?
How does your activity refine motor skills?
Creative Activity:
Use the skills learned in the ‘skills activity’ to construct new meaning and expression through directed
instructions.
Follow-up Activity:
What other kinds of investigation need to be explored after the initial arts experience?
Is there a need to refine skills as a result of the creative activity?
How did the activities prepare you to observe the art works that we saw in the museum?
How did classroom critiques of your own artworks open your understanding of artistic choices?
4.REFLECTION:
Reflection Activities:
What kinds of questions encourage reflection?
What did you learn about each other though working in the arts?
Draw something you remember a week after the museum visit.
What did you learn about yourself though working in the arts?
Describe an Ah-Ha or Eureka moment that you experienced in the arts.
5. CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION:
What books could inspire further investigation of the work of art to the life of elementary school
children?
How did contextual information support your learning?
How did the articles you read during the course help your understanding of the Arts? How did the
articles you read help you understand aesthetic education?
6. ASSESSMENT [ACEI 4]:
How do I evaluate student work?
How do I communicate the performance expectations?
How do I determine which students meet expectations, exceed expectations, or fall below expectations?
AESTHETIC EDUCATION: PLANNING SESSION TEMPLATE
ARTWORK TITLE:
ARTIST:
MEDIUM:
Insert / Picture / From File
VISUAL ELEMENTS/IDEAS/THEMES [ACEI 2.5]
BRAINSTORMING: Describe ideas, themes, and visual elements that you identify in the work-of-art.
BRAINSTORM IDEAS: Make a list of ideas that spontaneously grow out of group brainstorming.
ORGANIZE IDEAS INTO THEMES: Identify unifying content areas, visual relationships and points-of-view.
MAKE A LIST OF THE IMPORTANT VISUAL ELEMENTS THAT ARE BEING USED IN THE WORK OF ART:
identify visual elements: line, shape, color, composition, texture, scale. Design: movement, balance,
rhythm, emphasis.
State the age or grade of the students AND describe the learning capacity (gifted, average, learning
disabilities) you are planning for
AIMS/GOALS/OBJECTIVES [ACEI 3.1]
What is your aim? Aims are general statements that give direction or intent to educational action.
Students will understand, learn or know…
What is your goal? Goals are statements of educational intention which are more specific than aims.
Students will be able to identify and make… .
What is your objective? Objectives are statements of education intention which state outcomes.
(measureable)
Students will create, list or choose.
What Arts Standard does your Lesson Plan address? The Arts Standards for New York.htm
http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/arts/artstand/home.html
INQUIRY/REFLECTION AND CONTEXT [ACEI 3.3]
ARTISTIC LINE OF INQUIRY: Create an ARTISTIC LINE-OF-INQUIRY that focuses on at least one visual
element the artist has used to cause an effect on our senses or understanding about the subject matter
of the painting. In practice the artwork is the thesis or argument that is realized through the use of visual
elements that make up the artist’s language. What kind of question does the artwork invoke?
EDUCATION PRACTICE – LINE OF INQUIRY: Make a list of questions that open meaning. (Teaching
Questions) In Theory – an ordering of questions so as to develop a particular argument. THINGS TO
CONSIDER: Which questions NEED to come first? Which questions build on each other? Can you create
questions that address different learning modalities? Such as, how can children’s experience with the
language of the arts, help to build literacy or logical thinking.
CREATIVITY/SKILLS ACTIVITY/FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES [ACEI 3.4]
ACTIVITY: Create your own art activities that use visual, musical, theatrical or dance elements that
contribute to the artworks unique character, technique or style.
CREATE A SKILL ACTIVITY: a good skill activity helps students to improve their ability to control an art
medium.
DESIGN A CREATIVE ACTIVITY: a creative activity allows individuals to find their own outcome of
expression using the acquired skills.
CREATE A FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITY: a follow-up activity seeks to connect the creative process to other
content areas.
REFLECTION AND CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION
REFLECTION:
Make a list of questions that you would ask to encourage reflection after the art experience or museum
visit?
Create a hands-on activity that calls upon reflective imagination, based on memory of the museum visit
or an art activity. (such as) Ask students to draw something they remember.
CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION:
What kind of connections can you make to link the visual arts to curriculum?
What kind of information, reading, research or demonstration can you use after or before a visual arts
unit of study?
LIST CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION:
author:
book title:
artists name:
title of artwork:
web site: URL
ASSESSMENT [ACEI 4]
Create and attach an age/grade specific rubric with 3 assessment levels for your lesson.
RUBRIC
Elements of Standard
Lesson Plan Template
Unacceptable (0-1)
Final Lesson Plan Paper does not
or loosely adheres to designated
template
Acceptable (2)
Final Lesson Plan Paper clearly addresses
required elements of designated
template
Visual Elements / Ideas /Themes
Correct use of visual elements
(line, shape / form, value, space,
color, texture, balance, harmony,
variety, emphasis, rhythm/
movement/ repetition, gradation,
proportion and unity) and ideas /
themes (emotions, concepts,
metaphors, etc.)
[ACEI 2.5]
Final Lesson Plan Paper shows
little to no understanding of the
visual elements, ideas or themes
required to create a good lesson
plan.
