What is Public Art?
This unit will explore the meaning of public art and what public space means to you. Students will explore their local communities and look for evidence of how people claim space in various ways. Graffiti, murals, sculptures, and other forms of artistic expression add diversity and culture to communities. People find many ways to connect themselves to the places that they live, is that free? Does it come with a price? Students will explore the meaning of public space and art in their own communities.
Common Core Writing Standards, 9-10th grade
Text Types and Purposes
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
Production and Distribution
Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically.
Range of Writing
Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Technology Learning Standards, 9-12 grade
EALR 1 — INTEGRATION
Students use technology within all content areas to collaborate, communicate, generate innovative ideas, investigate and solve problems.
Component 1.2 Collaborate Use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.
EALR 2 — DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP
Students demonstrate a clear understanding of technology systems and operations and practice safe, legal and ethical behavior.
Component 2.4 Adapt to Change (Technology Fluency) Transfer current knowledge to new and emerging technologies.
Essential Questions
- Why do people claim space? What does it entail? How do they do this?
- Do people need to get permission to make/create art?
- Why? Should our communities have more or less public displays of art?
- Is art political or personal?
- Does the community need art in open spaces?
- How do you go about displaying public art?
Student Will Be Able to…
- Analyze the purpose of public art space.
- Investigate and interpret their communities with photos and journal entries.
- Reflect on their community art space.
- Identify and propose where public art should be.
- Integrate technology in exploring.
- Present findings of proposal.
Ideas to integrate into unit
- Public art and murals have a sociopolitical meaning and purpose in specific place and time.
- Local government mandates how art is displayed publicly.
- Murals are painted on wall or big surfaces.
- Public displays of art communicate personal ideals to the larger community.
- Graffiti is a way to claim (illegally and legally) rights to a space.
- As citizens do have legal rights to open space?
Assessments for Learning
Students should be assessed with their final Prezi project in how they integrated all learning into one presentation. Throughout the unit students should be assessed with formal and informal assessments. For example, their online journaling/blogging can be checked regularly and teachers can comment back to give instant feedback.
Students will use the following technology tools
- Digital cameras/phone cameras
- Internet data bases
- Historical Weaving
- Prezi, digital format for presenting information, ideas, and proposal
- Digital journal, blog, or other public media space
- Other forms of digital media and tools are encouraged for this unit
Types of Technology
Digital Cameras/phone camera
(i) Taking pictures of different public displays of art in the community or local area
(ii) Most students will have these, or can pair up with someone who has a camera
(iii) Who does not have a camera phone? Will I need to provide some extra classroom cameras? I should plan that a percentage of my students will not have access to cameras or camera phones.
Internet search(Google)/World Wide Web
(i) Search and look at pictures of murals, movements, and the sociopolitical environment they come from. All research will mostly be done online.
(ii) Support students interest in finding out more information about what claiming space really means to peoples in other areas and locally.
(iii) I need to instruct them how to research. Where to look, and how to look for information. I would want a list of resources for students to start from, then they can branch out.
Historical Weaving (Investigating)
(i) Used to understand why murals exits, where did they come from, what is the purpose, who’s voice do they represent?
(ii) Students can investigate the purpose of movements in the past, present, to now
(iii) Again, where do students look for resources? I need to plan ahead to understand and control the broad scope of how in depth I want them to look.
Prezi/other digital displays of work
(i) This will be used to present students information in an interactive way. Presentations will be done with a technology tool that looks professional and polished.
(ii) This will support the student integrating the knowledge from research and chosen place to publicly display art.
I will show them how to create a Prezi by modeling an example, students will be encouraged to use other tools and assistance for presenting information/findings.
Check out my technology blog post on Prezi!
Digital journaling (Google docs/Wiki/Wordpress)
(i) This is a way for students to document questions, observations, and findings in a public way-for them and for the instructor
(ii) This would support learning because I could oversee learning and make necessary comments in a way that my students will respond to. I also hope this format will be more user friendly and get my students motivation.
(iii) I need to think about how to put together a public space for my students to share ie, Google docs, or WordPress. Teach students how to make posts or create documents, teach how to use the digital journaling depending on which server I use for the entire class.