Session
UN IT P L AN NI NG T O O L:
Unit Theme or Issue: Animals in Art
State Fine Art Goals: 25.A.1d 26.A.1e 26.B.1d
Grade Level: Pre-K/K
Objective(s): Students will learn about artists that feature animals in their work, discuss their processes and mediums, and
explore different materials and methods of creating art.
Title of
Lesson
Historical/ Multicultural
Exemplars
Sketchbook/
Artist’s
Journal
Dialogue
Media/
Process
Design Principles
and/or
Conceptual theme
Closure/
Assessment
Matisse’s
Goldfish
The Goldfish, 1912
Oil on canvas
Pushkin Museum of Art,
Moscow
Draw your
favorite
animal or
pet
Discussion Questions:
What is the subject of the
painting? Do you know
what a subject is?
What kind of fish are
they?
Do you think they were
the artist’s pets?
Are they inside or
outside?
What are they in? What
is the bowl sitting on?
What is in the
background? Do you
know what a background
is?
What colors do you see?
What are cool colors?
What color are the fish?
Do they have a pattern?
What is a pattern? Do
some fish have patterns?
Project I:
Cool colors with
tempera paint
and watercolor
& sponge
printing
Project I:
Background
cool colors
Discussion
Questions:
Week 1
Students will
explore
different
materials to
create their
own fish
inspired by
the work of
Henri Matisse.
Students will
be asked
what they like
to draw
Students will
be asked
what their
favorite
animals are
Students will
be asked to
draw their
favorite
animal(s).
Project 2:
Drawing fish
with oil pastels
Watercolor
resist
Project 3:
Sculpting fish
with Model
Magic
Project 2:
Watercolor Resist &
pattern
Project 3:
Texture Fish
What anima
create today
Why do you
artists make
animals?
Did you lear
about fish?
What were t
colors we us
What is patt
did you use
today?
Week 2
Week 3
Impressionis
m within
artwork
Woman With Cat, 1912
Pierre Bonnard
Students will
explore
different
materials to
create their
murals,
landscapes
and animals
inspired by
the work of
Claude
Monet.
Day at the
Zoo
Students will
explore
different
materials to
create
animals in the
zoo focusing
on work by
Jaxine
Cummins.
Peacock
By Jaxine Cummins
At the
beginning of
each class,
after the
students
arrive, they
get their
sketchbooks
which are laid
out on a table
and sit at any
table with
crayons and
spend this
time drawing
in their
sketchbooks
as desired.
Teachers walk
around during
this time and
talk to the
students as
they work.
Drawing
activity is
open.
Discussion Questions:
What do you see in this
painting?
What is the subject?
What is a landscape?
What kind of colors do
you see?
What are cool colors?
Can you see the brush
strokes?
What is texture?
What time of day is it?
What kind of animals to
you see in your
backyard?
Explain impressionism
Project I:
Acrylic paint
Mural
Project I:
Impressionist paintings
Project 2:
Animals drawn
in Oil pastel
and cut out
Project 2:
Textured animals
Discussion Questions:
Does anyone know what
kind of bird this is?
Has anyone ever seen
one of these birds in
person?
Does anyone know how
big a Peacock can get?
(up to 6 foot wingspan)
What are the main colors
used?
Recap from Lesson 1which colors are cool and
which are warm?
What shapes is the bird
made out of?
Do you see any patterns?
Look at the different
texture
Project I:
Drawing
peacocks and
focusing on oil
resist
Project 3:
Individual
landscapes
and sponge
printing
Project 2:
Creating zoo
animals out of
the clay
Project 3:
Use tempra
paint and tissue
paper to create
lion’s head
Project 3:
Background/foreground
strokes
Project I:
Cool colors/warm colors
Project 2:
Clay techniques
Hatching
Cross-hatching
Project 3:
Texture/layering
Discussion
Questions:
What anima
create today
Why do you
artists make
animals?
Did you lear
about impres
What is the
background?
What is textu
did you use
today?
Discussion
Questions:
What anima
create today
Why do you
artists make
animals?
Did you lear
about zoo an
What were t
colors we us
What is laye
How did we
layering?
Week 4
Week 5
Pop Art
Grevy's Zebra, 1983
Andy Warhol
Drawing
activity is
open.
