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Art Criticism Lesson Plan

Title: Abstract Thinking Grade Level: 5th Grade

The Big Idea (Overall Concept): Abstract expressionism was a time period that inspired free
experimentation with paint. Students will practice observing art by looking for different
elements and principles and learning to communicate their personal reactions to a piece of art
using the art terms and definitions.

Description of Lesson (Brief Summary): As a class, students will review the elements and
principles of art. Then, they will learn about the trends of the abstract expressionism time
period. They will then observe examples of art from expressionism and will do a chalk talk
around the room. Students will fill out a See, Think, Wonder chart for their favorite piece
shown to them and use it to have a rich discussion in groups about their takeaways.

Time: 2 class sessions.

NCAS’s National Art Standards: Studio Habits:

ART.VA.III.5.2 Identify and defend various ● Envision

purposes for creating works of visual art. ● Express
● Observe
ART.VA.III.5.3 Understand and respect that
there are different responses to specific art
works in a global community.

ART.VA.IV.5.2 Compare and contrast works

of art as belonging to particular cultures,
times, and places.

Artistic Process:
Responding- Anchor #7: Perceive and
analyze artistic work. Anchor #9: Apply
criteria to evaluate artistic work
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Enduring Understandings: Essential Questions:

SWUT art has varying degrees of intent Are there limits to creating art?

SWUT there are different ways to paint an Why would an artist want to experiment with
emotion art?

Art Skills: observing, defining art elements and principles, analyzing art.

Instruction – daily plan:

Day 1:
1. Students will be asked to share their predictions about what abstract expressionism is.
2. Students will be shown a video introducing them to the abstract expressionism time
period.
3. Elements and principles will be reviewed so that the students are refreshed and know
what to look for in their observations. For this style of art, students will want to focus on
line, color, texture, balance, contrast, emphasis and movement.
4. Then, students will be given instructions to do a chalk talk:
a. Students will be broken up into 4 groups and each child will be given a marker.
b. There will be four stations around the room. Each station will consist of a large
post-it under an example of abstract expressionism.
c. Students will begin with one group per station and rotate around to other stations
every 2 minutes.
d. At each station, the students will use their marker to write down any reactions to
the specific painting they are observing using elements, principles, or anything
that comes to mind.
5. We will discuss as a class all of the different markings on the post-it’s to explore how art
impacts the viewers differently.
Day 2:
6. Students will be able to see the post-it’s from before placed around the room for
inspiration and to act as an example of ways to express reactions to art.
7. Students will receive a See Think Wonder Chart to fill out for the piece they decided was
their favorite.
8. Students will break up into different groups from before to share their thoughts recorded
on their chart.
9. Then, students will be asked to make a journal entry to reflect on the activities:
a. Why did you choose the painting that you did?
b. Would you change anything in the painting?
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c. What did you learn from the other people in your group about abstract
expressionism?
d. How do you feel about this type of art?

Resources: (Websites, Books, Music, etc…)

● Video to introduce abstract expressionism: ​Intro Video
● Abstract Expressionism. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.britannica.com/art/Abstract-Expressionism
● Study for Brushstroke with Spatter, (1966) Roy Lichtenstein​**(​pictured above)​
● Autumn Rhythm (Number 30) (1950) by Jackson Pollock
● Excavation (1950) by Willem de Kooning
● Mountains and Sea (1952) by Helen Frankenthaler

Materials Needed:
● Large Post-Its for around the room
● Markers (enough for each student to have one to write)
● See, Think, Wonder Chart
● Reflection Journal

Evaluations:
Formative: Students will be assessed during class discussion and during group sharing to see if
they are able to apply art terms and recognize the elements and principles of art.
Summative: Students will be assessed using their thoughtfulness in their journal reflection.

Art Aesthetic Lesson Plan

Title: Abstract Expressionism as Art Grade Level: 5th Grade

The Big Idea (Overall Concept): Students will do a token response activity to practice with art
aesthetics. They will also be practicing comparing different pieces of art from the same time
period to learn more about abstract expressionism. Students will use this deeper understanding
to begin thinking of their own art creation.

