Group Art Project Lesson Plan

Karp/Koi Fish Flags- Inspired by the Traditional Flags used in Japans Childrens Day
Teachers Names: Sydney Fossing, Barbara Dinkins, Reilly Burlingame, Olivia Gibney
Art lesson Title: Carp/ Koi fish Kites- Inspired by those made on the traditional Japans
children's day
Grade/age Level: 5th grade
Rationale/Goals:
We are teaching this to expose students to Japanese culture as some of the students in the
class may have not been exposed to this culture before. This is important because it is
important for students to make a connections with other cultures around the world and
compare it with their own. Specifically, students will learn about Japans Childrens day
and traditions that are held. It is important for students to explore this topic because it is
teaching them to be more open and world minded. Students may come across people that
may celebrate this day and Japanese culture, this project will allow students to connect
with them. This project will allow students to form connections with the Japanese culture
to their own culture through art.
Standards/Objectives/Assessments: Inspired by the Japanese koi fish flags
STANDARDS*

OBJECTIVES**

ASSESSMENTS***

Grade 5 Visual Arts

Standard 4: The
student will
understand the visual
arts in relation to
history and world
cultures and the
technologies, tools,
and materials used by
artists.

Students will be able to

demonstrate their
understanding of some
Japanese artistic cultural
traditions and express
their own artistic
representation by
creating a flag inspired
by the Japanese koi fish
flags.

Students will be assessed on the

overall outcome of their flag, and
if they followed instruction. Their
flag will not have to look exactly
like the sample flag but should
have a rough resemblance.
Students will also discuss in
groups what they learned; they
will then share with the class
what they thought was the most
interesting fact they learned from
the production of the flag and
how the flag is representative of
Japanese art culture.

Students will be able to

create a koi fish flag by
using a variety of
materials such as water
colors, colored paper,

The completion of the koi fish

flag will be used as an
assessment.

VA5-4.1 Identify
specific artworks and
styles as belonging to
particular artists,
cultures, periods, and
places.
Grade 5 Visual Arts
Standard 1: The
student will
demonstrate
competence in the use

of ideas, materials,
techniques, and
processes in the
creation of works of
visual art.

tissue paper, markers,

string, scissors, crayons,
hole punch, stapler, tape,
and glue.

VA5-1.3 Use a variety

of materials,
techniques, and
processes to create
artworks.
Standard 6-3: The
student will
demonstrate an
understanding of
changing political,
social, and economic
cultures in Asia.
6-3.2 Summarize the
major contributions of
the Japanese
civilization, including
the Japanese feudal
system, the Shinto
traditions, and works
of art and literature.

Students will be able to

make connections
between Japanese
cultures and their own.

This will also be assessed during

the group discussion period.
Students will relate to festivals in
the students area. They will also
relate to aspects from each
students own culture. Students
may also use inspiration from
their own younger childhood and
memories they may have had.

Assessment strategies:
Ideally for a formal assessment we would have students write a paragraph on what they
learned about Japans Childrens day, a short discussion on the lesson as a whole, and
how places in the US celebrate or do not celebrate children.. In this case we will assess
students informally by having a class discussion. The discussion will allow us to see how
much the students have learned and what they took away from the lesson. A formal
assessment is the artwork the student created. Then there will be an informal assessment
as students will share their kites with the tables they are working at and explain why they
created their Koi fish in the way that they did. We will be able to assess if they followed
directions and how each student used their own unique style of art and creativity to make
the koi fish flag.
Key Concepts:
Carp- A freshwater fish of Europe and Asia that is frequently bred in ponds and lakes.
Kite- A light structure or framework that is covered with cloth, plastic, or paper,and is
designed to be flown in the air/wind at the end of a long string.

Kodomo no hi- Japanese Children's Day; May 5 holiday that once only celebrated young
boys but now honors all children.
Koi- Bright-colored carp of Japan and Eastern Asia.
Koinobori- Japanese word for Carp kites; traditionally flown in Japan to celebrate
Children's Day; made by drawing carp patterns on paper, cloth, or other non-woven fabric
and then allowed to flutter in the wind; also known as satuski-nobori.
Lesson Sequence:
For this lesson we will be using visual arts to have students explore an aspect of Japanese
culture.
1. Welcome/Warm up
Pass around a ball and ask students their name and what aquatic animal they
would like to be any why. Students will also share their favorite childhood memory to
allow students to reflect on their own childhood and pull inspiration from this to create
their koi fish flags. This will also allow students and the teachers to gain trust and get to
know each other as the teachers will participate in the warm up activity as well.
2.

