Art with a

Challenge

A Visual Arts Unit for

Grade 6
Unit Description/Rationale:
This unit, designed to fit into the Grade 7 Visual Art Strand Unit of What’s it
All About: A Sense of Order, is constructedto demonstrate physical
challenges that people have overcome in the expression of art, as well as to
give students a chance to attempt to create art using the same disabilities.
Students will learn a bit about various types of art, how art can represent
individuals or cultures, as well as develop an understanding, appreciation
and respect for people who challenge themselves on a day to day basis.
Batiking, painting with both feet and mouth, and drawing are some of the
mediums with which this mini-unit is based on.

Unit Objectives:
The Students will:
• examine ways visual art mirrors and influences individuals, societies and
cultures, past and present
• examine sources of ideas for art-making, make connections between ideas
and visual art works, and generate ideas for personal expression
• continue to discover a variety of sources of inspiration and consider
the sources as starting-points for personal expression
• reflect on and examine the intentions, development and
interpretations of their own and their peers' art works

Materials/Resources:
Supplies:

•
• Thin white cotton material and T-Shirts
• Sticks of Parafin wax
• Pot
• Clothes iron
• RIT dye
 • Washable poster paint
• Large pieces of thick art paper
• Dish soap
• Wash tubs
• LCD projector
• Water color paints and brushes
• Sight impairment tools(goggles, paper coverings, blindfolds, etc)
• Garbage bags

Websites:
Jeffrey Ladow. AMFPA - Association of Mouth and Foot Painting Artists of the World.
http://www.amfpa.com/html/show.php?lang=2&mid=98&appl=GALERIE&thema=8&
i_exhib=-1&bcnt=-6&bnr=1&pid=76

This website has many images and explanations of Jeffrey Ladows artwork, as well
as a biography.

Color Symbolism Chart by Culture. About.com. 2008.

http://webdesign.about.com/od/color/a/bl_colorculture.htm

Videos:

Video1-3.Alvins Law of Life. http://www.alvinlaw.com/video/index.htm

Alvin Law talks about his motivations, experiences and challenges that he
has overcome, while demonstrating his adaptability to life.
Lesson #1
Art with a Challenge

Strand: Visual Arts

Time Required: 2 classes

Lesson Description: This lesson will introduce the unit, and an artist to
inspire students and make them aware that anything is possible if you look
at the situation in the right way. This is a good way to start so that hopefully
students will take the challenges of the unit in a positive way to see what
they are capable of, and how others although may have physical challenges,
are still able to express themselves through art. A look at Alvin Law and then
feet painting will make up this lesson.

Objectives:

Knowledge: Students will examine Assessment/Evaluation

un-traditional ways of making art.
-final portrait/description
-Students will know and implement
the principles of design
Skills: Students will create a portrait -description and portrait(rating scale)
of themselves using their feet.
Attitude: Students will appreciate -exit slip
their abilities, and think about how
they view themselves.

Materials: LCD Projector, garbage bags, large thick art paper, washable
poster paint

CELS: COM, CCT, PSVS

Curriculum Components: Creative/Productive, Critical/Responsive

Set: Play video 1-3 of Alvin Law. Ask
students to write down points that
they think are important.
http://www.alvinlaw.com/video/index.
htm
Development: Push aside desks for a talking circle,
start a class discussion about some
of the challenges he has overcome,
his ‘laws for life’, etc.

-Get students to jot down some ideas

Principles of Design:
Emphasis, Contrast, Balance,
Repetition, Variety, Movement and
Unity.
about how they see themselves.
What parts of them do they value,
characteristics, features, etc. How do
they think others see them, and
anything else that makes them who
they are.
-then ask them to do a rough outline
of a self portrait. It does not have to
look like themselves, but instead may
represent how they see themselves,
and some of the qualities they have
written down.

-Introduce Principles of
design(give handout)

--there must be at least 2 principles

thought of when doing their final
piece.

Finally, once students are finished

their rough drafts, they may start
their good pieces. BUT tell them that
they must paint with their FEET(they
can use brushes or toes, etc)

-Tape down garbage bags on the floor

all over the room, and then tape the
paper on the floor. Make sure
students get their paint on a plate
ahead of time, shoes are on the sides
 of the room, and they have lots of
paper towel!!

-play music, and let students have at

er’!

-when students are finished, get

them to write a description of the
priniciples of design they used and
how.
Closure: -finally, display portraits, and have a
‘viewing’ for the class. Get students
to analyze them and try to see the
Principles of design used.

-Have students fill out exit slips on a

scrap piece of paper about whether
or not they enjoyed this assignment,
and what they learned from it.

