ALTER EGOS

MASK PROJECT
7TH-9TH ART

Sara Peters
Methods in Secondary Art Education
Lesson Plan 1

Alter Egos, 7-9th grade, 10 days

Goals:
Students will create an alter ego and depict it using a mask form. Students will also discover
what an alter ego is, study brief history on masks in other cultures, create four sketches, create
their mask, and finish with a self-reflection about their project.
Objectives:
*Students will discuss their alter ego with other classmates and compare with one another.
*Students will practice three-dimensional sculpting skills by creating masks.
*Students will use a variety of materials to create decoration for their masks. (AS 3) Creativity
*Students will successfully complete their masks and share it with teachers and peers during a
gallery walk at the end of the designated timeline. (AS 3,10) Productivity and Accountability
*Students will reflect on their figurines or mask making experience through a self-reflection
form. (AS 7) Complex Communication
Prerequisites:
Students must have skills to right reflection paper.
Students must have mixology skills with color.
Materials:
Plaster strips
Acrylic Paint
Fabric
Feathers
Gems
Various decorative elements
Safety Hazards:
Students will need to be careful while working with plaster strips to not inhale dust.
Interdisciplinary Connections:
HistoryWhen discussing about the African masks, students will understand a deeper
level as to why masks are important
Language Arts---Students will be writing a self-reflection paper at the end of their
project to discuss how they came about their alter ego and their process.

Artist/Resources:
Marvel Comic Characters
Danny Haas---printmaker, takes comic book characters and creates half self of their
original selves, as well as, their super hero. He in a younger artist that has rose in popularity in
the last few years due to his alter ego prints.

Peggy Bjerkan---Ceramic Mask Artist, Peggy creates stories for each of her masks. The masks
are meant to be hung on the wall and serve as decorative purposes. When she first started with
her masks in 1998, she wanted to be a part of mask traditions, but didnt want to borrow or copy
ideas from foreign masks. She calls her masks American with contemporary ideas. She keeps
making the masks to hope that some of her ideas become more universal.

Lesson Procedure:
Day One
Introduction: Entire Class Period
Students will come into the room and sit at their assigned tables. I will introduce the next
project by talking about the learning goals. For our next project, we will be constructing masks
that show your alter ego.
From this point, I will show a PowerPoint about learning goals. Within the PowerPoint,
there will be essential questions about the alter ego topic. The first activity that the students will
do is talk to their table members about what an alter ego is. After discussing for a minute, I will
proceed to ask, what are some ideas as to walk an alter ego is? Call on a student or two.
Expected answers are to be superheroes or the opposite personality of themselves.
I will next go into why masks are important and where they come from, a quick mini
history lesson using one or two slides. The slides will talk about why masks are important in
African culture.
The PowerPoint will proceed to variety of artists that help demonstrate the concept of
alter egos. The first artist that will be talked about is Danny Haas, an American printmaker who
depicts superheroes and the actual person they are. The students will then get back into their
table groups after seeing Haass images, and discuss why this artist depicts alter egos. We will
meet back as a class a minute later and discuss. I will call on a student or two, and proceed to
confirm, or deny, their answers. Haas depicts alter egos by showing each side of the superheros
personality.
The next artist that will be talked about is Peggy Bjerkan, an American ceramics artist.
Once again the students will discuss for a minute at their tables as to why this artist is relevant.
We will meet back after a minute discussion. I will call on a few students to hear what they had
discussed. Bjerkan is relevant because she makes masks, which we will be doing, but also
creates different personalities within one mask. like an alter ego.
After discussing about the artists, I will ask the students to think of characters from
movies, TV, etc. that have alter egos. I will proceed to write the ideas on the board. One that I
can think of is Voldemort, from Harry Potter.

After discussing the history and artists of the lesson, I will go into discussing about the
students task for the lesson. You will need to construct a mask that shows your alter ego. Dont
panic if you dont know what your alter ego is, you will discuss with your peers to figure it out.
The PowerPoint will go on discussing the task. The students guideline will be they must depict
at least two different faces (one depicting who are, and your alter ego). Their alter ego can be a
desired superhero power they wish to have, but must create an original superhero, rather than
copying. The masks dont have to, but highly encouraged, have a movable part. The students
will also have the choice to plaster their own face, but must partner up with someone else who is
plastering their face shape, or use the plastic face mold. Students will have the opportunity to
decorate their masks using paint, feathers, gems, yarn, and other found items in the classroom, or
that they bring in. Possible designs of masks that the students could do are like my example,
alter ego on the back side of the mask, and creating a larger mask by connecting masks. Before
we even start making the masks, students must submit four sketches of how they want their
masks to look. This is to make sure students dont set two high of standards for themselves when
it comes to making the masks. After the completion of the projects, students will then have an
opportunity to reflect. They must write/type a one page reflection paper.
At the closing of this day, I will ask students to start brainstorming ideas that could be
their alter egos, or if their alter ego is a super hero. I will also ask them to repeat what the next
project will be.
Day Two
5 minutes
Students will walk in and take a seat at their tables. I will start the day off by asking the students
what we learned last time and call on one or two students. I would hope that the students talk
about the mask project, bring up the concept of alter egos, and bring up an artist.
10 minutes
Once students are refreshed with the task at hand, I will direct them to talk with their table
members about their brainstormed alter egos. I will walk around at this point listening in in the
students conversations. Students should be talking about different alter egos that they have with
their peers. The peers are encouraged to help give a person an alter ego if they are having
trouble figuring one out.
5 minutes
We will meet back as a whole class and discuss some classmates alter egos. If a student still
cant figure out what their alter ego is, the whole class could help him/her figure one out.