Description of Lesson (Brief Summary): The class will begin with a token response activity to
mindfully react to art. Afterwards, students will be discussing what makes abstract
expressionism a piece of art. Students will then use their examples of art criticism used on the
post-it’s to use artistic language to compare two pieces of art from the same time period. After
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exploring the aesthetic of abstract expressionism, students will create a doodle and sketch to
brainstorm what they would want to include if they were to make their own piece to reflect this
time period.

Time: 1 day (40 minutes)

NCAS’s National Art Standards: Studio Habits:

● Envision
ART.VA.II.5.5 Analyze how art conveys ● Express
ideas to express one's individuality ● Observe
● Understanding the Art World
ART.VA.IV.5.3 Demonstrate how history,
culture, and the visual arts interrelate in
making and studying works of art.

Artistic Process:
Responding: Anchor Standard #7 Perceive
and analyze artistic work, Anchor Standard
#8 Interpret intent and meaning in artistic
work.

Enduring Understandings: Essential Questions:

SWUT there are differences amongst art that Why do we categorize different styles of art?
belong to the same time period.
How can a time period have an influence on
SWUT art affects us all differently for art?
various reasons.

Art Skills: Analyzing art, observing art, thinking critically about art, sketching, drawing,
planning, and reflecting.

Instruction – daily plan:

1. There will be an introduction to the time period of 1950’s art to give students the context
of this time period. We will discuss the way people lived around this time to make
connections between the way of life with the art style of this time.
a. Korean War Began
b. Polio Vaccine
c. Brown vs. Board of Education
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d. Color T.V.
e. Rosa Parks
f. Elvis Presley
g. Legos
h. Sputnik
2. Students will have four pieces of abstract expressionism around the room to stick their
token cards on.
a. Star token card: Which one they would want to own
b. Happy face token card: Which one made them happy
c. Clock token card: Which one took the most time
d. Heart token card: Which piece they loved
3. As a class, we will discuss the responses everyone had to look over the similar and
different opinions of each piece. Students will be encouraged to share why they chose
certain tokens for each one.
4. We will discuss how the pieces are different from one another and also point out what
remains constant among these pieces during this time period. Student responses will be
recorded on the board. This information will help develop the class definition of this type of
art.
5. Students will be shown ways to loosely brainstorm and doodle using sketching, drawing,
and writing short notes.
6. Students will have the rest of the time to sketch how they would make a piece of art to
represent this style from this time period. By doing this, students will be applying the class
definition of what makes abstract expressionism art.

Resources: (Websites, Books, Music, etc…)

● Rosenberg, J. (n.d.). Timeline of the 1950s: The World at Midcentury. Retrieved from
https://www.thoughtco.com/1950s-timeline-1779952
● The Story of 1950s Art. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.widewalls.ch/magazine/1950s-art
● Australia (1951) by David Smith
● Bleu Roufe (1951) by Serge Poliakoff
● Orange and Yellow (1956) by Mark Rothko

Materials Needed:
● Paper
● Pens, colored pencils, crayons, markers (to sketch and brainstorm)
● Tokens for token responses
● Reflection Journal
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Evaluations:
Formative: Students will be evaluated during discussion and as they share their token responses
and reasons.
Summative: Students will be assessed based on their sketches for their own art planning based
on the abstract expressionism style.

Art Making Lesson Plan

Title: Layers of Emotion Grade Level: 5th Grade

The Big Idea (Overall Concept): Students will get to practice the technique of layering in art to
express emotion in their own abstract expressionist piece. Students will use a song or movie as
inspiration to apply the different techniques of this style of art. Expression will be relying on
experimental use of paint and spontaneous brush strokes.

Description of Lesson (Brief Summary): Students will take out their brainstorm sketches that
define the principles and elements of abstract expressionism and their ideas for how to make
their own art. Students will each have a song or movie for reference that they feel has an impact
on them and evokes emotion. Students will use this to create their own piece that could belong
to this 1950’s time period of abstract expressionism.

