LESSON PLAN FORMAT

University of North Texas

Art Education

I. Lesson Number, Grade Levels, Title, and Duration:

Lesson #2
Grade Level: 4th
Title: Self Portraits
Duration: Three classes/45 minutes each
II. Lesson Rationale:
Students will learn how they can create a self-portrait and be able to express themselves through using
design and color. This lesson will help the students come up with an idea, or better understand, the
many ways of expressing their identity and what makes them who they are.
III. Key Concepts:
Identity is how you see yourself
Identity is how you express yourself
Identity is made up of the things you like
IV. Essential Question:
In what ways is identity how you see yourself?
How can you express yourself to show your true identity?
What are some of the things that make up who you are?
V. Lesson Objectives:
1) The students will be able to construct a self-portrait expressing their mood/identity.
2) The students will be able to design their own color patterned t-shirt that formulates with their
identity.
3) The students will be able to choose from a variety of ways for this self-portrait to reflect on
how they want to be seen.
VI. Specific Art Content:
- Students will be able to show what they have learned about expressing ones self in a self-portrait
- Students will be able to be creative by designing their own shirt
- Students will be able to define how they see themselves by the choices they make for features
VII. Resources & Materials for Teacher:
Book: Just like Me: Stories and Self-Portraits by Fourteen Artists by Harriet Rohmer
Two self-portrait paintings of Vincent van Gogh (both from 1889. On reference page)
Construction paper that will be used to make a couple of templates that the students will share
VIII. Resources & Materials for Students:
Tempera paint
Paint brushes
Smocks
Small containers
Pastel colors
Oval templates for heads

Pencils

.
IX. Instruction and Its Sequencing:
Day of the Lesson
(1st DAY)
1. Introduction/Motivation:
When they enter the classroom, they will be asked to grab a paint smock (this will get give
them a hint and get them excited about using paint today) and gather around the front of the
room because as part of the introduction to the lesson I will read to the students Just like Me:
Stories and Self-Portraits of Fourteen Artists by Harriet Rohmer as a use for them to get the
sense of how artists have portrayed themselves in their own works of art. After we finish the
book, I will pull out two self-portraits by Vincent van Gogh (the same artist we talked about on
our last lesson) to demonstrate and bring back the idea of using color to express oneself/mood.
I will explain how Vincent used a brighter shade of blue to express how calm he was at that
moment of his life. I will then introduce the lesson in which they will be creating a self-portrait
using the color they created last class time.
2. Guided Practice
Before starting on the activity, we will have a brief discussion about what they will be doing
exactly for todays class period. They will be getting the color they created and painting the
background for their self-portrait using a similar motion technique as to Van Goghs painting.
The self-portrait of Van Gogh will be shown at the beginning of the class but will only be
referenced again if asked about. I do not want them to have it as something they copy, but more
as a guide of what I want them to make. I will demonstrate a way of using their paintbrush and
apply the paint to the paper to try to avoid as much mess as possible.
3. Independent Practice
After the introduction and guided practice is discussed, I will already have their containers of
paint set up in the front for me to distribute faster to each of the students. After they are handed
their paint they will pick up a piece of paper and a paint brush and head to their assigned table
to start working individually. When they are done painting their paper they will take their
artwork and carefully placing it on the correct drying rack for their class.
4. Closure
I will give them 5 minutes to clean up. If they are not finished painting their background they
can continue it in the beginning of class next time. After they are dont cleaning up after
themselves and their table is cleaned up (with chairs pushed in) they will be able to line up in
front of the door. Before they leave, I will remind them that they will be getting to paint there
heads and body next time we meet.
(2nd DAY)
1. Introduction/Motivation:
This introduction will be aimed to recollect their knowledge of what they learned about Vincent
van Goghs use of colors to express his identity in his self-portraits and how thats what theyre
end goal is as well. The introduction will be short but to the point because they will need as
much time as possible to work on the body of their self-portrait.
2. Guided Practice
Before the students are let go to work on their self-portraits at their tables, I will demonstrate
what they will do first (the activity for today will be broken into parts so they dont rush on
making their body and do it right). I will already have templates (an oval shape for the head)
for them to use, so using one of the templates I will demonstrate to the front of the class where
they should place the head corresponding to the size of the paper. Their body should be as close

