Jeff Webster

PSII Unit Plan Children of St. Martha

Subject: Art integrated with Language Arts

Unit: Japanese Bound Book
Theme: Me and My World
Grade: 5 - 6

Unit Rational
As an artist, it may seem uncharacteristic that I would foster a strict convention of
regulation. However, I like the challenge of working with coordinated obstructions that
oblige one to explore unconventional, imaginative analyses and divergent possibilities
through critical thinking and problem solving. Some challenges that might exist may be
size constraints, medium constraints, or content constraints.
Along with a fondness for challenges, I have a compulsion to organize chaos.
Perhaps stemming from a background in web-design, a very ordered and structured form
of presentation, I continue to apply these principles to my artwork. No matter how
abstract the contents of a piece, physically framing it within certain parameters or
boundaries will change how the viewer interprets and interacts with it.
A Bookmaking unit adopts and applies these principles and concepts. There are
set constraints in bookmaking; the artist is limited to working with specific dimensions
and well as limited mediums. The artist is forced to problem solve, coming up with
solutions that portray their end piece successfully.
There are endless forms and interpretations of the book. Artist books are for more
than just reading. They are used in a way to transform the pages into works of art.
Teachers at every grade level have discovered that engaging students in the bookmaking
process has the power to motivate even the most reluctant readers and writers.
Bookmaking helps increase the students self-esteem as well as their ability to organize
their thoughts while thinking critically and creatively. Giving the student ownership over
something that they create from beginning to end makes them accountable for their
learning. The end product is something they can be proud of.
Incorporating every part of the bookmaking process in conjunction with a
continuing story, theme or idea is important. Every part of the book should help to
reinforce the meaning or the main idea. Each book is unique to the artist, and should
portray an idea of whom and what they are. Pictures and illustrations help make the
pages look more creative and attractive.
This unit is relevant to grade five/six for a number of reasons. At this stage in
their development, the students are questioning who they are, how others perceive them,
their friendships, and their likes and dislikes. The theme, Me and My World will take
the students through a number of assignments that force them to think critically about
forming answers to these questions, as well as recognizing objects that are symbolic to
them all while finding a creative style of their own.
Being able to communicate ideas in writing and illustration are important to
individual development. Understanding how images connect to language is also crucial
for language/comprehension development. Students will be able to express their ideas in
illustrations and through written activities. They will be able to connect to their work on
a personal level that will instill pride and self-confidence. By creating a book, the
students will learn the skills involved in completing a final product and gain a better
appreciation of the history, process and result. The bookmaking unit will take the

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Jeff Webster
PSII Unit Plan Children of St. Martha
students through a process of self-discovery and skill development through images and
writings and will end with a mastered product.
A number of teaching strategies will be used during instruction to help with the
different learning styles and the varying learning levels of the classroom. Teaching to
these different styles of learning will help the students excel in art and language art. In
addition to visual instruction, the students will experience art through hands-on activities,
demonstrations, group work and discussions, collaborative learning, and individual
problem solving. All of these activities will contribute to a well-rounded art experience.

Scope and Sequence

The unit will take place over the duration of my practicum placement:
approximately six weeks, with lessons integrating Art and Language Arts. The primary
art making process will take place in art and the writing processes will take place in
Language Arts. Some writing time will be devoted to the art periods to stimulate and
motivate the image making process and to show the connection between image and text.
One of the important aspects in this project will be to keep an ongoing sketchbook for the
students to include any ideas, verbally or artistically. This will be examined as a form of
visual-note taking used to recall and explore ideas and to experiment with a certain
medium. The students will be introduced to the bookmaking process by creating their
own sketchbook using the accordion bookmaking technique. This will take place in the
first lesson. Along with the sketchbook, the students will be expected to create a
viewfinder as an aid to the sketching process. The viewfinder will be a tool to learn more
about the styles and approaches to drawing.
The next few classes will be devoted to explaining the final project and the
process. This will involve explaining the outcomes, learning about the history of
bookmaking, showing examples of previously made books, demonstrating how to make a
Japanese bound book, having the students think about the theme and possibly the
contents and finally start on the front and back covers of the book. Because the theme is
Me and My World I want the students to be comfortable in creating a book about
themselves. I will motivate the students by reading stories and poems that have to do
with identity and self and show the personal books I created.
The contents of the book will be formulated around teaching the elements and
principles of design supported by various mediums such as drawing, painting, collage,
printmaking, oil and chalk pastel and crayon and ink. There will be various assignments
that force the students to think critically, and creatively about who they are and how the
world perceives them.

