Springfield College

Lesson Plan Guidelines

Teacher: Colleen Keeley
Subject: Positive and Negative Space
Title of Lesson: Notan Asymmetric
Tessellations

Date: September 24, 2015

Grade Level: 6th
Lesson Length:

Overview of the Lesson

Lesson Summary:
In this lesson the students will learn about positive and negative space by
creating a Notan Asymmetric Tessellation
Massachusetts Framework Standards:

2.11 For space and composition, create unified 2D and 3D

compositions that demonstrate an understanding of balance,
repetition, rhythm, scale, proportion, unity, harmony, and emphasis.
Create 2D compositions that give the illusion of 3D space and
volume.
4.4 Produce work that shows an understanding of the concept of
craftsmanship
1.7 Maintain the workspace, materials, and tools responsibly and
safely
Lesson Objectives: The students will be able to
The students will be able to successfully create a Notan design showing
positive and negative space.
1. To learn about Notan.
2. To learn about positive and negative space.
4. To understand about symmetry and asymmetry, and the Principle of Design,
Balance.
5. To understand the Elements of Art: Space and Shape (Positive and
Negative).
Materials/Equipment to be Used in Teaching the Lesson:
PowerPoint
Construction paper (black and white)
Scissors
Glue
Enduring Understandings:
Big Ideas:

Springfield College
Lesson Plan Guidelines

The students will understand the importance of positive and negative

space in a composition.
Good design has a balance of light and dark.
Using the Notan concept of light and dark enhances design.

Concepts:
Notan
Positive, Negative Space
Balance
Symmetry
Abstract
Contrast

Essential Questions:
Where do we see designs in real life that are symmetrical?
What is balance?
Content
Factual Content:
The students will learn about how positive and negative space is an
important concept used in art, they will learn about balance, and
symmetry.
Vocabulary: Notan, Positive Space, Negative Space, Balance, Symmetry, Cut,
Mirror
Tier 1: Balance, Cut, Mirror
Tier 2: Positive Space, Negative Space
Tier 3: Notan, Symmetry, Contrast
Critical Thinking Skills Reading, Writing, Speech, Listening, Other
Critical Thinking Skills - What key skills will be taught or practiced in this
lesson?
The students will practice making a design symmetrical.
The students will create abstract designs.
Assessments (Performance Tasks/Tests/Quizzes Formative/Summative,
Informal/Formal)
Assessment: (Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening)
Performance tasks:
I am going to show the students a series of pictures asking them to write down what the
first thing they saw was, then after I reveal the 2 possible options in the picture im going to

Springfield College
Lesson Plan Guidelines

explain negative and positive space. For the rest of the pictures they are going to have to
tell me what the positive and negative space are in each picture.
The students will fill out a worksheet that goes along with the PowerPoint to first learn
about the information being presented.
Then the students will create a Notan design showing their understanding of Positive space,
Negative space, and Contrast.

Action/Instructional Procedures
Phase
Anticipatory Set
(Hook)

Explanation
1. PowerPoint:

The students will look at a series of

images and they will have a couple of
seconds to write down the first thing they
see.
2. I will then ask for a raise of hands to tell me
what the first thing they saw in each picture.
Procedures/Transitio Procedures:
ns

3. Go to slide 6 and explain: If you see a vase then that

is what you are seeing as the positive space and the
black space around it is the negative space. If you
see two faces looking at each other then that is the
positive space, and the white part is the negative
space
4. Tell them to flip over their worksheets and fill in the
definition of Negative Space, Positive Space, and
Contrast.
Positive space: is the main object in the picture,
and everything around it in the background is the
negative space.
Negative space: frames your image, creating the
object, which is the positive space.
Contrast: is the extreme difference in light and
dark, that creates visual excitement, and adds
interest to the work.
5. Ask with a rise of hands: What did they see in picture
#2? Have them identify the positive and negative
space.