to the center as possible, kind of resembling an ID picture. They will trace the head with a
pencil.
3. Independent Practice
After demonstrating the class how they should trace their head on their background paper, they
will be dismissed to their tables to start on their self-portraits. This shouldnt take to too long,
but before they are able to move on to their body, they will gather around the front of the
classroom again for a demo on how to draw the body of their portrait. Two demos will be
shown, one for girls to which ruffles could be drawn around the neckline of their shirt and
collared shirts for boys but they will both be created with one way of creating a neck. They will
be dismissed to return to their seats to create their bodies on their own after paying attention
how I demonstrated in front of the classroom. This will take a bit longer than the head demo
because it will cover a good forty percent of their paper most likely. The last thing that they will
be instructed to do will be discussed back at their gathering place in front of the classroom.
Before class had started, I should have created different shades of skin color with tempera paint
that the students WILL HAVE THE CHOICE of choosing to paint their face with. This will
also be a form of them choosing their identity and expressing how they see themselves. After
explaining the instructions for them to only paint their neck and face with the paint of their
choice but before dismissing them to do so, I will make sure that the shades of paint will each
be placed on different tables for the students to go to of their choice. They will then be
dismissed to paint their faces. After they are done, they will take their painting back to the
drying racks and clean up their area.
4. Closure
They will get at least 5 minutes to clean up. This day should have been pretty busy, and moved
by quickly so cleaning may be minimal but fast paced. After all the chairs are pushed in, they
will line up in front of the classroom and I will announce to them that they will get to add facial
features and paint their shirts next time we meet!
rd
(3 DAY)
1. Introduction/Motivation:
This will be a short gathering in front of the classroom just to recollect what we have been
working on. Since I only see the fourth graders every once a week, this meeting before every
class period is necessary so they remember what their goal for the lesson is. I will point out the
things that we will be working on today, such as their facial features and t-shirt designs. I will
motivate them by letting them know that they are encouraged to be creative with their t-shirts.
This will give them another chance to express a little something about themselves on this
portrait.
2. Guided Practice
Before the students are let go to work on their self-portraits at their tables, I will demonstrate
how they will draw their eyes, nose, and mouth. I will demonstrate this on the same sample
artwork that I have been demonstrating on for the past few days. Therefore, I will be creating
an image and it will be coming along at the same time as theirs are. I will break down the steps
as I did the last class period so they dont feel rushed and mess it up by doing it quickly and not
proportionally. I will first show them how to draw the eyes, eyebrows, and nose. Then I will
have them pick up their artwork from me, and head to their tables to get started.
3. Independent Practice
They will draw all of their facial features with a pencil then go over it with pastel colors (that
will already be at their table before class starts) after they are done drawing everything. After
they are done with the eyes, eyebrows, and nose, they will meet me back at the front of the
class for me to show them two ways of drawing lips. One way will be more feminine and the

second way will be more masculine shaped for the boys. They will then get to go back to their
seats and work on it themselves. When they are done drawing their facial features with pencil,
they will go over with it with pastel colors. They will be encourage to use their own eye color
because this is suppose to be a representation of themselves. If they need input on their eye
color, they will be able to work with a partner to tell each other what their eye color is. After
their facial features are done, they will use the pastel colors to draw their hair. Once their heads
are done, they will be allowed to work on their shirt designs. They will be encouraged to be
creative but stay with the concept of expressing their identity.
4. Closure
They will get at least 5 minutes to clean up. All pastel colors should be returned to their
corresponding place and their area cleaned before they wash their hands. Their images should
be done by now, if they did not finish, I will spare some time to work on it with them during
next class or I will assign a make up day to which they can come in during lunch, or after
school to work on it. The images will be stacked in their corresponding box for where their
class projects go.
5. Formative Evaluation
On the first day I will make sure that they complete their task by walking around making sure
that they are using the brush and painting as they were instructed to do. This will be more of a
verbal formative evaluation in which they will have to bring me their artworks when they think
they are through and if I say they are, and then they will be able to place it on the drying rack.
On the second day, I will make sure that they have placed the head, neck, and body in the right
place and that they are proportional to each other (or as much as they can be). Points will be
taken off their final grade if they arent to their greatest ability. Finally, the third day will be a
hectic day with lots to do. Another reason to breaking up the instructions the way I will be
doing so will make it easier for me to make sure they are following instruction well, because if
I show them everything at once, some kids may be rushing into the instructions while others
may take more time on one task. This way, as I walk around the classroom, I will be able to
grade them on one task at a time. During their t-shirt design I will evaluate them on their
creativity as they go and try to push them to be as creative as they can as I walk around looking
at what they are creating.
6. Classroom Management Procedures
For all days I will be walking around doing formative evaluations but also making sure that
they are staying on task. By demonstrating how they should control their paintbrush and how
much paint they should be putting on their paper will control the mess. The students will be
asked to pick up a class paint smock before entering every day for this lesson because we will
be working with paint and pastel colors. The students are all responsible for cleaning up after
themselves and are required to have their tables cleaned before they can line up to leave.

X. Summative Assessment and Evaluation:

What do I want to know?
How will I know it?
How will I record it?

XI. Interdisciplinary Connections:

XII. References & Resources:
Book: Just like Me: Stories and Self-Portraits by Fourteen Artists by Harriet Rohmer
Two self-portrait paintings of Vincent van Gogh (both from 1889. On reference page)
XIII. Art TEKS:

Historical and cultural relevance.

Compare content in artworks for various purposes such as the role art plays in reflecting life, expressing emotions,
telling stories, or documenting history and traditions;
Creative expression
create compositions using the elements of art and principles of design; and
-produce drawings; paintings; prints; sculpture, including modeled forms; and other art forms such as ceramics, fiber
art, constructions, mixed media, installation art, digital art and media, and photographic imagery using a variety of art media
and materials.

XIV. National Art Standards

VA:Cr1.2.4

Collaboratively set goals and create artwork that is meaningful and has purpose to

the makers.

VA:Re.7.1.
4a

Compare responses to a work of art before and after working in similar media.

VA:Re.7.2.
4a

Analyze components in visual imagery that convey messages.