Professional Documents
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About Faces
A look at Technology in the Art Classroom
Laura Buscemi
ISTC 541
Towson University
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ABOUT FACES
The art world is used to seeing its fair share of innovators, pioneers, and individuals
lining up to break molds and boundaries. What is deemed weird by some is reveled in by the
artist. In the classroom, however, art teachers across grade levels seem to reject the new ideas
and innovations of technology, sticking willfully to old lesson plans and methods. Often, art
educators think that introducing technology means the elimination of traditional, pencil and
paper art materials. Through understanding the integration between traditional content,
technology, and student engagement, art teachers will be able to deliver meaningful, fresh
In my own classroom, I decided to target my portrait lesson for a bit of a modern revamp.
Students were typically successful during this unit, but by the end, they could draw a face and
that’s where everything ended. I decided my students needed more time interacting, and
understanding why they should look at and draw the human face. We were able to talk openly
about our differences (I showed off my not so symmetrical ears) and discuss how they are
important to who we are. Students were able to create connections between facial expressions,
and the way in which they could change the meaning of the words a person speaks. How were
we able to do this, and still cover curriculum? Technology of course. And you can bet the
students were able to come up with more authentic, meaningful portraits in the end.
My class is made up of a wide variety of students, with some coming from the affluent
neighborhood on the hill, and others from the section 8 housing by the train tracks. There are 24
7th grade students, 10 boys and 12 girls. The students themselves have a wide variety of learning
demonstration, and active practice and creation. I will allow my students who prefer shorter steps
an opportunity to work along with me while I demonstrate with the document camera, and those
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ABOUT FACES
who wish to move on their own to extend their work through the use of Movie Maker and
YouTube.
I personally learn through exploration and discover, and feel is most beneficial to my
content area, my lessons are taught in such a manner as to encourage these activities.
Collaboration, exploration, and creativity are two of the most important skills I teach, and the
freedom of the constructivist style allows me to encourage growth in these areas. Learning
through a real world application of knowledge is the best way to accomplish work with the art
constructivist theory to my teaching, TPACK also played a great role in the development of this
lesson. I needed to insure that the entire framework, technology, pedagogy, and content
knowledge, were equally incorporated into this lesson. Without the full framework, teachers run
the risk of substituting quality content instruction for flashy visuals with no real deeper learning.
The technology incorporated into this lesson extends and enhances the content area knowledge,
Throughout the unit, various forms of technology are used and revisited. First, a
Promethean Document Camera will be used to demonstrate techniques to students. The camera
has the unique quality of recording videos, which are later edited in Movie Maker and uploaded
to YouTube for later student reference. Throughout the unit, students will interact with each
other on a website called Padlet, a teacher run area where students can freely post their work,
offer advice to other students, and celebrate their accomplishments. Padlet also allows students a
visual documentation of their progress throughout the unit, both for their own records and as a
formative assessment. At the end of the project, students will use their devices to post their final
project, along with their artist statement, to a Weebly website blog for final assessment.
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Unit Goal:
Students will be able to create artwork conveying a knowledge of correct facial proportion,
and an understanding of the interaction between facial expressions, emotions, and words.
Lesson Students will be given a blank sheet of paper and a final project rubric. Students will then be
instructed to draw a portrait. This pre-test will effectively assess understanding of vocabulary, both
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through the creation of the portrait and the correct understanding of the rubric. The test will also
assess initial skill, allowing the teacher to focus on specific concepts dealing with proportion later
in the lesson.
1.1 b. Compose, render, and describe observed subject matter that shows 3-dimensional form, light and
shadow, qualities of surface texture, detail, spatial relationships, and proportion
Lesson Students will begin class by defining facial proportion. Students will then work together at their
tables to determine which portrait is the closest match to a human face. One member from each
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table will share the portrait, and what makes it correct. Teacher will then hand out proportion guide
sheets, and begin to demonstrate on the document camera generic proportion guidelines. Students
who wish to follow step by step may, and students who wish to move along will continue at their
own pace.
1.1 b. Compose, render, and describe observed subject matter that shows 3-dimensional form, light and
shadow, qualities of surface texture, detail, spatial relationships, and proportion
Lesson Students will continue to work on sketch from Day 2. The demonstration from Day 2 will be
available to access on YouTube through the teacher’s channel. Students wishing to view the
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demonstration again may access the video at will on their tablets. Teacher will rotate through the
room to aid students, and address concerns using the document camera if necessary to the group.
