Creative Solutions to Artsy Problems

Lesson Content

• Lesson Plan Template:

  CTE Lesson Plan

• CTE Course Info and Benchmark Notes

  
  

  Program Name (as applicable):

  Visual Arts

  Course Title:

  N/A Course Number:

  N/A

  Career Cluster:

  N/A

  CIP Number:

  N/A

  Course Type:

  Elementary Resiliency

• Unit Outline

  
  

  This lesson is designed to be used with the case study, “Creative Solutions to Artsy Problems” See CPALMS resource ID# 219075.

• Career Connection

  
  

  In this lesson students will work on communication, collaboration, problem solving, sharing ideas and resources in order to discuss how to create a finished product in the form of a visual artwork. This lesson helps students practice skill development for the future by encouraging them to analyze the problem, brainstorm solutions, evaluate options, and justify their chosen approach.

• Learning Objectives

  
  

  Students will be able to:

  • Discuss different solutions to solve a problem.
  • Discuss how skills needed to solve problems in art production can be used in other situations.

• Prior Knowledge

  
  

  Students should be familiar with/able to:

  • Cause-and-Effect
  • Different communication styles.

• Guiding Questions

  
  
  • What would you do if someone in your group wasn’t helping?
  • What are some helpful ways to work in a group?

• Procedure

  
  
  1. To introduce the lesson, begin with a discussion brainstorming session based on the guiding questions: What would you do if someone in your group wasn’t helping? What are some helpful ways to work in a group?
  2. Present the students with the case study, “Creative Solutions to Artsy Problems,” (see CPALMS resource ID# 219075) and the attached graphic organizer.
     • Have students read the case study. Based on classroom needs, students can read in small groups, follow along as it is read aloud, partner read, or teacher can ask for student volunteers to read sections.
  3. After reading the case study, discuss the following questions as a class.
     • What issue is the group having?
     • How does Jela’s silence help or hurt the problem?
     • What about the behaviors from King, Faith and Rae- are their actions helping or hurting the problem?
     • How could the team incorporate both artistic ideas?
  4. Set students up in small groups to complete the graphic organizer. Explain the purpose of the graphic organizer and how it will help them organize their thoughts and strategies for coming up with a resolution. Provide time as a class to discuss problem solving strategies. Use guiding questions: “When you are trying to figure out how to finish an art project, what are some of the questions you ask yourself?”, “What happens if I use a marker versus paint?”, or “How could I mix materials to achieve various outcomes?” Relate these questions to the case study by using these guided questions: “What does the group need to decide?” and “What happens if the group doesn’t cooperate?”
  5. Model the use of the graphic organizer, demonstrating different ways to fill out the boxes. Provide time for students to work in their small groups. Encourage students to identify the problem, brainstorm solutions, and analyze the consequences of their choices. Monitor by circulating around the room to provide guidance and support, asking probing questions to encourage deeper thinking.
  6. Facilitate a class discussion where students share their solutions and how they used the graphic organizer to arrive at their final solution. Encourage students to explain their reasoning and justify their decisions, using evidence from the case study or a real-life example. Compare and contrast different solutions and have classmates give feedback.
  7. Encourage students to reflect on their problem-solving process. Have them identify what worked well and what they could have improved on. Use the questions below to support extended learning and reflection.
     • Why is it important to be able to problem solve?
     • Why is it important to communicate well?
     • Why is it important and collaborate with others?
     • How is making decisions about art similar to problem solving in other areas? (For example, artists explore and experiment with materials, techniques, and concepts to create, interpret, and express art. In other fields, like science, problem-solving begins with inquiry, formulating hypotheses, and testing them through experiments to understand the world.)

• Teacher Notes

  
  
  • Teachers can place students in small groups and provide students with the same materials being used in the case study and have them role-play the situation, then create a piece of artwork together.