Art Integration Unit Plan Template

Art Integration Unit Plan Template

LTC Art for Children

Unit Title & Big Idea: (Define the BIG IDEA?) All about ME! This unit is all about exploring identity and what shapes
who we are, who we perceive ourselves to be and how to express ourselves! We will zoom through a smattering of lessons
from exploring expressive writing, self portrait art, multiple intelligences, poetry, the use of adjectives and much more in
the realm of ELA with strong art connections and integration.
Unit Overview/Summary: Why is this important to teach? What do you hope to accomplish?
As students approach ages where it becomes important to them to fit in or be cool or popular,
its important to stress the significance of being yourself. Our students will hear that theyre
different or weird or not like everyone else, but we can change how students react to that if we
show them how important their uniqueness and individuality is. Throughout this unit, we will
explore what identity is and how what we have experienced shapes who we are. We will explore
how we express ourselves and interpret how others have done that. We will celebrate our
differences and what makes us unique and explore how we can show that through mediums like
art and writing. I hope that my students gain a sense of pride in who they are and the details that
make them unique, as well as being able to accept others who are different for who they are.

Key Concepts (3-4)

- Students will learn about famous self-portraits and how the pictures
portrayed or describes the personality or life of the artists
- Students will understand what makes each person unique through
text, art and self-exploration, students will understand what makes
themselves and others unique
- Students will make connections and inferences using literature and
take lessons or themes from them and apply them personally
- Students will create their own poetry and use it to express themselves
and their feelings they will create opportunities to express identity
with subjects like language arts and writing

Essential Questions
lesson?
-

(3-4)

Grade Level/Class Periods

Required: 4th grade, 8-10
class periods (1-2 weeks
depending on amount of
time spent daily)
Materials/Equiptment/Etc:
Bad Case of Stripes (book),
computer or iPad access for
personality test, paper and
markers for adjective lesson as
well as computer access for
Wordle word map, I Am Poem
forms, paper and coloring
materials for flipbook, big paper
for self portraits, oil pastels,
colored pencils or markers
(students can choose their utensil
for art project)

What questions guide the investigation in this

How do people see themselves and express

themselves, consequently?
What shapes our identity?
Is identity constant? Does it change?
How can we express ourselves or learn about the
identities of others through subjects like writing,
reading or art?

Art Integration Unit Plan Template

Unit Objectives: (Excellent resource at http://www.teachervision.fen.com/curriculum-planning/new-teacher/48345.html?for_printing=1&detoured=1)

*(NOTE: Evidence of the objectives and concepts attained make up your assessment criteria below)
Students will assess themselves and analyze their personalities to define their identities and make connections with that
information to art and ELA.
- Students will inspect things such as self portraits and poetry to explore mood, personality and identity.
- Students will construct a summation of their findings and present a completed project to share with the class that
accurately uses literature and art to define themselves.
Grade Level Expectations (GLEs) (3-4)
Core Academic Standards (Common Core State Standards) (3-

(http://dese.mo.gov/divimprove/curriculum/GLE/)

National Core Art Standards

(http://www.nationalartsstandards.org)
1A4:Recognize positive self-talk and communicate personal thoughts and

feelings.
2A4:Demonstrate respect for others personal opinions and ideas.
7-A-4: Compare interests and strengths with those of workers in the local community.
ArtCreating1:Generate

and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.

ArtResponding8:Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
ArtConnecting10:Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal
experiences to make art

4)
(http://www.corestandards.org/)

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.2 Determine central ideas or

themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the
key supporting details and ideas.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.1 Prepare for and participate
effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with
diverse partners, building on others ideas and expressing their
own clearly and persuasively.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.2 Integrate and evaluate
information presented in diverse media and formats, including
visually, quantitatively, and orally.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.5 Make strategic use of digital
media and visual displays of data to express information and
enhance understanding of presentations.