Time: 2 Class Sessions

NCAS’s National Art Standards: Studio Habits:

ART.VA.I.5.1 Use materials, techniques, ● Develop Craft

media, technology, and processes to ● Engage and Persist
communicate ideas and experiences. ● Envision
● Express
ART.VA.I.5.3 Incorporate the elements of art ● Reflect
and principles of design to communicate ● Stretch and Explore
ideas.

Artistic Process:
Creating: Anchor Standard #1 Generate and
conceptualize artistic ideas and work, Anchor
Standard #2 Organize and develop artistic
ideas and work, Anchor Standard #3 Refine
and complete artistic work
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Connecting: Anchor Standard #10 Synthesize

and relate knowledge and personal
experiences to make art, Anchor Standard #11
Relate artistic ideas and works with societal,
cultural and historical context to deepen
understanding.

Enduring Understandings: Essential Questions:

SWUT abstract art is a process of layers that How do feelings help us create art?
create unity and depth.
How can chaos and control in art work
SWUT art can be a direct result of feelings together?
that can be both messy and simplistic.

Art Skills: planning, painting, brushstrokes, interpreting, expressing, creating.

Instruction – daily plan:

Day 1: (base of paint for background layer)
1. Students will have some time to look over their personal brainstorming doodle from the
past class in order to gather the theme of this art style.
2. Students will have chosen a song or movie that they felt influenced by emotionally. They
will have been instructed to bring in lyrics or movie images to work with as a muse.
3. Students will have the chance to sketch a couple of ideas specific to their reaction to the
song or movie.
4. Students will be shown a demonstration of how they could create a background:
a. The background examples of how to create texture
b. Mix of chaos and control with the brush
c. Reminded to keep in mind the elements and principles in abstract expressionism
d. Students will have a set idea of colors they will want to use later to create their
base.
5. The students will allow their first base to dry and will store paintings on a drying rack in
the classroom.
6. Students will put an entry in their reflection journal to think over the process of creating
background. They will be prompted to focus on what they were feeling and thinking for
creating their background.
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Day 2:
7. Students will have the chance to gather resources from around the classroom. They can use
any paint colors they choose.
8. Students will have the entire subject period to work on the next layer of their abstract
expressionist painting. In this time, the students will be immersed in the full art creation
process. They will actively be working off conscious and unconscious decisions to express
their ideas and emotions. They will be learning how to find a balance between the energy of
chaos and control.
9. Students will add a text box to pair with their painting for their personal portfolio that
refers to the song or movie and explains the feelings and reactions they wanted to convey.

Resources: (Websites, Books, Music, etc…)

● Chalk Talk post-its around the room for reflection and inspiration.
● Students will bring in lyrics from a song they chose or pictures from their choice of
movie to base their emotional response off of.

Materials Needed:
● Brainstorming sketch
● Heavy Paper
● Paintbrushes and cups for rinsing
● Recycled egg cartons to hold paint portions
● Large variety of acrylic and watercolor paints to share amongst the class
● Recycled newspaper for paint mess
● Paper Towel for cleanup
● Reflection Journal

Evaluations:
Formative: Students will be working on their project and I will stop by as they work and ask
how they are moving along to see how they are feeling about producing what they envisioned.
Summative: I will look for the different elements and principles of abstract expressionist art. I
will look to see efforts made to produce an expression of emotion.

Science Integration Lesson Plan

Title: The Paint Experiment Grade Level: 5th Grade

The Big Idea (Overall Concept): Students will be practicing how to engineer their own
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experiment to solve a problem. Since abstract expressionism is very experimental in its

technique, students will be exploring with paint to get the best outcome they chose for their
particular piece.

Description of Lesson (Brief Summary): Students will learn the process of conducting an
experiment. They will learn the technology process consists of the problem, brainstorming,
creating solutions, testing solutions, and evaluating your solutions.

