Lesson Plan

Title: __Faces

Length:___variable_______________

Note: Before you plan and write art experiences; pre-assess your students based on the proposed concepts, enduring understandings, and objectives
of the unit/lesson(s). You may also gather this information from (previous) teachers, by reviewing already completed art work, consulting curriculum
materials, etc., to get a better understanding of what content students already know and what they will need to know to be successful.
Pre-Assessment:
This will need to be done prior to teaching your lesson. Outline the method you will use to determine the skill/knowledge level of your students based on the concepts/enduring understandings/objectives of the lesson.
(Hint: turn these into questions.) Be specific in describing what you would recognize as proficient skill/knowledge.

All students have worked with the face as subject matter before. Have observed students struggling with facial proportions and drawing an image
that is larger than it is in their source.
Discuss before this lesson:
-Why do artists spend time studying the face?
-Why are faces so hard to draw?
-In class period before lesson, ask students to write down short answer to questions:
What are 3 things that all faces have in common?
What is the difference between scale and proportion?

Performance:
What will students accomplish as a result of this lesson? This can be presented to students in the form of a story. In this narrative the students take on a role and create a learning product about a specific topic for a
certain audience. (RAFT Role / Audience / Format / Topic)

The lead photo editor for Time magazine was just fired after the photo she edited won the #1 spot on the top 10 biggest Photoshop fails of all
time list and disgraced the magazines artistic reputation. You have worked here for a while and are now competing for the job as the new lead
photo editor for Time magazine. In order to get hired you need to prove to your boss that you poses the artistic understanding of the basic human
facial proportions necessary to reclaim the magazines artistic reputation
Below is the photo that caused the last photo editor to lose their job

Concepts:
List the big ideas students will be introduced to in the lesson. These ideas are universal, timeless and transferrable. Examples of concepts used in art might include: Composition, Patterns, Technique, Rhythm, Paradox,
Influence, Style, Force, Culture, Space/Time/Energy, Line, Law/Rules, Value, Expressions, Emotions, Tradition, Symbol, Movement, Shape, Improvisation, and Observation Look for concepts in the standards, content
specific curriculum, etc.

Scale, proportion, observation, culture, composition, expression, shape, prior knowledge, space, perception, alignment, relationships
Enduring Understanding (s):
Enduring Understandings show a relationship between two or more concepts; connected with an active verb. The best enduring understandings not only link two or more concepts; but also demonstrate why this
relationship is important. Like concepts, they are timeless, transferrable and universal. Align Standards, Prepared Graduate Competencies (PGCs) and Grade Level Expectations (GLEs) to Enduring
Understandings.

-Scale does not affect the way proportion functions. (Standard: 4 GLE: 2 -PGC: Explain, compare and justify that the visual arts are connected to other disciplines, the other art forms, social
activities, mass media, and careers in art and non-art related arenas

-Composition of individual elements effects how the whole product is perceived. (Standard: 1 GLE: 2,3 PGC: Explain, demonstrate, and interpret a range of purposes of art and design,
recognizing that the making and study of art and design can be approached from a variety of viewpoints, intelligences, and perspectives)

Prior knowledge of a subject is evident in the way one expresses their ideas. (Standard: 3 GLE: 2,3 PGC: Recognize, interpret, and validate that the creative process builds on the
development of ideas through a process of inquiry, discovery, and research)

Standards: (All lessons should address all standards.)

1. Observe and Learn to Comprehend
2. Envision and Critique to Reflect
3. Invent and Discover to Create

4. Relate and Connect to Transfer

Objectives/Outcomes/Learning Targets:
Objectives describe a learning experience with a condition behavior (measurable) criterion. Aligned to: Blooms Standards GLEs - Art learning and, when appropriate, Numeracy, Literacy and Technology.
Should be written as: Objective. (Blooms: _____ - Standard: _____ - GLE: _____ -Art learning: _____ -Numeracy, Literacy, and/or Technology)

1. SWBAT identify the similarities in alignment of features that all human faces have in common (Blooms: Applying -Standard: 1 -GLE: 3 Art learning: Concept/Ideation)
2. SWBAT create an accurately proportioned face at a larger scale (Blooms: Creating Standard: 3 GLE: 2 Standard: 2 GLE: 1,3Art learning: Material/tools/technique)
3. SWBAT make connection between the art of drawing and painting faces accurately to contexts outside of art. (Blooms: Analyzing Standard: 1 GLE: 2 Art learning:
History/culture)
4. SWBAT define the difference between scale and proportion. (Blooms: define Standard: 4 GLE: 2 Art Learning: Reflection/assessment)

Differentiation:
Explain specifically how you have addressed the needs of exceptional students at both end of the skill and cognitive scale. Describe the strategies you will use for students who are already proficient and need growth
beyond what you have planned for the rest of the class, as well as modifications for students with physical and/or cognitive challenges. Students must still meet the objectives.

Differentiation:
(Multiple means for students to access content and
multiple modes for student to express understanding.)

Extensions for depth and complexity:

Access (Resources and/or Process)

Expression (Products and/or Performance)

Modification for special needs

-Identify basic shape of facial features
-Draw on photo
-Trace face on tracing paper

What is the basic shape of each facial feature?