Content Areas Integrated:

1. Visual Art
2. ELA (Language Arts/Reading/Writing)

Identify & define common vocabulary/concepts that

connect the art form with the other identified subject area(s):

Art Integration Unit Plan Template

3. Art History

Identity: the state of having unique identifying characteristics

held by no other person or thing, the individual characteristics by
which a person or thing is recognized

Lesson Titles in Sequence/Order with TIME and MATERIALS

needed for each portion
1. Introduction Bad Case of Stripes and Initial Discussion (4060 minutes
2. Finding our Strengths computer access for Brigham Grid
for Learning (2 60 minute sessions)
3. Adjectives About Me paper and coloring utensils, computer
access for Wordle/word map (2 40-60 minute sessions)
4. I Am - poetry worksheet/template (40-60 minutes)
5. Identity Flipbooks pre made flipbooks using paper, coloring
utensils, stapler (60-90 minutes)
6. Final Art Lesson Self Portrait large paper, coloring
utensils, adjectives sheet from previous lesson (2/3 60-90
minute sessions)

Adjective: descriptive words, words that describe a noun

Brief Lesson Descriptions (2-3 sentences each)
1. The introductory lesson will feature reading the picture
book aloud. After, we will debrief about the book and begin
the conversation about identity. There will be a class
discussion as a group regarding the essential questions and
we will then introduce an overview of the unit.
2. Students will access the Brigham Grid for Learning to take
the strengths test. After the test, we will print out our
overviews of strengths and personality results. We will then
share with partners or groups what we found as well as talk
as a class analyzing these results and what they mean.
3. Students will take time to come up with a few adjectives to
describe their personality. They will take a paper and write
those or decorate the card and then we will pass the sheets
around and students will take turn describing others with
adjectives. Following this, we will make a Wordle or word map
using a computer to display all of their adjectives.
4. Students will be given a template where they fill blanks to
create a poem that describes their personalities and
identities. They will then illustrate their poem as well. After
we have finished, we will have time for the class to share
what they created doing a walking museum.
5. We will create identity flipbooks where each section is
comprised of different parts of who they are. These

Art Integration Unit Plan Template

categories are:
strengths from online quiz, adjectives,
favorite things, goals, and highlights from the I Am section.
They will decorate these and will be a summation of
everything done so far.
6. The final portion is heavy with art integration. We will look
at different artists who have famous self portraits and discuss
how they perceived and expressed themselves in the
paintings. We will look at the history behind them and how
they used different art techniques to portray their identity or
personality. Students will then create their own self portrait.
They will take three adjectives from the previous activity and
cover themselves with those. We will also examine how
color or shapes represent mood, emotions or personality
traits and will incorporate that into our self-portraits. At the
end they will create a rationale explaining why they chose
the elements they did and explain their process and how it
represents identity.
What student prior knowledge will this unit require/draw upon?
Since this unit is highly individualized and personal, students will draw on pieces of themselves to shape what they learn and
experience. During the ELA portions, students will use their knowledge of literature and how to analyze and interpret it, what
adjectives are and poetry and creating themes. Students will use knowledge of themselves to create self portraits as well.
What activities will you use to engage students in imagining, exploring, and/or experimenting in this unit?
Throughout this unit, each lesson or activity will ultimately build up to our final project where students can show what they
learned and the progress theyve made. With our adjectives about me and I Am Poems, students will be dipping their toes in
the water about identity and beginning to learn how to analyze and interpret what that means for each person individually.
With the identity flipbooks, students take another step and create something where each lesson before it all comes together
as one. After all this is said and done, then students are asked to create their final product. After exploring for over a week,
students now take everything theyve learned about identity and expression and apply it to art, creating something that
represents who they are and the theme theyve been working with.