Principles of
Design:
The way in which the elements of visual are areorganized
is referred to as the Principles of Design. There are 7:

Emphasis: Is used to make certain parts of an artwork stand out and

grab your attention.
Contrast: describes the degree of difference in an element of art. For
example, there is a high degree of contrast between the colors black and
white. Contrast creates excitement and interest in artwork.

Balance: describes how artists create visual weight. There are several
ways to balance an artwork:

Symmetrical Balance: If you were to draw an imaginary line through

an artwork, both sides would be the same.

Asymmetrical Balance: if you would draw an imaginary line through an

artwork, both sides would be different, but equal in visual weight.

Radial Balance: Lines or shapes grow from a center point(eg: a

sunflower)

Repetition: Occurs when a single element

is used over and over again to create a pattern
in an artwork.

Variety: Allows an artist to create interest

and avoid the same effect. This often involves
theme and variations: the same image is
repeated, but in different sizes, colors, values or
shapes.

Movement: Can be implied in works of visual art. Live figures

portrayed in unstable body positions cause us to feel that motion is
occurring. When figures movepast us at very high speeds, we perceive that
figure as somewhat blurry. Similarly in art, showing multiple
overlapping images gives us the impression of motion(so if you
don’t want an illusion of art, maybe don’t use this effect!)

Unity: Is the feeling that everything in the work of art belongs together
and looks like it fits. For example: repletion of shape or color can make an
artwork unified.

Lesson #2
Art with a Challenge

Strand: Visual Arts

Time Required: 1-2 classes

Lesson Description: This lesson will challenge the students once again to
create art in a different way. This time they will be using their mouths to do
watercolor landscapes or their favorite places. We will also study an artist
that paints like this, and look at some of his artwork.

Objectives:

Knowledge: Students will learn how Assessment/Evaluation

another artist’s work expresses their
-exit slip to peer artist.
individual thoughts.
Skills: Students will work individually -finished product and explanation.
to produce a watercolor communicating
their thoughts
Attitude: Students will foster a -participation
positive trying attitude while
attempting a challenge

Materials: new paintbrushes, watercolor paints, paint shirts, LCD projector

CELS: CCT, COM,

Curriculum Components: Creative/Productive, Critical/Reflective,

Cultural/Historical

Set: Introduce Jeffrey Ladow. Biography and

Paintings on LCD.
http://www.amfpa.com/html/show.php?lang=2&
mid=98&appl=GALERIE&thema=8&i_exhib=-
1&bcnt=-6&bnr=1&pid=76
Development: Get students to think about a favorite place of
theirs. Get them to imagine it: the color,
shapes, lighting, etc. All corresponding with the
mood of the place. Emphasize trying to convey
feeling throughout the painting. Don’t forget
principles of design!!

-Introduce how to use watercolors. (first get

paper wet, then dip brush, get some paint, and
paint away.) Have paint, water in shallow
bowls(not cups so they wont spill!), paper
towels and paint shirts ready.

**Ask students to come up with some important

 safety rules for during the class: no movement
out of desk with object in mouth, don’t bump
anyone, etc. Encourage a few practice strokes
(don’t forget…no hands, but be careful not to
swallow the brush!!) on a scrap piece of paper.

-Play music during work time.

-When finished ask students to write a

paragraph about the place they painted. Why
is it special to them, what feelings do they have
when they are there and Principles of design
used.
Closure: Get students to walk around and find a favorite
piece of artwork. Get them on a piece of scrap
paper, to write to the artist what they
thought/liked about the piece and what they
thought the place painted suggested.
Lesson #3
Art with a Challenge

Strand: Visual Arts

Time Required: 1 class

Lesson Description: Students will tap into their memory and mind’s eye to
represent an object through drawing without seeing it.

Objectives:

Knowledge: Students will learn how Assessment/Evaluation

other senses take over with the loss
-personal reflection
of one.
Skills: Students will work -participation
independently and use their memory
to reflect in their artwork.
Attitude: Students will not worry -participation
about what they look like, but rather
what other things look like.