Springfield College
Lesson Plan Guidelines
6. Ask with a rise of hands: what did they see in picture
#3?
Have them identify the positive and negative space.
6.
Ask with a rise of hands: what did they see in
picture #4?
Have them identify the positive and negative space.
7. Explain Notan Designs, have them write down the
definition on their worksheet. The combination of
lights and darks especially used in Japanese art,
creating a pattern and design.
8. Ask how do you think these are created? Explain that
there are 2 sheets of paper, the black paper is on
top and is the only piece of paper that you cut.
9. Show the examples and ask provoking questions like
can you see the positive and negative space
throughout the design, and the overall contrast that
is created.
10.State how some can be really simple and how other
are more complex, and how you can create them to
make a whole design when you flip it over. (The Sun,
Wolf, Bird, Feather)
Small Group Demo:
11.Drawing out examples: Everyone was given the
same worksheet so Im am just going to bring them
around one table to show a quick example of how to
map out your lines and break down some ideas they
can use.
12.Explain how they need an overall theme for their
project and four images on each side that meet the
theme they chose.
13.So in the box I will first go over how whatever line
you draw or create, you will cut it out and mirror it
on the other side.
14.I will also show how if you plan it out you can make
your image into one whole design if you cut half of it
and flip it creating the other half (example a heart)
Work Period:
14: The students will return to their seats and continue
to create their designs, if they complete their first
practice example on the worksheet they can take a
larger piece of white paper and divide their 4 boxes and
continue working on a new or improved larger one.

Springfield College
Lesson Plan Guidelines
Closure

Clean Up: The students need to put their

worksheets away in their folders and return their
folders to the cabinet.
Closure: Once everyone is seated, Ask: I need to
know 5 new things you learned today!

Homework/Extensio
n Activities
Reflection
The Lesson Plan

What did I learn today about:

What went well?
The students were fully engaged right from the start of the lesson,
which carried on through the lesson and into the project. They also
were explained and pointed out the objective from the beginning of
class. The reason why the student were able to get so into the lesson
right away was, I started off by showing them a series of pictures
that were optical illusions. I told them that it was a game and they
were competing with their classmates to try and come up with the
answer of what they saw in each picture. When I revealed the
answer that it was actually 2 different images that they could have
seen they were amazed and fully into what we were learning about.
The pictures were all examples of positive and negative space, so
after introducing what positive and negative space was, I would
have them identify the pos. and neg. space in the pictures. I then
fully had their attention when introducing the project we were
going to be doing, and allowed them to choose their own theme for
the project. By allowing them to pick their own theme it gave the
students a personal connection to the project and made them more
excited about it.
What areas of weakness need addressing?
I specifically told the students not to shout out the
answer, but most of the students were eager to share
their answer before someone else said it, so it got a
little chaotic and I had to wait and regroup everyone
before revealing each answer.
What could have been done to improve this
lesson?
If I were to do this lesson again I would have the student discuss as
a group at their tables to identify the positive and negative space in
each picture and then tell me the answer. Instead of me asking the
whole class who can identify the positive and negative space
because then just one student answers and Im not able to tell if all
the students are able to identify it. This way the students can work
together to come up with and answer they are more confident with
and provokes a bit more critical thinking on every student.

Springfield College
Lesson Plan Guidelines

Teaching
Skills

The Students

Which objectives were met? What is the

evidence? Which students did not meet
objectives? Why?
Learning about Positive and Negative space, and
Notan designs. The evidence is in the worksheet they
completed, and will be further shown in the final
project. The students who didnt meet the objective
were the ones who didnt verbally identify the
positive and negative space in the example pictures,
so in would adjust my lesson in the future to allow
everyone to answer my questions.
What did you do well in this lesson?
I made the students excited about the lesson by kind
of creating a mini game of optical illusions to get
them interested in what we were learning about.
What areas of weakness need addressing?
Finding a way to have everyone identify the positive
and negative space seen in each picture. (maybe
using white boards and holding up their answers)
What could be done to provide better
instruction in the future?
Like I just said above using a white board method, or
if I were to do this lesson again I would have the student discuss as
a group at their tables to identify the positive and negative space in
each picture and then tell me the answer. Instead of me asking the
whole class who can identify the positive and negative space
because then just one student answers and Im not able to tell if all
the students are able to identify it. This way the students can work
together to come up with and answer they are more confident with
and provokes a bit more critical thinking on every student.
Were you pleased with the performance of the
students?
YES! The students were so excited about the lesson
and starting their long-term project, they caught on to
what positive and negative space was right away, and
I allowed them to choose their own theme for the
project so they were excited to make theirs unique.
What did they do well? What did they struggle
with?
Some caught on with making everything symmetrical
and their drawings complex. Then some struggled
with the concept that you have to draw your image in
a way that you will be able to cut out and any thing
you draw will be cut out. Every thing is created from

Springfield College
Lesson Plan Guidelines

being cut out.

What can be done to help them do better in the
future?
Take a day to break down how the projects are
created and more about symmetry so when they start
on their final its easier to understand.