Concept

For this we will use a powerpoint presentation with pictures to inform the kids
of this information before they start their activity.
o Carp/ Koi fish Kites- Japans children's day
o Exposing students to new and different cultures
o Teaching students to be more open-minded
3. Exploration time
o Discuss the history of Japans Childrens day
o Ask students to relate the traditions of Japans Childrens day to traditions
of the US. For example, students may have been to festivals that resemble
the festivals held during Childrens day
o Ask students how the United States and other countries celebrate or do not
celebrate children.
4. Composition time
o Students will be given a piece of construction paper that has already been
drawn and cut by the teacher into the proper shape of the fish.
To create the shape of the fish, trace the shape (shown below) onto
a large sheet of construction paper (approximately 11x 17)
Carefully cut along the traced outline and throw away the scraps
Fold the shape in half lengthwise
Draw two large circles at the top of the vase shape of the fish, these
are the eyes of the fish
Students may place googly eyes on top of the circles or color them
in turning them into eyes.
Draw a horizontal line across the top of the fish about an inch
below where the eyes were drawn

Draw scales on the fish below the horizontal line by making U

shapes
Decorate the scales using different materials (tissue paper,
construction paper, colored pencils, markers, gel pens, glitter glue
etc.) and using lots of colors to make your fish stand out. Students
can pick colors that they feel best represent their childhood
memory that they shared in the warm up activity.
Cut different strips of tissue paper and glue them to the back of the
fish at the bottom of the vase shape
When done, refold the fish in half
Using the hole punch, punch a hole on the folded fish shape below
the eyes and close to the fish mouth so that 2 holes are made, one
on each side of the folded fish.
Place a staple connecting the two bottom curves of the fish. (see
diagram).
Cut about one to two yards of string and loop it through the
punched holes
Tie the yarn together at the top allowing the fish to hang
(Optional Step) Attach the string to a wooden dowel/unsharpened
pencil
Template:

5. Assessment/ sharing/ reflection

o Optional Assessment: Have students write a paragraph on what they
learned about Japans Childrens day, the lesson as a whole, and how
different countries may celebrate children.
o Break into groups. Each group shares one important/interesting/fun fact
they learned that day.
o

6. Cool down/ closure

o fish impersonation
o deep breathing/stretching
Materials, supplies, tools, visuals, and equipment:

One sheet 11 x 17 colored construction paper per student

Scissors
Crayons
Markers
Gel Pens/ other fun pens
Glitter glue
One pencil per student
Hole punches
Templates (for students to trace if not creating the shape for them)
Stapler and staples
Tissue paper for tails
Kite string or twine
Tape
Glue
Googly eyes (optional)
Wooden dowel/ unsharpened pencil (optional)

Teacher Sample:

Student Sample:

Barbara Dinkins
April 5, 2016
EDEL 3100
GAP Reflection
There are so many aspects that make up a teacher and the teachers role
in education. One important aspect that I never paid much attention to was how
much work and thinking goes into making a lesson plan. It was a stressful
endeavor and we only had one assignment to complete the lesson plan for.
Teachers have to cater to all needs of the student; almost all subjects must be
paid attention to, in just one assignment.
The first and one of the most difficult aspects of planning our lesson, was
figuring out what we wanted the topic to be and how the lesson/topic was going
to incorporate water. I imagine that if I had this activity by myself, and didnt
have the privilege of working with many other people, I wouldnt have come up
with a topic as quickly as that of the group. We decided that we wanted to do a
lesson that not only incorporated water, but a completely different culture. We
chose to do our lesson on the Koi/Carp Fish Kites. We chose this lesson because
we thought that this topic was appropriate to the group of students we would be
with, and would also pull the students out of the mindset that where they live is
only where culture is. I wanted our students to experience the excitement that
many other kids get to partake in when they see that they have a whole day
devoted to celebrating how great kids are.
Once we had our topic, we had to narrow down what and how our lesson
was going to contribute to the mental growth of the students we were teaching it
to. How would our lesson tie into their curriculum and standards? We knew that
we had 5th grades students, so our standards were many and included the Visual

Arts Standard: where students will understand the visual arts in relation to
history and world cultures. We wanted students to be able to demonstrate their
knowledge of Japanese artistic culture and traditions. Our objectives also
included having the students express their own artistic representation of
themselves. We also wanted students who might not be able to participate, for
whatever reason, to feel included so if in that event, one of us would have
physically made the fish, while having the student delegate what he or she
wanted the fish to look like.
When it was time to teach our lesson, the students were talkative and
amidst all of our planning and thinking, we never thought about the students
would behave. We had to adapt ourselves to get on a level with them where they
felt comfortable and didnt mind quieting down in order to pay attention. The
students really seemed to enjoy making the kites. They took severe artistic
measures and really made the project their own. In the future, I would definitely
already have the fish already cut out and the scales already drawn on the fish;
drawing the scales took a longer amount of time than we thought and having the
fish already cut out, would give students more time to personalize the fish. I
learned that teaching is truly my passion. I couldnt see myself not being an
educator because I love being in the position to help someone else find out what
makes him or her happy and giving others the knowledge to make this world a
better place. I learned that working on a team is so extremely important in
teaching because no one person is going to have all the answers. Teachers need
help from other teachers, whether it is in lesson planning, class sitting, or even
physically teaching. Being a teacher has its solo aspects, it is just you with a
class for several hours of the day, however, you are a member of a team of

teachers who in part make up a school. Realizing this has changed my framework
of what it means and takes to be a teacher.
Ive only ever wanted to be a teacher and I never mean this in a bad way. I
say this because I know it takes a special kind of person to devote their life to
others. Every chance I have the opportunity to interact with students in a
classroom setting, I feel a sense of completion. The students were so proud of
their work and instilling that pride in students is what it means to be a teacher.