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From Trash to Treasure
Lesson 3:
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Lesson
Handouts
Academic Standards
Philanthropy Framework

Purpose:

The learners will create a bridge between their personal reflections from the Service Learning Project in Lesson Two: Trash or Treasure? and a concrete visual expression of their experience.

The focus will be:

What words and images could express the learner’s emotional response from the Service Learning experience?

How do these words and images reflect the learner’s role and value as a responsible citizen?

Duration:

Six Forty-Five Minute Class Periods

Objectives:

The learner will:

  • scribe, analyze, interpret and judge artwork created by Jaune Quick-To-See Smith.
  • analyze how the condition of the planet affects the lives of humans.
  • create a mixed-media collage, including both words and images that reflect personal reactions to the service learning project.
  • create a reflective poem based on the "I Am" model.

Materials:

  • Biography: Jaune Quick-to-See Smith found at http://www.nmwa.org/collection/profile.asp?LinkID=421 (See Bibliographical References)
  • Visual examples from Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, including Rainbow, 1989, Homage to Chief Seattle, 1991, Trade (Gifts for Trading Land With White People), 1992. See Bibliographical References for Web sites.
  • Video: Power of One (see Bibliographical References)
  • Strong, supportive paper for base of the collage. (Cold press board works well)
  • A wide variety of papers, paints and materials to glue, draw, attach and incorporate into the collage. (i.e.: newspaper, magazines, metallic paint, puffy paint, wire, beads, raffia, nuts, bolts, etc.)
  • "I Am" poem found at http://www.tnellen.com/cybereng/portrait.html – Portrait Poem #2 example (See Bibliographical References)
  • Learner copies of "I Am" Model (Attachment One)
  • Creative Work Rubric (Attachment Two)
Handout 1
Personal Reflective Poem
Handout 2
Creative Work Rubric

Instructional Procedure(s):

Anticipatory Set:

Review the importance of citizens recognizing their rights and responsibilities in a civil society based on Lesson One: The Truth and Lesson Two: Trash or Treasure? in this unit.

  • Day One: Using Biography: Jaune Quick-to-See Smith (Attachment One), give the learners an introduction to Jaune Quick-to-See-Smith.

  • Display Rainbow by Jaune Quick-to-See Smith. Explain that the Art Criticism process is a method of organizing facts and personal responses to a particular work of art. The four steps of critiquing are: describing, analyzing, interpreting and making a judgment.

  • Have learners take out a sheet of paper and fold it into four sections. Number and label each section as follows: 1. Describe, 2. Analyze, 3. Interpret, 4. Evaluate/ Judge.

    • Under the heading of Describe, have learners describe the subject matter of the artwork, listing all recognizable images. Beyond the subject, describe the design elements, i.e., color, line, shape, space, texture, value and form.

    • Under the heading of Analyze, have learners look at the artwork and describe the ways the design elements and principles are organized, i.e., balance, emphasis, proportion, pattern, rhythm, unity, variety.

    • Under the heading of Interpret, have learners write the ideas, emotions and feelings they get from looking at the work of art

    • Under the heading of Evaluate/ Judge, have learners write their opinion about the artwork: is it good or not? Learners will need to support their opinions with statements from their observations from the first three areas.

      The class will then share their ideas together through discussion.

  • Read a quote from Chief Seattle, "For whatever happens to the plants and animals also happens to the humans." Discuss how the condition of the planet, i.e., the well-being of plant and animal life, affects the lives of humans, all life is interrelated and interconnected.

  • Day Two

    Anticipatory Set:

    Show the learners the artworks entitled,
    Homage to Chief Seattle and Trade (Gifts for Trading Land with White People).

  • Review the artwork and ideas from the previous lesson. Discuss the new artwork using the same procedure.

  • Introduce the technique of collage.

    Teacher Note: For an excellent definition of collage and examples of collages look at www.Artlex.com. For examples of artwork from Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, look at www.artmissoula.org and click on "Collection." The teacher may choose to make the collage as simple or developed as desire, materials and time permits.