Where are they located on a face?

Access (Resources and/or Process)

Expression (Products and/or Performance)

ADVANCED PAINTING STUDENTS

After looking at the layouts of both, where can you
-Identify 2-D proportions/alignment on picture of
see the presence of the underlying facial structure?
face AND on picture of skull.-Deepen understanding How does the structure of bones in the face influence
of how a better understanding of subject matter
facial proportions?
leads to better work one is able to produce
-Compare linear diagram of facial proportions to
pictures of face and skull.
- Make observations about alignment with linear
diagram of face from several angles
Literacy:
List terms (vocabulary) specific to the topic that students will be introduced to in the lesson and describe how literacy is integrated into the lesson.

Vocab: composition, scale, alignment, proportion

In groups, students will make list of commonalities between all of their drawings.

Materials:
Must be grade level appropriate. List everything you will need for this lesson, including art supplies and tools. (These are the materials students will use.) List all materials in a bulleted format.

-Tracing paper (ideally vellum)

-Sharpie markers
-Transparent skulls (just in case)
-Photos of faces blown up to 8.5x11 (each student will need 3 photos 2 faces 1 profile)
-Colored markers
-News print
-Masking tape
Resources:
List all visual aids and reference material (books, slides, posters, etc. Be specific; include title, artist, etc. Make reference to where the material can be found. (These are the resources used by the teacher to
support/develop the lesson.) List all resources in a bulleted format.

Brain recognition research

-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GK3ebhSmC4A (start at 2:30)
-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYdykU9zrSY

Historical importance of facial proportion study

-Picasso sketches
-Portrait de Guillaume Apollinaire de profil, la tte bande, 1916.
-La mort de Casagemas, t 1901
-http://www.museepicassoparis.fr/pablo-picasso/vie-de-pablo-picasso/
-Da Vinci
-Sketches

Preparation:
What do you need to prepare for this experience? List steps of preparation in a bulleted format.

-Have tracing paper ready to distribute

-Make sure all components of powerpoint are accessible from classroom computer
-Make sure all video components are not blocked by the school
-Print photos of faces students will trace
-Have markers ready and make sure there are enough for every student
-Have larger sheets of paper ready for students to use
4

Safety:
Be specific about the safety procedures that need to be addressed with students. List all safety issue in a bulleted format.

Action to motivate/Inquiry Questions:

Describe how you will begin the lesson to stimulate students interest. How will you pique their curiosity and make them interested and excited about the lesson? What inquiry questions will you pose? Be specific
about what you will say and do to motivate students and get them thinking and ready to participate. Be aware of the varying range of learning styles/intelligences of your students. Some ideas might include: telling a
story, posing a series of questions, role-playing, etc.

What is the difference between being good at something and being great at something?
Why are faces so hard to draw?
Why is it so hard to draw someone you know?
-Video on facial recognition in brain- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYdykU9zrSY

Ideation/Inquiry:
Ideation is the creative process of generating, developing, and communicating new ideas, where an idea is understood as a basic element of thought that can be visual, concrete or abstract. List and describe inquiry
questions and processes you will engage students in to help them develop ideas and plans for their artwork.

Why do artists study faces?

Why is it important to understand the proportions of a face?
Procedures:
Give a detailed account (in bulleted form) of how you will present the lesson logically and sequentially Be sure to include approximate time for each activity and instructional methodology: skills, lecture, inquiry,
etc. Include motivation and ideation/inquiry where appropriate.

Day
1

Instruction - The teacher will... (Be specific about what concepts, information, understandings, etc. will be
taught.) Identify instructional methodology.
1.) Allow time for students to arrive and get settled in their seats
2.) Discuss what makes someone a great painter?
-Knowledge of materials
-Compositional understanding of space/proportion
How does someone become great at something?
-Practice
-Production
-Skill
***Solid foundation
3.) Introduce Todays objective: Today we are going to strengthen out foundations as artists by figure out
how the basic structure of the face.
-Show slides of face studies done by known artists. Why did these artists spend so much time studying the
face? Is it important for artists to learn about things other than art?

1)
2) Students begin thinking
more about what it means to
be involved in the broader
practice of art before starting
activity that focuses heavily
on foundations
3) Begin to zero in on
connection between
underlying structure and
finished product in art Get
students to think deeper
about something they may
not have considered in
depth- the importance of the
layout of the human face

Time
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

5 min
5 min
5 min
5-10
min
10 min
10min
10
5

-Why is the face so important in art?

