High school Lesson plans

Collage into Zine

In this 2 day lesson plan students will explore the concept of media and communication through an excerpt of Marshall McLuhan's "The Medium is the Massage." Students will create their own zines, by creating a collage that reflects the impact of various media on society and personal expression. Students will not know their collage will become a zine until the collage is completed. Through this project, students will gain a deeper understanding of how media influences culture and individual identity and how images connect with the message.

portrait

In this collaborative lesson students will think about how has/ will their past, present and future affect them. Students will partner up and make portraits of each other. One will be the photographer and one will be the model. The model will choose 3 exaggerated facial expressions, poses that best represent their past, present and future.The photographer will compose 3 different compositions that will help reiterate the models narrative of past, present and future. Students will then switch with their partner so they each get a chance to photograph one another. Students will then record their reasoning on why each pose/expression/composition represents their past/present/future By the end of the class students will present their portraits in a 2 min presentation with the accompanying writing prompt.

Jeff koons’ balloon dog

Students will explore the whimsical and playful world of sculpture through the inspiration of Jeff Koons' iconic Balloon Dog. They will learn about Pop Art and how to form their own balloon animal, apply plaster tape to their balloon animal, and surface treatment by painting their plaster sculpture with metallic acrylic paint. By the end, students will have created their own balloon animal sculptures inspired by Jeff Koons and have a better understanding of the world of Pop Art.

site specific maquette sculpture

In this engaging project, students will embark on a captivating journey into the realm of site-specific sculpture, where they will unleash their creativity and ingenuity to craft maquettes - intricate small-scale models - envisioned for specific locations. Guided by a structured curriculum, students will delve into the multifaceted aspects of sculpture, from meticulous research to imaginative brainstorming sessions. They will learn to harness the power of design principles and spatial awareness as they meticulously plan and sketch their concepts, ensuring harmony between their sculptures and their designated sites. Through hands-on construction, students will breathe life into their designs, honing their craftsmanship and problem-solving skills along the way. By the project's end, students will not only have created tangible works of art but will also have gained a profound understanding of the symbiotic relationship between art and environment, unlocking new dimensions of creativity and expression.

Photo Unit

Students will explore self-expression through photography by creating a visual representation of aspects that define themselves by creating 10 different images. Students will start by filling out a brainstorming worksheet that will be possible ideas to photograph what defines them. Students will also research 10 other artists that inspire them and make a list they are interested in as a sketchbook activity. Once they have started to research artists, students will make 10 photographs to create a body of work that begins to define them. Students will then learn basic photographic editing skills on pixlr.com (free photoshop online). After the photos have been edited students will then write an artist statement about their five favorite photos that makes a body of work. Students will present their five photographs and artist statement for their classmates to view during a peer review.  After the peer review students will then choose a favorite photo to invert and make into a digital negative. Those photos will be printed on transparency paper and we will sun prints with them. Students will be practicing their sun prints by making photograms first with cyanotype paper.