NAME: Kayla Foister DATE:12-12-2016

EED-316

Biography Through Portrait

th
Grade Level: 5 Grade
Duration of Unit: 4 Class Periods

Summary of Unit:
Students will explore how portraits can be used to tell a person story or give enough clues to what their life
might have been like. Both portraits and self-portraits will be viewed and discussed. The students will design
a mixed media self portrait of their own that will contain details to allow a viewer to imagine who they are,
and their story might be. The students will also write a short autobiography that will occupy their work.

Big Idea: Biography Through Portrait

Unit Enduring Understandings: Unit Essential Questions:

Students will understand that:
 People create and interact with
objects, places, and design that
define, shape, enhance, and empower
their lives
 How do objects, places, and design shape lives and
communities?
 How does art help us understand the lives of people of
different times, places, and cultures?

 People gain insights into meanings of  How does art preserve aspects of life?
artworks by engaging in the process
of art criticism.  How do people contribute to awareness and
understanding of their lives and the lives of their
 People develop ideas and communities through art-making?
understandings of society, culture,
and history through their interactions
with and analysis of art.

Unit Art/Artists:
 Frida Kahlo - Self Portrait with Monkeys
o http://www.fridakahlo.org/self-portrait-with-monkeys.jsp
 Jean-Etienne Liotard - Maria Frederike van Reede-Athlone at Seven
o http://www.getty.edu/art/collection/objects/714/jean-etienne-liotard-portrait-of-maria-frederike-
van-reede-athlone-at-seven-years-of-age-swiss-1755-1756/
 Johannes Vermeer - The Girl with the Pearl Earring
o http://www.essentialvermeer.com/catalogue_xl/xl_earring.html
 Zinaida Serebriakova - At The Dressing Table
o http://www.tretyakovgallery.ru/en/collection/_show/image/_id/313
 Vincent Van Gogh - Self-Portrait as a Painter
o https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en/collection/s0022V1962
 Henri Rousseau - Myself Portrait Landscape
o http://www.henrirousseau.org/Myself-Portrait-Landscape.html
Unit Materials: Unit Resources:
 9 x 12 Mixed Media Paper Art History
 A variety of art mediums; oil pastels, http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/genres/portrait-art.htm
watercolors, coloring pencils, markers
 Mirror for students to use or
photograph from home

SUMMARY OF LESSONS
Art History: Students will be introduced to the genre of portrait art and its brief the history. Self portrait work
will also be discussed. The themes discussed would be the purpose of portrait art, and how the style can be
influenced by the artists time and culture.

Art Criticism: Frida Kahlo’s Self Portrait with Monkeys will be displayed for the students to quietly analyze.
The three VTS questions will be used to have a guided discussion as to what Frida might have been like. I
would ask them, what’s going on in this picture, what do you see that makes you say that, and what more can
we find. I would finally ask them if the artist was successful at portraying her story.

Aesthetics: The students work in groups, and each will receive 5 different portraits or self portraits. I would
have them create three tokens. One that represents ‘My favorite’, one for ‘Makes me question’, and the last
being ‘I like the least’. The students would place each token on a photo and discuss with their group their
choices. Once everyone has had a chance to make their selections, I would have a volunteer for each token.
They would share their choice and why it was chosen.

Art Production: Student will begin by using a pre-writing web that will help them decide what details they
would like to include in their art that best reflects who they are. This can include clothing, pets, hobbies, and
geographically settings. Students will use this web to create three thumbnail sketches to help them design the
layout of their work. Students will use a 9”x12” sheet of paper, pencil, and a mirror or photograph. They will
first use the mirror or photograph to sketch an image of themselves. The students will then add in imagery
from the web they created. Once they are happy with the design, they will be able to choose which mediums
they would like to use to add color to their image. Students should keep in mind which mediums work best for
larger areas and which work best for fine details.

Cross-Curricular Connection: The cross-curricular connection to this lesson would be Language Arts.
Students will write a short biography of themselves using the details that they included on their pre-write web
and into their self-portrait. These could be attached to the bottom of the art and displayed around the school.
 Stage 1- Desired Results
Visual Arts Standards:
VA:Cr2.3.5a
Identify, describe, and visually document places and/or objects of personal significance
VA:Re.7.1.5a
Compare one's own interpretation of a work of art with the interpretation of others.
VA:Re.7.2.5a
Identify and analyze cultural associations suggested by visual imagery.

Non-Art Standards:
W.PR.05.02
Apply a variety of pre-writing strategies for both narrative and informational writing (e.g., graphic organizers
such as maps, webs, Venn diagrams) in order to generate, sequence, and structure ideas (e.g., role and
relationships of characters, settings, ideas, relationship of theory/evidence, or compare/contrast).

W.PS.05.01
exhibit personal style and voice to enhance the written message in both narrative (e.g., personification, humor,
element of surprise) and informational writing (e.g., emotional appeal, strong opinion, credible support).

Unit Enabling Knowledge Objectives:

Students will know….
 that artists create self- portraits that often reflect their society, culture, or history.
 portraits are composed to portray the personality and unique attributes of the subject

Unit Sub Skill Objectives:

Students will be able to…
 Use VTS to critic a work of art
 Assess a variety of portraits and self- portraits for aesthetics value.
 Draw a self-portrait from observation
 Use knowledge of art mediums to create a mixed media piece.

Unit Objectives for Reflection:

Students will reflect on…
 how portrait work can vary based on history and culture
 what is included in a self-portrait often holds significant value to the artist
 how their art may be influenced by their life.
 Stage 2- Assessment Evidence
Assessment of objectives: (include the method you will use to assess learning)
Performance Task:
 Students will create plan for their artwork by using a pre-writing technique and thumbnail sketches
 Students will work from observation, either by using a mirror or photograph of themselves.
 Students will color their portrait using a variety of mediums

Key Criteria for Performance Task:

 Students created a self-portrait of themselves
 filled the page with imagery contained in their pre-write
 Used appropriate art mediums throughout the work

Other Evidence:
 Teacher observation during studio time, including the planning stage

Self-Reflection:
 The students written work will also be used as a form of assessment.