THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX

ILLUMINATED PIZZA BOX SILHOUETTES

By: Melissa Guarino

Big idea: Throughout time and across cultures, humans reuse and repurpose items
to create new objects and works of art.
Ceramics and Crafts Grades 9-12
4 sessions 80 minutes
OVERVIEW
Students will create an illuminated silhouette based upon a pattern or texture found
in nature. The students will create their work of art using a 16 pizza box. The
students will convert an image they found by simplifying their image into a black
and white design. The student will crop their image into a square format and
transfer their image onto the bottom of a 16 pizza box. The students will cut out
the negative spaces with an Xacto knife revealing a silhouette. The box will be
painted white on the inside of the box and black on the outside of the box using
tempera or acrylic paints. The finished artwork will be illuminated from the inside of
the box using two battery operated LED lights which will be randomly chosen by the
students. The finished silhouettes will create a mural sized artwork that aims to
build collaborative skills amongst the students.

LESSON RATIONALE

Students will develop awareness of how ordinary items that may have been
discarded, can be re imagined and reused to create a new purpose. They will
exercise their analytical skills as well as crafting skills as they design their light box.
They will develop their fine motor skills by cutting out their silhouettes using an
Xacto knife. They will make design choices as they convert their images into
simplified black and white designs of textures and patterns. They will learn
collaboration skills as they work together to create a mural sized work of art.
KEY CONCEPTS
Reusing items to create new objects is good for the environment.
Humans can find new uses for outdated or obsolete items.
Art can be made by recycled objects.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Why do we recycle?
How can we use items intended for other purposes for new uses?
How can we reuse items to create crafts or works of art?
How can artists collaborate to create works of art?
PA STATE AND NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR THE ARTS
A.

PA Standards for Arts and Humanities

9.1.8.A: Know and use the elements and principles of each art form to create works
in the arts
and humanities.
Elements: Color, form/shape, line, space, texture ,value
Principles: Balance, contrast, emphasis/focal point, movement/rhythm
proportion/scale, repetition, unity/harmony
9.1.8.B: Recognize, know, use and demonstrate a variety of appropriate arts
elements and
principles to produce, review and revise original works in the arts.
Visual Arts: paint, draw, craft, sculpt, print, design for environment,
communication, multi-media

9.1.8.E: Communicate a unifying theme or point of view through the production of

works in the
arts.
9.2.12.C: Relate works in the arts to varying styles and genre and to the periods in
which they were
created (e.g., Bronze Age, Ming Dynasty, Renaissance, Classical, Modern,
Post-Modern,
Contemporary, Futuristic, others).
B.

National Standards for the Arts:

VA:Cr1.1.8a: Document early stages of the creative process visually and/or verbally
in
traditional or new media
VA:Cr2.1.8a: Demonstrate willingness to experiment, innovate and take risks to
pursue ideas,
forms, and meanings that emerging in the process of art making or
designing.
VA:Cr2.2.Ia: Explain how traditional and non-traditional materials may impact
human health and the
environment and demonstrate safe handling of materials, tools, and
equipment.
OBJECTIVES, THE STUDENTS WILL
Knowledge:
Learn how to simplify an image by converting it to a black and white design using
computer software, smartphone camera software, or Pixlr.com
Explore the patterns and textures created by nature by searching images and
choosing an image to manipulate for their design.
Skills:
Create an upcycled decorative craft object by reusing pizza boxes and LED finger
lights to create an illuminated silhouette.
Develop stylization and design skills by manipulating an image into a black and
white design.

Practice fine motor skills and attention to detail by carefully cutting out their design
using Xacto knives.
Dispositions:
Recognize that anyone can reuse objects to create new useful items by recycling old
or outdated materials and technology.
Be aware that almost anything can be reused by creatively thinking about new
purposes.
ASSESSMENT
Pre Assessment:
Students will be assessed by their involvement in discussing their design plans with
the teacher individually.
Formative:
Students will be assessed upon their printout of the original image and their
manipulation of the image. The image should be manipulated and simplified into a
black and white design.
Summative:
The finished pizza box silhouette will count as evidence of a completed work of art.
The pizza box silhouette will be assessed by a rubric containing a rating system that
evaluates how well the student converted an image into a linear black and white
design, the quality of the cutting out the design, the application of the paint, and
the overall aesthetic quality of their design. The students will be given a short selfassessment at the conclusion of the lesson to evaluate their performance and their
collaborative involvement in arranging the silhouettes to create the mural.

INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES
Day 1
Hook:
The students will enter the room and be seated at their tables. Once they are
seated, a cloth bag containing the LED lights will be passed around the room with
the students instructed to pick two each. Let the students know to not turn on the
lights until prompted. The students will have one sheet of White paper at the center
of the table. When prompted, the students will turn their lights for a moment and
shine the lights on the paper. Many students will get two different colors of lights.
With one light in each hand, they will be asked to cross the light beams to mix the

colors on the white paper. The students will be asked to imagine something in
nature that is contains their colors. The teacher will engage them in dialog
regarding their initial thoughts. The teacher will show the students a plain pizza box
and ask the students what they think they could make with a pizza box and LED
lights. Collect the lights until the end of the lesson. (15 minutes)
Development:
The teacher will reveal the exemplar showing what a finished pizza box will look like.
The teacher will explain to the students that the finished artwork will be a mural
consisting all the students works. The teacher will explain the process of finding
images using their smartphone, Google search and uploading the images to their
google drives to be manipulated using PIxlr.com, or their smartphone software to
simplify the image into a black and white linear design. (10 minutes)
The students will have the remaining class time to research their image, convert it
into a black and white image, crop it to a square format and to upload it to their
Google drive for print out. The students will also be asked to print out the original
image (45 minutes)
Close:
The students will be asked if they have any questions or concerns regarding the
image or the manipulation of the image. They will be reminded that they will need
to have their design ready for the next class.
Day 2
Hook:
The students will enter the room and be seated to have a stack of unassembled
pizza boxes on each table. Once seated, the students will assemble their pizza
boxes, inside out. The teacher will not give instructions on how to assemble the
boxes (except that it must be inside out) unless there are students requiring
assistance. (5 minutes)
Development:
After the students assemble their boxes, the teacher will show the students how to
transfer their images to the back side of the pizza box. The students may use the
grid technique or may draw their image depending on their skill level. Once the
image is drawn using pencil, the student will then draw over their pencil marks with
a black Sharpie marker. The teacher will make sure that all the lines are connected
and thick enough before the student cuts out the negative shapes. (70 minutes)
Close:

The students will be asked if they have any questions or concerns regarding the
transfer of image. They will be reminded that they will need to have their design
transferred on the pizza box for the next class. Students will place their assembled
pizza boxes in stacks according to class.
Day 3
Hook:
Students will enter the room and retrieve their pizza box. The teacher will
demonstrate how to cut out their designs using an Xacto knife. The teacher will
demonstrate how to paint the box interior and exterior. (10 minutes)

Development:
Students will use the remaining length of class to cut out their pizza boxes and paint
the interior and exterior of their boxes. The students should be finished with their
artworks by the end of class. (65 minutes)

Close:
The Students will be asked to clean up their cut pieces of cardboard and return their
Xacto knife to the teachers desk so that all knives can be accounted for. Students
will be asked to clean up their paints Students will be reminded that the next class
will be the day that the students will assemble their mural.
Day 4
Hook:
The students will enter the room to see a box with the LED lights. The students will
be able to pick their two lights from the box and the students will be shown how to
attach their lights to the inside of the box. The students will tape the original
image on the back of their pizza box and sign their work as well as their period
number. (5minutes)
Development:
Once the students have their lights attached, they will turn them on, and each table
will be called one at a time to add their lighted box to the designated place. The
mural will start to grow and glow! Once the mural is assembled, the teacher will
take a picture of the finished work and the students will be able to take pictures of

the murals to post to the schools social media pages. The students will have a
chance to rearrange the mural. (30 minutes)
Close:
Pizza Party! School permitting. If the class is before a pizza shop can deliver, have
a doughnut party or other themed party. (45 minutes)

SUPPLIES
16 pizza boxes
Black Sharpie Markers
Xacto Knife/ blades
Black Tempera/acrylic paint
White tempera/acrylic paint
Paint brushes
LED finger lights
Pencils
Mounting squares
Hole punch
Printer
Digital camera/ smartphone/ computer

RUBRIC FOR THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX

Outstandin
g

Created
original
black and
white
design or
converted
Photographi
c image
from nature
into a black
and white
design. 10
points
Image was
cut out with
care and
attention to
detail. No
ragged
edges.
20 points
Paint was
applied

Good

Proficient

Needs
Improveme
nt

Unacceptable/Incom
plete

evenly with
no streaks
or thin
spots.
10 points
Overall
design of
the pizza
box
silhouette
shows
thoughtful
design
considerati
ons
That relates
to nature
theme and
color of LED
Lights
10 points
Original image is taped onto the back of the pizza box. Yes_______
No________-2 points
Design shows manipulation of original image from internet. Yes_________
No________-3points

GRADE:_____/ 50
PTS