Wayne Thiebaud Cakes

katie Mcewan

TITLE OF LESSON: Oil Pastel Wayne Thiebaud Cakes

GRADE LEVEL:

4th and 5th Grade

NUMBER OF CLASSES NEEDED: Three to Four Class of 45 Minutes

Periods

LESSON OVERVIEW:
This lesson is one of two in a Wayne Thiebaud Unit based upon baked goods.
Students will analyze Thiebaud's work before learning about the artist. They will be
asked to complete a worksheet while watching a video of Thiebaud's work, answering
questions such as what do you notice and what medium/materials did the art use in
creating their work. Students will then watch a video about the artist, again taking notes
on ideas that interest them. After watching both videos, there will be a brief discussion
about what the students thought about Thiebaud and his work. Students will then begin
practicing skills such as ellipses and gradient, preparing to create their final piece.
Students will be given freedom to create what kind of cake they make with the
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expectations that it take up the majority of the picture plane and show multiple gradients.

SECTION TWO:
DESIRED UNDERSTANDINGS:
1. Students will develop skills of creating gradient using one color.
2. Students will learn the concepts of ellipses and shadowing through the
investigation of Wayne Thiebaud's artwork.
3. Students will work towards developing skills of analyzing artwork through
investigating the work of Wayne Thiebaud.

SECTION THREE:
WHICH VISUAL ARTS CURRICULUM FRAMEWORKS DOES THIS LESSON
ADDRESS?
2.1

For color, explore and experiment with the use of color in dry and wet media
Identify primary and secondary colors and gradations of black, white and gray in the
environment and artwork

2.4

For shape and form, explore the use of shapes and forms in 2D and 3D works
Identify simple shapes of different sizes, for example, circles, squares, triangles, and forms,
for example, spheres, cones, cubes, in the environment and in artwork

5.3

Describe similarities and differences in works, and present personal responses to the subject
matter, materials, techniques, and use of design elements in artworks

EVIDENCE OF UNDERSTANDING AND LEARNING

1. Students will create a well crafted abstract 8 and x 11 image of a cake,
demonstrating knowledge of gradient.
2. Student will demonstrate knowledge of ellipses and creating a three-dimensional
form within their portfolios.
3. Students will participate fully in a class discussion and will be able to reflect and
respond upon their own processes.
4. Students will use materials appropriately and demonstrate behavior that meets
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classroom expectations.

SECTION FOUR:
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
1. What is Gradient?
2. Who is Wayne Thiebaud?
3. How does one create an image that looks three-dimensional with Gradient?

SECTION FIVE:
THE STEPS TO TEACHING THIS LESSON:
Day One:
Students will enter room and sit down, Instructor will pass out worksheet to material
managers pertaining to the new project. Worksheet will have several questions pertaining
to the new artist, Wayne Thiebaud.
(Three Minutes)
Instructor will play a video featuring the work of Thiebaud, no other information other
than his artwork will be shown. While video is playing, students will documenting what
they notice, what they find interesting and what material did the artist use in creating the
work on the worksheet given at the beginning.
(Eight Minutes) Once the video has been played
twice, Instructor will open a discussion with the class about what they noticed about the
work.
(Fifteen Minutes)
After discussion Instructor will play CBS Sunday Morning Video about Wayne Thiebaud.
(Ten Minutes)
The remainder of the class period will be spent discussing the video and the next step of
the lesson.

Wayne Thiebaud Cakes

katie Mcewan

Day Two:
Students will enter room and sit down, Instructor will pass out a worksheet to the material
managers. Worksheet will have two sections, one where students will demonstrate an
understanding of shadow and form.
Instructor will replay the video of Thiebaud's artwork, asking questions about the form
and techniques that the students notice about the work.
Instructor will demonstrate on the whiteboard how to create an ellipse in a simple way.
(Fifteen Minutes)
Students will spend the rest of the class period completing the worksheet, demonstrating
how to create a 3D cake and show shadow on the form. Students will be expected to
draw a minimum of four cakes on their worksheet. Students who finish early will be able
to begin their final piece on black construction paper.

(Twenty Five Minutes)

Five Minutes will be given to for students to clean up their workspaces.
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(Five Minutes)
Day Three:
Students will enter room and sit down, Instructor will review concepts covered in
previous class about form and shadow.
Instructor will then have students gather around a centralized table to demonstrate
gradient with oil pastels. While students are watching the demonstrating, the Instructor
will ask what students know about gradient.
Instructor will discuss how gradient is a gradual change in value, how an easy way to
remember gradient is to think of grade as in grade school, You wouldn't go from
Kindergarten right up to fourth grade, would you?.

