ITU Theme: Understanding the Human Condition

Member Names: Elizabeth Campos, Kyle Smethurst, Marina Skendzic GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The human condition (also called common humanity) encompasses the experiences of being human in a social, cultural, and personal context. It can be described as the irreducible part of humanity that is inherent and not connected to gender, race, class, etc. a search for purpose, sense of curiosity, the inevitability of isolation, fear of death, etc. The "human condition" is especially studied through the set of disciplines and subfields that make up the humanities. The study of history, philosophy, literature, and the arts all help understand the nature of the human condition and the broader cultural and social arrangements that make up human lives.
SOURCE: http://www.artandpopularculture.com/Human_condition

Social Justice and Art Learning Plan Graphic Organizer 1. Focus on Social Justice Students will go into their community and experience people outside of their gender/race/religion by attending some community event that is outside of the students normal lifestyle. Their objective is to find the similarities that they share with the people they encounter during this experience despite how different these people may appear. As a reflection, students complete a chalk art splash depicting their ideas. 2. Focus on Art Chalk art splash in a public area depicting student generated ideas/reactions to quotes/excerpts on the human condition as it relates to global thinking, tolerance, acceptance, social justice. 3. Evidence of Learning Intended Product or Outcome Individual student community experience project Group brainstorm a list of their close-reading of the quote/image/idea/concept, answering/reacting to questions (see essential questions). Art Splash chalk drawing as a group 4. Enduring Understanding Describe how social justice and art are addressed Students will understand that the similarities between all human beings far outnumber the differences (i.e. were all red inside). 5. Essential Question(s) What does your idea say about social justice? Do you agree/disagree? How does a study of the human condition contribute to understanding social justice? How does understanding the human condition help you be more tolerant/understanding?

What's the best way to live together? Should we care for the weak and poor, or let them fend for themselves? What is a natural society: equality or hierarchy? Is civilization positive or negative? How should society treat the environment?

6. Content Areas & Standards Addressed -English & Social Science (Common Core): SL.1.a-d SL.4a W.6 W.7 -Spanish (Foreign Language Framework) Stage III 3.0 & 3.1d 7. Social Justice Learning Identify the day of activity, describe student activity, & describe assessment Timeline: Days 1 - 5 Activity: Students venture into their communities to connect with unfamiliar groups of people in their micro-community: i.e., a cultural festival, attendance at a religious site different from the students beliefs (if parents permit with permission slip), other community gathering/event that the student is unfamiliar with. Teacher will provide a list of places/events students can explore. Students may also come up with their own idea to complete the task, but it should be approved first. Assessment: Students come back to class & brainstorm in groups their findings and how it relates to social justice. 8. Art Learning through Consumption of Art Identify the day of activity, describe student activity, & describe assessment Timeline: Day 5 (?) Activity: Discover artwork that relates to ideas of social justice using perhaps Web Quest or other avenue. Have students organize their findings/thoughts in a graphic organizer. Assessment: The graphic organizer.

9. Art Learning through Production of Art Identify the day of activity, describe student activity, & describe assessment Timeline: Day (6?) Activity: Groups of 4 students create a public chalk art splash display of their generated ideas/learning, using ideas from their experience, graphic organizer, and group

brainstorms. Assessment: Completed group chalk art splash display (with digital photo to display in the classroom later) & individual reflection on the students experiences/learning from this lesson.

10. What graphic organizers will you create to guide student learning? Consumption of socially just art in a graphic organizer from different communities (around the world social justice art).