General Learner Outcomes

o Depiction:
Component 3, A. Artistic style affects the emotional impact of an artwork.
Component 6, A. Color harmonies affect the mood and feeling of the
viewer.

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PSII Unit Plan Children of St. Martha
o Composition:
C. Transitions of color, texture or tone relate the parts of a composition to
a unified whole.
o Expression:
Component 10 (i), purpose 2, A. A narrative can be retold or interpreted
visually.
Objectives
(Cognitive)
Students will:
o Make a book that follows a sequential order of events and presents an
understandable message.
o Make a multi-medium, handmade artists book using narrative stories, poems and
other creative writing which will be supported by the elements and principles of
design.
o Think critically about who they are and how the world perceives them.
o Learn how to write a haiku poem.
o Learn what a symbol is and how each person reacts differently to them.

(Psychomotor)
Students will:
o Generate a handmade Japanese bound book with superior craftsmanship.
o Create an accordion book to be used as their sketchbook.
o Use different media to explore the elements and principles of design.
o Work with found materials and collage

(Affective)
Students will:
o Create a book that shows their feelings about the subject they choose to discuss.
o Express feelings and emotions towards words and images through visual arts and
writing.
o Appreciate the process and value of hand made books.
o Participate in class discussions regarding selective works of art.

Art History and Theory Components

o Japanese Bookmaking
o Surrealists (automatism): Break free of the constraints of objective painting.
o Abstract Expressionism: Visual expressions that showed the artists movements.
o Emotionalism: A work of art must arouse a response of feelings, moods and/or
emotions in the viewer and artist.
o Haiku Poems
o Graffiti Art
o Gallery display art

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PSII Unit Plan Children of St. Martha

Lesson Summaries

Lesson One:
Introduce theme: Identity. Over the next five weeks I want you to think about whom you
are and how you think other people perceive you. We are going to be doing a number of
activities that will be based around your identity in art and in L.A.

Name plaque: Introduction of name.

Design a plaque of who they are i.e.: hockey player, books, favorite color.
Materials: pencil crayon, felts.
Rational: See their name so you can find out who they are. Introduces identity and
representation, and expands on to the coat of arts assignment.
Nametag is then made into the binding for their sketchbook, idea book.

Everyone in the class already knows each other but are there things that no one knows
about you? For example, maybe you speak a different language at home; maybe you
belong to a club, or have won awards in the past that others in the class dont know
about? Try to illustrate the name plaque with these facts

Lesson Two:
Coat of Arms: Coat of Arms - Pealing Back the Layers
This lesson is meant to act as a stepping-stone to the next lesson. I want to introduce the
(Canadian) Coat of Arms as one way for societies, families and individuals to identify
and differentiate one another. The creation of a personal Coat of Arms is the main focus
of this lesson while incorporating some of the issues that the media and advertising brings
up in terms of gender roles and consumer needs. How does one see themselves as an
individual, a friend, artist, consumer, student, sibling, son/daughter...?

Lesson Three:
In this lesson, I will be introducing the bookmaking unit. We will be looking at various
types of books ranging from picture books, accordion books, wordless books and
Japanese bound books.

Theme of book: Identity, Who am I?

Introduction: history/slides/pictures.
Introducing the bookmaking unit.
Refer back to theme.
Art history: show examples of collage and other art books.

Make front and back covers of book.

Front cover: Me Collage
Back: Coat of arms.

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PSII Unit Plan Children of St. Martha
Lesson 4:
If youre not from the prairie
by David Bouchard.

Read the book If youre not from the prairie and think about how you could write your
own story about being from some place in the world that others would consider unique.

Students will complete a comprehension assignment (p. I at the end of this unit plan)
that will help assess their listening abilities and assure that they pay attention.

Lesson 5:
Writing a poem in the style of David Bouchard
*SEE LESSON PLAN (p. III IV) AT THE END OF THIS UNIT PLAN!

Lesson 6:
About the Author Page

Students will write an autobiography to put into their book on the last page.
The autobiographies will include a photo of the student and information typical of an
About the Author Page birthplace, family, etc.

Lesson 7:
Exploring Communication and Narrative
*SEE LESSON PLAN (p. V VI) AT THE END OF THIS UNIT PLAN!

Lesson 8:
Creating a Silent Movie
*SEE LESSON PLAN (p. VII IX) AT THE END OF THIS UNIT PLAN!

Lesson 9:
Graffiti and Tattoo Art - Signature or Tag: Contemporary Forms of Identification

Graffiti and tattooing are both contemporary forms of identification that students of this
age will get involved in and excited about. The idea that they are getting to create
something "rebellious" in class is an instant motivator. The notion of identity is
important for students of this age who are beginning to solidify their beliefs and ideas on
how they see themselves. This is a project that the students will be able to achieve
success and obtain a sense of accomplishment.

