Art Integration Unit Plan Template

LTC Art for Children

Unit Title & Big Idea:
Personal Tradition & Printmaking
The big idea of this unit is tradition. Tradition crosses borders and language barriers in the sense
that people worldwide all have their own traditions. Tradition finds its way into all of our lives in
some way or the other. When we think of tradition we usually think of holidays, celebrations, big
events. However, tradition also permeates small events in our everyday lives. For example, what
are your familys dinner traditions? Are you gathered around the table every night with everyone
sitting in their spot? Or do you all go out to your favorite restaurant and sit in your favorite
booth? Students in this unit will investigate their own traditions and in the process learn about the
traditions within their classroom community. Students will be introduced to artists like Norman
Rockwell, who focuses on every day events and tradition in his work. They will be encouraged to
look at the details he includes his pieces in order to convey his point. Students will take this
knowledge to complete artwork through collagraph printmaking. The idea of tradition ties in
nicely with printmaking in that both are doing the same thing over and over again. The repeated
printing of one design correlates with the repeated elements of a specific tradition.
Unit Overview/Summary:
This unit will begin by having students discuss the basics of tradition: what it is, why it is
important and some general traditions we see in our culture and cultures worldwide. From there,
the class will dive into unique traditions that pertain to each individual student. They will depict
their chosen tradition via collagraph printmaking by making a printing plate and then printing
three copies. In addition, they will write an accompanying artist statement and personal narrative
to go along with their tradition prints. Students will present their work to the class in a small
presentation as well as a gallery walk. The unit will conclude by students starting to develop their
own class tradition. This unit is important for many reasons. One, by developing this overarching
idea that tradition is universal; it gives students an example of unity within the world. They, in
their classroom in Missouri, celebrate certain events in a certain way like a child in China or
Germany does. It may not be the same event, and the actual tradition might be very different, but
the process of creating and valuing tradition is the same. Students are simultaneously seeing the
worlds people as similar and different from themselves. Furthermore, students connect these ideas
explicitly to their own lives by analyzing one tradition they have and what makes it unique.

Grade Level/Class Periods Required:

This unit plan was developed for fourth
grade. However, it can be adopted for
slightly older and slightly younger students
with the right teacher scaffolding. The
amount of time to complete this unit, while
flexible, should be approximately two weeks
with an hour per day dedicated to this unit.

Materials needed: Blank & Lined

Paper, Pencils, Markers, Sponge
Brushes, Newspaper, Modge Podge,
Block Printing Ink, Paint, Scissors,
Glue, Manilla File Folders,
Cardboard, Brayers , Plexiglass
Additional Resources:
o http://www.museofthemorning.co
m/museblog/2012/printmakingtutorial-making-collagraphs-in/
o http://www.k6art.com/2012/11/0
4/30-minute-collographprintmaking/
o http://makingartfun.com/htm/fmaf-art-library/norman-rockwell-

Creating the written pieces to go with the artwork is necessary for students to look at what makes
up their own traditions- the details, the emotions, the people involved. Simply put, students are
strengthening their ability to reflect. This unit is designed in hopes students will have a new
appreciation for the possibly small details that makes their personal customs their own. These
details might be overlooked at times, but should be recognized as vital to a persons background.
Having an appreciation for where one comes from, will hopefully allow students to have a greater
appreciation for the small details that makes their classmates backgrounds unique as well.

Key Concepts
Tradition has been the focus of artists throughout
history. Norman Rockwell was a 20th century painter that
depicted every day, realistic events. His work showed the
authentic details that accompanied these traditions.

biography.htm
o http://www.saturdayeveningpost.
com/sections/artentertainment/norman-rockwellart-entertainment
Preparation: The teacher should be
prepared in multiple areas. One,
he/she needs to have a firm grip on
what constitutes a tradition in order
to facilitate initial student discussion.
The teacher should be prepared with
cultural and personal traditions to
offer students examples when they
are brainstorming. He/ she needs to
be familiar with the artist Norman
Rockwell, his artwork, and some
general background information on
him. The teacher also needs to be
comfortable with the collagraph
printmaking process so that he/she
can assist students. The teacher
should create an exemplar for
students so he/she can demonstrate
the printmaking for the students and
consider possible problems that
could arise.

Essential Questions
How can we demonstrate personal tradition through the art making process?
How can we solve problems in different ways using art?
How does manipulating the printing plate (layering, placement, etc.) affect
the product?
How can we solve problems in different ways using art?

