A Group Unit Plan

By: Jenna Covington and Ethan Buck

Grade Level
Jenna Covington - Middle School 6-8 (90 minute class periods, 5 weeks)
Ethan Buck - High School 9-12 (55 minute class periods)
Goals/Rationale
Reflect on importance of imagination
Demonstrate how to show meaning through use of new materials
Experience bringing imagination to reality through original meaningful artwork
Employ critical thinking strategies while viewing art with the theme of imagination
Missouri GLEs (Middle School)
I.1.A.6th Use pencil or marker to draw a continuous line that describes an object from
observation
I.1.B.7th Use a variety of brush strokes to create various textures
I.1.B.8th Create a variety of colors, tints, and shades by mixing pigments
I.1.D.7th - Demonstrate the process used in one type of fiber arts
I.1.D.8th-Create a simple fiber art-work
I.2.A.7th-Create an in-the-round art-work by joining two or more surfaces using a
layering technique
II.1.D.6th-Identify and use real/actual texture
III.1.A.7th- Discuss and develop answers to questions about art: !hat is art? Should art
look real? Should art be beautiful?
Missouri GLEs (High School)
STRAND I:
Select and apply two-dimensional media, techniques, and processes to
communicate ideas and solve challenging visual art problems.
Select and apply three-dimensional media, techniques, and processes to
communicate ideas and solve challenging visual art problems.
Communicate ideas about subject matter and themes in artworks created for
various purposes.
Select and apply two dimensional media, technique and processes to
communicate ideas and solve challenging visual art problems.
STRAND II:
Select and use elements of art for their effect in communicating ideas through
artwork.
Select and use principles of art for their effect in communicating ideas through
artwork.
STRAND III:
Investigate the nature of art and discuss responses to artworks.
Analyze and evaluate art using art vocabulary.
STRAND IV:
Explain the connections between visual art and communication arts, math, science
or social studies.
STRAND V:
Compare and contrast artworks from different historical time periods and/or
cultures.

Artists: Jenna Covington

Lina Puerta
Derrick Hickman
Salvador Dali
Katrin Sigurdardottir
Niki de Saint Phalle
Dale Chihuly
Tristram Lansdowne
Laurent Gagnon
Artists: Ethan Buck
Shel Silverstein
Edward Gorey
Mitchell Grafton
Isabelle Plante
Enduring Ideas
Throughout time and across cultures people have imagined things from landscapes to life
forms.
Throughout time and across cultures everything humans have developed was first
imagined
Imagination is everything. It is the preview of coming attractions. Albert Einstein
Enduring Ideas (Middle School)
Imagination is the root of all creation.
Imagination is essential in the creation of original art making.
Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were, but without it we go
nowhere. Carl Sagan
Enduring Ideas (High School)
Imagination can lead to news ways of problem solving and thinking related to humanity
and civilization.
Imagination creates ideas like religion and morality.
Imagination can be used to recreate and manipulate the ideals we see as unchangable
Investigative Essential Questions
Why is it important to imagine?
How does imagination effect your everyday life?
How does imagination relate to culture?
How is imagination influenced by day to day interactions?
How can you express imagination through original artwork?
Investigative Essential Questions (Middle)
How can you portray imagination using a variety of materials?
How is imagination present in societies of the human-race?
How can we create new original ideas using our imagination?
How is imagination related to play?
What does an original imagined artwork look like?
Investigative Essential Questions (High School)
What defines imagination and is it limited?
In what ways can imagination manipulate our own mindset?
What colors/mediums express imagination as a whole?

 What ideas/traditions in our culture express imagination?

How does our world repress imagination?
Key Instructional Concepts
Imagination is the root of all creation.
Imagination is evident in art making.
Artists document imagination in art.
Imagination is essential in creating original art works
Imagination is has an important role in achieving success
Key Instructional Concepts (Middle)
Making imagination evident through artwork.
Using imagination to create new landscapes/life forms/plant life and corresponding
imaginative names for each.
Being inspired by imagination.
You can use your imagination to create new inventions, from people to worlds.
Finding evidence of imaginations in surroundings.
Key Instructional Concepts (High School)
Imagination has been used throughout history to develop culture.
Humans use imagination as a tool to create real and theoretical reasoning behind
existence
Many art movements and styles use imagination to express their current culture in a new
light
Imagination has no limits; completely new civilizations can be created in the mind and
expressed through art
Constraints
Time
Lack of creativity
Weather
Transportation
Budget
Technology
Materials
Exhibition Space
Wet Space
Cross-Curricular Correlations (Middle)
Science
Geography
Sociology
Botany
Agriculture
Social Studies
Architecture
Humanities
Cross Curricular Correlations (High School)
Computer art Photoshop/Illustrator
Social Studies
Sociology/psychology

 History
Agriculture
Religious Studies
Philosophy
Developmental Needs and Differentiation (Middle and High School)
Differentiation for grade levels and advancement of learning
School resources for students with different needs
Access to personalized learning
One on one time with students
Safe space
Opportunities (Middle)
Featured artists
Art Exemplars
Field trip to Botanical Gardens St Louis to further investigate artist Dale Chihuly
VTS
Opportunity to Critique their own artworks
Opportunity to respectfully critique others artworks
Open discussions
Outside exploration and scavenging materials
Opportunities (High School)
Open discussions
Opportunity to exhibit their work
Featured artists
Art Exemplars
Opportunity to explore mediums freely
Opportunity to create complete original ideas
Summative Unit Evaluation: (Middle School)
Summative
Ruberic
Written Reflections
Formative
Class Discussion
Individual Discussion
Proposals
Photos of process
Artist Journals/sketchbooks
Presentations/exhibition
Self-critiques and group critiques
Summative Unit Evaluation: (High School)

Formative
Sketch book updates brainstorming for bigger ideas
Student-teacher discussions
Small group discussion
Whole class discussion
Partner critiques
In class critique

 Artist statements
Social media updates Instagram (optional)
Informal process presentations
Student run exhibition
Summative
Rubric (no numbers)
Oral presentation of entire unit project
Unit Evaluation
Student learning will be evident through meaningful artwork.
Student learning will be evident through engagement in activities.
Student learning will be evident through manifestation of ideas.
Student learning will be evident through formative and summative assessment strategies.