CAEA Lesson Plan Format

LESSON TITLE: What does it look/move/sound like: Aesthetics and Creative Literacy?

Name of Presenter: Karen McGarry

Grade Level: HS, HE

Background Information:

Presentation offers participants a glimpse into a college level aesthetics for art educator’s course taught Spring 2014 at CSULB that focused on making the learning of aesthetic theories and ideas a visual and participatory encounter.

Content Standards:

Visual Art content standard addressed with the lesson using the following format.

2.0 CREATIVE EXPRESSION

2.3 Develop and refine skill in the manipulation of digital imagery (either still or video).

2.6 Create a two- or three-dimensional work of art that addresses a social issue.

4.0 AESTHETIC VALUING

4.1Articulate how personal beliefs, cultural traditions, and current social, economic, and

political contexts influence the interpretation of the meaning or message in a work of art.

4.2 Compare the ways in which the meaning of a specific work of art has been affected over time because of changes in interpretation and context.

Learning Objectives/Goals/Essential Understandings:

Students work to create a dynamic visual representation of philosophical discussions surrounding aesthetic topics for art educational teaching and learning. After choosing a setting for the play, students work on developing individual philosopher “dolls” to represent ideas within a group presentation display. Project culminates in a tableau where philosophical ideas are discussed and debated.

Vocabulary:

Aesthetics, criticism, philosophy, display, role-play

Materials:

Course readings, materials to build display and role-play costumes

Motivation:

Students work individually to research a philosopher and write a paper on their philosopher, building knowledge to a culmination project of a collaborative display and role-play event. Students direct and determine aesthetic concerns and guidelines for the assignment and participate in developing an authentic grading rubric.

Procedure:

Assignment Guidelines/Student Responsibilities:

Building on knowledge gleaned from readings and related course assignments students complete the following tasks:

Individual Responsibilities:

  • Select a philosopher as a focus for role play
  • Respond to aesthetic questions list based on philosopher’s perspective
  • Create a visual model of your philosopher
  • Respond to and engage in at least three questions in the display

Group Responsibilities:

  • Determine visual strategy for representing questions in aesthetics
  • Build/create visual display
  • Engage as a discursive group to build conversations between philosophers
  • Determine a setting for role play enactment
  • Role play a “dinner party” conversation based on questions in aesthetics

Assessment and/or Evaluation:

Rubric: Philosopher Role Play – Window Display and Discussion Critique/Art 412

CRITERIA / 20
Exceeding Expectations / 10
Meeting Expectations / 0
Failing to Meet Expectations
ARTICULATION OF PHILOSOPHICAL ISSUES IN DISCUSSION / Strong evidence of knowledge and understanding of philosophical issues as related to specific philosopher traits and to aesthetic questions. / Some evidence of knowledge and understanding of philosophical issues as related to specific philosopher traits and to aesthetic questions. / Little to no evidence of knowledge and understanding of philosophical issues as related to specific philosopher traits and to aesthetic questions.
VISUAL INTERPRETATION OF PHILOSOPHER AND AESTHETICS QUESTIONS / Strong use of visual literacy to interpret philosopher/aesthetic ideas within window display and during in-class discussion critique. / Some suggestion of visual literacy to interpret philosopher/aesthetic ideas within window display and during in-class discussion critique. / Little to no appreciation for visual literacy to interpret philosopher/aesthetic ideas within window display and during in-class discussion critique.
OVERALL PARTICIPATION AND EFFORT / Strong participation in creative display and in discussion sessions. Student worked well to collaborate fully with peers throughout creative/discursive process. / Some participation in creative display and in discussion sessions. Student could have worked more effectively to collaborate with peers throughout creative/discursive process. / Participationlacking in creative display and in discussion sessions. Student showed little attempts at collaborating with peers throughout creative/discursive process.

Extensions:

Reading/research in aesthetics and aesthetic theories

Collaborative display installation

Role-play participation