"Wish You Were Here" Lesson Plan

Teacher: Cydnee Perman

Grade Level: 9

Title: “Wish You Were Here”

Brief History and Background:
Sending postcards is a unique way to keep in touch because, in addition to carrying personal messages, they often include pictures or images representing the places from which they are departing. Postcards can be even more special when they represent the places that we call home, the places to which we are most connected. Postcards are not merely snapshots of a geographical location, but can convey emotion and evoke the senses. This lesson is an example of how this same feeling can be incorporated into a work of art, so that it too expresses sentiments reflecting the most special places to the artist.

PA Academic Standards:
9.1A Elements and Principles in each Art Form
9.1C Vocabulary Within each Art Form
9.1E Themes in Art Forms
9.1J Technologies in the Arts
9.2A Context of Works in the Arts
9.2C Styles and Genre in the Arts
9.3A Critical Processes
9.3D Vocabulary for Criticism
9.4C Environmental Influences
9.4D Artistic Choices
3.7C Computer Operations
3.7E Computer Communication Systems

Goal: To create a collaged artwork that conveys a sense of home for the artist.

Objectives:
Students will become familiar with the work of William Wegman.
Students will experiment with different types of paper manipulation and collage techniques.
Students will reflect upon their homes and express emotion/feelings that they associate with said homes.
Students will be introduced to blogs and learn how to post images on a blog.

Resource Materials/Visual Aides:
Teacher-completed exemplar.
Powerpoint of artwork by William Wegman.
Computers with Internet capability.
Scanner.

Supplies/Materials:
Photographs, postcards, or other images that suggest the notion of “home” for each student.
12” x 12” canvasses.
Tissue paper in assorted colors.
Mod Podge adhesive.
Brushes for the glue.
Paint (optional).
Paintbrushes.
Scissors.


Teacher preparation:
Creation of Powerpoint.
Creation of Exemplar.
Research of blogs, creation of sample blog.

Teaching
Introduction:
Discuss the notion of “home” and the feelings it evokes. Discuss the purpose of postcards and the significance of postcards for expressing emotion and evoking the senses. Show powerpoint and teacher-prepared exemplar to illustrate the notion of an artwork expressing ideals of “home”.

Directions:
1. Students should collect images, photographs, or other items to be collaged.
2. Using Mod Podge, students should adhere their images and tissue paper to their canvasses in a creative way, utilizing the space in a compositionally-effective manner.
3. Once completely dry, students will scan images and save them to the computer as a jpg file.
4. Students will open their own Blogger accounts at http://www.blogger.com.
5. Once accounts are created, students should upload their scanned images to a new post on their blogs.
6. Students should be advised that if they have used any images in their collages that they must include image credits when posting their pieces on their blogs, so that they comply with the copyright expectations regarding image appropriation.

Time Budget: (2 45-minute class sessions)
Day 1
6 Minutes – Introduction
35 Minutes – Production
4 Minutes – Cleanup

Day 2
5 Minutes – Introduction, Demonstration of Blog construction, Demonstration of Image scanning
10 Minutes – Image scanning
20 Minutes – Blog construction
10 Minutes – Students may explore the blogs of their classmates

Assessment:
Group critique where students will be encouraged to discuss not only their own work and one another’s work, but will also to elucidate upon any skills that have been garnered or honed throughout this activity.

Vocabulary:
Blog
Upload
Image Size
Scanner
JPG

Safety Concerns:
None.

Bibliography/References:
Blogger
Pennsylvania Art Education Association
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Sounds of the City, Scent of the Sea