Program/Unit of work

Bauhaus

Rationale: As the third of four five week Units on Modernism, running over the course of the first two terms of the Year Nine course, this Unit is on the Bauhaus. The
two units preceding it are an Introduction to Modernism and a Unit on Futurism with a focus on Manifestos. The following Unit will be on Dada and the latter half of
the Year Nine course will focus on Postmodernism, given the foundation of the four Units on Modernism, of which this Unit is one.

Students’ practical project for this Unit is to build a lamp from plasticard and a readymade lamp fitting, which draws inspiration from Bauhaus architecture.
Timeline/Duration: 5 weeks Year/Stage: Year 9 (stage 5). Syllabus Outcomes: 5.2, 5.4, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8
(Term 2, weeks 1-5).

Quality Teaching Elements: Deep understanding, metalanguage, students’ Bloom’s Thinking Skills Utilised
self-regulation, background knowledge, cultural knowledge, knowledge
integration, connectedness, narrative.

Resources Required: Tools and equipment. Plasticard sheets – calculated based on one metre squared per student. Lamp fittings (one set per student). Expendables
(rivets, etc.). Drawing materials for planning and stiff paper for conceptual model making.

ICT/Technology: AV technology, word processing software, video editing software.

Multimedia and Web References: Micro Site for the Unit of Work: http://bauhausyr92017.weebly.com/

Assessment
Students are assessed on their practical projects and the accompanying process work, along with their group presentations.

Literacy Approaches to Learning
Students learn to interpret and construct meaning
through Art.
Numeracy Approaches to Learning
Students’ practical projects exercise geometrical
knowledge and skills through their three-dimensional
nature and the conversion of two-dimensional patterns
into three dimensional shapes.
ICT: Digitally created Multimodal presentations
engage students with multiple means of creating
content.
Adjustments: Inclusion of additional resources on the
Micro-Site allow students to extend their learning.
Content is consistently delivered in multiple ways to
cater to students with different learning styles.
Students have the option of making their group
presentations in person or filming them and
presenting their filmed presentation to the class.
Weekly Scope

Week Time Outcomes Teaching And Learning Actions Resources Registration

lesson 5.7 Introductory lesson: Teacher takes the class through the introductory Computer Lab Lesson
1 Powerpoint Presentation on the Bauhaus (included on the Micro-Site). This
5.8 Assessment Task
is to be led as an activity with whole class discussion, not as a didactic
Notifications
presentation.
Unit Micro-Site
Assessment Task Notification for the Unit is to be distributed and read
through as a whole class. Teacher to introduce class to the Micro-Site for
the Unit of Work.

If any time remains, students may begin the activities on the Micro-Site.

lesson 5.6 Teacher to introduce the class to working with plasticard and conduct Tools and Materials
2 some demonstrations of how it is cut and folded. Previous examples of
Laptops to be booked
student work to be shown, if available. Teacher to demonstrate how
for the class to use
plasticard can be curved and joined to create unique three-dimensional
shapes.
Week
1-2 Students directed towards the resources on the Micro-Site to gather
inspiration and start making conceptual drawings for their lamps.

lesson 5.7 Students to be divided into groups for their assignment task. With teacher Computer Lab Lesson
3 guidance, groups are to begin researching products for their
5.8
presentations.

4 5.4 Students to be shown the video on the Unit Micro Site entitled Bauhaus Tools and materials
lesson Masters’ Houses By Walter Gropius. Teacher to lead discussion on the
Unit Micro-Site
architectural conventions seen in the houses in the video. With student
input, the teacher is to draw images on the whiteboard of lamp designs Working AV
that could be derived from the different houses’ architectural features. technology
Students to be invited to draw on the board in the same manner, with
input from the whole class.

If any time remains, students are to be directed to continue making

conceptual drawings for their lamps.
 lesson 5.2 Students to spend this lesson drawing designs for their lamps. Students to Tools and materials
5 be instructed that they must have 10 designs ready to choose one from by
5.4
the end of Lesson 2 of Week 3.
5.6

lesson 5.7 Students to be shown the video resources on the Micro-Site in full. Computer Lab Lesson
6 Teacher to pause the videos to lead discussion on important points of
5.8
interest in the videos.

