Pittsburgh Obama 6-12: Special Education

Class Description: 
This class is a class that I teach twice a week for 45 minute periods. There are thirteen students in this class with a wide range of cognitive disabilities.

Printmaking Unit
Downloadable Lesson Plan

Students learned about composition, and in particular radial composition.  As a class, we looked at radial composition found in nature. Then students learned about Mandala art, and created their own mandala art with a radial composition. Students planned out their prints for next class with sketches.

Then, students were introduced to subtraction printmaking. As a class, we recalled Mandala art and students referenced their sketches from the previous class. After watching a teacher demonstration on printmaking, students carved into Styrofoam plates to make their own reliefs. Students experimented with various cuts and carves into their plates to make their own mandalas. 

 

Then, students used brayers to roll the paint on their reliefs and create prints. Students were encouraged to think about the process of printmaking and made multiple prints from one relief.

As a class we talked about layering and layers in everyday life. Then, students learned about the concept of laying in printmaking. Students were able to design and carve a new print in their foam plates, and add an additional layer to their prints from last class.

To complete the unit on printmaking,  Students learned about additive printmaking in comparison to subtractive printmaking. Then, students used cardboard blocks and various materials to create their own "stamps" to make more prints. First student sketched out their ideas onto cardboard squares. 

After planning out their "stamp", students used cardboard to cut out different shapes and glue them to their stamps to create various layers. 

Mosaic Unit

Downloadable Lesson Plan

As a class, we discussed patterns and examples of patterns found in nature or everyday life. Then, students learned about mosaics in art, and how they employ patterns to create a larger piece of artwork. For this project, students are cutting up paint samples to create their own mosaics on cardboard squares. 

Students first sketched out their favorite fruit on a piece of cardboard.

Students were encouraged to take a closer look at their fruit that they chose and search for a range of colors. Then students matched the colors in their fruit with paint chips.

Next, students cut up their paint chips and made tiles that they would use for their mosaics. Then, they began to glue their paint tiles to their cardboard to create their mosaics.