Cultural Communication Unit

Lesson 1: Then and Now: The Meme Olivia Vitale Eighth Grade 50 minute class periods daily National Visual Arts Standards 1. Content standard: Understanding and applying media, techniques and processes a. Select media, techniques and processes; analyze what makes them effective or not effective in communicating ideas; reflect upon the effectiveness of their choices b. Intentionally take advantage of the qualities and characteristics of art media, techniques and processes to enhance communication of their experiences and ideas 2. Using knowledge of structures and functions a. b. Employ organizational structures and analyze what makes them effective or not effective in the communication of ideas c. Select and use the qualities of structures and functions of art to improve communication of their ideas 3. Choosing and evaluating a range of subject matter, symbols and ideas a. Integrate visual, spatial and temporal concepts with content to communicate intended meaning in their artworks b. Use subjects, themes and symbols that demonstrate knowledge of contexts, values, and aesthetics that communicate intended meaning in artworks 4. Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and cultures a. Know and compare the characteristics of artworks in various eras and cultures b. c. Analyze, describe, and demonstrate how factors of time and place influence visual characteristics that give meaning and value to a work of art 5. Reflecting upon and assessing the characteristics and merits of their work and the work of others a. Compare multiple purposes for creating works of art b. Analyze contemporary and historic meanings in specific artworks through cultural and aesthetic inquiry 6. Making connections between visual arts and other disciplines a. Compare the characteristics of works in two or more art forms that share similar subject matter, historical periods. or cultural context Grade Level Expectations Strand I: Product Performance 1:C HS Level 1: Create or modify an image using general software Strand II: Elements and Principles 2:F Grade 8: Identify and use appropriate scale relationship Strand III: Artistic Perceptions

1:A HS Level 1:Discuss personal believes about the nature of art; Discuss and develop answers to questions about art Strand IV: Interdisciplinary Connections 2:A Explain how historical events and social ideas are reflected in artworks from selected cultures or historical time periods

Rationale and Goals Art is often thought of as a direct form of expression, but it is important for students to learn about art as a form of communication. All forms of art, from painting to advertising to furniture design to item packaging to clothing design communicate some form of attitude, opinion or feeling to each individual viewer. I want my students to learn about the communication of ideas through current popular art and where these messages come from. Popular culture is evident in everyday life for these students and for communication to be explored through popular culture allows students a relatable subject matter. Enduring Big Ideas Throughout time and across cultures artists have wrestled with ideas about cultural communication. It is a natural act for humans to communicate, but this communication has changed and developed over millions of years. In the twenty-first century communication has evolved to include verbal, nonverbal and technological communication. Art is a form of communication that may outlast the artists, the subjects, the society, or even the culture from which the communicated message originates. Exploring art as a form of communication will allow the students to expand their ability to communicate as well as recognize communication from other time periods and cultures. Investigative and Essential Questions What is art? Who can create art? Can art be used as a tool? Is art confined to museums? Can art be about art? Can art be stereotyped? What is communication? What is Pop Art? Can Pop Art be current? Does the Pop Art Movement ever end? What is irony? What is communication? What is a consumer? How can we communicate through artwork?

Knowledge Base and Key Concepts The popular art movement from the 1950-1960s communicated ideas about consumerism. The pop art movement used elements and principles including, but not limited to, color, composition, repetition, collage, unity, emphasis, and line.

A meme is an ironic communication of an element of current popular culture. While media and artistic style may change, many ideas and communications stay the same.

Objectives The student will be able to communicate through original artwork. The student will be able to use current popular culture in original artwork. The student will use irony. The student will be able to use basic computer programs. The student will be able to identify elements of consumerism. The student will be able to identify the use and purpose of communication. The student will be able to recognize popular art. The student will be able to identify their opinions about art.

Vocabulary Communication Culture Popular Culture Art Irony Consumer Consumerism

Lesson Vignette 1. Day 1: Intro to Popular Art and Memes a. [6 minutes] AJ of the Day i. [2 minutes] Students begin class with AJ directions on the board while teacher takes attendance and gives directions ii. [5 minutes] Students will get 30 seconds to answer each of the eight questions on the PowerPoint with the teacher timing them b. [20 minutes] Cultural Communication Discussion i. Students gather around center island or one table ii. Teacher leads roundtable discussion on cultural communication 1. Open ended questions to guide student discussion a. What is culture? b. Can culture change? c. How and what causes culture to change? d. What is communication? e. Why do we communicate? f. How do we communicate? g. How are culture and communication related? h. What is Cultural Communication? iii. Students return to seats c. [10 minutes] Short teacher presentation on Popular Art i. PowerPoint ii. Includes student involvement through questions iii. Covers pop art movement and current popular art d. [5 minutes] Short teacher presentation on Memes

i. PowerPoint ii. Includes examples of different kinds of memes e. [6 minutes] Teacher introduces Meme Assignment i. Hands out assignment sheet ii. Shows teacher exemplars iii. Teacher answers any questions iv. Meet in Computer Lab next period f. [3 minutes] Exit slips i. Students fill out exit slip and turn into teacher before they leave ii. Exit slips can either be 1. An idea for their meme 2. Anything they are confused about 3. Questions they may have 2. Day 2: Studio Day a. [5 minutes] AJ of the Day i. Teacher will bring AJs to computer lab ii. Teacher will take attendance while students answer the AJ Prompt b. [10 minutes] Teacher Gives Instructions and Demonstration i. Students will create two memes using basic programs 1. Paint, Microsoft Word, will allow Adobe Illustrator if student is proficient ii. Teacher will demonstrate how to search for images, give proper image credit, crop, add text, adjust size, and save properly iii. Students will have option of using a template created by teacher c. [30 minutes] Work time i. Students work individually to finish two memes in class ii. Teacher will float to provide assistance iii. Students will save to a file on the server as PDF iv. Teacher will print out color copies to be graded and returned at a later date d. [5 minutes] Exit slip i. PowerPoint ii. Students fill out exit slip and turn into teacher before they leave Assessments I will be able to assess the students learning through their artist journals, created memes, discussion participation and exit slips. Through summative assessment I can gauge student success in a quantitative form. I will provide a rubric to display my expectations for the creation of memes and a grade will be provided to quantify success. Also using summative assessment I will gauge comprehension through the students artist journals and exit slips. There will be points assigned to these activities so students will feel there is a reason to complete them; but these serve as a formative assessment because they are qualitative responses, there is no right or wrong answer. Student Engagement and Adaptations I think having the project based upon memes will keep the student engagement high; memes are very dominant in current popular culture. I think switching between writing, talking, creating art, and lecture the students will remain engaged for the class period. For students who are highly talented I hope to allow them to use Adobe InDesign and they can use scanners and other programs to create

more advanced memes. For those who finish early I plan to have them continue making memes. From creating my examples I learned that once you make one, making another is simple. Materials and Teaching Resources/References PowerPoints o SmartBoard o Artist Journals o Exit Slips o Examples of Memes o Examples of current popular art (Banksy, Fairey) o Examples of popular art movement (Warhol) Meme creation o Computers o Microsoft Word o Paint AJ/Exit slips o SmartBoard o AJ books o Premade slips

Teacher Reflection I hope to see the success of this lesson through student engagement. By using elements from popular culture I think that students will engage and find meaning through creating their own reflection of popular art. I will explicitly see the success of this lesson through the created memes and the messages they choose to communicate about current popular culture.