  • Write a list of learner-generated emotionally-charged, environmental words on the board, i.e., toxic, pollution, exploitation, waste, clean, recycle, reuse, conserve, etc.

  • Ask the learners to make their own lists from which they will select a theme for their collage which will address their personal viewpoint developed from their knowledge and experience from Lessons One and Two. Some ideas for a theme are: write a pledge, promise or poem; write a message; make a personal statement; or use contrast words, i.e., waste/conserve, pollution/fresh air.

  • Have the learners refine their themes and write them out to be copied into the collage or the letters/words cut out of newspaper or magazines and glued on.

  • Learners should decide on a warm or cool color harmony that will help to reinforce the mood and emotion that their collage will express.

  • Have the learners use wax crayons to draw images and symbols along a visual path of movement. Make sure that they press hard to leave enough wax for a watercolor resist.

  • Use water color paint to "wash" or tint the entire paper. Remind the learners that their collage should express an emotional response from the viewer so select colors accordingly. Think of muddy browns, sea foam greens, golden fields of grain, etc. Use professional tube watercolors mixed with water to get more intense, saturated color. Dry flat.

    Teacher Note: Sprinkling salt over the wet painted paper or laying a piece of wax paper or plastic wrap over the juicy, wet water color-painted paper, and leaving it there until the paper is completely dry will add a wonderful textured effect.

  • Direct the learners to begin looking around their homes for things that they want to include in their collage. Remind them that anything that is relevant to their theme, which is safe and school-appropriate and has the ability to attach onto the collage, is acceptable. Encourage creativity. They should also begin clipping words and images out of newspapers, magazines, etc., and save them in a zip lock plastic bag.

    Teacher Note: During studio time the teacher may choose to play Native American music which reinforces the ideas of the lesson. Suggestions: Dare to Move, by Switchfoot, Legacy, by Nicole Nordeman, What Can I Do For You, by Rick Kelly, or Native American Flute Music.

  • Day Three: Learners should bring to class words and images collected from home. They will also have one piece of trash that was saved from Lesson Two: Trash or Treasure?

  • When the water color paint is completely dry, learners can begin to plan and organize their entire compositions.

  • The learner should identify an area that will be the Center of Interest and draw or paint an original image related to the theme that they have chosen. Examples might include an image of a plant or animal, a disposable item such as a drawing of a soda pop can, milk carton, French fry box, etc.

  • Lay out the images and words, refine the ideas and then glue images and words down.

  • Day Four: Learners may use wire, beads, raffia, nuts, bolts, gel pens, material, wrapping paper, grocery bags, tissue paper, handmade paper, tempera paint, etc. to layer onto their collage.

  • Be sure that the main words from the theme are readable, either by stamping letters or cutting out the letters from magazines or newspapers. They should be incorporated into the overall composition.

  • Carefully spray paint a layer of paint over the entire collage to help unify it as the last step.

  • Days Five and Six:

    Anticipatory Set:

    Read the poem from Sandy Maas entitled, "I Am"
    .

  • Distribute copies of the "I Am" model (Attachment One) to the learners to follow as they write their personal reflective poems. They should follow the line-by-line guide and create a poem using ideas, words and images that they gained though the experiences of the entire unit.

  • Share collages and personal poems with the class. The poems and artwork should be displayed. The collage and poem constitute the celebration aspect of the Service Learning Project.

Assessment:

The Studio Project entitled "From Trash to Treasure" will serve as the assessment for this unit. See Creative Work Rubric (Attachment Two).

School/Home Connection:

Interactive Parent / Learner Homework:
Learners will ask for parent supervision if they choose to deface or destroy images by burning the edges at home.

Bibliographical References:

Periodicals:

  • _____. "Saving the Earth," Scholastic Art, Art with a Message (April/May 1999): 10,11.

  • _____. "Between Two Worlds," "Mixed Messages," "Cross-cultural References," Scholastic Art, Modern Native American Artists Working with Juxtaposition (March 2004): 2-9.

