1.
Project Planner: Who Am I? Exploring Identity Through Art‐
A Project Inspired By MOCA’s Contemporary Art Start Program
What will the students learn? (content/skills) What will the students create? (products)
Artistic Expression
Develop Perceptual Skills and Visual Arts Vocabulary  Panel of photographs with accompanied writing
1.1 Identify and describe the principles of design in piece
visual compositions, emphasizing unity and harmony.  Design advertisements
 Draft letters to invite special guests to attend
Creative Expression exhibition night/ silent auction
Skills, Processes, Materials, and Tools  Reflection
2.3 Demonstrate beginning skill in the manipulation of
digital imagery (e.g., computer‐generated art, digital
photography, or videography).
Aesthetic Valuing
Derive Meaning
4.1 Identify how selected principles of design are used
in a work of art and how they affect personal responses
to and evaluation of the work of art.
4.2 Compare the different purposes of a specific culture
for creating art.
Make Informed Judgments
4.4 Assess their own works of art, using specific criteria,
and describe what changes they
would make for improvement.
Reading
Vocabulary and Concept Development
1.5 Understand and explain the figurative and
metaphorical use of words in context.
Literary Response & Analysis
Structural Features of Literature
3.1 Identify and analyze the characteristics of poetry,
drama, fiction, and nonfiction and explain the
appropriateness of the literary forms chosen by an
author for a specific purpose.
3.4 Understand that theme refers to the meaning or
moral of a selection and recognize themes (whether
implied or stated directly) in sample works.
3.5 Describe the function and effect of common literary
devices (e.g., imagery, metaphor, symbolism).
Olabuenaga_2011 p.1

2.
What is the Essential Question(s) that will drive this project?
• How can art tell a story?
• How does art define the artist?
• How is art a reflection of the artist?
• How does art bring people together?
• What is a museum?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Common Intellectual Mission
• What content/skills will ALL students learn (regardless of role or other student choices)?
o Artists/ photographers compose pieces to communicate messages
• What individual roles/jobs will students take on in this project?
o Photographer
o Writer/poet
o Curator
o Advertiser
Adult World Connection
• What is the real world application for this project? Why is this work important?
o Creating work for others
o Raising money for the school
o Learning how museum curators organize exhibitions to create meaning for audiences
o The role of symbolism and metaphor in works of art
• Who is the audience for the project? How will work be displayed publicly?
o MOCA artists/ educators
o School community (parents/ teachers/ staff)
o Local community members
o Benefactors
• How will you connect adults and professionals from outside of school to the project?
o Jeanne Hoel from the Contemporary Art Start Program at MOCA to come and speak to
the students during their project work to guide their pieces and talk about what art is.
She will also attend the Exhibition Night.
Personalization
• How will you incorporate student choice into the project?
o Subject of the photographs
o Accompanied poem
o Layout of the gallery on Exhibition Night
o Advertisements for the Exhibition Night
• How will you challenge more advanced students?
Olabuenaga_2011 p.2

3.
o These students will have leadership roles that will put them in direct contact with
members of the community outside of the classroom.
• How will you support IEP students?
o Scaffolds for identifying subject for photographs
o Scaffolds for writing poetry piece
o Museum models to see how works of art are laid out
o Trip to MOCA Grand to see a museum
• How will you support ELL’s?
o Scaffolds for identifying subject for photographs
o Scaffolds for writing poetry piece
o Museum models to see how works of art are laid out
o Trip to MOCA Grand to see a museum
• How will you assess and evaluate each student’s effort and work?
o Composition of the photographs
o Quality of the writing piece
Tips
• DUE DATES: Beware of extending due dates!
• USE BENCHMARKS: Use project benchmarks/tasks/drafts to keep track of student’s progress
and help them keep up with the project work.
• Avoid group grades!
• Assess LEARNING not just responsibility.
• Allow students a role in developing rubrics(?)
• Allow access to rubrics ahead of time; post on DP
• Keep parents posted on progress during project so there are no surprises with grades at the
end!
Olabuenaga_2011 p.3

4.
Learning Experience #1: Found Faces
Universal Theme: Change Concept: How do artists make familiar
objects/materials into something new?
Habit of Mind: Flexibility; Creating, Imagining, Depth & Complexity: Multiple Perspectives
Innovating
Learning Experience/ Activity: Resources:
Students will bring in 5‐8 items from home. They  Keynote
will then arrange them into faces. The works will  Digital Camera
be photographed; then, students will rearrange  Dropbox (for sharing photos)
the same objects into a new configuration to make  Blogger (to post presentations)
another face. These will be photographed as well  Household items (student‐brought)
and put into a Keynote presentation outlining the Assessment:
artist’s process. A poem will also be included. Students will be assessed on the clarity of their
Keynote presentation and the reflection they
complete about how they used the Habit of Mind
flexibility in the project.
Olabuenaga_2011 p.4

