Name(s)

Date: March 4, 2014

Knowing Your Students: Description of School/Class/Students/Grade P.S. 8 is a public school located in the Bronx and made up of 1219 students. This third grade classroom consists of 32 students; 8 with IEPs and 3 ELL. There are two cooperating teachers along with two teachers who come in towards the end of the school day to help with the students.

Unit (Title): Vincent van Gogh and Pablo Picasso; Creative/Informative Writing

Unit Summary Provide a narrative description of this unit This unit will explore the various works of Vincent van Gogh and Pablo Picasso. Students will use their artwork as references and focus points in order to write creative and informative pieces. Students will interpret, argue, and research the artists work along with their biographies.

Stage 1: Desired Results Consider: What do you want student to know and be able to do by the end of this unit? Established Learning Goal (s): What relevant goals (content standards, Course or Program Objectives, Learning Outcomes, etc.) will this unit address? CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.1a Introduce the topic or text they are writing about, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure that lists reasons. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.1b Provide reasons that support the opinion. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.1c Use linking words and phrases (e.g., because, therefore, since,for example) to connect opinion and reasons. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.1d Provide a concluding statement or section. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic

and convey ideas and information clearly. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.2a Introduce a topic and group related information together; include illustrations when useful to aiding comprehension. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.2b Develop the topic with facts, definitions, and details. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.3a Establish a situation and introduce a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.3b Use dialogue and descriptions of actions, thoughts, and feelings to develop experiences and events or show the response of characters to situations. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.3c Use temporal words and phrases to signal event order. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.3d Provide a sense of closure. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.7 Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.8 Recall information from experiences or gather information from print and digital sources; take brief notes on sources and sort evidence into provided categories. (W.3.9 begins in grade 4)

Understandings: Students will understand that. What are the BIG ideas? What specific understandings about them are desired? What misunderstandings are predictable? Students will understand art, like written texts, contain stories and characters that can be analyzed. Students will understand an artists cultural and personal background will affect and influence what the artist may choose to create. Students will understand how to use a informative, imaginative, and opinion structure to convey their ideas.

Essential Question(s): What provocative questions will foster inquiry, understanding, and transfer of learning? How does van Gogh/Picasso use their artwork to reflect their culture? What to story do you think the artist is trying to tell in his piece? How did van Gogh/Picasso use his personal life in his art? How can you use art to reflect your personal or cultural experiences?

Students will know. Students will be able to.. Students will know basic information Students will be able to write an surrounding van Gogh/Picasso s informative piece about van Gogh or biographies and cultures. picasso biography and famous artwork. Students will know the fundamental Students will be able to argue their structure of a small research paper. interpretation of a piece of art. Students will know how to write a research Students will be able to create an original essay on the personal life of van imaginative story based on their Gogh/Picasso. interpretation of a piece of art. Students will know the fundamental Students will be able to discuss a piece of structure of an opinion piece of writing. art uses ideas and facts about the piece Students will know how to write an opinion itself as well as the artist. based essay regarding an interpretation of a piece of art. Students will know the fundamental structures of an imaginative piece of writing. Students will know how to use a piece of art to inform an imaginative piece of writing. Students will be able to use language related to art in their writing and in discussions.

Stage 2: Assessment Evidence Consider: What learner outcome(s)/content standard(s) will be assessed through this task? What are the observable and measurable indicators for each? What are the assessment criteria?

Performance Task (s): Through what authentic performance task(s) will students demonstrate their understanding(s) By what criteria will performances of understanding(s) be judged?

Other Evidence? Through what other evidence (Quizzes, tests, academic prompts, observations, journals, etc.) will students demonstrate achievement of the desired results? How will students reflect upon and self-assess their learning?

Pre-Assessment: Students have written brief informative, opinion, and imaginative based Discussion: Students will be informally

essays. They are familiar with the structure of informative, opinion, and imaginative essays and have been assessed on these structures. Before the unit began, students received an introductory homework that assessed their ability to establish an interpretation of a piece of art. Students have received an introduction to artistic styles.In groups, they had experience in discussing and interpreting works of art. Midline: Throughout the unit, students will turn in several written assignments. These will serve as an on-going evaluation of the students ability to use various styles of writing structures as well as an assessment of their knowledge of the artists and their work. Endline: The final unit assessment will be the creation of class mural. Each student will create a drawing that they feel best represents the class as a whole. This can be a drawing of the classs favorite subject, food, television show. etc The students will then write a paragraph explaining their image choice and why they represented it in the way they did. The assessment will be based on how they explained the image and their choice. The class will then place all of the pictures on a wall together.

assessed during class discussions. Students should be stating their observations on the artwork. Students will be assessed through observation and their ability to discuss a piece of art in terms of color, characters, and symbols. Students should also use the appropriate vocabulary when discussing writing assignments (they have been assessed on this but should be utilizing the vocabulary in this unit). Homework: Throughout the unit, students will receive homework assignments that ask them to answer questions about an artists work and biography. Students will also receive homework that asks them to edit and work on written assignments. The homework will assess their ability to write and answer questions about the content independently. Written Assignments: Throughout the unit, students will turn in three written pieces. Each piece must adhere to the essay outlines provided. The pieces must contain the appropriate content. The opinion writing piece must contain an original opinion as well as evidence from the artists biography and the painting to support their opinion. The informative writing piece must adhere to a clear topic regarding the artists biography. This piece must contain one fact that was researched by the student independently. The imaginative piece of writing must be written in complete paragraphs and follow a story format (rising action, climax, falling action etc)

Stage 3: Learning Plan Consider: How will you differentiate instruction to meet the needs of ALL learners?

