Digital Unit Plan Template

Unit Title: Art and Cultural Symbols Name: Ashleigh Davis

Content Area: Visual Arts Grade Level: 9-12
CA Content Standard(s)/Common Core Standard(s):
1.1 Identify and use the principles of design to discuss, analyze, and write about visual aspects in the environment and in works of art, including
their own.
3.3 Identify and describe trends in the visual arts and discuss how the issues of time, place, and cultural influence are reflected in selected works
of art.
4.1 Articulate how personal beliefs, cultural traditions, and current social, economic, and political contexts influence the interpretation of the
meaning or message in a work of art.

Big Ideas:
What is art?
What is a symbol, and what characteristics must something have to be considered a symbol?
How do symbols reflect culture?
How does art convey the concept of culture? That is, what characteristics are present in an artwork to make the viewer connect it with a
particular culture?

Unit Goals and Objectives:
To help students make personal connections with classmates who are from different backgrounds and cultures
To teach the concept of tolerance by addressing commonalities between cultures and backgrounds
To help students learn to analyze artistic works and discuss their observations
To address cultural symbols, and discuss symbols commonly found in different cultures, including the differentiating/similar themes and
symbols between cultures.

Unit Summary:
For this digital unit, we will learn about symbols and themes across cultures in art. We're going to take a closer look at the commonalities and
differences in terms of what symbols and themes are important to various cultures, and learn about how these features link cultures together. In
a world as diverse as ours, sometimes it often feels as though we hold no commonalities with our next door neighbor, let alone those who live on
the other side of the planet. This unit will challenge that notion, and prove that, in reality, we are all members of humankind, and these diversities
are just more colors to add to the painting that we all call life.


Assessment Plan:
Entry-Level:
Discussion: What objects/themes show
up repeatedly in art? Do they hold
symbolic meaning?
Formative:
Quiz: Symbols in art
Flashcards: Themes in art and the
artists who are well-known for them
Timeline: Mapping out
thematic/symbolic trends in history
Ranking: Most important/prominent
symbols in art

Summative:
Infographic: Effects of historical symbols on
modern art
Presentation: Analyzing cultural symbols in
artwork
Lesson 1
Student Learning
Objective:
To address cultural
symbols, and discuss
symbols commonly
found in different
cultures, including the
differentiating/similar
themes and symbols
between cultures.

Acceptable Evidence:

Identification and
discussion of symbols
found in different
cultures, including both
speculation and then
guided lecture on what
each means
Instructional
Strategies:

Communication
Collaboration
Interaction
Lesson Activities:

Teacher lecture on symbols from various cultures
Guided notes for students to complete and turn in for credit
Lesson 2
Student Learning
Objective:
To help students make
personal connections
with classmates who
are from different
backgrounds and
cultures, and to teach
the concept of
tolerance by
addressing them.


Acceptable Evidence:

Identification and
analysis of symbols
found in different
cultures, and discussing
similarities between
these cultures in terms
of symbolism found in
artwork.
Instructional
Strategies:

Communication
Collection
Presentation
Organization

Lesson Activities:

WebQuest activity
Lesson 3
Student Learning
Objective:
To help students learn
to analyze artistic
works and discuss their
observations

Acceptable Evidence:

Discussion and analysis
of specific symbols of
their choice from
artistic works of
different cultural
backgrounds.
Instructional
Strategies:

Communication
Collection
Presentation
Organization

Lesson Activities:

Final unit presentation on symbol found in art of their choice
Unit Resources:
Myths in Words and Pictures (http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/idealabs/myths/symbolsinart/)
Alien Adventures (http://www.schoolsliaison.org.uk/aliens/interactive/signsSymb.html)
Art Project by Google (https://www.google.com/culturalinstitute/project/art-project)
Artcyclopedia (http://www.artcyclopedia.com/history/index.html)
SmartHistory (http://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/)
ArtLex (http://www.artlex.com/)

Useful Websites:
Diigo (https://www.diigo.com/buzz/hot)
Quizlet (http://quizlet.com/latest)
Glogster (http://edu.glogster.com/)
PurdueOWL (https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/)