CCSU Lesson Plan Template—Spring 2017 edition

Student: Emma Moran Host Teacher: Brian Flinn

Class and/or Period: High School Art 1 Class
Date: 9/17/21
Lesson Title: Pointillism: Optical Mixing and Observation

I. Central Focus (i.e., Goal Statement – What Students will know, learn, or understand) Important understandings and
concepts that you want Students to develop over the course of this multi-day lesson. (Example: 3 rd grade lesson on line to
communicate the idea of motion) Central Focus should incorporate at least one or more of the following components:
Interpreting Art, Creating Art, Relating Art to Context)

The students will understand how pointillism techniques can be used to create light/shadow and optical mixing
when rendering a 3d object that has personal significance.

II. Essential Questions – (Central Focus or goal written in the form of a question)

1) How can the technique of pointillism be used to depict light and shadow and create optical mixing within a
work of art?

2) Why was the technique of Pointillism developed by Seurat and Signac?

What benefits does the use of pointillism have for an artist and/or the viewer of an artwork?

III. Standards Addressed (National Standards included here)

VA:Cr1.2.Ia Shape an artistic investigation of an aspect of present day life using a contemporary practice of art
or design

VA:Re9.1.1a: Establish relevant criteria in order to evaluate a work of art or collection of works.

IV. Learning Objective(s) (What students will overall achieve by the end of the multi-day lesson – behavioral objective that is
observable and assessable)

1. The students will create a drawing of a 3d object that has personal meaning to them which depicts light
and shadow through a pointillist technique.

2. The students will be able to define pointillism and identify where optical mixing is used in a work of art.

V. Prior Learning – What Students already know, what they can do, and what they are still learning to do.
Student will have basic observational drawing skills, and be able to draw an object from life with relative accuracy.

Students will be able to identify and recognize a light source and apply that information to inform their drawing.

Students will have basic knowledge of color theory and an awareness of color mixing.

VI. Academic Language/Language Function Objective(s) – “Language of the Discipline” used to engage Students in learning.
Sample Key Language Functions include Analyze, Compare/contrast, Critique, Describe, Interpret, Question (Refer to
Academic Language in edTPA guidelines)

Function Objective: The students will be able to define pointillism and explain it within the context of impressionism.

Vocabulary Development Objective: Students will be able to apply optical mixing within their artwork to their observational
drawing.

Discourse OR Syntax Objective: Students will create a simple single object still life using optical mixing to describe the
highlights and shadows on their object using pointillism.

VII. Assessments (note any relevant differentiation) Evaluative Criteria (note any relevant differentiation)

1. Completed artwork - summative

Attached Rubric

2. Formative - walking around while the students are

working See procedure for questions, evaluate whether students
are following directions outlined and participating in
assignment, taking feedback from the teacher

3. Formative - Pointillism quiz

See attached google forms quiz

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSevgxeiIeDyb
pUJI7TMxGW0LcRzCWhQ4OtcmAsekjzT3JpJHA/viewfor
m?usp=sf_link

VIII. Key Vocabulary – Art terms and/or key phrases used during instruction and taught to students. Include definitions.

Pointillism: the artistic process of applying small dots of color to a surface so that from a distance they visually blend together.
Optical mixing: when two colors are placed closely side by side within an artwork, and create the illusion of a third color.

Impressionism: An art movement during the 19th century where artists sought to portray fleeting moments of

everyday life through the use of light and color.

Day 1: Learning Outcomes – Observable, assessable behaviors that you wish for students to accomplish at the end of Day 1.

1. The students will create a drawing of a 3d object that has personal meaning to them which depicts light
and shadow through use of pointillism and optical color mixing.

2. The students will be able to define pointillism and identify where optical mixing is used in a work of
impressionist art.

