Lesson Plan 3 - Shape & Scale/proportion

Teaching Team:

Reilly Ness, Dan Lindsay, and Luo Wang

Grade Level:

Grades 3-5

Date Taught:

Oct 26, 2015

Aim/Goal of the 8-wk Curriculum:

The student will learn various elements & principles of design through learning and
playing Minecraft. The student will be encouraged to apply what they learn in video game
(Minecraft) to art-making practice and life.
Fine Arts Goals Met by the Objectives:
Interfacing with digital media/Digital Literacy
Understanding of Elements/Principles of Design
Objectives: Students will
be able to identify various types of shapes: organic, static, dynamic, geometric, positive, and
negative.
learn how to use different proportion make contrast and attract attention to a focal point.
minecraft?

Vocabulary:
Minecraft: An interface we will be using to create digital buildings.
Proportion: Relation of comparable size used to create visual interest or to bring together a
composition.

Teacher Materials: (___ students plus demos)

Projector & Screen
Powerpoint Presentation
Computers with Minecraft
Basic Minecraft building tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvv1eW_BrfM
Building Examples

Learner Materials:
Computers with Minecraft

Motivation/Activities and Prompts:

Icebreaker activity to learn every students favorite colour.
Watch a tutorial video of basic building techniques, teaching students how to properly access
inventory & place blocks in a structural manner.


Classroom Layout/Physical Set-up:
TABLE FORMATION:
o
Same set-up as previous lessons: large open area in center of room for large
group activities, surrounded by clusters of 4-5 desks.

MATERIALS DISTRIBUTION AREA:

o
o
DEMONSTRATION AREA:
o Projector screen
CLEAN UP AREA:
o
N/A

Procedures:
INITIAL DISCUSSION/INTRO: (5 minutes)
o
Hand out nametags
o
Discuss scale & proportion and explain the impact differences in it makes.
ICE BREAKER: (15 minutes)
o
Compare all the students heights through the creation of height charts.
o
Have students see if they can find someone similar to their own height.
CIRCLE DISCUSSION #1: (15 minutes)
o
Discuss proportion and scale and how it is used in the arts to create visual
interest.
o
Show both real-world & Minecraft examples of structures with varying height &
scale.
o
Have students consider the work/money that goes into buildings and how scale
relates to this concept. Have them understand that they need to manage their
time wisely and make streamlined decisions in order complete a structure in the
time allotted.
BLUEPRINTING: (10 minutes)
o Have students work through their design on paper.
o Ask questions in order to help students grasp why they are making the decisions
they are.
o If a student is having difficulties, remind him/her that they can draw from
buildings that they have seen in real life.

MINECRAFT BUILD: (20 minutes)

o Break off and let students start working on their building, which will utilize
scale/proportion in an interesting way.
o Check in with students & troubleshoot. Is their build matching their initial
thoughts/blueprints? If not, why? Will the build take longer than they have? If
so, are there ways to streamline the design to save time? (Do not answer these
questions for them, work through it with them).
o
Let students know they can get up and look at their peers designs in order to
pull ideas and better understand how their structures scale relates to others.
CIRCLE DISCUSSION #2: (20 minutes)
o
Investigate students choices in structure & scale. Ask why they chose to
construct what they did. Did they make use of varying scale? How does it work
here?
o
Compare students buildings in order to relate proportion and scale to their
work. What does this comparison say about their pieces?
CLOSURE: (5 minute)
o Introduce color, and preview the next lesson.
CLEAN UP: (Separate 30 minutes)

Timetables:
Time allotted for lesson (90 minutes total):
Activity

Minutes

Initial Discussion/Introduction

5 mins.

Icebreaker

15 mins.

Circle Discussion 1

15 mins.

Blueprinting

10 mins.

Minecraft Construction

20 mins.

Circle Discussion 2

20 mins.

Preview of Wed. Lesson

5 mins.

Lesson Plan 4 - Color & Harmony

Teaching Team:
Reilly Ness, Dan Lindsay, and Luo Wang
Grade Level:

Grades 3-5

Date Taught:

Oct 28, 2015

Fine Arts Goals Met by the Objectives:

Interfacing with digital media/Digital Literacy
Understanding of Elements/Principles of Design
Objectives: Students will
Be able to identify basic harmonious color schemes.
Construct a building in Minecraft that uses one of the three color schemes taught in class.
Draw a building on paper and fill in with one of the three color schemes taught in class.
Vocabulary:
Minecraft:
Color Scheme:
Monochromatic: Using shades & tones of the same color.
Complementary: Colors that are across from each other on the color wheel, creating visual
interest.
Harmony: Putting together similar units and elements in order to create a visually pleasing
composition.
Teacher Materials: (___ students plus demos)
Projector & Screen
Powerpoint Presentation
Computers with Minecraft
Basic Minecraft building tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvv1eW_BrfM
Building Examples
Handout/Color Chart
Learner Materials:
Computers with Minecraft
Handout/Color Chart
Motivation/Activities and Prompts:
Icebreaker activity to learn every students favorite color.
Watch a tutorial video of basic building techniques, teaching students how to properly access
inventory & place blocks in a structural manner.

Classroom Layout/Physical Set-up:

TABLE FORMATION:

Same set-up as previous lessons: large open area in center of room for large
group activities, surrounded by clusters of 4-5 desks.

MATERIALS DISTRIBUTION AREA:

o
o
DEMONSTRATION AREA:
o Projector screen
CLEAN UP AREA:
o
N/A

Procedures:

ICE BREAKER: (15 minutes)

o
Gather into circle- or sit at desks/ tables
o
Pass out name-tags
o
Have students say their favorite colors: question others to see if they remember
other students.

INITIAL DISCUSSION/INTRO: (15 minutes)

o
Introducing our lesson in a very basic way.
o
Brief, informal verbal intro to colour.
o
Use worksheet and color wheel introduce what is primary color and secondary
color, let students fill in the worksheet with primary color and secondary color.

INTRODUCTION : (10 minutes)

o
presentation about what is color scheme, what is color harmony (by showing
them examples)
o
explain what is the two most common way to make color harmonies.
o
how to apply color harmonies in our life: interior design, outfit, etc. (show
example)
o
introduce our project today

MINECRAFT EXPLORATION/ HOME ORNAMENT DIY: (20 minutes)

o
Initial thought process/blueprinting in order to get a sense of real-world building
planning/construction.
o
Create a structure based on a real-world one that they are familiar with.
o
Remind students to utilize one of the three harmonious color schemes we
introduced.
o
Question why they chose the structure/color scheme that they did. Help them
grasp WHY they are building what they are.
o

http://www.prettydesigns.com/diy-projects-home-ornaments/ ( i think this is a

good project for students who dont want to play minecraft)

CIRCLE DISCUSSION/REFLECTION: (15 minutes)

o
Look at each others work
o
Talk about what color scheme they use

Ask students to think critically about how color and harmony work in real world
buildings & how it works in their Minecraft structures.

CLOSURE: (10 minute)

o
Introduce next weeks lesson
CLEAN UP: (Separate 30 minutes)

Timetables:
Time allotted for lesson (90 minutes total):
Activity

Minutes

Icebreaker

15 Mins.

Initial Discussion

15 mins.

Intro to Daily Lesson

15 mins.

Structure Building

20 mins.

Reflection

15 mins.

Closure/Preview of Next Week

10 mins.