Lesson Plan

Title: City Building

Length: 2 day

Note: Before you plan and write art experiences; pre-assess your students based on the
proposed concepts, enduring understandings, and objectives of the unit/lesson(s). You may
also gather this information from (previous) teachers, by reviewing already completed art
work, consulting curriculum materials, etc., to get a better understanding of what content
students already know and what they will need to know to be successful.

Pre-Assessment:
This will need to be done prior to teaching your lesson. Outline the method you will
use to determine the skill/knowledge level of your students based on the
concepts/enduring understandings/objectives of the lesson. (Hint: turn these into
questions.) Be specific in describing what you would recognize as proficient
skill/knowledge.
Say, You went to Old Town last week, so we were wondering what all buildings you saw
They would shout them out and we take down everything they say on a piece of paper.
Ask about buildings and transportation and people.

Performance:
What will students accomplish as a result of this lesson? This can be presented to
students in the form of a story. In this narrative the students take on a role and create a
learning product about a specific topic for a certain audience. (RAFT Role / Audience /
Format / Topic)
You got promoted and now youre a urban/city planner. Youre trying to build a town in
which everyones homes fit nicely and where everyone is excited to live where they do.
How are you going to make living in this town enjoyable? We are going to, as a class,
decide what would make a great city. Then we will create each of those elements and add
into one giant diorama by planning it out on a blueprint first.

Concepts:
List the big ideas students will be introduced to in the lesson. These ideas are universal,
timeless and transferable. Examples of concepts used in art might include: Composition,
Patterns, Technique, Rhythm, Paradox, Influence, Style, Force, Culture, Space/Time/Energy,
Line, Law/Rules, Value, Expressions, Emotions, Tradition, Symbol, Movement, Shape,
Improvisation, and Observation Look for concepts in the standards, content specific
curriculum, etc.
Composition, Space, Observation, Movement, Multiple Media, Process, Artistic Intent

Enduring Understanding (s):

Enduring Understandings show a relationship between two or more concepts;
connected with an active verb. The best enduring understandings not only link two or
more concepts; but demonstrate why this relationship is important. Like concepts, they
are timeless, transferable and universal. Align Standards, Prepared Graduate
Competencies (PGCs) and Grade Level Expectations (GLEs) to Enduring
Understandings.
Art media, techniques and processes work together to create art.
Artwork elicits personal response.

Standards: (All lessons should address all standards.)

1. Observe and Learn to Comprehend
2. Envision and Critique to Reflect
3. Invent and Discover to Create
4. Relate and Connect to Transfer
Objectives/Outcomes/Learning Targets:
Objectives describe a learning experience with a condition behavior
(measurable) criterion. Aligned to: Blooms Standards GLEs - Art learning and,
when appropriate, Numeracy, Literacy and Technology. Should be written as: Objective.
(Blooms: _____ - Standard: _____ - GLE: _____ -Art learning: _____ -Numeracy, Literacy,
and/or Technology)
Using the city list, SWBAT identify an element to make their city better by collaborating
with their peers to create a new structure.
(Blooms: evaluate- Standard: Reflect- GLE: 2 -Art learning: reflect and assess/literacy)
Given blueprint examples, SWBAT create their own as a class by collaborating with other
students.
(Blooms: application- Standard: Transfer- GLE: 1 -Art learning: collaboration)
Given a prompt, SWBAT describe and identify 3 key parts of urban planning by accurately
completing a worksheet.
(Blooms: Remembering- Standard: Comprehend- GLE: 2 -Art learning: art and art
history\literacy)
Using art materials, SWBAT create city elements utilizing shape, form, and detail
(Blooms: synthesis- Standard: Create- GLE: 2 -Art learning: Inherent Characteristics of Art
and Design)
Given cardboard, SWBAT create a successful freestanding structure utilizing assemblage
techniques.
(Blooms: apply Standard: transfer- GLE: 1-Art learning: technique

Differentiation:
Explain specifically how you have addressed the needs of exceptional students at both
end of the skill and cognitive scale. Describe the strategies you will use for students who
are already proficient and need growth beyond what you have planned for the rest of the
class, as well as modifications for students with physical and/or cognitive challenges.
Students must still meet the objectives.
Differentiation:
(Multiple means for
students to access
content and multiple
modes for student to
express
understanding.)
Extensions for
depth and

Access (Resources and/or

Process)
IPC
Different materials as option

Expression (Products and/or

Performance)
Writing about it, talking about
it
Found objects, cardboard,
foam board, craft paper

Access (Resources and/or

Process)

Expression (Products and/or

Performance)

complexity:

IPC

Talk about details - who lives

there? what is the purpose?

