I.

Lesson Number, Grade Levels, Title of Lesson, and Duration: 


-Lesson #1
-6th Grade
-“Visual Culture” (with modifications for ELLs)
-Duration: 60 minutes 


II. Lesson Rationale: 


- Visual culture is a concept that students are exposed to every single day, thought they may not know
how to describe it or understand it. The goal of this lesson is to introduce students to the concept of
visual culture, and to show students examples of visual culture. We will also see through these
examples how students can change the visuals around them. This is important for students to learn,
not only from an educational standpoint, but from a personal one. Students should know that they are
never powerless to change a situation, or that they are powerless to respond.

III. Key Concepts:


- Visual Culture is comprised of the things around us and the culture of things we can see in our every
day lives.
- People can change their visual culture based on things like their TV choices, decorations, living
location, etc…
- Representation is part of visual culture, because it relates to us and what we recognize.
- Writing is an important part of visual culture.

IV. Essential Question:


- What is visual culture?

- How are we a part of visual culture?
- What is representation?
- How do words change what people see and think?

V. Lesson Objectives:


1) Students will be able to examine what visual culture is and how they are a part of it.

2) Students will be able to verbalize elements of culture that they see every day (defining visual
culture) and describe the context of those.

3) Students will be able to define representation and recognition. 

4) Students will examine writings of their own and use them to create art that reflects their visual
culture.

VI. Specific Art Content:


- Visual Culture
- Representation
- Design Elements
- Culture of the Individual
- Recognition and Recreation
- Interpretation
- Use of marker, sharpie, paint, and dry mediums
- Austin Kleon (artist and author)
- Logos and images from Starbucks, McDonald’s, Walmart, national flags, Apple products, peace
signs, sports, cars, traffic and land mark signs, maps, etc…
- Blackout poetry


VII. Resources & Materials for Teacher:


http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/chapter117/ch117b.html


https://learn.unt.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-3774426-dt-content-rid-50694959_1/courses/EDSE.4060.031-
NT752.1168.1/module7%20folder/ELPS-TELPAS_Proficiency_Level_Descriptors.pdf

http://austinkleon.com/

VIII. Resources & Materials for Students:

- Projector
- Computer
- Access to images/documents
- Sharpies, pens, pencils, tempera paint, acrylic paint, and markers


IX. Instruction and Its Sequencing: 


Day of the Lesson

1. Introduction/Motivation
Students will walk into the classroom and see the screen, which will have images from all over
their visual culture (photos, logos, words, documents, etc…). They will have a few minutes to
talk about them before we begin the lesson, and the teacher will ask them which ones they
recognize and which ones they would add.
2. Guided Practice
We will spend the first 5 minutes of our guided practice searching for images of visual culture.
At the beginning of this the teacher will define visual culture, representation, and recognition,
and expand on the idea of changing visual culture by editing commonly-seen objects, people,
places, things, etc… We will also take 5 minutes to look at Austin Kleon’s blackout poetry and
introduce him as an artist. Our last 5 minutes will be spent introducing the project, which is to
pick something from their immediate culture, whether is be a document, image, object or
anything else, and edit it themselves.
3. Independent Practice
 The Teacher will display as many photos as necessary for aid to the students who need help
with their project (whether with a logo or document), and the students will have 25 minutes to
edit their image.
4. Closure
The Teacher will call time and have the students all stop their projects, which can be worked on
later in the semester in connection with other projects.
5. Formative Evaluation
Students will have 5 minutes to get into groups and tell each other about their artwork, and
explain what the background is.
6. Classroom Management Procedures
The class will take 5 minutes to clean up the materials and throw away scrap supplies and get
lined up at the door for their next class. 


X. Summative Assessment and Evaluation:

Criteria: Partial 1 Essential 2 Exemplary 3

Participation in Little to no Good participation: Great participation:
class/ in class participation: no engaged somewhat in engaged and actively
work participation or barely discussion and with gave feedback during
engaged in discussions teacher; worked on discussion and with
and with teacher; did project somewhat in teacher; used all of class
little to no work on class time provided to work on
project in class project

Designs Design was not or was Design was halfway Design was fully
barely completed; completed; Design completed; Design was
Design was not original was partially original original student work
student work student work
Project Project was not or Project was only Excellent and well
completion barely completed halfway completed executed, finished project

Total /9 = Final Grade

XI. Interdisciplinary Connections:

-Geography
-Social Studies
-Theatre
-Science
-Dance
-History
XII. References & Resources:
http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/chapter117/ch117b.html

https://learn.unt.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-3774426-dt-content-rid-50694959_1/courses/EDSE.4060.031-
NT752.1168.1/module7%20folder/ELPS-TELPAS_Proficiency_Level_Descriptors.pdf

http://austinkleon.com/

XIII. Art TEKS

(2) Creative expression. The student communicates ideas through original artworks using a variety of
media with appropriate skills. The student expresses thoughts and ideas creatively while challenging
the imagination, fostering reflective thinking, and developing disciplined effort and progressive
problem-solving skills. The student is expected to:
(A) create original artworks based on direct observations, original sources, personal
experiences, and the community;
(B) apply the art-making process to solve problems and generate design solutions; and
(C) produce artworks, including drawings, paintings, prints, sculptures/modeled forms,
ceramics, fiber art, photographic imagery, and digital art and media, using a variety of materials.

XIV. National Art Standards 


Anchor Standard 1: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.

Enduring Understanding: Artists and designers shape artistic investigations, following or breaking with
traditions in pursuit of creative art-making goals.
Modifications for ELL Learners:
EXISTING PLAN SEGMENT: MODIFICATIONS: TELPAS GUIDELINE/S
REFLECTED IN THIS MODIFICATION:
We will spend the first 5 1. The T. will list each 1. Provide word bank of
minutes of our guided vocabulary word on key vocabulary
practice searching for the board, along (Beginning)
images of visual culture. with it’s definition.
At the beginning of this - Visual Culture
the teacher will define - Representation
visual culture, - Recognition
representation, and - Blackout Poetry
recognition, and expand - Logos
on the idea of changing
visual culture by editing
commonly-seen objects,
people, places, things,
etc… We will also take 5
minutes to look at Austin
Kleon’s blackout poetry
and introduce him as an
artist. Our last 5 minutes
will be spent introducing
the project, which is to
pick something from
their immediate culture,
whether is be a
document, image, object
or anything else, and
edit it themselves.

2. At the beginning of 2. Provide Visuals

the lesson, the (Intermediate)
teacher will use the
projector to pull up
images that are
suggested by the
class, and to show
examples of work.
3. The teacher will 3. Allow some processing
extend the time, visuals, verbal cues, and
explanations by gestures for unfamiliar
another 5 minutes to conversations (Advanced)
allow for elaboration
on the project.

4. The teacher, at the point 4. Allow grade-level

of introducing the comprehension and analysis of
artist, will allow the tasks including drawing and
use of native language and peer
students to discuss
collaboration (Intermediate)
their opinions for a
few minutes and
analyze his artwork.
5. At the end of the 5. Allow drawing and the use
guided practice of native language to express
portion of the lesson, concepts (Beginning)
the teacher will tell
students that drawing
modification in their
native language is
perfect for the
project.