CONTINUING
UNIT DEVELOPMENT
Once you have determined your enduring idea for your unit (see page 2), you are ready to proceed further with the development of your unit.
Determine Key Ideas and Essential Questions
Key ideas and essential questions express the same idea, but the first are written as statements and the second as questions. You can use one or both. Key ideas and essential questions are derived from the enduring ideas of the unit and should prompt the most meaningful exploration of the artworks used. Essential questions require students to make a decision or solve a problem. They are "big" questions that are not easily answered and cannot be answered with lists or statements of fact. The artworks that you choose for your unit should express or depict these ideas. You may include as many artworks as you like, but we suggest using only one to three.
Write Your Unit Rationale/Overview
The unit rationale/overview is your opportunity to succinctly explain what the unit is about and why it is worth teaching. It should include discussion of your enduring idea, key concepts, and essential questions. One page should be sufficient. The rationale and overview can also be adapted as an explanation to accompany a concluding class exhibition that includes student work created in the unit.
Identify Lesson Content for the Unit
Identify the best instructional strategies and experiences that will lead students to an indepth understanding of the enduring idea, key concepts, and essential questions. Limit your lessons to three and include activities in the unit that address art criticism, art history, aesthetics, and art production. Examples of such activities are available on NTIEVA's web site at D:\artcurr/index.htm.
|
Research Artworks for the Unit
Once you have chosen artworks that express the enduring idea, you should learn as much as you can about them. Becoming knowledgeble about the artworks will help you plan the best instructional activities for them, write appropriate student readings or questions, and confidently use what you know to best advantage during class discussions.
To begin your research, find color reproductions you can use in class (large reproductions, books, slides, online). Study the works and write short descriptions and interpretations of them. Make a list of questions that you have about the works to direct your research both online and the old-fashioned way. Finally, reflect on all that you have learned to plan instructional activities based on the artwork.
Identify and List State Educational Objectives
Research your state's educational objectives and standards for art and other subject areas to discover objectives that meaningfully relate to the enduring ideas of your unit. You do not have to list objectives for every grade level or subject areas; choose only specific objectives for the purposes of the unit. You might choose median grade levels such as 3rd grade for elementary, 6th grade for middle school, and 10th grade for high school. Teachers are practiced at adjusting content and delivery of instruction for different grade and ability levels. In Texas, objectives are available through the Texas Education Agency, http://www.tea.state.tx.us.teks/. National content standards for most subjects are found at http://www.mcrel.org/standards-benchmarks/.
|