HELPING HANDS

Artwork of 10 year old student

Artwork of 13 year old student

HELPING HANDS

BIG IDEA
Throughout time and across cultures humans communicate ideas and express
emotions.
Grade/Class: 8th grade
Time Allotment: 3 sessions 40 min

OVERVIEW
Students will create a two-dimensional work of word art by combining an
observational drawing of their hand and text. The students will choose a helping
or positive word to include in their artwork and replace one of the letters in the
word with a drawing of their hand representing a letter in the American Sign
Language alphabet. The students will then use markers to color in the negative
spaces with different patterns and colors to fill in the background.

LESSON RATIONALE
Students will develop observational drawing skills by observing and rendering a line
drawing of the human hand. By incorporating it into a work of text art that conveys
a positive or helping word, the students will explore the power that words have to
help, heal and uplift the human spirit. Students will also recognize the role that
hands play in different cultures as form of expression and communication.
ARTWORKS, ARTISTS AND/OR ARTIFACTS
M.C. Escher: Hand with Reflecting Sphere - 1935 Lithograph
Drawing Hands, 1948, lithograph
American Sign Language Alphabet handout
Hands PowerPoint presentation
Hand Gestures around the World
http://editorial.designtaxi.com/news- handgestures200314/chart.jpg

KEY CONCEPTS
Humans around the world communicate with their hands in many ways.
People with hearing impairments use Sign Language to communicate with
others.
Drawing hands accurately requires keen observation.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
How do cultures communicate with their hands differently?
How can color and pattern affect the mood or feeling in an art work?
How do artists use patterns and textures to create works of art?
PA STATE AND NATIONAL STANDARDS
a. PA Standards for Arts & Humanities
9.1.8.A: Know and use the elements and principles of each art form to create
works in the arts and
humanities.
9.1.8.E: Communicate a unifying theme or point of view through the production
of works in the arts.
b. PA Standards for Other Disciplines
1.6.8.A: Listen critically and respond to others in small and large group
situations.
Respond with grade level appropriate questions, ideas, information, or opinions.
R8.A.2.1.2: Identify and/or apply meaning of content-specific words used in text.
c. National Standards for the Arts
VA:Cr2.3.8: Select, organize, and design images and words to make visually clear
and compelling
presentations.
VA:Cr3.1.8: Apply relevant criteria to examine, reflect on, and plan revisions for a
work of art or design
in progress.
OBJECTIVES, THE STUDENTS WILL

Knowledge:
Express the meaning of helping words by choosing colors that convey emotions
by creating texture and pattern in the negative spaces within the artwork.
Apply the elements and principles of visual art by using line, color and texture to
create an original two dimensional` work of art.
Skills:
Demonstrate skills and craftsmanship by involvement in a physical process of
drawing human hands and creating colorful patterns with markers.
Make connections between observation and realistic drawing by drawing their own
hand gestures.
Dispositions:
Recognize that observational drawing develops skills as an artist.
Recognize that hands are an integral part of communication.

ASSESSMENT
Pre Assessment:
Students will be assessed during their class discussions and during work periods as
they create their finished works of art. The teacher will be making notations of each
students participation and engagement in each session and it will be recorded as
part of their class participation grade for the lesson.
Formative:
The student will be assessed by the progress of their artwork at the end of each
class period. Students will be asked to save their practice drawings as evidence of
their skill building.
Summative:
Students finished drawings will be assessed on their completed artwork through a
rubric containing a rating system that evaluates their accomplishments as stated by
the objectives.

INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES

Day 1
Hook:
Students will engage in a short round of charades. One student will be given a word
prompt that the student will act out for the students in their group to guess. (2-5
minutes).
Development:
Students will be introduced to the drawing lesson and will be shown an exemplar.
The students will be asked to choose a word that is positive, uplifting or helping to
include in their art work. The students will be handed a chart displaying the
American Sign Language Alphabet. They will choose on letter from that alphabet to
draw in place of a letter in word. The students will be asked to gather around the
teacher at a table where the teacher will give a brief demonstration explaining how
two draw hands (5min). The students will be provided a 9x12 sheet of white paper.
Holding their paper in portrait position, the students will fold their paper in half,
bringing bottom corners to align with the top corners creating 4 drawing spaces.
The students will then be asked to practice drawing their hands in 4 different
positions on the paper, (two on the front and two on the back)to create their
drawing. They will observer their own hand as the model for their hand drawing, not
the alphabet handout. (30 minutes)
Close:
Students will be asked to gather at the center table with the teacher and will be
asked to share their practice drawings with the group. They will be asked to share
their personal difficulties drawing hands and the teacher will provide feedback how
to improve. The students who showed progress in drawing their hands will be asked
to share their process of looking and drawing hands so that the fellow students may
hear their process in peer language. Teacher will share final thoughts. (5minutes)
Day 2
Hook:
Students will be greeted by the teacher with a hand gestures to get them to be
seated and quiet. The intent is to show that hand gestures are a part of out
communication in order to convey a message. On the smart board, a slide show
about hand gestures around the world will be ready for students to view. The
teacher will present the slide show to the students. (5 minutes)
Development:
The students will begin the final artwork and continue to work during the class
period. (30 minutes)

