Standards

Comprehend

Prepared Graduate
Competencies
-Explain, demonstrate,
and interpret a range of
purposes of art and
design, recognizing that
the making and study of
art and design can be
approached from a
variety of viewpoints,
intelligences, and
perspectives

Grade Level
Expectations
Artists and viewers
determine artistic
intent by comparing
and contrasting the
characteristics and
expressive features
of art and design

-Analyze, interpret, and

make meaning of art and
design critically using
oral and written
discourse

Reflect

Critique personal work

and the work of others
with informed criteria

-Specific methods of
planning support the
development of
intended meaning

Create

-Recognize, interpret,
and validate that the
creative process builds
on the development of

-Apply an
understanding of art
processes and
creative thinking to

Relevance to the Topic

At the start of every lesson, we
talked about how that days
activity was getting us closer to
the objective of creating the best
possible habitat for their
creatures. Whether we were
working with clay, markers,
plaster tape, or mixed media,
we always made sure students
were able to establish a reason
for their creative decisions. For
example, in the first lesson we
were in the library researching
how physical traits of an animal
influence where it lives and how
it interacts with that
environment. In the next lesson
we discussed how an
artists could manipulate things
like color and texture to visually
display this relationship.
Students had to explain the
intended function behind their
design decisions as they
completed this project.
Before we went to research our
animals in the library, we
discussed the main components
that every zookeeper needs to
address in their enclosure. By
doing this students were able to
make a set criteria of whatthey
would need to address in every
aspect of project development in
order for their artwork to be
successful. For example, when
students were drawing the plans
for their enclosure from multiple
perspectives they continued to
address things like water source
and social behavior, which were
included in the criteria they
established in the first place.
Also, through every step of the
planning and creation process
students were able to explain
how their design decisions
regarding the criteria related to
the well being of their animal.
Through the process of
discovering information in the
library, experimenting with clay,
envisioning from multiple

ideas through a process

of inquiry, discovery,
and research
-Develop and build
appropriate mastery in
art-making skills using
traditional and new
technologies and an
understanding of the
characteristics and
expressive features of
art and design

Transfer

-Recognize, compare,
and affirm that the
making and study of art
and design can be
approached from a
variety of viewpoints,
intelligences, and
perspectives
-Identify, compare, and
interpret works of art
derived from historical
and cultural settings,
time periods, and
cultural contexts
-Transfer the value of
visual arts to lifelong
learning and the human
experience
-Explain, compare and
justify that the visual
arts are connected to
other disciplines, the
other art forms, social
activities, mass media,
and careers in art and
non-art related arena

plan and create art

-Use media to
express and
communicate ideas
about an issue of
personal interest
-Materials and
processes can be
used n traditional,
unique, and inventive
ways

-Viewers and patrons

make personal
meaning and infer
artistic intent
-Artists, viewers, and
patrons assign
intended meaning to
works of art

perspectives, and embellishing

with mixed media students were
able to create a work of art.
Through learning about art
processes students were able to
communicate their idea of a
mythical creature through the
creation of a detailed work of 3-D
art.

Given the role as head zookeeper,

each student was responsible for
making sure that the enclosure
was pleasing for both the animal
to live in as well as for zoo
members to visit. This got them
thinking about how viewers will
perceive their artwork. Also, by
putting this project into a non-art
context students were able to
see how art plays a major role in
many other disciplines. By
showing examples of how artists
engage in the creative planning
process to develop and create
real zoo enclosures allowed
students to see the relevance of
art to non-art related areas.