UNIT OVERVIEW

Teacher Name:  Cass Blackwood

Subject: Art

Grade Level: Elementary (3)

Unit Title: Let’s Party!!

Enduring Concept/ Big Idea: celebration

Essential Question(s): What types of things/events do people celebrate? Why and how? In what ways can we as individuals connect to these practices in other cultures?

Unit Rationale: Celebrations are an integral part of every culture. The art/craft created for and as a part of many celebrations gives us insight into the values, resources and daily life of people from different cultures. This insight can provide inspiration to young artists and encourage their own self-expression and exploration. 

Unit Cross-Curricular and Interdisciplinary Connections: social studies - Students will be introduced to celebrations from different cultures around the world, discuss the different elements of those celebrations and compare them to their own traditions.

Number and Titles of Projects in Unit: 3) Pinata, Light up Eid, upcycled Dragon Puppets

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Project Title: Pinata

Project Objectives:

The student will… create a mini pinata by paper macheing a water balloon or other small pliable object, filling it with a small gift and decorating it for a class celebration

Missouri Learning Standard(s): 

VA: Cr2b:3 - demonstrate an understanding of the safe and proficient use of materials, tools and equipment for a variety of artistic processes

DOK Level: 2

Pre-Assessment: during an introduction to the project and a process demonstration, students will be asked questions regarding their experience with paper mache and pinatas

Formative Assessment: during work time the teacher will check student progress throughout the room and give reminders about layering, smoothness, and applications techniques

Post-Assessment: skills will be assessed with the following questions: 0-4 points per question

1) did the student create a solid pinata? 

2) are the walls of pinata smooth before decorating? 

3) was the gift inserted?

4) was the pinata appropriately decorated?

5) did the student properly clean brushes and cups?

Number of Days in Project: 3

Project Vocabulary: pinata, paper mache

Artist(s) or Artwork(s) Being Covered: Roberto Benavidez https://robertobenavidez.com/

DAILY LESSON PLAN - day 1

Project Title: pinata

Day: 1 of 3

Technology Requirements: computer, screen

Art Supply Materials: pencils, printed “do now” papers, small balloons, tape, shredded paper, rice or methylcell paste, water cups, glue brushes, small cardboard scraps, individual work trays

Other Resource Requirements: stickers, candy or other small gifts

Health or Safety Concerns: none

Differentiation for Students Who Need Additional Supports: provide ball handled brushes for any student who might need them, create a small cardboard stand to hold the balloon while working, offer a peer/buddy to work alongside them and provide assistance. Quiet fidgets are available to students who need them during teacher demonstration time.

Differentiation for Students Who Excel: encourage them to create more complex animal creations that could include dangling limbs, tails, beaks, or adding clothing or accessories. Alternatively give them the option to mentor/ assist other students.

Bellringer:  3-5 minutes - students will sketch on a preprinted sheet with several blank balloon shapes that they will make into animals for their potential pinata designs

Motivational Activity/Strategy: (3-5 minutes) Teacher will present a large demo pinata to the class, explain the project and inform them that they will get to burst the demo pinata as a class when their projects are complete

Learning Activities: (10-12 minutes) The teacher will  pass around several small pinatas akin to what their project will be. There will be a brief class discussion about what pinatas are, what they are used for, what they symbolize. The teacher will ask who has seen one, who has used one and who has made one. The teacher will demonstrate how to paper mache on the balloons, using both the dipping paper into paste and smoothing with fingers method as well as the layering paste and paper with a wide brush method. 

(2-3 minutes) pass out materials - selected students from each table retrieve the materials bin, paste bowl and water cups for each table

(~30 minutes) work time - the teacher will circulate around the room, providing assistance as needed while students paper mache their balloons 

Cleanup Procedures: (5-8 minutes) All students will place glue brushes into water cups. 1 student from each table will take the brush cups to the sink and wash hands, returning to their tables. They will then gather all the loose paper scraps (without paste) and return them to the paper scraps bin on their tables, which in turn will be dumped into the large paper scraps bin for the class. 1 student from each table will take the paste bowls/ cups to the back table, wash hands and return to the table with a damp rag to wipe the tables. The remaining 2 students will carry the in progress projects to the drying rack where a selected student will help them carefully place them to dry. Then they will wash hands at the sink and return to their tables and assist table mates as needed. Select students will sweep the floor.

Free Time Activity: books, lego with build challenge cards, ouisi game

DAILY LESSON PLAN - day 2

Project Title: pinata

Day: 2 of 3

Technology Requirements: computer, screen

Art Supply Materials: pencils, paper, shredded paper, rice or methylcell paste, water cups, glue brushes, individual work trays, small cardboard scraps, colored tissue paper, google eyes, string

Other Resource Requirements: stickers, candy or other small gifts

Health or Safety Concerns: n/a

Differentiation for Students Who Need Additional Supports: provide ball handled brushes for any student who might need them, create a small cardboard stand to hold the balloon while working, offer a peer/buddy to work alongside them and provide assistance. Quiet fidgets are available to students who need them during teacher demonstration time.

