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Abstract Multimedia Sketchbooks
Using AP-Sealed Art Materials

Grade Level(s)
1st-6th
Time
Prep: 20 minutes
Activity time: Two 45-minute class periods
Materials
For the covers:
  • Liquid watercolors
  • Oil pastels
  • Tempera paint
  • Fluorescent acrylic paint
  • School glue
  • Glitter glue
  • Sharpie pens
  • Highlighters
  • Colored Pencils
  • Crayons
  • Markers
Other materials needed:
  • Cereal boxes
  • Scissors
  • Tape
  • Messy mat
  • Paint containers
  • Water containers
  • Paintbrushes
  • Paper towel
  • Hole punch
  • Copy paper
  • Construction paper or colored copy paper
  • Yarn
  • Venn diagrams, dry erase markers, page protector sleeves and printed images (for compare/contrast activity)
  • Ruler (optional)
Download Lesson Plan

Stage 1 – Desired Results

Established Goal(s)/Content Standard(s):
  • Creating: Anchor Standard 2: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
  • Responding: Anchor Standard 7: Perceive and analyze artistic work
Transfer Goal(s):
  • Respond to technical and conceptual challenges of his/her own.
Understanding (s)
Students will understand that:
  • VA:Cr2.1.a
Enduring Understanding: Artists and designers experiment with forms, structures, materials,concepts, media, and art-making approaches.
  • VA:Re7.2.a
Enduring Understanding: Visual imagery influences our understanding of and responses to the world.
Essential Question(s):
  • Why do artists create artworks that are abstract?
  • How do artists and designers determine whether a particular direction in their work is effective?
  • What can we learn from our responses to art?
Student Objectives (outcomes):
Students will be able to:

1. Become familiar with key vocabulary
  • medium/media
  • abstract art
  • form
  • function
  • bookbinding
  • sketchbook
2. Identify and discuss abstract art and artists

3. Create an abstract piece of art using a variety of art media

4. Use basic bookbinding techniques to create a sketchbook with blank pages, using their abstract art as the cover

Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence

Performance Task(s):
  • Create a sketchbook with a mixed media abstract art work cover
Other Evidence:
  • Observations and evidence during discussion
  • Compare and contrast activity
  • Teacher designed assessment

Stage 3 – Learning Plan

Learning Activities:
  • Learning Activities:
    1. Show the students the Abstract Art slide deck. Identify the title of the art and the artist’s name. Engage the students using Visual Thinking Strategies. Ask “what do you notice?” Followed by “what makes you say so?”. This strategy relies on their observation skills and requires that they provide evidence for their answer.

    2. Divide students into groups of 4. Assign or let students self select a recorder.

    3. Pass out Venn Diagrams with images (note: place diagrams in page protector sleeves and use Vis-a-Vis markers for reuse)

    4. Allow time for groups to compare and contrast the images.

    5. Assign or let students self select a reporter. Call on groups for their reporter to share.

    6. Record observations for everyone to see. As a class look for patterns and categories. Students will likely come up with
  • No recognizable subject
  • Shapes/colors/forms/gestures to create
  • Found in many types of art: paintings and sculpture examples
  • Can cause a feeling or emotion
  • 7. Explain that students will create an abstract art work using a variety of media. Ask students for the meaning of media as it is used. Explain that media is plural for medium which is the material that they use.

    8. Open your cereal box(es).

    9. Create a piece of abstract art on the plain/brown side of at least 1 of the cereal boxes. Make sure that the students use many art mediums, including line/shape/form/color (no identifiable pictures), and that they cover their whole cereal box with their art.

    10. Explain that their abstract art will now take the form of a book that will function as a sketchbook. When the cereal box is dry - cut the box to the size you want your sketchbook so that you have a rectangle piece of art. The sketchbook can be any size that your open box allows.

    11. Optional: Create a loom and strips out of the cereal boxes. Weave one box into the other for a woven cover for the sketchbook.  

    12. Cut pages for your sketchbook - you can include as many pages in your sketchbook as you would like. I like to cut my pages to be a bit smaller than the cover so the pages fit inside the cover and don’t hang out on the ends.

    13. Place the cover in front of you so the rectangle is longer than taller. Fold sketchbook cover in 1⁄2 vertically to create the book cover. Fold all pages for the sketchbook in the same way.

    14. Now you will bind your book. In both the cover and pages of the sketchbook punch 1 hole on the fold 2 inches from the top and another hole 2 inches from the bottom.Note: if your sketchbook is 5 inches or less in height move the holes closer to the top of the book making sure that they are evenly spaced.