Time: 3 Class Sessions

Next Generation Science Standard: Studio Habits:

3-5-ETS1-3​ Engineering Design Plan and
carry out fair tests in which variables are ● Develop Craft
controlled and failure points are considered to ● Engage and Persist
identify aspects of a model or prototype that ● Envision
can be improved. ● Observe
● Reflect
NCAS’s National Art Standards: ● Stretch and Explore

ART.VA.V.4.4 Demonstrate cross-curricular

connections through a culminating event.

ART.VA.I.5.1 Use materials, techniques,

media, technology, and processes to
communicate ideas and experiences.

ART.VA.I.5.3 Incorporate the elements of art

and principles of design to communicate
ideas.

ART.VA.I.5.4 Participate in the process and

delivery of a final product for exhibition or
presentation.

ART.VA.II.5.1 Synthesize the knowledge of

materials, techniques, and processes to create
artwork.

ART.VA.III.5.1 Validate the effects of visual

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structures and functions, and reflect upon

these effects in personal work.

Artistic Process:
Creating: Anchor Standard #1 Generate and
conceptualize artistic ideas and work, Anchor
Standard #2 Organize and develop artistic
ideas and work, Anchor Standard #3 Refine
and complete artistic work

Connecting: Anchor Standard #10 Synthesize

and relate knowledge and personal
experiences to make art.

Enduring Understandings: Essential Questions:

SWUT experiments can be conducted in all What are some ways you can use
areas of life. experimentation to improve your day?

SWUT there is a process to testing solutions. How can the process of finding a solution be
used artistically?

Art Skills: Planning, experimenting, painting, brushstrokes, pouring, mixing, refining,

reflecting, and connecting.

Instruction – daily plan:

Day 1:
1. Students will learn about the technology design loop that engineers use to create solutions
to identified problems.
2. Students will reflect on different times they have tested things in their life to find
solutions. We will collect these experiences on the board and will use a couple to use as a
model to break down the technology design loop.
3. We will look over an experiment that is being conducted by watching a video: ​Zoom Egg
Experiment Video
4. Students will write in their reflection journal about how the scientists have used artistic
elements in there experiment and why they think engineered experiments are important.
Day 2:
5. Students will learn about how artists experiment with art and will recall that abstract art is
an experimentation with paint as well to create different looks. They will look at the
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example of drip painting and how that originated.

6. We will have a class discussion about how paint can produce many different looks
depending on how it is used, what material is used with, and how it is applied.
7. Using this information, we will refer to the technology design loop poster to prepare to
design an experiment involving paint to create a piece of art that is abstract
expressionism.
8. Students will pose a problem when using paint (i.e. paint is too thick to layer, acrylic
dries too fast, watercolor is too runny, etc.)
9. Once students define a problem they want to solve involving paint, they will fill out an
engineering process sheet to plan the experiment they will conduct with paint.
Day 3
10. Students will be given supplies and will have many other mediums and tools to use for
their paint experiment.
11. Students will conduct their experiment on one sheet of paper. As the testing is conducted
on one sheet of paper, the students will also be participating in the art making process and
will be creating a mixture of chaos and control that can be categorized as abstract
expressionism.
12. Students will put their final product to the drying rack to dry.
13. Students will reflect in their reflection journal and write what they concluded after their
experiment, if any of the proposed solutions to their problem worked and why they think
they did or didn’t work.

Resources: (Websites, Books, Music, etc…)

● Technology design loop poster (Copyrighted by Children Engineering Educators Inc)
● Zoom Egg Experiment Video
● Drip painting. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/art/drip-painting

Materials Needed:
● Engineering Process Sheet
● Heavy Paper
● Paintbrushes and cups for rinsing
● Recycled egg cartons to hold paint portions
● Large variety of acrylic and watercolor paints to share amongst the class
● Recycled newspaper for paint mess
● Paper Towel for cleanup
● Reflection Journal
● Various art supplies for experimentation (glue, water, glitter, sponges, etc)
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Evaluations:
Formative: Students will be assessed and scaffolded during discussions about the engineering
process and how paint is experimented with. I will be looking for deep thought about these
topics.
Summative: Completion of the engineering process sheet and final art piece will be evaluated to
look for inquiry based solutions.