Day 1: Lesson-Specific Materials

Instructional Materials – Teacher materials Studio Materials (for Creating Art Targeted Materials (any specific materials
required for differentiation, accommodation, or
needed during instruction. and/or Presenting Art)
modification)

-Impressionism powerpoint -8.5x11” sulphite paper

-Teacher exemplar -pencil and erasers

-objects for observational

drawing

-lamps (for light source)

- variety of colored markers

XI. Day 1: Lesson Procedures/ Learning Tasks and Timeline

Times Teacher Actions (include Student Actions Formative Assessments

differentiation)
60 min class Assessment Questions
period

Initiation
5min Show the students the Listen to the teacher and Does anyone know what
Impressionism powerpoint, and engage in the presentation. Impressionism is?
provide brief background on the era: Respond to teacher
-Impressionism is an artistic prompted questions and ask Can someone tell me the name

movement that took place mainly in relevant questions. of a famous impressionist

France in the 19th century. The goal artist?

of the movement was to depict

What looks different about
‘fleeting moments in time’ and
these artworks than other ones
everyday life. Impressionists
we have studied; for examples,
developed the technique of optical
how does this work look
mixing as a way to create the illusion
different from the paintings of
of colors from a distance. They also
the renaissance?
strived to depict specific moments, so
the idea of capturing light and
What do you notice about the
shadow was incredibly important in
way the artists depicted light in
their work. They used the application
these artworks?
of quick strokes or small dots to help
create light and movement in their What kind of technique do you
pieces. think they used to apply the
paint here?
Optical mixing is when you place two
colors side by side, very closely, so Can you see anything different
that from a distance your eye blends about the way they used
them together and sees them as a color? How about if I zoom in
third color. I.e. blue and yellow next to really close?
each other create green from a
distance. From far away, how does this
look different than when we
HIghlight areas of optical mixing look up close?
within the powerpoint.
Why do you think the artists
did this?

Does anyone know what this

technique is called?

Lesson Development – (Process and What students will do during Questions used throughout
Procedures for conducting the various segments of the respective sections of
lesson) lesson instruction to assess students’
learning.
10 min Before we jump into creating our own, Listen and engage with
let’s do a quick responding session to teacher questioning.
this final artwork: Georges Seurat,

La Tour Eiffel, 1889

Ask Description and Analysis Actively describe and SUBJECT MATTER:

questions analyze artwork during large
group session. What do we see depicted in
this painting? Does anyone
recognize it?

What can we infer about where

the artist was when creating
this?

What is in the foreground,

middleground, and
background of this work?

FORM:

Where do you see shapes

created in this work?

How does he compose this

piece?

What colors does he use?

Where do you see optical

mixing occur in this piece?

MEDIA:

What type of medium do you

think he used for this artwork?

What technique does the artist

use for this work?

How does the artist create

contrast in this work?
 What kind of texture does this
work have?

Ask Interpretation questions Actively interpret artwork INTERPRETATION

during large group session.
What type of mood do you
think the artist was trying to
convey with this work>

How does this artwork affect

you? Does it make you feel
happy, or angry?

How does the technique of

pointillism affect your
sentiment regarding this
artwork?

What does this artwork

suggest about the artists
culture and it’s values?

Ask Judgement questions Actively judge artwork JUDGEMENT:

during large group session.
Is the artist's use of technique
effective in this artwork?

Do you think this is a

technically well done piece of
art? Why or why not?

Personally, do you like this

artwork? Why or why not?

Would you hang it in your

house? Why or why not?

Do you think this is a good

piece of art?
 Do you think that he is a
talented artist?

37 min Today, we will be creating our own Help organize supplies and Who is excited to try and apply
observational drawings using basic prepare a work station. this in our own work?
(32 min of work pointillism.
time, 5 min of How does using one strong
process demo) To get the hang of the technique of light source like this lamp help
pointillism dots and optical mixing, Follow teacher guidance and us in this drawing process?
we are going to make this first piece set up the lamp to create a

using markers. strong light source for the What objects are each of you
chosen object. using for your projects?
Hand out the student supplies- each
student should get a piece of paper, Can anyone show me where

markers, and a pencil and eraser. their object is casting a

shadow?
Demonstrate how to set up the lamp
to cast strong light onto their chosen
object.

Now it is time to start creating our

pieces!

If you want, you can begin by drawing Following teacher Who remembers what lines like
a quick light pencil sketch of your instructions, create light this are called, when the
object to serve as a guideline when guidelines in pencil. Make illustrate just the outside of the
rendering it using pointillism. Make sure to utilize a substantial object?
sure if you do this, you draw very amount of the paper; no tiny
lightly because we will be erasing this drawings! Where are you placing your

lines at the end! object in the composition?