Remainder of Class
A demonstration will be held at this time as to how to create the plaster masks. The
demonstration will include cutting the strips, the water temperature that is needed for applying
the strips, the rubbing of the strips and how to apply the strips accordingly to the face of the
mold. If there are any students at this time that would rather apply to their own face than the
mold, tell the students to partner up. A mini demo will be held on the first work day as to how to
apply the strips to ones face. Students are encouraged to ask questions about the plaster masks
and the application process.
Day Three
5 minutes
Students will have a run down as to how the day will go. During this time it will be discussed
that students will need to work on their sketches. Questions are welcomed at this time.
45 minutes
Students will create four different proposed sketches about their alter ego mask design. We will
work on this for the duration of the period, leaving 5 minutes for clean-up. These masks do not
need to be extremely detailed, except for the one that they are going to create. These may be
done in pencil. The students will use an 8.5x11in piece of paper and fold it into fourths, creating
four separate sketching areas. Create four sketches to how you wish you alter ego mask/s to look
like. If you have more than one alter ego, you may sketch it out your other alter ego idea. Once
students have four sketches, they should turn them in and I will discuss with each student about
their design for their mask/s. Together we will decide which is the best mask to make.
5 minutes
Students will pick up any utensils that they might have been using while sketching their sketches
Day Four
5 minutes
Students will come in for class and sit at their assigned tables. An introduction will be done
talking about what is happening for the day. Today you will complete your sketches and starting
your masks. This is the start of the work days, so use your time wisely. We will have a midcritique in three days (Day 7) to see how everyone is coming along with their projects. Students
will know have the opportunity to work on either their sketches or start their mask for most of
the remainder of the period.
45 minutes
Work on mask/s and/or sketches
5 minutes
Clean up tables and conclusion to the day. Remember the next time we meet it will be a work day
on your masks.

Day Five
Students will have the entire day to work on their masks. They will come straight into the room
and know that they will have to work from discussing the previous day. When there is five
minutes left of class, students will clean-up their work stations. At this point I will remind
students that in two days there a mid-critique. More will be discussed tomorrow about the
critique.
Day Six
Today will also be a work days. Students should know this discussing about the previous day. I
will let the students work for a while, and then discuss what will happen during the mid-critique
tomorrow.
20 minutes left of class
Students will stop working to listen about the mid-critique that will take place tomorrow.
Students will take 5 minutes to clean-up quickly before talking about the mid-critique. The midcritique will entitle students to discuss their in process work with other peers that are not at their
tables. Each student will talk with two students that do not sit at their table. Students will
discuss what they hope their final outcome will look like. The students will have 5 minutes to
discuss with one another towards the end of class. Questions will be encouraged now.
Day Seven
5 minutes
An introduction about the day will happen after the students come in and sit down. Today is
your mid-critique. You will have the opportunity to work for half of the class period. You will
clean-up, and we will go into the mid-critique.
25 minutes
Work time on mask/s
5 minutes
Clean up stations and be ready to present with two different partners about your mid critique.
20 minutes
Students will now be ready for the mid-critique. Their mask/s does not need to be finished at this
point, but rather nearing the end process. Students will choose two peers that do not sit at their
table, and discuss their mask/s. Each pair of students will have 5 minutes to discuss their
process, what else they are planning to do, and ask for any advice from their partner. When there
is five-ten minutes remaining, we will meet back as a class. As a class, we will discuss the
discussions the pairs had. At the end, I will remind students that tomorrow is a work in hopes of
finishing their mask/s. I will remind the students that they will also have a reflection paper that
will be due the day following the critique.
Day Eight
Remind students that today is a work day. Tomorrow will also be a work day, but if you have
finished your mask/s, that it is recommended that you start on your reflection paper. At the end of
class, again, remind student that tomorrow is a work day, but also a day to work on your
reflection paper.
Day Nine

When students come in, again they should know that it is a work day for them to finish their
mask. If anyone is finished, they can start with their one page reflection paper. At the end of the
class, I will let students know that their mask/s are due tomorrow at the start of class.
Day Ten
Today is the critique. Students will come in and get their mask/s and begin a room gallery walk.
We will then discuss as a class about the project as a whole and each student, depending on the
size.
Students will be graded on the mask and how complete it is, their reflection, and how efficiently
they worked throughout the work days.
The students reflection paper will be due at the start of next class period, if they wanted to add
more after the critique. If they wish not to, and have the reflection paper done, students are able
to turn in the reflection paper. Students should be handing in three separate items: their sketches,
mask/s, and reflection paper.

Assessment/Evaluation
Students will take a gallery walk and see each and every other students project. We will then
gather back as a class and discuss the pieces. Depending on the size of class, we may only talk
about a few, rather than the whole class. If there is still time left in class, students will start to
write a one page reflection of their own piece. Students will describe their process and how they
chose their alter ago. They will also talk about if anything went wrong, and or if they could
improve in anyway. This paper will be due at the beginning of next class time.