- Why are faces of people we know so hard to draw?
-Of all the different faces in the world what do all faces have in common?
4) Show brain research on human facial recognition- part of human brain specifically responsible for
identifying human faces- hardwired to remember human faces from day 1- recognition is an automatic process
This is why if an artist draws a face incorrectly it is automatically noticeable, this is also why it is so hard to draw
the faces of people you know, even the slightest inaccuracy is noticeable.
-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GK3ebhSmC4A (start at 2:30)
-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYdykU9zrSY

5) Begin activity: Pass out printed images of the faces

-Lay tracing paper on top of image
-Draw lines that continue off the edges of page in these places:
-Bottom of the nose (horizontal)
-Sides of the nose (vertical)
-Through the corners of the mouth (horizontal and vertical)
- Inside and outside corners of the eyes (vertical),
-Sides of the face (vertical)
-Once you are done write down 3 observations about alignment
I will do this on the smart board with normal image while they are doing it at their desks
6) Find someone from another table and place your tracing paper diagram on their photo and switch
-What do both linear drawings have in common?
-Do this with the other pair at your table, what do you see?
GAME: As a group, make a list of observations you made while comparing all of your diagrams which ever
group makes the most observations wins a prize (candy maybe? - depends on food allergies in class)
-Each group will read their list of observations (while they are reading I will write observations down on board)
-Why is this information helpful?
*POINT: the size and placement of all components are dependent on each other
-How could this pattern of measurement help when drawing other things
-Where do you start when drawing a face?
7) PART 2 TEST OF UNDERSTANDING: as a group, pick one of the pictures at your table and show me with
a line drawing that you can draw an accurately proportioned face on a larger piece of paper. Each student has a
different color marker and only they are able to use that color. All colors must be present for that group to get
credit *emphasize that proportion is what we are focusing on, NOT quality of drawing skills
8) With group drawing each student will turn in individual written answer to questions:
What are 3 things all faces have in common?
What is the difference between scale and proportion?

4) Give students actual

reason why activity that
follows is important. Think
more deeply about how we
visually perceive the world

5) Begin to discover for

themselves that there is a
more complex pattern to
where features are located on
the face (more complex than
simple 2 eyes, a nose, and a
mouth)
6) Make connections
between the patterns they
found individually with the
patterns found by their peers.
Collaborate to articulate
commonalities found in all
diagrams. Discover for
themselves that all faces are
composed of extremely
similar facial proportions.
Connect to larger visual idea
that size and placement of all
components of a whole are
dependent on each other
7) Solidify understanding of
difference between scale and
proportion by using
proportion to create
something on a larger scale.
8) Reflect on findings from
todays lesson. Practice
articulating visual concepts
make connection between
literacy and visual ideas.

Day
2

This lesson would most effectively be used as a precursor to any 2-D project that had an emphasis on portraiture.
It could easily be applied to a wide range of project prompts. However, this information should be presented in
isolation from a larger project in order to first make sure the connection is made between how these concepts are
relevant in and outside of the classroom

Day
3
Student reflective/inquiry activity:
Sample questions and activities (i.e. games, gallery walk, artist statement, interview) intended to promote deeper thinking, reflection and refined understandings precisely related to the grade level expectations. How will
students reflect on their learning? A participatory activity that includes students in finding meaning, inquiring about materials and techniques and reflecting about their experience as it relates to objectives, standards and
grade level expectations of the lesson.)

Find someone from another table and place your tracing paper diagram on theirs, now place yours on their photo
-What do both linear drawings have in common?
-Do this with the other pair at your table; are the commonalities still the same?
- As a group list as many things as you can that all of your diagrams have in common, winning table gets candy
-Each group will read their list of observations (while they are reading I will write observations down on board)
-Why is this information helpful?
*The size and placement of all components are dependent on each other
-Now if you were going to draw a face with out a picture how would you go about it?
PART 2 TEST: as a group, pick one of the pictures at your table and show me that you can draw an accurately proportioned face on a larger piece of paper. Each student has a
different color marker and only they are able to use that color. All colors must be present for that group to get credit
What are 3 things that all faces have in common?
What is the difference between scale and proportion?

Post-Assessment (teacher-centered/objectives as questions):

Post-Assessment Instrument:

Have students achieved the objectives and grade level expectations specified in your lesson plan?

How well have students achieved the objectives and grade level expectations specified in your lesson plan?
Include your rubric, checklist, rating scale, etc.

1) Were students able to identify the following components in their list

of commonalities?
-Corners of the mouth line up with pupils in the eye
-Corners of nose line up with inside corners of eye
-Middle of mouth lines up with corner of the jaw

1) Ability to identify these will be evident in their list of

observations both group and individual
2) Will demonstrate level of understanding by creating a line drawing of
an accurately proportioned face on a larger scale. Level of
understanding will also be demonstrated in written response to questions
What are 3 Things that all faces have in common?

What is the difference between scale and proportion?

2) Were students able to demonstrate understanding of scale and
proportion by drawing an accurately proportioned face on a larger scale?
Write answer to:
What are 3 things that all faces have in common?
What is the difference between scale and proportion?

Self-Reflection:
After the lesson is concluded write a brief reflection of what went well, what surprised you, and what you would do differently. Specifically address: (1) To what extent were lesson objectives achieved? (Utilize
assessment data to justify your level of achievement.) (2) What changes, omissions, or additions to the lesson would you make if you were to teach again? (3) What do you envision for the next lesson? (Continued practice,
reteach content, etc.)

Appendix: Include all handouts, prompts, written materials, rubrics, etc. that will be given to students.

8/9/14 Fahey