Now it is time to get our markers out Following teacher Who can tell me what optical
and start optical mixing! instruction, watch the demo mixing is again?
and ask questions/provide
Starting with your primary colors, answers about optical Let’s say we are trying to make
begin laying down dots on your paper mixing. brown; what colors could we
to describe your object. Just like the use to create the illusion of
impressionists did, use close dots of that color?
color next to each other to create the
illusion of other colors. Begin work on own pointillist What other color combinations
 Quick demo: drawing. are you using within your
work, and to create what color
Render an area of a drawing of a mug Ask questions and raise illusions?
using optical mixing in the area of concerns about own piece,
shadow: highlight how you are using and pay attention to peer How could you create the
purple and yellow to create a dark work. illusion of green?
looking area of shadow on a red
surface. The purple and yellow are What do you think you should

complementary colors, so they create do to depict the areas of

brown! shadow in your work?

Instruct students to begin their work. In my example, what colors

Formative assessment: Walk around should I use to make the

the classroom while the students are shadow of my mug on the red

working, and ask them questions table?

about their pieces/observe their

Where are you using this
technique.
technique in your own pieces?

How can the concentration of

dots help in composing our
piece?

Where are you showing an

area of highlight or shadow in
your work?

How is what you are creating

similar to the impressionist
work we saw?

How is it different?

2 min Clean up: Finish and label artwork. Who can tell me what would be
Make sure all pencil lines are different about this final
Have the students finish up their erased and the artwork is process for us vs. the
pieces and erase the pencil lines. Tell neatly finished. Place impressionist painters? What
them it is important that all the pencil artwork in portfolio. would your solution be to not
lines are erased so they are not being able to erase pencil
distracting for the piece. Remind lines?
them we use magic markers for this
process so they dried immediately-
 but if we were working with paint like
the impressionists we would not be
able to erase our lines!

Collect supplies.

5min Closure: Does closure relate to

lesson objectives? Are strategies
clearly outlined? Will strategies
enable students to consider why the
lesson is important?

These are all great explorations into Fill out a quick exit slip quiz Who can show me an example
pointillism techniques. As a quick identifying optical color of where they used optical
refresher, who can show me an mixing and defining mixing in their artwork? What
example of optical mixing in their own pointillism. colors did you use?
art piece?

Time for a quick quiz! As our closure

today, please fill out the exit slip quiz
and drop it in the bin on your way out
the door.

Look forward to the next class, where

we will dive deeper into pointillism
techniques and start experimenting
with some paint!

Commentary on Planning Decisions

In answering these questions explain your thinking AND cite research to support your instructional
decisions. These will typically be answered when you have planned the lesson but before it is implemented.

Why is it important that these students learn this content?

It is important that the students learn about this content because impressionism is an important
period in art history. They must learn about the context of impressionism in order to understand why
the technique of pointillism was created, and what the cultural significance of it was. Further, it is
important that they learn the technique of pointillism because it is present in many famous artworks
of high regard, and can be used as an engaging strategy for depicting everyday life. Learning this
technique will give the students another ‘tool in their toolbox’ as artists, so they have an additional
strategy to approach their future creations.

How does this lesson fit into the current sequence of instruction/unit?

This lesson will serve as an introduction to a unit of pointillism, where the students will be given
additional information and examples of artworks done by impressionist artists throughout the entire
unit. This lesson introduces the concept of pointillism, and the concept of optical mixing, at the
simplest level. This is to get the students comfortable with the ideas behind both important
techniques, and give them the critical knowledge they need to be able to apply these concepts to
artworks later in the unit. The next lesson will progress to oil pastel, then the culmination of the unit
will be having the students create an artwork in oil paint.

Why are the learning procedures you have developed for this lesson appropriate for this particular
content?

As stated above, this lesson is an introduction into a larger unit on pointillism and impressionism.
The procedures are appropriate because they break down the essential concepts that are the basis
for most impressionist artwork - the techniques of pointillism and optical mixing - down to the bare
minimum. By having the students begin their investigation into optical mixing with an easy, familiar
medium such as magic markers, the students will more clearly grasp the concept without getting
tripped up by working with more challenging mediums (such as paint or pastels). Additionally, I have
the students creating a simple composition, of just one object, so they can learn to see the object
clearly for the different areas of light and shadow, and learn how to break down those into colors;
while not getting distracted or overwhelmed by an intricate still life.

