Standard 7: Planning for Instruction
7(a) Individually and collaboratively selects and creates learning experiences that are appropriate for curriculum goals and content standards, and are relevant to learners.
7(h) Understands how integrating cross- disciplinary skills in instruction engages learners purposefully in applying content knowledge.
7(j) Understands the strengths and needs of individual learners and how to plan instruction that is responsive to these strengths and needs.
“The teacher plans instruction that supports every student in meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, cross-disciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context.”
Graphic Design Logo Design Unit:
From simplifying drawings to Eco Design
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Planning starts with listening. I listen to my students talk about their interests to each other and when they openly share something that they are proud of, whether it's something they made or something they bought. This gives me inspiration and makes my lessons relevant to the students as individuals as well as a whole (trends, generations, etc...). After a few lessons with this Graphic Design class, I noticed the struggle to get started on a project. Many students were perfectionists and were challenged by either low confidence in their own ability or low confidence in the idea that they came up with. So I decided that part A of the unit I planned for them would include a way to randomly generate ideas. A series of random word spinners were thus created by me (see picture). They were used and seemed to help the students move through part A of the unit on time.
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The other piece of this unit I would like to highlight is Part C. I purposefully chose to end the unit with something that would allow their products to be even more personalized and professional feeling: screen printing on textiles. I chose these materials because I noticed one student showing off one of their own textile creations to some folks in class. I also chose second hand or recycled textiles to work with because I wanted to introduce Eco Design to the students. Eco Design is something students can do and it's something that they can read a little bit about and understand how their artwork is making a difference on this Earth by using resources mindfully and sustainably.
This process of planning got me so excited about learning together. I am passionate about art that has a positive impact on the world, and I am eager to find ways to share the possibilities for students to practice this kind of art form.
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Moving forward I will plan lessons with teachers in subjects such as, health, English, history and science. I will also create lesson and unit templates that have purposeful space for individual, school, community, and global connections.
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