Students will
explore
different
materials to
create prints
and learn
about different
endangered
species.
Museum Day
Students will
spend time
having
discussions
on two
paintings
already
chosen along
with walking
around in a
“scavengar
hunt” to look
for animals in
other
paintings
Cattle at the Meadow
grounds
By Emilie Van Marcke
Steen Castle
By David Teniers the
Younger
Drawing
activity is
open.
Discussion Questions:
Does anyone know who
made this picture?
Can anyone tell me what
pop art is?
We will be making our
own forms of pop art of
animals at station 3.
Can anyone name the
animal in the print?
What colors are used?
How do you think this
artist made this?
Does anyone know what
a print is?
We will be making prints
today at one of our
stations.
Can anyone tell me what
an endangered animal
is?
Can anyone tell me what
extinct means?
Project I:
Endangered
animal print on
green bags
Discussion Questions:
What is happening in the
painting?
Why did the artist paint
this?
What colors/tones do you
see in the scene?
Are the strokes big or
small?
Can you see any texture
in this painting?
What is happening?
Are the animals the main
subject?
When do you think this
was made?
How can you tell?
Are the animals close up
or far back?
Project I:
Museum visit
Project 2:
Painted
endangered
animal print
Project 3:
Writing
assignment
focusing on
endangered
animals
Project 2:
Painted zoo
clay animal
Project 3:
Painted 3D
background for
clay animal
Project I:
Print-making
Project 2:
Painting/ print/making
Project 3:
Importance of
endangered animal
awareness
Project I:
View and critiques
professional artist works
Project 2:
Paint three dimensional
animal
Project 3:
Paint and create three
dimensional environment
Discussion
Questions:
What anima
create today
Why do you
artists make
endangered
Did you lear
about endan
animals?
What were t
colors we us
What is prin
What is an e
animal?
Discussion
Questions:
What anima
see today at
museum?
Why do you
these artists
paintings ab
animals?
Did you lear
about critiqu
paintings?
What type o
did we do to
What kinds o
did we creat
ARTE
203/204
IPTS #11
Standard Statement
Curriculum
Collaboration



From working with my TA, I learned a lot about classroom management. She did a great job
keeping the students in line and focused and I was able to pick up a lot of her techniques to
use myself. She also was very helpful in choosing projects and figuring out ways to make
sure they were do-able and age-appropriate. She also was helpful in keeping me on schedule
and was always there when I needed her.
From working with peer student teachers I learned the challenges of working with partners on
such a large project. I learned a lot about communication and collaboration. I sometimes had
to change my plans or ideas to fit with my partners ideas, but learning to compromise was a
good experience. I also learned about leadership and taking charge when no one else is
stepping up. It was a good learning experience in general.
The new strategies for collaboration I acquired from working with a team were compromise.
They taught me new ways of taking on a project and making changes that would work better.
It was helpful having a second or third opinion to make the projects and lessons the best they
could be.
Standard Statement Form:
1.
STANDARD 11- professional Conduct and Leadership The teacher understands education as
a profession, maintains standards of professional conduct, and provides leadership to
improve students learning and well being.
2.
Describe the artifact:
The curriculum collaboration describes our lessons for the first five weeks, we began to look at
animals you would find in and around your house, we then moved from this to zoo animals, and
eventually to wild animals which are endangered. As we progressed, we included both modern artist’s
works as well as works considered to be fine art, giving the students a chance to understand and
recognize both types of art work. We also explored not only two dimensional works, but also three
dimensional works, in many different mediums.
3.
How does the artifact meet the standard?
The artifact meets the standard because each lesson was a team effort, we each had a part to ensure the
development and success of each lesson plan. We brainstormed as a team. We came up with solutions
to many problems together, and were able to work together to get our ideas on paper and out to the
students as we taught.
4.
How does the artifact demonstrate your growth and development as a teacher?
The artifact demonstrates my growth and development as a teacher because I had never worked as a
team on a project as large as this. I learned a lot about my leadership qualities and myself, and I also
learned about dealing with partners and making changes for them if necessary. Things didn’t always
start out the way everyone wanted them to but we worked well together to make sure that in the end we
were all happy with our result.