CHICAGO SEMESTER LESSON PLAN
Name: Rachel Miller Subject: Art Grade: 5th-6th
Length: 3/4 x 40minute classes Date: 3/12/12-3/30/12
Students will use line to create designs that are also optical illusions. The students
will shade the spaces between lines to give the composition a sense of space and
form, using a warm or cool color scheme.
Objectives: Upon completion of this lesson, students will be able to:
- Use line to create an optical illusion.
- Group together warm and cool colors.
- Use shading to create form within the line composition.
- Follow both written and spoken step-by-step instructions
ISBE Goals: 25.A.2d, 25.B.2, and 26.B.2d
Materials Needed:
Images of optical illusions, projector and screen, white drawing paper 10x10,
pencils, erasers, thin black markers/sharpies, colored pencils, warm and cool color
posters/games, shading poster, project step-board/handout
Anticipatory Set: (5 minutes)
1. Using the projector, show students different examples on optical illusions
that emphasize the use of line.
2. Discuss the illusions on the screen.
- What is an optical illusion?
- What is the illusion in this picture?
- How do you think the artist is creating the illusion?
Sequence of Activities: (25-30 minutes)
Day 1
1. Show students a finished example of the line design project that they will be
creating with a brief overview of the lesson objectives:
- Students will use line to create an optical illusion.
- Students will color their illusion with warm and cool colors.
- Students will use shading when coloring, to create form and enhance the
illusion.
2. Give each student a piece of paper and the step-by-step handout for the
lesson. Instruct students to write their name and room number on the paper,
but not to begin because the first part of the project will be done together,
step, by-step. Students may refer to the handout if they fall behind or need
extra help. Also direct students to the step-by-step posters that they can look
at for additional assistance.
3. First, instruct students to draw a wavy line through the middle of their paper.
4. Then, instruct students to draw 8 dots at various locations on the line (some
close, others far).
5. Show students how to go “dot-to-dot” with a scalloped line. First on the top,
and then again on the bottom. Only do this once! If continued the design will
look very boring and will lack the illusionistic quality we want to achieve.
6. Next, show students how to “camp out “on some of the segments. This allows
some limes to “balloon-out” and some lines to get “pinched in.” Emphasize
that all lines need to return to the dots that they originated from. This creates
a neat shaded effect and it helps avoid mistakes. Also tell students that lines
should continue off of the paper, and not stop because they are close to the
edge.
7. Point out to students the wrong ways to draw their lines (on the handout).
These examples below are WRONG! No lines should overlap/criss-cross and
no magically appearing rainbows. All lines must return to their original dots.
8. Students should use the remaining class time to finish drawing all of their
lines (until the entire paper is filled) in pencil.
9. Clean up.
Day 2
1. Using the projector, show students how to trace all of their pencil lines very
carefully with a black marker. Remind students of the importance of always
returning to the original dot (even with outlining) because this creates a
shaded effect.
2. Pass back projects along with the step-by-step handout.
3. If needed, students should finish drawing their lines in pencil first. Once that
is completed, students should spend the remainder of the class period tracing
over all of their pencil lines with a black marker.
4. Clean up.
Day 3/4
1. Review warm and cool colors by discussing the color wheel and the warm
and cool collage posters.
2. Inform students that when they are ready to begin coloring their line designs
that they have to choose whether they will use a warm color scheme or a cool
color scheme. They cannot use both.
3. Using the projector, show students how to color their projects using color
pencils and shading (darkest at the corners and lighter towards the middle of
the line).
4. Also inform students that they should not use the same color right in a row.
Each line should be bordering a different color.
5. Students should use the remaining class time to color their line designs.
6. Clean up.
Vocabulary Words: Optical illusion, color scheme, warm and cool colors, shading,
point, convex, concave
Adaptations for Individuals:
Visual representations (Step-by-step handout, step-by-step posters), cueing,
simplify lesson (Less dots on the line), individual assistance. For students with
severe learning disadvantages an aide is present to assist individuals.
Closure: Clean-up (5 minutes)
If time allows, students will be able to discuss their work and answer the following
questions:
- Which color scheme did you choose and why?
- Does your line design look like an illusion? Why or why not?
- If you were to do this project again, would you have made any different
decisions? What are they? Why?
Independent Practice:
If students do not finish the project during class time the work will be given to their
classroom teacher for the students to work on during free time.
Assessment/Evaluation: (when possible attach the assessment tool)
Students will be assessed in alignment with the objectives of the lesson:
- Did the student follow all written and spoken directions correctly?
- Does the student’s project have an illusionistic quality as a result of line and
shading?
- Did the student use a warm or cool color scheme correctly?
- Did the student use shading to create form in the composition?
See formal rubric (attached)
Resources:
-
Website/Blog: http://artwithmre.blogspot.com/2011/12/line-designexplained-deluxe-edition.html
Google Image search: Optical illusions using line, line illusions, illusion artists