These two forms of art expression contain elements of art and design such a perspective,
color, illusion, and positive and negative space. This seems to be an area that meets the
demands of the curriculum and the needs of the students.

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PSII Unit Plan Children of St. Martha
Art history:
Show symbols and discuss how they have different meanings to each of us.
Show graffiti culture.
Show brands from farming communities.

Students will create a symbol of their name that represents who they are.
The symbols must include at least 3 elements and 3 principles of design, and will be
printed using Styrofoam. The final copy will fit the size of their book.

Lesson Ten
Putting it all together!

o Contents of the book does not have to be in a specific order. For example, written
works can go in the front all together, or you can mix things up, whatever!
o Go through their checklist and make sure all their assignments are put together.
o Explain how to bind, very meticulously the book.
o Celebrate and have a final show and tell.

Evaluation Techniques

o Students degree of skill in handling the material

o How has the student organized his or her artwork and made the different parts
function?
o Degree of creative imagination, independent thinking and ingenuity used in
making the artwork.
o Self-assessment of students learning: At the end of each assignment, their will be
a number of questions the students will be asked to answer, Such as: What did
you like? Dislike? What was successful? What would I do differently next time?
What did I learn?
o Unit Checklist

Unit Resources

Books:

Naested, Irene Russell. (1998) Art in the Classroom: An Integrated Approach to

Teaching Art in Canadian Elementary and Middle Schools. Harcourt Brace & Company.
Canada.
Irene is an inspirational art education professor who believes truly and wholly on
integrating art in the curriculum. This book teaches teachers how to holistically
approach the integration of the arts into other curricula and to learn how to make
meaningful connections between subjects. Very useful for Division I and II
teachers.

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PSII Unit Plan Children of St. Martha
Herberholz and Hanson. ( 1990) Early Childhood Art, 5th Ed. McGraw Hill. Boston.
I used this book mostly to get ideas on how to teach the elements and principles of
design. The book provides great questions to ask students on each element and
principle and also relates them to specific artworks provided in color, in the book.
The book has a well-balanced presentation to it that ties art production, aesthetics,
art criticism and art history along with providing examples to each other
throughout the book. It is very easy to read and navigate through. Great for
Division I and II.

Picture Books:

- Olivia
- Harold and the Purple Crayon
- Sky Songs
- If youre not from the prairie
- The Mysteries of Harris Burdick
- Flicks (books without words)

Videos:

- A trip to the moon, by Georges Mlis, 1902.

- The Policemens little run, by Path Frres, 1907.

Websites:

http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons, Read, Write and Think. International Reading

Association. Accessed February 20th, 2006.
This Website provides great lesson ideas and resources on how to integrate
reading and language arts into the classroom. Great for any grade level. I used
this website to get some ideas on why language arts are so important to the
learning process and development of students.

http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/. Incredible Art Department. Princeton Online.

Accessed February 12, 2006.
I love this website because it has so many awesome lesson ideas for art and how
to integrate the arts into other subjects. This is NOT an arts and craft website,
which so many are. This is a website dedicated to everything art! It has
resources, great art websites, art lessons, jobs, associations, news and pet peeves
from art teachers.

http://www.sdmart.org/education-plans.html#book. San Diego Museum of Art.

Accessed February 20, 2006.
If you need online guides or templates for various styles of books, such as
accordion, flag or Japanese Stab Binding you will find them all here. The site
also has many great lesson ideas you can use in combination with the
bookmaking.

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Jeff Webster
PSII Unit Plan Children of St. Martha

If youre not from the prairie

By David Bouchard
1. If youre not from the prairie, name three things that you dont
know:

__________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

2. What was one thing about the prairies that you thought was the
most similar to Lethbridge?

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

3. If youre not from the prairie, who does the author say you dont
know?

___________________________________________________

4. Why do you think the author says that if youre not from the
prairie, you cant know these things?

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

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Jeff Webster
PSII Unit Plan Children of St. Martha
5. After listening to the story, brainstorm a list of ideas about
Lethbridge that make it special (unique). For example: If youre
not from Lethbridge then you dont know bridges. Come up with
a list as long as you can but make sure you have at least 10
ideas!