5.
Learning Experience #2: What is Photography?
Universal Theme: Perspectives Concept: What decisions do artists make when
they create a photograph? (MOCA unit)
Habit of Mind: Flexibility; Creating, Imagining, Depth & Complexity: Multiple Perspectives
Innovating
Learning Experience/ Activity: Resources:
Show Andreas Gursky, 99 cent, 1999 photograph. Ask  Keynote
the following questions:  Digital Camera
 What would you call this kind of art?  Dropbox (for sharing photos)
 Have you ever made a photograph? On what  Blogger (to post presentations)
occasions?  Personal photographs (student‐brought)
 Why do people take photographs? Assessment:
 What do you need to take a photograph? Students will be assessed on the following areas:
 adherence to Hockney’s style of photography
Students will bring in 1‐2 photographs from home.  subject of the photograph makes a clear
Those photos will all be displayed. Students will analyze connection to student’s identity
the photos then ponder the following questions:  poem/essay clearly explained the process of the
 How are these pictures similar/different? artist and the connection the artist has to the
 (Focus on single image) subject of the photomontage.
 Why do you think this picture was taken?  demonstration of the Habit of Mind, flexibility &
 Why do you think this picture was taken? creating, imagining, innovating, through the
 What story might it tell? personal reflection and the work itself.
 (Focus on it as a work of art)  final presentation of the work is neat and
 What kinds of decisions did the photographer professional
make when he or she took this picture?
 How far away did he or she stand?
 What kind of differences does it make when
the subject is close up or far away?
 What did the photographer choose to leave
out of the picture?
 Did the subject pose or was the photo candid?
 What do you see that gives you that
impression?
(Note: All questions from MOCA Photography unit)
Return to Hockney photos for discussion with similar
questions from above.
Students return to their art book to review the ideas
they generated for their Hockney subject that
represents who they are.
Students begin taking photos to create their very own
photomontage and write a reflection.
Olabuenaga_2011 p.5

6.
Project Outline: Who Am I? Exploring Identity Through Art
Description:
In this project, you will create a gallery exhibition on our theme, Who Am I? Identity
Through Art, using pieces of artwork inspired by David Hockney.
Essential Questions:
Essential questions are questions you will be able to answer at the end of this project.
They are:
 What is a museum?
 How can art tell a story?
 How does art define the artist?
 How is art a reflection of the artist?
 How does art bring people together?
Materials:
 Digital Camera
 Glue/Tape
 Picture Frames (optional)
 Photographs
 Computer
• Programs used: Keynote, Dropbox, Word (to write invitation business letters &
reflections), iPhoto
Directions:
• Photographs/ Photograph Collage
o Select a subject for your picture that represents something about who you
are.
 Examples:
• Writing Journal (if you are a writer)
• Grandmother (if she is really important in your life)
• Holding a soccer ball (if you really love playing soccer)
o Take 5‐10 photos of the same subject; each photo should be taken from a
different perspectives/angles.
o Submit photos to Dropbox for printing
o Arrange the photos in the style of Hockney to make your final piece
 (see sample below)
o Title your artwork
• Poetry/ Personal Writing Piece
o To accompany your art work, you will create one of the following: a poem or
a personal narrative
Olabuenaga_2011 p.6

7.
 Poem: the poem will need to discuss or make mention of the
subject of your photo collage & its importance to you and your
identity.
 Personal Narrative: this narrative must explain why you selected the
subject and what it reveals about your identity.
• Keynote Presentation
o Add photos from the following activities/ learning experiences:
 Found Faces
 Hockney
o Additional Information Slides:
 Habit of Mind Reflection
o Reflection
 Post highlights of your reflection for the project
• Reflection
o Write a reflection that answers all of the essential questions. Include a
personal reflection on what this project, and the art you produced, means
to you.
Hockney Sample:
Mother I
David Hockney
1985
Olabuenaga_2011 p.7

8.
Rubric
A rubric is a scoring tool I will be using to give you feedback and a grade on your project.
Score Photograph Collage Letters/Advertisements Reflection Presentation
Collage shows exceptional Business invitation letters Reflection is very Student uses
creativity & personal vision. follow the correct thoughtful and fully outstanding
Piece is in the layered style format/structure. Letter addresses the articulation and
of David Hockney. Subject provides all of the necessary essential questions. projection and
accurately reflects some details. Shows exceptional reflects strong
4 aspect of the artist’s professionalism, while understanding of
identity, relating to the acknowledging the value how …
project theme, Who Am I? the addressee’s attendance
Layout is neat & visually would have at the event.
interesting.
Collage shows creativity & Business invitation letters Reflection is Student uses strong
personal vision. Piece is in follow the correct thoughtful and articulation and
the layered style of David format/structure. Letter addresses the projection and
Hockney. Subject accurately provides all of the necessary essential questions. reflects good
3 reflects some aspect of the details. Shows strong understanding of
artist’s identity, relating to professionalism, while how…
the project theme, Who Am acknowledging the value
I? Layout is neat & visually the addressee’s attendance
interesting. would have at the event.
Collage shows limited Business invitation letters Reflection needs Student uses
creativity & personal vision. follow some of the correct some more work and inconsistent
Piece shows elements of the format/structure. Letter may not address all articulation and
layered style of David provides all of the necessary the essential projection and
Hockney. Subject somewhat details. Shows some questions. reflects limited
2 reflects some aspect of the professionalism, while understanding of
artist’s identity, relating to maybe acknowledging the how…
the project theme, Who Am value the addressee’s
I? Layout may be sloppy & attendance would have at
have some visual interest. the event.
A collage was not made. A letter/ advertisement was A reflection was not A presentation was
not written. written. not given.
1
Olabuenaga_2011 p.8

9.
Due Dates
• Photographs: Friday, May 20th, 2011
o All photos must be submitted via Dropbox by the due date for printing.
• Photograph Collage: Wednesday, May 25th, 2011
o Arrangements will take place in class.
• Letter/Advertisement: Wednesday, May 18th, 2011
o Group letter must be submitted by email on or before the due date.
• Exhibition/Presentation: Friday, June 3rd, 2011
o Final gallery pieces will be on display on during our Exhibition Night.
• Reflection: Thursday, June 2nd, 2011
o Full reflections will be written & submitted via email. Highlights from the reflection
are to be included on the Keynote Presentation on a separate slide.
NOTES:
Olabuenaga_2011 p.9