Symbol Creation

Name: Haylee Stapp and Cari Doesburg

Subject: Arts integration with History and Multicultural
Grade Level: 2nd
1. STANDARDS (CA Common Core Standards; NGSS/Content Standards)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1
Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 2 topics and
texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1.A
Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways,
listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under
discussion).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1.B
Build on others' talk in conversations by linking their comments to the remarks of others.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1.C
Ask for clarification and further explanation as needed about the topics and texts under
discussion.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.3
Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to clarify comprehension,
gather additional information, or deepen understanding of a topic or issue.
Language #1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard
English grammar and usage when writing or speaking
2. OBJECTIVES
Students will learn how various cultural symbols and their meanings, become aware
that color and shape incites different meanings and emotions, by identifying their
personal symbols through making their own personal symbols then coming together as a
table and creating a crest using their individual symbols.
3. INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES AND LEARNING TASKS
To support student learningwhat you and the students will be doing
I. ANTICIPATORY SET
Motivation: Recognize that symbols are part of society and everyday life;
explain to students that color, layout, and shapes within these symbols are
intentional. Explain these relationships, so students will be able to observe these
relationships within symbols. Also, explain to students how they use symbols
each day and explain to students how this lesson might help them if there were to
ever be in a place where they didnt understand the language, they could dissect
symbols to find their way.
Activate Prior Knowledge: Ask students: What are symbols? Where they
have seen symbols before? Ask about their class flags? Project symbols that are
seen in everyday life, ex: stop sign, bathroom, school crossing, etc.

II. INSTRUCTION AND MODELING (Best Practice Strategies)

Day 1
1. Introduce the students to the project and lesson by telling them that we
will be creating table crests by creating personal symbols that
represent who they are and what they believe. In order to create these
symbols we will be first looking at symbols from different cultures.
We will be talking about how the symbols are similar and different,
and what they could possibly mean or symbolize. We then will be
talking about the meaning and emotions associated with colors and
shapes and how they can use them to represent themselves.
2. History and Introduction to symbols from other Cultures
a. Using VTS (Visual Teaching Strategies), which is asking three
opened ended questions: What's going on in this picture? What
do you see that makes you say that? What more can we find?
We will ask the students to look at different symbols from
different cultures. We will have the students look at 4 different
symbols, including, the Yin-Yang symbol, the Alchemy
Symbol, the Triple Spiral, and the Red Cross.
b. We will project a picture of each symbol using a projector in
front of the class, as well as, give each group a copy that they
can hold and view up close.
c. After we have gone through the VTS questions we will also
incorporate questions about each symbol looking at its shape
and color. These questions will include: How do you feel
looking at this symbol? What do you think it was used for?
How does the color or lack of color make you feel about the
symbol? Where do you think this symbol came from?
d. After looking and talking about all the symbols we will begin
the conversation about the history of symbols.
e. Symbols have traditionally been used
3. Creating Personal Symbols
a. To begin creating their own personal symbols we will review
and go over how shape and color have meaning and feelings
attached to them. So, when they are creating their symbol they
need to keep in mind what colors and shapes they want to use
to represent themselves.
b. We will give the students
c. After talking about the meanings and emotions that go with the
different colors and shapes, have the students sketch a blueprint of what they want their symbol to look like and what
colors they wan to use.
Day 2
1. They will be given the full hour to create their personal symbol/crest
and put it together into the table crest.

2. Review with them what an Artist statement is, and tell them that they
will have to write an individual one about their personal symbol/crest
and a group one about their crest as a whole
a. Have the students answer the following questions in their artist
statements:
i. Title of the Piece this alone helps the viewer
understand the subject or makes him/her think about the
work in a different way
ii. Why do you like to make art?
iii. Did the project turn out how I expected? Why or why
not?
iv. What did I learn through the art project?
v. What colors and shapes did I use and why?
b. Show them a sample of what an artists statement looks like
3. Pass out the different materials to each of the table groups and have
the students get out their blue-prints
4. Once they have finished their individual symbol/crest they need to
work with their table to put it into a table crest
5. At the top of the table crest have the students create shapes and use
colors that represent them as a table, also have them write their table
name at the top
6. After the students have created their tables crests they need to write an
artist statement for both individual and table crests
III. GUIDED PRACTICE
Day 1
IV. CLOSURE (Student summary of learning)
Through making their own and then combining and working together to
make a table crest, students will be able to identify and use colors and
shapes in the correct way, taking into account their meanings and
emotions. Students will be able to write and present an artist statement
about their personal symbol and their table crest.
V. INDEPENDENT PRACTICE (Summative assessment)
4. DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGIES
To support learning differences, English Learners, IEPs, 504, GATE, etc.
5. INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES AND MATERIALS
Construction paper
Card stock
Colored pencils
Crayons
Glue
Scissors
Lined paper

Photos of symbols- both for groups and to project

Paper for blue print
Pencils
Pens
Markers
Graph Paper

6. CITED SOURCES
"How Colour Communicates Meaning - Treehouse Blog." Treehouse
Blog. Web. 16 Nov. 2014. <http://blog.teamtreehouse.com/how-colourcommunicates-meaning>.
"Symbols and Cultural Issues." Symbols and Cultural Issues. Web. 16
Nov. 2014. <http://www.designhistory.org/Symbols_pages/Cultural_issues.html>
"Symbols and Their Meaning." Symbols and Their Meaning. Web. 16
Nov. 2014. <http://www.crossroad.to/Books/symbols1.html>"Cultural
Color." Empowered By Color. Web. 16 Nov. 2014. <http://www.empoweryourself-with-color-psychology.com/cultural-color.html>.
"Definition of Symbols." Definition of Symbols. Web. 16 Nov. 2014.
<http://web.mst.edu/~gdoty/classes/concepts-practices/def-symbols.html>.
"Lesson Plan." Afterschool. Web. 16 Nov. 2014.
<http://www.sedl.org/afterschool/lessonplans/index.cgi?show_record=123>.
"A Symbol of Myself." Education World:. Web. 16 Nov. 2014.
<http://www.educationworld.com/a_tsl/archives/04-1/lesson026.shtml>.
"Symbolism of Color: Using Color for Meaning." Symbolism of Color:
Using Color for Meaning. Web. 16 Nov. 2014.
<http://www.incredibleart.org/lessons/middle/color2.htm>.
"Elements of Art: Color, Space, and Texture." Teaching Channel. Web.
16 Nov. 2014. <https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/elements-of-art-lesson>.
"Young Artists." Young Artists. Web. 16 Nov. 2014.
<http://youngartists.blogs.sd73.bc.ca/sample-page/artist-statements/>.