Close:
Students will be asked to cleanup and reminded that they will have one more class
period to work on their project. Students may take their project home with them if
they feel as if they need more time to complete their work by the end of next
period. Teacher will share final thoughts. (5 minutes).
Day 3
Hook:
Students will be greeted by the teacher upon arrival via a handshake. Once seated,
the students will be given a brief presentation regarding the importance of the
handshake in American culture. The students will then practice their handshake
again with the students at their table. (5 minutes)
Development:
Students will finish their work of art during class. (25 minutes)
Close:
At the end of 25 minutes, the students will be asked to display their artwork on the
display board for a brief critique and discussion. Students will be encouraged to
discuss their works as well as the works of others. After the critique, the teacher
will collect their works to be graded. Upon dismissal, the teacher will shake the
hands of the students on their way out of the room.

PREPARATION
Teacher Research and Preparation:
Teacher will prepare exemplar.
Teacher will provide copies of the American Sign Language Alphabet for each
table.
The teacher will create word cards for Charades.
The teacher will prepare a PowerPoint presentation about hands
INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES
American Sign Language Alphabet

PowerPoint presentation
http://editorial.designtaxi.com/news- handgestures200314/chart.jpg

STUDENT SUPPLIES
Charade Word Prompts
12x 16 and 9x12 white paper
Pencils, Markers and Colored Pencils
Ruler

CHARADES WORD PROMPTS

Knitting
Typing
Dealing Cards
Spider Web
Playing the Drums
Smores
Rollercoaster

POWERPOINT IMAGES

HANDOUTS

EXEMPLARS

HAND GESTURES AROUND THE WORLD IMAGES FOR POWERPOINT

RUBRIC FOR HELPING HANDS ARTWORK

NAME/SECTION:_______________________

Hands
gestures
were drawn
with
realistic
proportions.
Student
expressed
emotions
by choosing
colors that
interpret
meanings.
Student
used
texture and
pattern in
the
negative
spaces.
Student
develops
skills at
drawing
hands.
Student
participates
in class
exercises
and
critique.

Outstanding
5
Shows
superior
understandi
ng of
Proportions

Good 4

Average 3

Fair 2

Poor/Incomplet
e1
Shows little or
no
understanding
of proportions.
Incomplete
work.
Shows little or
no originality
and no
imaginative
interpretation.
Incomplete
work.

Shows solid
understandi
ng of
proportions.

Shows
adequate
understandi
ng of
proportions.

Shows
some
understandi
ng of
proportions.

Shows
superior
originality
and
superior
imaginative
interpretati
on.
Shows
superior
use of
texture and
pattern.

Shows
excellent
originality
and
excellent
imaginative
interpretati
on.
Shows
excellent
use of
texture and
pattern.

Shows
adequate
originality
and good
imaginative
interpretati
on.

Shows
some
originality
and some
imaginative
interpretati
on.

Shows
adequate
use texture
and
pattern.

Shows
some use
of texture
and
pattern.

Shows little or
no use of
texture and
pattern.

Shows
superior
improveme
nt in skills.

Shows
excellent
improveme
nt in skills.

Shows
adequate
improveme
nt in skills.

Shows
some
improveme
nt in skills.

Superior
participatio
n.

Excellent
participatio
n.

Good
participatio
n.

Some
participatio
n.

Shows little or
no
improvement in
skills.
Incomplete
work.
Little or no
participation.
Disrespectful to
peers and/or
teacher.

Total:
Practice drawings complete? Yes/2 points____________ No/0 points____________

Comments:_________________________________________________________________________
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GRADE:
STUDENT WORK

13 year old student at work and final artwork.