Collagraph printmaking is a form of art that revolves

How does printmaking relate to tradition? Why do they fit together?
around using materials to create layers on a printing pad.
This printing pad is then covered in paint or block printing
ink and transferred to a support of choice. Multiple copies
are made. Artist statements allow artists to provide
information to the viewer about how and why the piece
was composed. Narratives allow a writer to give emotion,
details, and perspective to a specific event. When added to
prints, a deeper, fuller story is told through the art.
Unit Objectives:
The student will complete the printmaking process by making at least three copies of their print.
The student will explain their artistic process and choices by writing an artist statement.
The student will compose a personal narrative that relates to their artwork.
Grade Level Expectations (GLEs)
Core Academic Standards (Common Core State Standards)
Social Studies: Relationships of Institutions and
Groups to Institutions and Traditions
6. Knowledge of relationships of the individual and groups
to institutions and cultural traditions.
I. Changing ideas, concepts and traditions
Grade 5: Identify how ideas, concepts, and traditions
have changed over time
Visual Art Strand 1: Product/Performance
1. Select and apply two dimensional media, techniques,
and processes to communicate ideas and solve challenging
visual art problems.
D. Other Media
Grade 6: Demonstrate a printmaking process
(e.g. monoprint, collagraph, string print)

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.3
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective
technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.3.D
Use concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences
and events precisely.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

National Core Art Standards

Create
Anchor Standard #2. Organize and develop aristic ideas
and work.
Presenting
Anchor Standard #6. Convey meaning through the
presentation of artistic work.
Connection
Anchor Standard #10. Synthesize and relate knowledge
and personal experiences to make art.
Content Areas Integrated:
1. Visual Art
2. Social Studies
3. Language Arts

Lesson Titles (Time & Materials)

1. Tradition Introduction (1 Day, 45 minutes)
Access to SmartBoard/something to write on
Paper, pencil, markers for each student

2. Collograph Printmaking Introduction (1 Day, 60

minutes)

Identify & define common vocabulary/concepts that connect the art form with the
other identified subject area(s):
Collagraph Printmaking: collage of materials glued onto a printing plate, covered in
paint or ink then pressed onto a support
Tradition: the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation, or
the fact of being passed on in this way.
Narrative: spoken or written account of connected events, story
Artist Statement: an artists written description of their work, intended to be given to
the viewer to increase their understanding of the piece
Brief Lesson Descriptions
1. During the unit introduction, the teacher will lead the class in generating lists of
widespread traditions students and their families have. (This might be opening
presents on Christmas morning, eating turkey at Thanksgiving, etc.) The teacher will
discuss while many people might have these general traditions, we all have traditions
that are more specific and unique to our families. Students will brainstorm traditions
specific to them through writing, taking notes, drawing, etc.
2. The teacher will show student examples of Normal Rockwell and talk about how
he depicted tradition in his artwork. Additionally, students will be introduced to

Art Examples (Normal Rockwell & Printmaking)

Paper and pencil for each student, cardboard,
manila folders, scissors, glue, ink pads, newspaper

3. Studio Time! Part 1 (1 Day, 60 minutes)

Scissors, glue, Modge Podge, sponge brushes,
manila folders, cardboard, newspaper
4. Studio Time! Part 2 (2 Days, 60 minutes each)
Newspaper, brayers, block printing ink, paint,
plexiglass, white paper or other support

5. Narratives/ Artist Statements (2 days, 60 minutes each)

Notebook paper and pencils
Computers (if wanting to type finished product)

6. Presentation of Prints (1 day, 60 minutes)

7. Class Tradition ( initially 1 day, 60 minutes)

collagraph printmaking. The teacher will explain how this use this art making
process to depict a personal tradition (show teacher exemplar). Students will sketch
what they want their print to look like. Students will also play with this art making
process by making mini prints using ink pads.
3. Students will begin creating printing plates using the given materials. Students
will cut out pieces to layer on top of one other and then will glue this down. Using
Modge Podge, students will cover their printing plates to create a sealant over their
work.
4. The teacher will have stations set up around the room with either paint or
printmaking ink of various colors. He/she will give a class demonstration on how to
go through the printmaking process. A small group of students will then work on
printing at least 3 copies of their tradition pieces as the teacher walks around to
scaffold them. Those not printing at the time, will work on creating a personal
narrative that tells a story of the tradition they are capturing.
5. Students will further work on their personal narratives. As a reminder, these
should be specific stories that include the tradition they printed. It should be told as
if the reader is a guest walking in on the tradition. These narratives will also include
a statement of how they created their artwork and why they selected this specific
tradition to capture. Therefore, this writing piece is simultaneously a narrative and an
artist statement. Students may type these if there is enough time and/ or the teacher
wants them to be typed.
6. Students will show their art pieces to their classmates one at a time and talk briefly
about their piece. Afterwards, the class will have a gallery walk where students can
read more in depth their classmates narratives.
7. To build community in the classroom and further develop the idea of tradition, the
teacher will introduce a new project where the class will create a tradition of its own.
The teacher will write down student generated ideas of what the class wide tradition
should include. This project will extend beyond this unit; the teacher will reference

back to it many times throughout the year as the class continues to develop this
tradition. This will allow the big idea to continue on and will ultimately lead to the
celebration of the tradition sometime during the school year.