1.1 b. Compose, render, and describe observed subject matter that shows 3-dimensional form, light and
shadow, qualities of surface texture, detail, spatial relationships, and proportion
Lesson Teacher will lead class in a discussion of Roy Lichtenstein’s work, and through exemplar artwork,
elicit an understanding of how facial expression changes to express thoughts and feelings. Students
will look at the work they finished during Day 3 to determine their characters mood/feelings (most
characters will be expressionless at this point.) The students will then be instructed to select a quote
from popular culture that their final Pop Art character will be saying. Students will have safe access
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ABOUT FACES
on their tablets to search song lyrics, celebrity, movie, and book quotes for ideas. After selecting
quotes students will change the facial expression of their original character to match their quote.
Lesson Teacher will begin class with a demonstration of basic facial expressions, and how to incorporate a
quote into their image. Students will be provided with links to videos and tutorials showing a
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variety of facial expressions, and encouraged to use their tablets to take pictures of themselves
making a facial expression for reference. Students will save images/reference links to their folders
on their tablets. Students can choose to use the character they sketched and modified as reference
for final, or change their character if it will impact their quote.
Lesson Students will view selected ‘bad lip reading’ videos as motivation to start class, and to begin a
discussion (the makers of the video needed to really look at facial expressions to create funny
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dialogue). Students will begin final copy of their Pop Art inspired portrait using the images they
have created or downloaded in the previous 5 days. Students will be able to continue to reference
demo videos, tutorial worksheets, other students and the teacher for help. Each student will post
their progress to a Padlet board for review at the beginning of the next class. Any student who was
unable to upload will do so at home before the next class.
Lesson Students will view the Padlet from the previous day, and respond to at least two other students
work. Students will view advice from their peers, and continue to draw/ink their final copies. At the
end of the day, students will post to the ‘Day 2 Final’ board for review the following day.
7 3.1 b. Select and use a variety of tools, materials, processes, and techniques safely to solve specific
visual problems
3.1 c. Create visual images or forms from observation, memory, and imagination to communicate
ideas and personal meaning with attention to form, light and shadow, qualities of surface
texture, detail, and spatial relationships
4.2 b. Communicate personal responses to artworks using self-generated criteria
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ABOUT FACES
Lesson Students will begin class by viewing and critiquing their classmates’ artwork. Students will add
ink/color to their final copies. At the end of the day, students will post to the ‘Day 3 Final’ board
for review the following day.
8 3.1 b. Select and use a variety of tools, materials, processes, and techniques safely to solve specific
visual problems
3.1 c. Create visual images or forms from observation, memory, and imagination to communicate
ideas and personal meaning with attention to form, light and shadow, qualities of surface
texture, detail, and spatial relationships
4.2 b. Communicate personal responses to artworks using self-generated criteria
Lesson
Students will finish their artwork. All artwork will be posted to the individual students Weebly blog
along with an artist’s statement. Students will develop a set of criteria with which to assess each
9 other’s, as well as their own, artwork. They will use this criteria to view each other’s work, and
critique accordingly. Those that are able to critique at least two pieces will do so during class, and
anyone who does not finish will do so for homework.
3.3 a. Describe the developmental processes – strategies, techniques, and resources – used to
generate and organize ideas to solve visual problems
4.2 b. Communicate personal responses to artworks using self-generated criteria
4.2 c. Establish and apply a set of criteria to for assessing personal artworks
Lesson 4 Plan
Materials:
PowerPoint Presentation
Demonstration Videos
Facial Expression Handouts
Facial Proportion Handouts
Personal Devices or School Provided Tablets
Drawing Pencils
Drawing Paper
Erasers
Rulers
Lesson objective(s):
Students will use their understanding of the importance of facial expression to begin to complete a
final copy of their Pop Art inspired portraits.
ENGAGEMENT
Teacher will lead class in a discussion of Roy Lichtenstein’s work, and through exemplar artwork,
elicit an understanding of how facial expression changes to express thoughts and feelings. Students
will look at Lichtenstein’s artwork that contains the real quote, and one that doesn’t make sense in
the context of the image, or with the expression of the character.