Literacy:
List terms (vocabulary) specific to the topic that students will be introduced to in the
lesson and describe how literacy is integrated into the lesson.
City planner, environmental planner, transportation planner, community planner,
assemblage

Materials:
Must be grade level appropriate. List everything you will need for this lesson, including
art supplies and tools. (These are the materials students will use.) List all materials in
a bulleted format.
Pipe cleaners,
Cardboard,
Hardboard,
Hot glue,
Found objects,
Acrylic Paint,
Palettes,
Brushes,
Cups,
Water,
Pipe cleaners,
Markers,
Construction paper,
Sculpting Foam,
Elmer's glue,
Tin foil
Tape

Resources:
List all visual aids and reference material (books, slides, posters, etc. Be specific; include
title, artist, etc. Make reference to where the material can be found. (These are the
resources used by the teacher to support/develop the lesson.) List all resources in a
bulleted format.
Day 1:
Posters about urban planning with images that they put on there
Demo about assemblage with tin foil
Day 2:
Example blueprints/city grid/city map/ Fort Collins map
Poster/ Large sheet paper with graph for city planning
Tokens for poster city planning
Worksheet for identifying what kind of planning

Preparation:
What do you need to prepare for this experience? List steps of preparation in a
bulleted format.

create posters
three types of urban planning A
blueprint worksheet AT
create tokens A
create worksheets t
gather materials
find concrete examples - Fort Collins map

Safety:
Be specific about the safety procedures that need to be addressed with students. List all
safety issue in a bulleted format.
Don't eat materials, use gloves when using hot glue, be careful using scissors,

Action to motivate/Inquiry Questions:

Describe how you will begin the lesson to stimulate students interest. How will you
pique their curiosity and make them interested and excited about the lesson? What
inquiry questions will you pose? Be specific about what you will say and do to
motivate students and get them thinking and ready to participate. Be aware of the varying
range of learning styles/intelligences of your students. Some ideas might include: telling a
story, posing a series of questions, role-playing, etc.
You got promoted and now youre a urban/city planner. Youre trying to build a town in
which everyones homes fit nicely and where everyone is excited to live where they do.
How are you going to make living in this town enjoyable? We are going to, as a class,
decide what would make a great city. Then we will create each of those elements and add
into one giant diorama by planning it out on a blueprint first.

Ideation/Inquiry:
Ideation is the creative process of generating, developing, and communicating new ideas,
where an idea is understood as a basic element of thought that can be visual, concrete or
abstract. List and describe inquiry questions and processes you will engage students in to
help them develop ideas and plans for their artwork.
What makes a city run well?
What are important services in a city?
What are important places in a city?
Where do you go often in your own city?
How do you get around? (transportation)
What does the building look like?
What are the parts of each structure?
Do animals live here?
What shapes do you use?
What is the weather like?
Where do you go for fun?
Is there a place to have a quiet time?

Instruction:
Give a detailed account (in bulleted form) of what you will teach. Be sure to include
approximate time for each activity and instructional methodology: skills,
lecture, inquiry, etc. Include motivation and ideation/inquiry where appropriate;
including what student will understand as a result of the art experience

Day
1

Instruction - The teacher will... (Be

specific about what concepts,
information, understandings, etc. will
be taught.) Identify instructional
methodology. KNOW (Content) and
DO (Skill)

Welcome back! Youve just been

promoted and now youre a city
planner. Youre trying to build a town in
which everyones homes fit nicely and
where everyone is excited to live where
they do. How are you going to make
living in this town enjoyable? We are
going to, as a class, decide what would
make a great city. Then we are going to
work together to build all the things we
want in our city.