Final Lesson Plan Paper shows a clear
understanding of the visual elements,
translates the elements to a medium that
is appropriate to the grade level, and
incorporates student centered ideas and
themes appropriate to the grade level.
Aims/Goals/Objectives Directions
is given to the lesson by stating
the intent of the educational
action and identifying outcomes
about students will be able to
know or do as a results of the
lesson
[ACEI 3.1]
Final Lesson Plan Paper states a
purpose that is vague and/or not
grade appropriate AND/OR Aims
and goals make vague statements
about what students will be able
to know or do AND/OR Most
objectives are not measureable.
Final Lesson Plan Paper clearly states a
purpose that is grade appropriate. Mostto-all aims and goals make clear general
and specific statements, respectively,
about what students will be able to know
or do. Objectives are clear and most are
measureable.
Inquiry / Reflection and Context
Inquiry requires good listening
skills that draw students into a
conversation. Relevant questions
call upon the student’s ability to
observe, analyze, conjecture,
reflect and research. Relevant
questions have multiple answers
and cannot be answered with a
yes or no response. Context
should encourage deep looking
and investigation of the object of
Final Lesson Plan Paper shows
little or no skills in creating a Line
of Inquiry. Poor questions call for
yes or no answers. Poor questions
are not focused on observable
details within the work of art.
Reflection activities and questions
are not grounded in the artwork.
Context does not relate
specifically to the work of art.
Final Lesson Plan Paper shows skills in
creating questions that are engaging and
relate the lesson’s aims/goals. Relevant
questions inspire critical thinking and a
conversation among students. Relevant
reflection questions make connections to
what has been learned. Relevant
contextual information confirms the
exploration of the artwork and activity.
Target (3)
Final Lesson Plan Paper clearly and
comprehensively addresses required
elements of designated template and
shows degree of sophistication and/or
creativity
Final Lesson Plan Paper shows a clear
and rich understanding of the visual
elements; translates the elements to a
medium that is appropriate to the
grade level that allows for expressive
artwork,; and incorporates student
centered ideas and themes that are
appropriate to the grade level,
engaging, and relate to the student’s
life.
Final Lesson Plan Paper clearly and
concisely states a purpose that is grade
appropriate and made meaningful to
the students’ lives. All aims and
objectives make clear and concise
general and specific statements,
respectively, about what students will
be able to know or do. All objectives
are clear and measurable.
Final Lesson Plan Paper shows welldeveloped skills in creating questions
that are engaging, relate to the
students life, relate the lesson’s
aims/goals, and relate to curriculum
standards. Relevant and thoughtprovoking questions inspire critical
thinking, an ongoing conversation, and
debate among students. Relevant and
thought-provoking reflection questions
inspire awareness of different
perspectives, make connections to
study. A relevant reflection
question asks what was learned.
[ACEI 3.3]
Creativity Activity / Skills
Activity/Follow Up Activity The
Creative Activity involves selfexploration of themes and ideas
using the skills learned in the
Skills Activity in unique manner.
The Creative Activity exhibits a
distinctive, individual style unique
to student. The Skills Activity
allows students to make a variety
of choices that reveal the nuance
and variables inherent in a given
medium. The Follow-up Activity
allows students to make
connections to other content
areas.
[ACEI 3.4]
Assessment includes an
age/grade specific rubric with 3
assessment levels for your lesson.
[ACEI 4]
Final Lesson Plan Paper shows a
lack of originality in developing
activities that allow creative
exploration of themes and ideas.
Art activities are weak, trite,
stereotypical, and/or not student
centered.
Final Lesson Plan Paper reveals a creative
activity with some degree of originality.
The Creative Activity focuses on
constructing new meaning and explores
the visual elements with some
elaboration of the theme or concept
under study. The Skills Activity gives
students a clear understanding of some
of the choices that are present in the
work of art under study. The Follow-up
Activity gives students an opportunity for
further investigation.
Rubric is vague in one or more of
the following areas: identification
of components of the assignment,
alignment with NYS Standards,
scoring method, performance
expectations for three assessment
levels.
Rubric clearly identifies main
components of the assignment, shows
clear and accurate alignment with NYS
Standards, accurately indicates scoring
method for the overall grade, and clearly
describes relevant performance
expectations for three assessment levels.
Assignment Grading Scale (The Lesson Plan represents 10% of your final grade).
A = 17-18
A- = 15-16
B+ =13-14
B = 11-12
B- = 9-10
C+ = 7-8
what has been learned, and instill a
desire for further exploration. Relevant
and compelling contextual information
confirms the exploration of the artwork
and activity and places the art
experience within a historical context
that relates to the students life and the
curriculum.
Final Lesson Plan Paper shows a
superior degree of originality
throughout. The Creative Activity
constructing new meaning and
explores multiple visual elements with
great elaboration of the theme or
concept under study. The Skills Activity
gives students a clear, comprehensive,
and rich understanding of many of the
choices that are present in the work of
art under study. The Follow-up Activity
gives students an opportunity for
further investigation and an
understanding of how the creative
process connects to other content
areas.
Rubric clearly identifies each
component of the assignment, shows
clear and accurate alignment with NYS
Standards, accurately indicates scoring
method for each rubric item and the
overall grade, and clearly and
comprehensively describes relevant
performance expectations for three
assessment levels with strong
distinctions between each of the levels.
C=6
Below Standard = 0-5