Things that make Lethbridge Special

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Jeff Webster
PSII Unit Plan Children of St. Martha
Date: Tuesday, March 21, 2005
Lesson: Painted and paper cutout silhouettes
Class: Grade 6 Language Arts/Art
Length: 1 hour
Objective:
- Students will learn new vocabulary and use it appropriately:
o Wash (quickly covering the background with paint mixed with lots of
water)
o Transparency vs. Opacity
o Silhouette
o Texture
- Students will discuss different moods/feeling and talk about ways to achieve these
different emotions (i.e. use of color).
- Students will experiment with different brush strokes to create different effects.
- Students will experiment with paint medium in different ways (i.e. adding more or
less water to the paint, tearing paper, cutting paper) to create different effects.
- Students will make a visual representation of their poems.
- Students will create an original piece of art that has meaning to themselves.

Class Prep:
- Prepare all materials so they are ready to distribute

Materials:
- Manilatag
- Black construction paper
- Paint brushes
- Tempra paint
- Glue stick
- Scissors
- Water

15 mins Introduction:
- DEMO: have someone read their poem and go through the steps
with them talk about what colors to use, what images it makes you
think of when you read the poemdo a quick wash, cut out an
image and show what the poem will be written on
- Explain that we will be illustrating our own poems as well to show
what we talked about in our poem.
- Talk about and explain the different techniques (adding water to
paint, tearing paper vs. cutting, etc.).
- Because these pages will go into our books in a few weeks, an
important thing to keep in mind is the orientation of the paper
(horizontal or vertical).
- When doing our writing, make sure not to go directly to the edge of
the paper or the binding of the book will cut it off.

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Jeff Webster
PSII Unit Plan Children of St. Martha
40 mins Activities:
- Have students group their desks together in blocks of 4.
- Hand out materials.
- On the pieces of manilatag, students will paint a background scene
(i.e. a sunset). They can add more water to the paint to make it look
more like a water colortalk about techniques. The painting does
not need to be detailed very quick.
- If the students are doing illustrations for more than one poem, they
should paint all the pieces of manilatag now.
- After paper is painted, students will begin to cut shapes out of black
paper (i.e. the high level bridge).
- Glue the images onto the painted paper.
- Students should layer the black paper on the painting to give the
image more detail and make it more interesting to look at. They can
layer to give the effect of hills for example.
- Finish all of the illustrations.
- After all are done, talk about doing the good copy of the poems.
- All corrections must be made.
- Very important to use the best, neatest printing possible!!
- Give students pieces of translucent paper to write their poems on.
This paper will be placed over the illustration so that you can see the
image through the paper, but the writing will still be very legible.

5 mins. Closure:
- Students my cleanup their desk, paint brushes, etc.
- Send groups up to the sink one at a time to wash brushes and put
paint away so that everyone isnt rushing at once.
- Talk about the process that students went through to create their
illustrations.
- What images have students chosen?
- Why have the chosen them?
- Is the illustration a description of what is in the poem? How?
- What is a narrative?
- Are the illustrations forms of narratives? How?
- Students should finish any unfinished illustrations for homework
(should be finished and back to school for Monday!!). It shouldnt
be hard to do for homework because all of the painting will already
be done and all the students have to do is make the shapes from the
black paper and glue.

Assessment:
- Monitor how students interact with each other.
- How do the illustrations relate to the poem?
- How did the students follow the proper procedures?
- How did the students apply technique while creating their illustrations?
Self-evaluation:

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Jeff Webster
PSII Unit Plan Children of St. Martha
Lesson: Communicating in different ways Date: Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Class: Grade 5 Language Arts/Art Length: 30 mins

Objective:
- students will identify different ways that we communicate (verbally, body
language, writing, pictures, symbols)
- demonstrate different ways of communicating
- understand why we communicate in these different ways
- how do we interpret these different ways of communication?
- Discuss how we can communicate through art
- You dont need words to create a narrative (what does narrative mean)?
- Begin to think about what they can do for a project
- Start thinking about the importance of symbols(next, next project!)

Activities:
- has anybody seen a silent movie?
o what is it?
- so if there are no words, how do we understand what is going on?
- Is it easy to communicate? (with words.? Without words.?)
- Yes? Everyone get out a piece of paper, and take 2 minutes to write down a
description to send to my friends fromwherever..because they have never
tasted salt before. We need to describe to him What does salt taste like?
o No talking!!!!!
o We will be sharing our responses after 2 minutes.
o easy or hard?

- Two volunteers:
o Person 1 close your eyes
o Person 2 describe to person 1 exactly what I am doing
o Person 1 do exactly what I did (after having received instructions)

- two more volunteers:

o Person two leave the room for a second while the class thinks of a
message to communicatethen come back in
o Person one must communicate a message to person 2 without talking to
themwith only your actions!!
o Person two verbalize what person one is trying to tell you.