    15. Cut a piece of string or yarn and string through the top of all the pages and lastly the cover. Take the other end of the yarn and string through the bottom. If you would like the tie on the outside of the sketchbook cover the ends of the yarn should be on the outside of the book, if the student would like to have the tie on the inside (hidden tie) the ends should be inside the book.

    16. Make a tight knot with the yarn (bow optional). The tie needs to be very tight and knotted twice to ensure that the pages do not fall out.

    17. Optional: cut a piece of paper that is a little bit smaller than the width of the book but will fit in between the two holes of the sketchbook holding the yarn in place. Glue the sides of the piece of paper and under the yarn to secure the binding.

    18. Write this sketchbook belongs to and the student’s name inside the cover of the sketchbook.19. Begin drawing and creating in your new sketchbook!

Accommodations/
Modifications:

  • All students will be able to create an abstract piece of art to their own ability level. Grading will not be based on ability level but rather completion and mediums used.
  • If students need larger or different mediums/tools because of OT issues they will be provided or modified.
  • Students who cannot complete book binding steps will be helped and assistance will be provided to make sure all sketchbooks are successfully completed.
  • Technology Usage: Show a slide deck of abstract art from different artists. The students will compare and contrast, discuss what they see, and talk about what they like and don’t like in the different pieces of art.

Assessments

Abstract Art Comprehension

4.0 – The student understands what abstract art is, can identify a piece of abstract art and the artist, can discuss the characteristics of abstract art, and can teach it to a neighbor.

3.0 – The student understands what abstract art is, can identify a piece of abstract art and the artist, and can discuss the characteristics of abstract art.

2.0 – The student can do 2 of the following: understands what abstract art is, can identify a piece of abstract art and the artist, or can discuss the characteristics of abstract art.

1.0 – The student can do 1 of the following: understands what abstract art is, can identify a piece of abstract art and the artist, or can discuss the characteristics of abstract art.

.5 – The student did not participate in the discussion.

Abstract Art
4.0 – The student covered their entire cereal box with their abstract art, used many art mediums, included different designs/shapes/forms/colors in their art, and the student’s artwork had a theme and/or evoked a feeling or emotion.

3.0 – The student covered their entire cereal box with their abstract art, used many art mediums, and included different designs/shapes/forms/colors in their art.

2.0 – The student did 2 of the following: covered their entire cereal box with their abstract art, used many art mediums, or included different designs/shapes/forms/colors in their art.

1.0 – The student did 1 of the following: covered their entire cereal box with their abstract art, used many art mediums, or included different designs/shapes/forms/colors in their art.

.5 – The student did not participate in the abstract art project.

Bookbinding & Sketchbook Creating
3.0 – The student followed all the bookbinding steps to create their sketchbook, the pages are relatively the same size and folded/organized neatly, and the book’s pages are secure inside.

2.0 – The student did 2 of the following: followed all the bookbinding steps to create their sketchbook, the pages are relatively the same size and folded/organized neatly, or the book’s pages are secure inside.

1.0 – The student did 1 of the following: followed all the bookbinding steps to create their sketchbook, the pages are relatively the same size and folded/organized neatly, or the book’s pages are secure inside.

.5 – The student did not participate in bookbinding

.If Time/Extra Activities: Students can draw in the pages of their sketchbook using the art mediums used to make the abstract art.

Ideas:

1. Students can draw many tiny art frames on their page and draw in their own famous pieces of abstract art inspired by what they saw when critiquing and evaluating the abstract art at the beginning of the lesson.

2. Students can create a different piece of abstract art.

3. Students can write a critique on their favorite and/or least favorite pieces of art they saw in the slide deck. Examples of questions to answer: Why is the piece of art your favorite/least favorite? What part of this piece of art stands out to you the most? Which elements do you see in this piece of art: line, shape, form, gesture, color? How is the use of color successful/unsuccessful in this piece of art? What do you think this artist could add to make the piece better? Where would you hang this piece of art if you owned it?

Headshot of Jennifer Hamilton

About Jennifer Hamilton

Jennifer Hamilton is a Visual Arts Teacher with 10 years experience under her belt. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Wayne State University, a Teaching Certification from the University of Michigan, and is currently working on a Masters of Educational Administration from Oakland University. Over the course of her career she has taught a range of grade levels — from kindergarten through eighth grade — in two different states. Recently, Jennifer has been teaching and posting daily art lessons on social media for online learning, and offering free supplemental materials so that parents and students can be successful doing art at home.  When she's not teaching, she loves to spend time with her husband and two daughters, traveling, or watching the Housewives. You can find Jennifer on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube @mrshamisartroom.