Sound Recordings (CDs):

  • Kelly, Rick. What Can I Do For You. Audio CD, Kelly Entertainment, Wayne, IL. RKsings@aol.com or RKlive.com

  • Native Spirit, Nature’s Harmony, Life! Beats. Audio CD. ASIN: B0000459BR

  • Nordeman, Nicole. Legacy, Woven and Spun. Audio CD. ASIN: B00006JJ34

  • Switchfoot. Dare to Move, The Beautiful Letdown. Audio CD. ASIN: B0000891YW

  • Kater, Peter. & Nakai, R.Carlos. How the West Was Lost. Audio CD. Silver Wave. ASIN: B000000PP7

Video Cassette:

  • Power of One VHS. 12 minute. 1994.
    To order: copy the order form from http://oneearth.org/video.html

    Send $25.00, $15.00 for non-profits or schools to:
    Earth Communications Office, 1526 14th Street, Suite 106
    Santa Monica, California 90404

Visuals:

Web Site Sources:

Lesson Developed By:

Julia Hayden
Center Grove Community School District
Center Grove Middle School North
Greenwood, IN 46142

Handouts:

Handout 1Print Handout 1

Personal Reflective Poem

"I Am" Model

Sandy Maas wrote the original poem entitled, "I Am." Suzi Mee from the Teachers & Writers Collaborative used his poem as a writing lesson. It has been adapted to fit the Visual Art mixed-media collage assignment, From Trash to Treasure.

Reflectively, write your poem following the line-by-line guide. Be sure and use words and images that express your personal ideas in response to lessons learned from this unit.

FIRST STANZA

I am (two special characteristics you have)

I wonder (something you are actually curious about)

I hear (an imaginary or actual sound)

I see (an imaginary or actual sight)

I want (an actual desire)

I am (the first line of the poem repeated)

SECOND STANZA

I pretend (something you actually pretend to do)

I feel (a feeling about something real or imaginary)

I touch (something real or imaginary)

I worry (something that really bothers you)

I cry (something that makes you very sad)

I am (the first line of the poem)

THIRD STANZA

I understand (something you know is true)

I say (something you believe in)

I dream (something you actually dream about)

I try (something you really make an effort to do)

I hope (something you actually hope for)

I am (the first line of the poem repeated)

Handout 2Print Handout 2

Creative Work Rubric

EFFORT – Range of 25 points

  • Eagerly followed instructions; demonstrated a strong interest in the work and used time wisely.
  • Followed instructions and demonstrated a basic interest in working on the art project.
  • Some but not all instructions were followed; little interest in creating artwork.
  • Did not follow instructions, did not show evidence of effort in creating artwork.

ORIGINALITY – Range of 25 points

  • High level of interest; actively generated original, thoughtful, emotional ideas related to the work.
  • Basic level of interest; and basic effort in thinking up and applying original ideas.
  • Low level of interest or minimal effort in generating or developing ideas related to the task.
  • No evidence of originality or personal idea development.

PROCESS – Range of 25 points

  • Investigated and experimented with artistic form and materials; refined ideas using elements and principles of design.
  • Investigated problem solutions by developing some ideas; some experimentation with artistic form and materials; basic planning and organization.
  • Investigated problem solutions by developing a few ideas; minimal experimenting with artistic form and materials; weak planning and organization.
  • No evidence of problem solving; did not experiment with materials and did not use time effectively.

ART WORK – Range of 25 points

  • Learner’s artwork meets all of the criteria, exceeds expectations in its artfulness, expressiveness and craftsmanship. Used many types of materials, words, images and color to create a work of art with a strong emotional impact.
  • Learner’s artwork meets most of the criteria, is grade appropriate, well crafted, and expresses ideas, thoughts and feelings.
  • Learner’s artwork meets some of the criteria, is grade appropriate but needs better crafting.
  • Learner’s artwork meets none of the criteria and is below grade level in expectations of expressiveness and craftsmanship.

Philanthropy Framework:

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Unit Contents:

Overview:Truth, Trash and Treasure Summary

Lessons:

1.
Truth (The)
2.
Trash or Treasure?
3.
From Trash to Treasure

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