- play telephone:
o how did the message change?
o Is talking always the best way to communicate?
o Why? Or why not?

- what are some advantages of communicating with pictures? Disadvantages?

o How do we do it?
Expression, detail, sequence, what else?

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Jeff Webster
PSII Unit Plan Children of St. Martha
- Have you ever read a book that had no words??
o look at stories without words
o what are we forced to do (interpret the storyimaginemake up a
narrative)
o what do these stories have in common?

Closure:
- review the different ways to communicate
- importance of symbols
- talk about our assignment: creating a narrative about an event in our lives that is
told with pictures only.
o Story-boarding
o Sequencing

Self-Evaluation:

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Jeff Webster
PSII Unit Plan Children of St. Martha
Lesson: Silent Movies Date: Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Class: Grade 5 Language Arts/Art Length: 60 mins

Objective:
- students will think creatively
- brainstorm and sketch/write ideas
- learn and use vocabulary (narrative, expression, storyboard, sequence)
- begin to make a narrative with only images NO WORDS!
- discuss stories without words and make a list of important components
- observe silent films
- inspire the students

Activities:
- explain that everyone will come and sit on the floor.
- Introduce movies (A trip to the moon, by Georges Mlis, 1902. AND The
Policemens little run, by Path Frres, 1907. )

**Heres what students should watch for:

o Sequence
o What the narrative is
o How do the actors create this narrative? What are they doing?
o Expression

- The first film has narration accompanying it how does this add to or take away
from the film?
- 2nd film has NO words how does this add to or take away from it?

STAND AND STRETCH

- Look at Flicks, by Tomie DePaola (Book)

o How is it similar to the videos?
o How is it different?
- Have students come up with a narrative to go along with the story.

Closure:
- review how the actors were able to communicate, even without words.
- Explain our next assignment:
o We are going to create a silent movie on paper where we are the star.
- Handout assignment and read through together!!!

Self-Evaluation:

VII
Jeff Webster
PSII Unit Plan Children of St. Martha

Youre going to be a star!!

Silent Movies have been around for more than 100 years.
Because there was no talking, the actors had to use lots of
expression in their movements to make the story line
understandable.

If you remember the black-and-white videos we watched in class,

the most important features that created a narrative were the
actors body language and the setting.

In class we are going to make our own Silent Movies...but

instead of being on the T.V., they are going to be on paper. Plus,
instead of having some boring guy (like Mr. Webster) be the
actor, YOU are going to be in the spot light! This is your chance
to be famous, my friends! Solets get to it!

Your new super, fantastic, wonderful, marvelous, out-of-this-

world, unbelievably fun assignment is to cast yourself as the star
of a Silent Movie. Use the template to create a sequence that
shows the beginning, middle, and end of a story.

Now for the surprises!!

1. You cannot use words (except in the title frame) the story
must be told by the illustrations.
2. There must be a title (this is the ONLY time that you can
use text!)
3. The illustrations will be done in Pen and Ink that means
black-and-white line drawings (in ink), and shading (in
pencil).
4. All of the squares on the template must be filled including
a title in the first circle, and an ending in the last circle.

When you are all done your movie, you will cut out each page
and connect them in order to form one long storyboard. These
movies will be become another page (a fold-out) in your book
project.

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Jeff Webster
PSII Unit Plan Children of St. Martha

How you will be marked

Narrative Illustrations Text Quality

Academy - The story is - The pictures - There was no - The end

Award very easy to are done in text, except product was
Winner!! follow. Pen and Ink. in the title. superb!!
- I dont need - Excellent - Good job - All of the
words to tell detail! listening to boxes were
me what is - Drawn very instructions! filled.
going on! neatly.

Academy - The story is - The pictures - There was a - Good job!

Award easy to are done in title to the
Nominee! follow. Pen and Ink. movie, but
- Good detail! also a little
- Drawn text used
neatly. somewhere
else too.

Movie Mill - I can tell - The pictures - Quite a bit of - The end
what the are not done text used. product needs
story is in Pen and a little bit
about, but it Ink. more
took a while. - Little detail. attention.

- Story needs - The pictures - It felt like I - The end

Available on words to tell are not done was reading a product is not
VHS what is in Pen and novel!! close to being
happening. Ink. completed.
- No detail.
- Drawn very
sloppily.

Watch out for - Story?! What - Did you draw - No text...no - Ummhave
the rotten story!? in invisible nothing!! (not you even
tomatoes! ink?! even a title). started yet!?

/5 /5 /5 /5

TOTAL = _________/20

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