Students are to complete and submit the Manifesto Task on the Video
Resources page on the Micro-Site.

lesson 5.2 Incursion: During regular class times, students listen to a talk from an Incursion takes place
1 architect on the lasting impression the Bauhaus has had on the field of in studio space like a
5.4
Architecture. regular lesson
5.6
In the remaining time, students continue with their drawings and paper Drawing supplies
5.8 modelling for their lamps with extra input from the visiting architect.

lesson 5.2 Students to work on their lamp designs this lesson. 10 designs must be Tools and materials
2 ready to choose from by the end of this lesson.
5.4

5.6
Week lesson 5.2 Each student to show their 10 lamp designs to the teacher this lesson and Tools and materials
3-4 3 teacher to help students choose which design to use. Students to begin
5.4
creating paper models to test their design ideas.
5.6

4 5.2 Students to complete their paper models this lesson and show the Tools and materials
lesson teacher. Once deemed ready, students may begin cutting out their
5.4
patterns from plasticard.
5.6

lesson 5.7 Students to complete and submit the Vocabulary Activity on the Unit of Computer Lab Lesson
5 Work Micro-Site. In the remaining time, students are to continue working
5.8
in their groups on their presentation task.
 lesson 5.2 Teacher to conduct demonstrations on how to set rivets to join plasticard Tools and materials
6 components. Students to all have their patterns cut out by the close of this
5.4
lesson.
5.6

lesson 5.2 Students to work on their lamps. This lesson to focus on joining readily cut Tools and materials
1 components (using rivets). When students’ lamps are ready, the lamp
5.4
fittings can be riveted into the plasticard structures.
5.6

lesson 5.7 In their groups, students are to make their presentations on products Computer Lab Lesson
2 which embody Bauhaus sensibilities.
Week 5.8
5
lesson 5.2 All students are to finish and submit their lamps this lesson. Any group/s AV equipment to be
3 which were not able to make their presentations in the previous lesson are made available and
5.4
to present now. prepped for student
5.6 presentations if
necessary

Tools and materials

Year 9 Visual Arts Assessment Task 4 – Bauhaus

Weightings

Overall Weighting: This assessment is worth 15% of your overall mark for the year.

Practical: The practical component of this assessment task, combined with your classwork is worth 60% of the
total mark.

Presentations: Your group presentations are worth 40% of the total mark.

Assessment Task Description

Practical: Over the course of this Unit of Work, you will make a lamp out of plasticard and a
readymade lamp fitting, inspired by Bauhaus architecture.
Group Presentations: In groups of three to five, you will create and present a 5 minute
multimodal presentation on a modern product which you feel has been influenced by the
Bauhaus.
Your presentation must make use of film, slides, spoken dialogue and at least one other
mode. You may present in person or your presentation can be entirely filmed and simply
shown to the class when the time comes to present. More information on multimodal
presentations is included on the Unit Micro-Site:
You will be marked based on how well you identify features of design that are influenced by
Bauhaus styles and how well you justify and back up your judgements with examples of
Bauhaus art and design that parallel your chosen product.
Marking Criteria

Criteria Outcomes Marks A B C D E

Practical (60 marks)

Process work explores the world of the Bauhaus 5.2 20

and applies it to the final project.
The project itself genuinely and eloquently 5.4 20
draws inspiration from Bauhaus architecture.
The final project is refined, with good fit and 5.6 20
finish.

Group Presentation (40 marks)

The presentation acknowledges and discusses 5.7 20

the Bauhaus fusion of Craft and High Art and its
ongoing influence in both fields and the field of
Design.
The presentation demonstrates an 5.8 20
understanding of the relationships between the
Bauhaus, the world that the Bauhaus was part of
and the ongoing influence of the Bauhaus today.
Justification

This Unit of Work is designed to take place in the first half of term two, year Nine. Students learn

about the Bauhaus and the Unit focuses on the Conceptual Framework – the Bauhaus is well

positioned in History and politics for this purpose and has an ongoing influence in multiple fields.

The Unit of Work is envisioned as one of four short five week Units on Modernism in the first two

terms of the two year course, preparing students for Units on Postmodernism in the latter half of

the first year. This Unit is preceded by a Unit introducing Modernism and a Unit on Futurism, with a

focus on Manifestos, which aims to improve students’ understanding of modernist philosophies. This

is the foundation upon which this Unit of Work is envisioned to be built. The following Unit is on

Dada.

The practical component of the Unit involves students creating a lamp out of plasticard and a

readymade lamp fitting, inspired by Bauhaus architecture. As a material that is used to build

architectural models, but also one which diffuses light, plasticard is well suited to this purpose.

Making an art object which is also functional is key to students’ understanding of the Bauhaus

philosophy that High Art objects are not better than or superior to craft objects and products

designed for mass production (Griffith Winton, 2000, Gropius, 1919, The Museum of Modern Art,

1933). Incorporating teaching of theoretical and historical content into artmaking in this manner

promotes engagement through the nature of the task as Project Based Learning (Behizadeh, 2014,

MacMath, et al, 2017). Through their theoretical and historical learning in this Unit, students also

become familiar with the notion that this level playing field between Art and craft was a

revolutionary idea at the time when the Bauhaus School was created (Griffith Winton, 2000,

Gropius, 1919, The Museum of Modern Art, 1933).

