Jenna Covington

Unit Plan
IMAGINATION
Middle School 6th-8th, 90 min classes block schedule, 13 days, 5 weeks
Lesson 1
Day 1
Art Journals
What is Imagination?
Is Imagination present in art?
Are imagined creations original ideas?
What does original art mean?
Is unique art different from original art?
Group Discussion on each question
VTS on Tristram Lansdowne - Precipice
Present Imaginary art in History
Salvador Dali Les Elephants
Derrick Hickman Dolls
Niki de Saint Phalle Sun God
Dale Chihuly Mille Fiori
Intro to Field Trip Botanical Gardens
Sketch an imaginary life form in your artist journal/sketch book and name it!
How does it move?
Does it breathe? How?
What senses does it have?
Photo Process!
Ending questions in Art Journal
How does it feel to create imaginary creatures?
Does having endless possibilities of playing with your design interest you as an
artist?
Day 2
FIELD TRIP!!!
Examine Dale Chihulys four existing art pieces in the Botanical Gardens
Art Journal (On the bus back?)
How was imagination present in Botanical Gardens?
Day 3
Discuss Botanical Garden Experience
Sketch a habitat around your creature from Day 2
How does it relate to its habitat?
Outside
Collect found plant materials (15 mins)
Collect photo evidence of interesting textures and plant materials
Describe texture and looks of 3 found items in art journal
Create and name a new plant form from your imagination using at least three different
materials
Acrylic or water color paint (1 or both necessary)
Markers

 Oil/chalk pastels
Colored Pencils
Collage Materials
End of Day Art Journal
Is your artwork original?
How did you create this new idea?
How did you name your plant?
Does its name root from your daily life? How?
Lesson 2
Day 1
Free Write 4 mins
What impacts does imagination have on your daily life, and what impact does it
have on society?
Intro to wire (phone companies donate free wire btw)
Make imaginary 2-D plants 3-D with wire
Must be sturdy
Photos of Process!
End of Day Reflection Art Journal
What if your plant was large enough to live inside of?
What kind of bugs would like your plant and why?
Day 2
Art Journal
How is imagination present in our culture?
Open discussion on art journal question
Demonstrate using paper and methylcellulose to cover object
Students use different papers to collage over armature
Photograph process!
While drying, introduce next lesson
Casting poured flax paper to cast over wire armatures
Create an imaginary landscape with life, plants, and community!
Show exemplar
Artist in history that work with imaginary landscapes
Lina Punta Cliff
Katrin Sigurdardottir Haul
Laurent Gagnon Recit Recif
Tristram Lansdowne Precipe
Three Sketch ideas in sketchbook for imaginary populated landscape
If extra time, student may use materials to paint, mark, wire wrap, or collage dried plant
sculpture.
Lesson 3
Day 1
Recap on prompt Imaginary Landscape
Complete sketch ideas and present to me to help work out complications and ideas
Begin wire structures
May use base or not, may be hanging (floating), on a pedestal, a wall piece, must be
three-dimensional

 Work Day
Day 2-4
Demonstrate over-beaten flax pulp
Dying fibers with pigments and retention aid
Getting pulp to correct thickness in water mixture for casting and adding
formation aid
Pouring paper in deckle with felt and letting drain
Screen over paper, remove water with sponge (instead of vacuum press)
Need 610 sheets per student
Wrap paper in plastic for next class
Photos of process!
I will be working with students during the process!
Work Days
Day 5
Demonstrate covering wire sculpture in wet paper with methylcellulose
Work Day
Dry out in fan over night
Art Journal
What complications did you have with paper making?
Day 6
Art Journal
How will your landscape be populated by life?
How will you use materials to represent life and plant forms?
Populate imaginary landscape with life plants and agriculture
Photograph Process!
Name your creations
Collage using found materials, paint, and drawing materials.
Art Journal
How does your imaginary landscape compare to our society?
How does it contrast?
Day 7
Finishing touches
Art Journal
Self-critique
What parts of your work do you love?
What does your piece mean to you?
How does your piece reflect the theme of Imagination?
If you had more time, what would you do differently?
Class Critique
What do you think this piece is about?
In what ways did the artist accurately portray their ideas?
Artist questions on process.
Day 8
Print off 8 process photos for presentation
Read artists statement examples
Write artist statement

 Set piece up in exhibit space including creature sketches, 8 photos of process, imaginary
plant creation (2-D and 3-D), imaginary landscape, and artist statement)
Reflection in Art Journal
How did imagination show in your artwork?
Was it easy or fun to create using your imagination? Why?
Would you suggest this project to future classmates? Why?
What would you change about this unit?
Missouri GLEs
I.1.A.6th Use pencil or marker to draw a continuous line that describes an object from
observation
I.1.B.7th Use a variety of brush strokes to create various textures
I.1.B.8th Create a variety of colors, tints, and shades by mixing pigments
I.1.D.7th - Demonstrate the process used in one type of fiber arts
I.1.D.8th-Create a simple fiber art-work
I.2.A.7th-Create an in-the-round art-work by joining two or more surfaces using a
layering technique
II.1.D.6th-Identify and use real/actual texture
III.1.A.7th- Discuss and develop answers to questions about art: !hat is art? Should art
look real? Should art be beautiful?
Cross Curricular
Science, Geography, Sociology, Botany, Agriculture, Social Studies, Architecture,
Humanities
Assessment
Summative
Rubric
Written Reflections
Formative
Class Discussion
Individual Discussion
Proposals
Photos of process
Artist Journals/sketchbooks
Presentations/exhibition
Self-critiques and group critiques