Why are the learning procedures for this lesson appropriate for these particular students?

These procedures are appropriate for these particular students because they are in early high
school, and do not have familiarity with the techniques of pointillism. However, they do have
knowledge of basic drawing techniques, and have learned other modes of observational drawing
previously, so they can build off of that knowledge ot construct the basis for their pointillism piece.
The students will have seen impressionist artwork before, so they will not be completely unfamiliar
with it, which will make it easier to tackle and break down in a quick responding session before they
begin their media investigation. The students have previously done responding sessions, so going
through this process with the artwork will help them understand the practical applications of the
technique and give them context for their learning before they attempt pointillism themselves.

What contextual factors were especially important in shaping your plan for this lesson and how did
they shape your planning?

This particular group of students are in an Art 1 level high school class, which is supposed to serve
as an investigation into all different medias. This is important because at this point in their career,
students are still exploring different media and investigating new techniques. This lesson builds off
of their knowledge of observational drawing, but engages them in a new technique and teaches them
a new way of seeing. This lesson is important because it fits into the unit where students will
investigate the technique of pointillism, but use different mediums to experiment throughout the
unit. This exploration of media and thorough learning of technique is a crucial part of their
development as an artist and necessary in their current class.

Resources

Cite Sources: Provide citations for the sources that you did not create (e.g., published texts,
websites, materials from other educators).

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/436923

http://emuseum.toledomuseum.org/objects/54774

https://totallyhistory.com/the-eiffel-tower/

https://thevirtualinstructor.com/blog/optical-color-mixing

https://www.artic.edu/artworks/27992/a-sunday-on-la-grande-jatte-1884

EXEMPLAR:
Reflective Commentary on Lesson Implementation

After implementing the lesson, answer these questions.

What patterns of learning were evident in the data from this lesson?

What worked and for whom? Why?

What didn’t work and for whom? Why?

What are your instructional next steps based on the data from this plan?

As a beginning teacher, what did you do well in planning and implementing this lesson?

As a beginning teacher, what are your next steps to build your teaching skills? (Set a couple,
specific SMART objectives for yourself.)
Georges Seurat, La Tour Eiffel, 1889

Powerpoint:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1mbE2YpPBTKCw8yPcx8GuCrnrXptzA8N_iJM8SJiQgd8/edi
t#slide=id.p

Exit Slip Quiz:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSevgxeiIeDybpUJI7TMxGW0LcRzCWhQ4OtcmAsekjzT
3JpJHA/viewform?usp=sf_link
RUBRIC:

Beginning Developing Accomplished Exemplary Score

1 2 3 4

Technique Little to no An attempt is A knowledge of The student

attempt was made to use pointillism is used the
made to pointillism in evident, with technique of
use the work, some variety of pointillism to
pointillism in however it is dot sizes and their
the artwork. not sufficient concentration advantage
Majority of and is throughout the when
the work supplemented work. rendering their
consists of with other object, and
other techniques. showed
drawing mastery of
techniques. technique with
a variety of dot
sizes and
concentration.
They built up
the value of
their artwork
by layering
dots and
varying
concentration.

Shadows and Little to no An attempt Some The student

Highlights attempt was made to believable effectively
made to depict highlights and depicted
depict highlights and shadows are shadows and
accurate shadows, depicted with highlights on
light and however they relative their object
shadows. are not believability. which were
realistic in accurate and
placement. believable.
 The students
used the
technique to
assist in
depicting the
form of their
object, and
used the
highlights and
shadows to
create the
illusion of a
light source.

Creativity No specific Little to no Some The student’s

object evidence of originality individuality
depicted. individuality shown in object was evident in
shown in selection. their choice of
object personal
selection. Very object, which
generic object was
chosen. stylistically
rendered.

Craftsmanship No attempt The final The final The final

has been product has product is product is
made to smudges and somewhat neat, neat, with no
take care of pencil marks with a few smudges and
the artwork. are evident. blotched dots clean edges.
Paper edges and some The artist has
are folded or evidence of erased all
torn. pencil lines. pencil marks
Paper has not and signed
been folded or their name on
torn. the back with
pencil