Differentiation for Students Who Excel: encourage them to create more complex animal creations that could include dangling limbs, tails, beaks, or adding clothing or accessories. Alternatively they can have the option to mentor/ assist other students.

Bellringer: (2-3 minutes) students will use the modeling clay or playdoh at their tables to form an animal or funny face to warm up their hands for the work day and get the students thinking in 3 dimensions. 

Motivational Activity/Strategy: the teacher will play quiet music and a slide show of Roberto Benevides unique pinatas during work time to inspire students 

Learning Activities: (8-10 minutes) The teacher will demonstrate removing the balloon from the pinata, adding the small prize to the inside, covering the hole with paper mache and adding a hanging string to the pinata. The teacher will also demonstrate adding small bits of cardboard and colored tissue paper (in twists, wads or layers) to decorate the small pinata to look like the animal the students designed on day 1.

(2-3 minutes) pass out materials - selected students from each table retrieve the materials bin, paste bowl and water cups for each table. One table at a time students will retrieve their work in progress from the drying rack or class project box. 

(35-40 minutes) work time - the teacher will circulate around the room, providing assistance as needed while students work on their pinatas       

Cleanup Procedures: 5-8 minutes. All students will place glue brushes into water cups. 1 student from each table will take the brush cups to the sink and wash hands, returning to their tables. They will then gather all the loose paper scraps (without paste) and return them to the paper scraps bin on their tables, which in turn will be dumped into the large paper scraps bin for the studio. Usable tissue paper scraps and cardboard scraps will similarly be collected. 1 student from each table will take the paste bowls/ cups to the back table, wash hands and return to the table with a damp rag to wipe the tables. The remaining 2 students will carry the in progress projects to the drying rack where a selected student will help them carefully place them to dry. Then they will wash hands at the sink and return to their tables and assist table mates as needed. Select students will sweep the floor.

Free Time Activity: books, playdoh/ clay with celebration prompts (build a cake, gift, etc)

DAILY LESSON PLAN - day 3

Project Title: pinata

Day: 3 of 3

Technology Requirements: computer, screen

Art Supply Materials:  shredded paper, rice or methylcell paste, water cups, glue brushes, individual work trays, small cardboard scraps, colored tissue paper, google eyes, string

Other Resource Requirements: stickers, candy or other small gifts 

Health or Safety Concerns: n/a

Differentiation for Students Who Need Additional Supports: provide ball handled brushes for any student who might need them, create a small cardboard stand to hold the balloon while working, offer a peer/buddy to work alongside them and provide assistance. Ear protection is available for students who are sensitive to loud noises.

Differentiation for Students Who Excel: encourage them to create more complex animal creations that could include dangling limbs, tails, beaks, or adding clothing or accessories. Alternatively give them the option to mentor/ assist other students.

Bellringer: (3-4 minutes) using the strips of paper provided at their tables and the instructions at their tables and on the screen, students will fold simple paper stars that will be used for decoration during our celebration

Motivational Activity/Strategy: the pinata for the class celebration is visibly hanging in the classroom and mariachi music is playing quietly

Learning Activities: (2-3 minutes) pass out materials - selected students from each table retrieve the materials bin, paste bowl and water cups for each table. One table at a time students will retrieve their work in progress from the drying rack or class project box.  

(15-20 minutes) work time - the teacher will circulate around the room, providing assistance as needed while students finish their pinatas.

[first clean up procedure]

Class celebration! (~20 minutes) students can decorate the classroom with the paper stars, dance to the mariachi music and take turns trying to hit the pinata. The student that breaks it open will be the class captain for the next class and get their pick of chores and choose music for the next class work day. The pinata will contain fun stickers, erasers, fidgets, and tokens to choose free choice for a class period or choose a special task.

Cleanup Procedures: (3-5 minutes) All students will place glue brushes into water cups. 1 student from each table will take the brush cups to the sink and wash hands, returning to their tables. They will then gather the usable loose tissue paper scraps (without paste) and return them to the paper scraps bin on their tables, which in turn will be dumped into the large tissue paper scraps bin for the class. Cardboard scraps will similarly be collected. 1 student from each table will take the paste bowls/ cups to the back table, wash hands and return to the table with a damp rag to wipe the tables. The remaining 2 students will carry the projects to the drying rack where a selected student will help them carefully place them to dry. Then they will wash hands at the sink and return to their tables and assist table mates as needed.

(3-4 minutes)  After the celebration, students will collect their prizes, select students will sweep the floor and all students will line up at the door.

Free Time Activity: books from class library, folding paper stars