Materials: classroom objects, paper, ‘blind’ materials(blindfold, goggles

with glue over them to haze the sight, paper with small holes punched in
right at the centre)

CELS: COM, CCT, IL

Curriculum Components: Creative/Productive, Critical/Historical

Set: Ask students to get in partners to

play the ‘blind’ game studentsmay
use either classroom or portions of
the school. One partner will close
their eyes and trust the other. The
other will start off guiding their
partner by the elbow giving verbal
and physical instructions. Eventually,
they will stop, and the ‘blind person’
will have to guess where they are.
Then they will switch. The object is
 for students to practice imagining
sights they may take for granted, and
using their other senses.
Development: When all students have returned to
the classroom, you will get the
students to sit in their desks, and pull
out one object from their desk and
set it on top, and close their eyes.
The teacher will come around, give
each student some type of blind
device, and collect the objects, and
redistribute them giving each student
a different object. They will then
attempt to find a piece of paper from
their desk, a writing material, and
draw with as much detail the object
they have. They can color as well, if
they have access to color
materials(without leaving their desk),
and use shading for depth. Try to
promote 3-D drawings, not simply
2D(although different levels of
artistry may not allow for this on the
best of days…the point is to try).
When they are finished they can try
to switch with a partner beside them,
etc. When everyone has finished, get
students to take off the masks, and
see how they did.
Closure: -ask students to write a reflection
about what they noticed when they
could not see. What happened to
their other senses. What would it be
like to be blind all the time, what kind
of adaptations would you need to
make? Would art be possible?
Lesson #4
Art with a Challenge

Strand: Visual Arts

Time Required: 2-3 classes

Lesson Description: Students will work in small groups to create Batik, but
they are unable to speak to each other.

Objectives:

Knowledge: Students will learn Assessment/Evaluation

about Batiking and some symbolism
-check for symbolism in the finished
that may come with it.
batik and explanation
Skills: Students will practice -checklist for participation
communication within a group
without speaking
Attitude: Students will appreciate -checklist for group work
others input and adapting their own
ideas

Materials: Parrafin wax, paintbrushes, white cotton cloth/t-shirts, RIF (cold

water)dye in old glue bottles, old clothes,

CELS: COM, CCT, PSVS

Curriculum Components: Creative/Productive, Cultural/Historical

Set: Give a brief history of Batik and

Was created in East Africa, and
asiancountries like Japan, Indonesia
and Malaysia. Were signifiers of
family lines, and had different
patterns for different occasions.
Development:
-write symbols/colors on board
where it is used. Explain the use of
symbolism and pattern that may be
used.
Symbols:
Are all usually related to earth, sky
and water.
Flowers or animals may demonstrate
forms of life, or spirits
Birds: may symbolize power and
success, and are a symbol of the God
Vishnu.
A phoenix: is a symbol of beauty and
wards off bad luck.
Snake or dragon: are symbols of the
underworld, water and fertility.
Mountains: are symbols of the gods,
since that was where they were
believed to live.
Clouds: procreative power
Rocks: Strength endurance
Some do not have any symbols at all
and are simply to be visually
pleasing.
Colors:
Red: purity, good luck or celebration
Yellow: courage
White: death
Using these symbols within an image,
 as a group(2-3) you will create a
batik. However, during the exercise
students will not be allowed to speak,
so will need to find other ways to
communicate.

Clear desks to work on the floor.

Heat up wax(teacher) in a can in a
pot of boiling water. Students will
then paint with a brush on their piece
of fabric the area that they want to
keep white, and wait for the wax to
dry. When it is dry, by using a
paintbrush, paint the dye on to the
fabric(the next lightest color you
want to use where you want it), then
rinse out fabric in cold water to set
dye. Then put wax over areas of the
dye just done, and paint the next
lightest color where it is needed, etc.
When the whole fabric is
completed(covered in wax, except for
the darkest color which is now dyed),
wash the fabric in hot water, or iron
off the wax. TA DA!!

**if a crinkle effect is desired, before

dying shirt, crinkle up fabric to put
cracks in the wax which will then be
dyed.
Closure: Ask students to do a final
reflection about the last
assignment (outlining their
symbolism) past unit. Which
activities were the hardest, the
most fun, and what did they
learn from them. What did you
learn about yourself and your
abilities or ability to face a
 challenge?

Rating Scale for Reflections: Reflection #_______

Student Name:_______________________________________________
Does Student Almost A bit(2) Quite a
reflection: none(1) bit(3)
Demonstrate
thoughtfulness
Represent art
assignment
Answer suggested
questions
Show effort
Total: /12

Rating Scale for Reflections: Reflection #_______

Student Name:_______________________________________________
Does Student Almost A bit(2) Quite a
reflection: none(1) bit(3)
Demonstrate
thoughtfulness
Represent art
assignment
Answer suggested
questions
Show effort
Total: /12

Rating Scale for Reflections: Reflection #_______

Student Name:_______________________________________________
Does Student Almost A bit(2) Quite a
reflection: none(1) bit(3)
Demonstrate
thoughtfulness
Represent art
assignment
Answer suggested
questions
Show effort
Total: /12
Studen Participa Participa Participa Effort(5 Group
t Name: tion tion tion ) Work(5)