Art Integration Unit Plan Template

How will this unit permit/encourage students to solve problems in divergent ways?
This lesson may be difficult for some students, as it really does incorporate solving problems, but in a very personal way.
Students are asked to really delve deep into the intricacies of who they are. They will interpret, analyze and define. And it goes
past that students are asked to do the same about others as well. They will look at literature and art and interpret what was
created and what it means regarding identity and expression. This will produce very different answers and allow for students
to take creative expression into their own hands and truly create something that is real and personal to them and only them.
How will you engage students in routinely reflecting on their learning/learning processes?
As we look at self-portraits by different artists, there will be very in depth and interactive discussion. I want the students to
really look at the elements of the art to interpret mood, emotion, identity and meaning. We will ask questions like Why? and
How? throughout each lesson to understand the purpose behind what we are interpreting. We will look at progress and
process as well. One of our initial questions was Does identity change or stay the same? and we want to find out what this
means. Some of the self-portraits we look at, we will be able to talk about the history behind the painting or the artist to see
how the events in their life led to the creation of the final product. Each of our activities and lessons will examine identity but
also what shaped our identity we will talk about different aspects of our lives that make us who we are consistently as we go
through this unit.
How will this unit engage students in assessing their own work?
As we complete different portions of the unit, I want to stress the importance of presenting the work the students have
created. I want to have portions of class time dedicated to displaying the work the students have created and giving feedback
on praise and criticism both as the teacher and the students as peers. This will give students opportunities to present their
final products and explain the rationale behind why they did what they did. This will allow them to assess their work along the
way through the process before ultimately partaking in peer criticism and praise as well as the final assessment by the
teacher. By displaying and presenting work throughout the unit, students will get constant feedback after each lesson before
the final assessment at the end.
What opportunities/activities will students be given to revise and improve their understandings and their work?
Because this unit is very personal and individualized for each student, its hard to be completely objective or have a student

Art Integration Unit Plan Template

do something wrong. However, if students arent meeting the objectives of things like participation, collaboration with
classmates or proper usage of things like adjectives, art standards, etc. then the student may be approached. For example, if a
student creates a self portrait and doesnt have a rationale or isnt successful in providing reasoning and evidence for why
they incorporated what they did, I will ask that they re-do it. The assignments and lessons in this unit shouldnt be hard or
challenging for students they do take time, but these are all tasks the students will be able to complete. There is no room
for I cant here because I know that all of my students will have vibrant personalities and I will be there to help and guide any
students that struggle, hopefully so that revisions wont be necessary. However, if they are, students will merely be asked to
redo them or spend more time on different parts with more teacher intervention where I can help them and ensure they have
the tools to succeed.
What opportunities/activities will you provide for students to share their learning/understanding/work in this unit?
Like aforementioned, students will have numerous opportunities for presentation and sharing their work. I believe that
assessment should be a process and not just at the end. For this reason, students should be constantly examining their work
and ensuring that it demonstrates understanding. I also want my students to take pride in their final product. By giving
students opportunities to present their work and the pieces they create, students are given a place to not only reinforce the
rationale theyve created but force them to really explain their reasoning in depth and detailed. This will also give all students
the opportunity to see different aspects of their classmates personalities that they might not have seen before, which helps
with the main idea of celebrating differences.
How will you adapt the various aspects of this lesson to differently-abled students?
How will you differentiate for your diverse classroom population? How will you keep students engaged? What will you do to challenge students who are
highly talented? What have you planned for those who finish early?
Because its almost inevitable to have a very diverse classroom, its important that I make my lesson adaptable to best fit my
class. I want to keep my students engaged and interested in what I do. If I notice a lesson isnt going as planned or the
students arent really catching on or understanding, I will actively find different ways of creating an activity with similar
objectives. For students who are highly talented, I want to have extension lessons available. One example would extended
research on a specific artist during the last lesson students could find details about the life of the artist to further understand
the meaning and purpose behind the self portraits. If students are struggling with certain topics, I will given them additional
resources for completing lessons. An example of this would be in the adjectives activity. If a student is struggling to define
themselves or their peers, I would provide them with a list of different adjectives they could use to get ideas from. Regardless

Art Integration Unit Plan Template

of the student, I want there to be options for students who are above average or below average when it comes to ability or
talent levels.

TEACHER REFLECTION: How will you know that this lesson is successful and meaningful? List indicators.
I know that learning was successful and meaningful when I see the final product produced my students accompanied by a rationale. I want to see that students
A) put in effort and completed the assignments, B) were able to take elements of previous lessons and integrate them into the final lesson, and C) give praise
and criticism to peers and evaluate others work as well as their own based on the standards and objectives I asked the students to complete.

References
Silverstein, L. B. & Layne, S. (n.d.). Defining arts integration. Retrieved from
http://www.americansforthearts.org/networks/arts_education/publications/special_publications/Defining%20Arts
%20Integration.pdf