EXPLORATION
Students will look at the work they finished during Day 3 to determine their characters
mood/feelings (most characters will be expressionless at this point.) Students will discuss at their
tables how they think they could change their characters facial expression to express different
moods. The students will then be instructed to select a quote from popular culture that their final Pop
Art character will be saying. Students will have safe access on their tablets to search song lyrics,
celebrity, movie, and book quotes for ideas. For students wishing for easy access to quotes, there
will be quotes listed on the classes Weebly Page for easy access.
EXPLANATION
After having a quote idea in mind, students will re-visit the ways they discussed to change facial
expression. Teacher will lead a demonstration in changing features to address a variety of emotional
states.
ELABORATION
Students will select a quote, and either change their original character sketch, or create a new one to
match the emotion in the quote they have picked.
EVALUATION
Students will swap images with students at another table. The students will need to guess the
emotion the character is feeling by looking at their facial expression. This will allow students to
engage with each other, recognize expressions in their peers work, and receive feedback on their
own.
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ABOUT FACES
Lesson 6 Plan
Materials:
PowerPoint Presentation
YouTube Video
Facial Expression Handouts
Facial Proportion Handouts
Personal Devices or School Provided Tablets
Drawing Pencils
Drawing Paper
Erasers
Rulers
Lesson objective(s):
Students will use their understanding of the importance of facial expression to begin to complete a
final copy of their Pop Art inspired portraits.
ENGAGEMENT
Students will view selected ‘bad lip reading’ videos as motivation to start class, and to begin a
discussion (the makers of the video needed to really look at facial expressions to create funny
dialogue). Students will discuss the importance of understanding facial expressions when creating
effective work, and when making sense of conversations.
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ABOUT FACES
EXPLORATION
Students will begin final copy of their Pop Art inspired portrait using the images they have created
and downloaded in the previous 5 days. Students will be able to continue to reference demo videos,
tutorial worksheets, other students and the teacher for help and feedback.
EXPLANATION
Student understanding of previously learned concepts is important to the understanding of the
creation of their final piece. Facial Proportion, detail creation and an understanding of the steps to
creating a face have already been explained.
The connection between facial expressions, moods and words have also previously been discussed.
This concept will also be discussed as to promote a positive understanding during the process of
completing their final copy artwork.
ELABORATION
Since each student has already learned the concepts of facial proportion, the creation of facial
features and the importance of facial expression, each student will now be applying this knowledge
without the direct instruction of the teacher. Students will have many resources with which to review
and aid them in this creation, but the creative control is theirs. The application of their understanding
of previously learned concepts is a great way to engage, and allow the students to take personal
control over what they choose to create.
EVALUATION
Each student will use their portable communication device, either personal or school provided, to
photograph and post their progress to a Padlet board. This Padlet board will function as an indicator
of progress on their first day of working on their final copy artwork. Students will be asked to
provide feedback to at least two peers, which can be done for homework or during the first 5
minutes of class.
The lesson plans above were designed using the 5E method. Since both plans are for
lessons mid-way through the unit, students have already developed a level of understanding that
needed to be expanded upon and reinforced through both peer and teacher interaction. This unit,
as well as lesson plans, were developed using Backward Design. I knew what I wanted students
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to be able to accomplish and understand by the end of each class, and based my instruction from
that point. By designing with the results in mind first, I was able to build learning experiences
that continuously reach towards that goal. I was also concerned with making sure my technology
provided meaningful steps to meeting my learning goals. I find the integration of technology
important to consider as one embarks on creating technology rich lessons. Too often technology
projects and put into place with little to no curricular connection. TPACK stresses the connection
Within the art classroom, technology should flow seamlessly into the day to day routine
of student progress. In no way should technological content replace the importance of creating
artwork by hand using traditional materials. My unit was designed to integrate technology in a
way students were free to access and understand, but not lose time creating. Through using
technology to record and plan review materials, engage and inspire students to learn, and to
promote an artistic community, students leave the class with an experience rich in traditional
artistic understanding and technological innovation. Technology use should feel so natural that
students do not feel bombarded with useless tech, but develop an understanding that, when used
References
Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction (3rd Ed.). Boston: Allyn and
Bacon. (ISBN: 0205375197)