(Ten Minutes)
Instructor will dismiss students to their seats to complete a practice gradient on a small
piece of black construction paper. Students will be expected to show their practice strip
before then begin adding oil pastels to their final.
This practice strip will be stapled into their portfolio.
Students will work for the remainder of the class period.
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(Thirty Minutes)
Five Minutes will be given to for students to clean up their workspaces.

(Five Minutes)
Day Four:
Students will enter room and sit down, Instructor will review gradient concept before
discussing student's making sure their cakes are in a space.
Instructor will demonstrate to students how when an object rests in space the edge of the
space is not in the forefront of the image.

(Seven Minutes)
Students will spend the rest of the period completing their cakes.

(Thirty Three Minutes)

Five Minutes will be given to for students to clean up their workspaces.

(Five Minutes)
EXTENSIONSStudents who finish early will create an additional piece in oil pastels of a dessert
of their choices on a smaller piece of black construction paper.

Wayne Thiebaud Cakes

katie Mcewan
INTRODUCTIONInstructor will play a video featuring the work of Thiebaud, no other information other
than his artwork will be shown. While video is playing, students will documenting what
they notice, what they find interesting and what material did the artist use in creating the
work on the worksheet given at the beginning.

DEMONSTRATION-

(Instructor's Exemplar)

Wayne Thiebaud Cakes

katie Mcewan
TEACHING ACTIVITIESVocabulary: Gradient, Shadow, Form,
Ellipse

Skills: Gradient of Values, Creating a 3D

form on a 2D surface, Creating space

Artist: Wayne Thiebaud

REFLECTION ACTIVITIESStudents will record their process within their portfolios and complete a rubric at
the end of lesson.

TEACHER REFLECTIONInstructor will review student's portfolios and complete a rubric to evaluate
student's understanding of lesson.
Instructor will display work within the school.

SPECIAL NEEDS CONSIDERATIONSGloves will be available for students with sensory considerations.
Materials will be read for students and scribed for students with academic considerations.

Wayne Thiebaud Cakes

katie Mcewan
ELL ESL CONSIDERATIONSFor worksheets that are writing based, Students will have the option to draw/illustrate the
concept they are referring.
Students will be paired in class to aid in supporting and mirroring concepts.

COMMUNITY BRIDGINGStudents will create an additional dessert of their choosing, a dessert that is their favorite.
Students will be asked at the beginning of the lesson to document what they found
interesting about the artist and what art makes them think of.

SPECIAL CONDITIONSDarkenable Room, Projector for Lessons and Connectivity to YouTube.

MATERIALS LIST:
Black Paper 8 1/2x Worksheets
11
Oil Pastels

White Pencil

Pencils

Projector

Rubric
Title of
Lesson:

Wayne
Thiebaud
Oil Pastel
Cake

Criterion of
Lesson
Behavioral

In addition to
student staying
on task, they
completed the

Student stayed
on task,
completed the
final work and

Student stayed
on task, but
needed
redirection and

Student had
difficulty staying
on task, was
consistently

Wayne Thiebaud Cakes

katie Mcewan
Student
stayed on
task,
completed the
final work and
participated in
classroom
discussion
and was
engaged in
working.

final work plus

additional work.
Actively
engaged and
participated in
classroom
discussion and
was engaged in
working.

participated in
classroom
discussion and
was engaged in
working.

support to
complete the
final work,
partial
participation in
classroom
discussion and
was engaged in
working.

talking
throughout
project without
working and did
not participated in
appropriately in
the class
discussion.

Mechanical
Skills

In addition to
demonstrating
an understanding
and producing a
well crafted
project, student
was able to aid
fellow students
in use of
materials.

Student
demonstrated an
understanding of
how to use
materials.
Student has fine
motor skills and
craftsmanship is
good.

Student
demonstrated
an occasional
understanding of
how to use
materials .
Student utilized
fine motor skills
inconsistently
and
craftsmanship is
adequate.

Student had
difficulty
demonstrating an
understanding of
how to use
materials. Student
had difficulty
with their fine
motor skills and
craftsmanship is
poor.

In addition to
student
demonstrating
an understanding
of key concepts
through
application and
completion of
project, student
made
connections to
real word
concepts and
demonstrated a
developed
understanding.

Student
demonstrated an
understanding of
key concepts
through
application and
completion of
project. Student
also
demonstrated
understanding
through written
assessments.

Student
demonstrated
some
understanding of
key concepts
through
application and
completion of
project. Student
also
demonstrated
some
understanding
through written
assessments.

Student had
difficulty
demonstrating an
understanding of
key concepts
through
application and
completion of
project. Student
had difficulty
demonstrating
understanding
through written
assessments.

Student
demonstrated
an
understanding
of how to use
materials.
Student has
fine motor
skills and
craftsmanship
is good.
Key
Concepts
Student
demonstrated
an
understanding
of key
concepts
through
application
and
completion of
project.
Student also
demonstrated
understanding
through
written

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assessments.

Final Grade:______________________

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