Language Arts Lesson Plan

Title: Freedom in Writing and Art Expression Grade Level: 5th Grade

The Big Idea (Overall Concept): Students will learn about the practice of freewriting as an art
and will relate these practices to the experimentation and loose planning in abstract
expressionism.

Description of Lesson (Brief Summary): Students will be introduced to the idea of freewriting
and will have the chance to think critically about how this type of writing practice helps the
writing process. They will then connect this to the way free painting is also an act of discovery
often used in the creation of abstract expressionism.

Time: 2 Class Sessions

English Language Arts Standards: Studio Habits:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.5
With guidance and support from peers and ● Develop Craft
adults, develop and strengthen writing as ● Engage and Persist
needed by planning, revising, editing, ● Envision
rewriting, or trying a new approach. ● Observe
(Editing for conventions should ● Reflect
demonstrate command of Language ● Stretch and Explore
standards 1-3 up to and including grade 5
here​.)

NCAS’s National Art Standards:

ART.VA.V.5.3 Understand and use

comparative characteristics of the visual arts
and other arts disciplines.
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ART.VA.V.5.4 Synthesize connections

between the visual arts and other disciplines
in the curriculum.

Artistic Process:
Connecting: Anchor Standard #10 Synthesize
and relate knowledge and personal
experiences to make art.

Enduring Understandings: Essential Questions:

SWUT writing can always be improved. How is freewriting a helpful practice in

composition?
SWUT there are many techniques to
brainstorm. How can exploration help to find direction in
writing and art?
SWUT freely exploring ideas is beneficial in
both art and writing.

Art Skills: Reflection, observation, and connecting.

Instruction – daily plan:

Day 1:
1. Students will be introduced to the practice of free writing. They will learn about it as a
technique for brainstorming and collecting thoughts to help express an idea.
2. Freewriting will be defined:
a. Writing is done freely for a set amount of time without worrying about rules in
writing (i.e. writing mechanics, grammar, etc).
b. Freewriting is helpful with writer’s block.
c. It is a strategy that enhances creativity in writing.
d. Helps writers experiment with ideas (much like painting exploration)
3. Students will be given an example of freewriting on the board. I will give myself a prompt
and voice out everything that comes to my brain about the topic for 30 seconds as I write
and model this on the board.
4. Students will have 1 minute to free write about their favorite food.
5. After the time is up, I will show the students how I can take ideas generated from my own
freewriting and use them to find focus for a writing piece,
6. Students will make connections from their own freewriting and write an entry in her
reflection journal about their favorite food using their brainstorm.
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Day 2:
7. Students will do a free doodle. They will have a choice of writing tool to draw based on a
prompt.
8. Students will free draw for a full minute based on the theme of favorite memory.
9. Students will be encouraged to share their free drawing with the class and also share their
insights from this practice.
10. Taking this free drawing, the students will look over their abstract expressionist art
project and compare the two.
11. In their reflection journals, the children will write about how free writing and free
doodling are related. They will then reflect on how this free doodle related to their
approach to painting in the abstract expressionism style. They will have some questions
to also consider:
a. How does free writing help you approach freedom in art?
b. How does abstract expressionism remind you of free writing?
c. How will you use what you learned from these strategies in the future?

Resources: (Websites, Books, Music, etc…)

● Freewriting: Definition & Examples. (2016, January 4). Retrieved from
https://study.com/academy/lesson/freewriting-definition-examples-quiz.html.

Materials Needed:
● Writing Paper
● Reflection Journals
● Past Abstract Art Project

Evaluations:
Formative: I will be looking for free thought and unlimited expression in free doodling and
freewriting. I will also be assessing responses to inquiry to see if they are deeply approaching
the idea of freedom in expression.
Summative: Their reflection journal will give me a good idea of how the students grasped the
lesson and interaction overall.