Activities on the Unit of Work Micro-Site ( http://bauhausyr92017.weebly.com/ ) aim to foster a

deep knowledge of the Bauhaus and its position in the world. The website is also used as a delivery

method for a number of resources for the Unit of Work. Resources which are to be distributed in
class are also included on the Micro-Site, meaning that if hard copies are lost or misplaced, students

may access them via the Micro-Site. Some additional resources are also included which have the

potential to further student learning beyond what is written into the Unit of Work.

Students are assessed formatively using the activities on the Micro-Site, which are to be completed

in weeks 2 and 4 – an activity on the Vocabulary of the Bauhaus and an activity in which students

imagine they are Walter Gropius and write a Bauhaus Manifesto. These activities help the teacher

gauge student understanding and, if necessary, adjust the program or their pedagogy accordingly.

Summative assessment is based on students’ practical projects, along with the accompanying

process work, which the teacher guides students through in class, and their group presentations.

Students’ projects and process work will be assessed based on their interpretation of the Bauhaus

style and their translation of architectural features into a small sculptural scale for their lamps. In

their group presentations, students demonstrate their understanding of the role of the Bauhaus as

an ongoing influence on Art and Design throughout multiple fields. Students choose a contemporary

product which they feel is influenced by Bauhaus design principles and justify this judgement in their

presentations.

An incursion in which an architect speaks to students about the ongoing influence of the Bauhaus

style in architecture is envisioned in week three of the Unit of Work. This serves multiple purposes.

As the architect speaks about the ongoing influence of the Bauhaus, students will understand in

more detail the role the Bauhaus has played in the wider world and will be introduced to a new

perspective on the Bauhaus and its role in the world. The opportunity is also to be taken for the

students to continue with their practical work with extra input and guidance from the visiting

architect, who will be able to offer new perspectives on students’ ideas.

Additional resources on the Micro-Site give students the opportunity to further their learning and

allow the teacher to offer more opportunities for extension to students who are excelling. In keeping

with the tenets of Universal Design for Learning, throughout the whole of the Unit of Work, content
is taught through multiple means of representation, allowing students to engage with the content

easily (Edyburn, 2010, McGuire et al, 2006). Likewise, students are given options when it comes to

the manner in which their group presentations are to be presented. Students are given the option to

either make their presentation in person or to film it entirely and present it to the class on screen.

Students who feel nervous or who have a diagnosed anxiety disorder or a similar condition are thus

afforded the option of not having to present in person, which may be distressing for them.

It is hoped that this Unit of Work will, at the same time, arm students with the historical knowledge

of the Bauhaus and all the ongoing influence it has in the world today, engage students with the

experience of making small scale sculptural works of art and integrate this learning. The Unit is

constructed with these goals in mind and it is hoped that they may be achieved by way of faithful

use of this Unit of Work in the classroom.

Bibliography
Behizadeh, Nadia. (2014). Enacting Problem-Posing Education through Project-Based Learning.
Urbana. English Journal 104.2: 99–104.

Board of Studies New South Wales (2003) Visual Arts: Years 7-10 Syllabus, Sydney, Board of Studies
New South Wales.

BOSTES. (2014). Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. Sydney, NSW, Australia. Retrieved
from: https://www.aitsl.edu.au/teach/standards

Compain, Frederic (1999), The Dessau Bauhaus, Arte, France, Les Films D’Ici.

Davies, Paul (2013) Walter Gropius, The Architectural Review; May 2013, 118-119.

Edyburn, Dave L. (2010). WOULD YOU RECOGNIZE UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING IF YOU SAW
IT? TEN PROPOSITIONS FOR NEW DIRECTIONS FOR THE SECOND DECADE OF UDL. Milwaukee.
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Griffith Winton, Alexandra (2000), “The Bauhaus, 1919–1933,” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History,
New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Gropius, Walter (1919), Bauhaus Manifesto and Program, Staatliches Bauhaus.

McGuire, Joan M, Scott, Sally S and Shaw, Stan F. (2006) Universal Design and Its Applications in
Educational Environments. Connecticut. Remedial and Special Education, Volume 27, Number 3,
May/June 2006, 166-175.
Minneapolis Institute of Art (2007), Modernism: Bauhaus, Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis.
Möllenbrok, Sarah (2013), Bauhaus Masters’ Houses by Walter Gropius, Lichtecht, Germany.
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