Learning Activities: Van Gogh: Opinion Writing: Students will write an opinion based essay on van Goghs biography and his painting At Eternitys Gate. Students will receive an introduction to van Goghs biography. The class will then discuss the painting as well as the biography. The students will receive class time to discuss their opinions on how van Goghs biography is reflected in the painting. A review will be given on the structure of opinion writing. Students will also receive class time to discuss the evidence that supports their opinion and work on the essay outlines and drafts. Drawing Your Environment: The class will discuss how van Goghs environment, specifically France, is reflected in his artwork. Students will then draw their own environment, either their neighborhood or their classroom. Students will then write a few sentences describing why they chose to represent their environment in the way they did. Informative Writing: Students will receive a review of van Goghs biography. Students will then review the informative writing structure. Students will choose a topic from van Goghs biography (where he grew up, where he lived throughout his life, hobbies etc). Students will create an outline of the topic in class. One other fact about the topic, not discussed in class, must be researched. Students will then write an informative essay about the topic. Picasso: Imaginative: Students will write an imaginative essay on Picassos biography and his painting Still Life with mandolin and Guitar. They will write about what they think is going on in the painting and what they think Picasso was trying to do. The class will then discuss the painting and their ideas. They will compare and contrast the different ideas brought up in the discussion. Self-Portrait: Each student will be able to create their own self-portrait similar to the way Picasso creates his works of art. The students will be able to use their imagination and create their own work of art using many different creative ideas. Class Mural: Each student will create a drawing that they feel best represents the class as

a whole. This can be a drawing of the classs favorite subject, food, television show. etc The students will then write a paragraph explaining their image choice and why the represented in the way they did. The assessment will be based on how they explained the image and their choice. The class will then place all the pictures on a wall together. Field Trip: At the end of the school year, the class will take a field trip to the Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan. Students will be required to locate (within groups) a Picasso or van Gogh painting. They must describe in three words how they see the painting. They must also draw the painting. Gifted: Students who wish to elaborate on assignments will add an extra section to the each outline that asks them to research other paintings by either artists. They will use this work as further evidence for their opinion, informative piece, or imaginative piece. This assignment is intended to allow students to further express their ideas on each assignment. ELL: ELL students will compile a list of descriptive words about the painting being discussed in the lesson. They will receive a bulleted summary of the artists biography. They will find connections between the biography and the descriptive words. Or students can label a printed copy of the paintings with descriptive words (colors, feelings, symbols). Special Needs: They will also compile a list of descriptive words about the piece. They will receive a printed copy of the power point and a bulleted summary below. They will write a paragraph connecting the descriptive words and the biography. Or students can label a printed of the paintings with descriptive words (colors, feelings, symbols) along with evidence from the biographies. Resources/Materials -Pencils -Markers, Colored Pencils, Crayons -White Paper, Construction Paper -Scissors -Glue -Artwork from van Gogh -ducksters.com -http://www.metmuseum.org/search-results?ft=van+gogh&x=11&y=4\ -http://www.moma.org/search?query=van+gogh -Artwork from Picasso -ducksters.com -http://www.moma.org/search/collection?query=picasso

-http://www.metmuseum.org/search-results?ft=picasso

Other/Additional Information

Unit Calendar Week 1 Introduction to art interpretation. van Gogh biography and opinion writing Day 1 Introduction to art interpretation Day 2 Outline opinion Day 3 Revise outline; finish draft Day 4 Hand in final draft. Day 5 Discuss opinions and reflect on writing process

Week 2 Drawing environment and Informative essay

Day 6 Discuss van Goghs use of his environment; students draw environment with short reflection

Day 7 Review van Goghs life; students pick topic

Day 8 Day 9 Day 10 Review Work on Turn in informativ drafts informativ e outline; e create outline based on topic

Week 3 Introduction to Picasso and Imaginative Writing

Day 11 Introduction to Picasso Discuss imaginative format Day 16 Discuss selfportraits of van Gogh and Picasso.

Day 12 Day 13 Brainstorm Draft ideas for piece imaginative

Day 14 Turn in final

Day 15 Discuss process

Week 4 Self portrait drawing with reflection; Class mural

Day 17 Students create own self-portrait

Day 18 Introduce murals; brainstor m ideas

Day 19 Finalize drawing s

Day 20 Create and discuss class mural