Learning - Students will...

i.e.: explore ideation by
making connections,
comparing, contrasting;
synthesize possibilities for
each painting technique;
etc. (Be specific about
what will be the intended
result of the instruction as
it relates to learning.)
UNDERSTAND

Ideation

Lets begin with thinking about the field

trip you took last week to Old Town,
what did you see? What buildings?
Kinds of transportation? What about
people? What kinds of people did you
see on their trip? Women? Men?
Teenagers? Kids?
(We will call on students and write
down their responses.)
Now that weve created a list of things
weve seen in a city we are going to
talk about what a city planner is and
what they do, can anyone tell me what
a city planner is? (someone who plans
how cities are built) There are 3 kinds of
planning a city planner does community planning, transportation
planning and environmental planning.
Depending on which one of these three
kinds of planning a city planner is doing
they are going to be thinking about
different things. So were going to do an
activity to figure out what those terms
mean. Each of you in going to get a
token with a little picture on it, one at a
time you are going to come up and
stick it on the poster under the word
that you think your pictures goes with.
So if I had a picture of a bicycle, what

Time

2 min.

5 min.

Clarifying and analyzing

the meanings of words or
phrases

7 min.

Day
2

Welcome back city planners! Last week

we got promoted from architects to city
planners and we began working in our
new jobs. This week we are going to
work on finishing our projects from last
week as well as working together to
create some new pieces. We have a lot
of work to get done today; were going
to name our city, finish building, work
together and create a city grid so lets
begin.
First thing we are going to do today is
work together to name our city. You all
have done a lot of work building all the
things to go inside your city so we want
you to think hard about a good name to
describe it. Each person is going to get
one chance to say what they think we
should name the city then we will write
it on the board. If there is already a
name up that you like you can chose to
vote for it instead of giving a new
name. When everyone has given their
choice we will vote to determine a
winner.
Now that weve given our city a name
were going to look at the list of all the
elements that you have built to be a
part of your city. Lets review the list.
Now that we know what our city already
has when I say go you are going to get
in your cooperative groups and talk
about one thing that you can work
together to build that would make your
city even better. Remember to be kind
and respectful to your classmates.
Maybe you decide that your city needs
a park, one person can build a swing
set, someone else can build a big tree
and someone else could build a
swimming pool or trampoline. Tiffany
and I are going to come around and talk
to you as you decide. You have 4
minutes now Go! get in your
cooperative groups.
You guys have done a great job
collaborating, now were going to call
on each group and you are going to tell
us what youve decided to build and we
will add it to our list.
Great job now who can remind me what
a city planner is? And what are the

Ideation

7 mins.

Developing insight into

artist practice.

6 mins.

3 mins.

3 mins.

Student reflective/inquiry activity:

Sample questions and activities (i.e. games, gallery walk, artist statement, interview)
intended to promote deeper thinking, reflection and refined understandings precisely
related to the grade level expectations. How will students reflect on their learning? A
participatory activity that includes students in finding meaning, inquiring about materials
and techniques and reflecting about their experience as it relates to objectives, standards
and grade level expectations of the lesson.)
Artist Presentation and Critique:
Students will be assigned pairs and each pair will look at each students artwork. Each
student will present their artwork and talk about what they built, how they built it and why.
Their partner will then give them feedback about their artwork remembering to give
reasons (I like . because.). Then the pair will switch and the other student will present
their work following the same process.

Post-Assessment (teachercentered/objectives as questions):

Have students achieved the objectives and
grade level expectations specified in your
lesson plan?
Students use the city list to collaborate
effectively, identify and create a structure
that would make their city better.

Post-Assessment Instrument:
How well have students achieved the
objectives and grade level expectations
specified in your lesson plan? Include your
rubric, checklist, rating scale, etc.
Rubric to be attached

Students collaborate and use the blueprint

examples to create a map of their city.
Students accurately complete the
worksheet to describe and identify all three
key parts of city planning.
Students use art materials to create city
elements utilizing shape, form, and detail.
Students use cardboard to create a
successful freestanding structure utilizing
assemblage techniques.

Self-Reflection:
After the lesson is concluded write a brief reflection of what went well, what surprised
you, and what you would do differently. Specifically address: (1) To what extent were
lesson objectives achieved? (Utilize assessment data to justify your level of achievement.)
(2) What changes, omissions, or additions to the lesson would you make if you were to
teach again? (3)What do you envision for the next lesson? (Continued practice, reteach
content, etc.)

Appendix: Include all handouts, prompts, written materials, rubrics, etc. that will be given
to students.