Critical Learning Elements and principles of design are everywhere. Elements and principles of design are used to communicate. Guiding Questions What are the elements and principles of design? How will I talk about and illustrate these elements and principles of design? How will understanding the elements and principles of design help me know more about visual art? Curriculum Expectations A2. The Elements and Principles of Design: apply elements and principles of design to create art works for the purpose of self-expression and to communicate ideas, information, and/or messages; A2.1 explore elements and principles of design, and apply them to create art works that express personal feelings and/or communicate emotions to an audience A2.2 apply elements and principles of design to create art works that communicate ideas and information Learning Goals Students will be able to: name and explain the elements and principles of design apply the elements and principles of design to create artworks C1. Terminology: demonstrate an understanding of terminology related to visual arts; C1.1 use appropriate terminology when identifying and describing the use of elements and principles of design in their own art works and the works of others Instructional Components and Context Readiness Group work norms and skills, (e.g., taking roles, taking turns) Using sketchbook to record and illustrate concepts Terminology Elements of Design: colour, form, line, shape, space, texture, value Principles of Design: balance, contrast, emphasis, harmony, movement, repetition, rhythm, unity, variety Composition Materials A variety of visual resources that exemplify the elements and principles of design Paper for placemats, (e.g., black construction paper) Manipulatives, (e.g., coloured paper scraps, popsicle sticks, toothpicks, chenille stems, paper clips, coloured tiles, beads, string, coloured wool, tin foil, plasticene) Cards for posting words on the word wall Paper for posting word wall sketches LITERACY GAINS TRANSFORMING INSTRUC TIONAL PRAC TICE SUPPORTS GRADE 9 VISUAL ARTS 1
Minds On Whole Group/Pairs Viewing and talking about art Display several reproductions of artwork, (e.g., large, expressive, colour), including well-known artworks, (e.g., Edvard Munch, The Scream), art album covers, and student works, around the classroom in a gallery format (i.e., with space to walk around and view the pieces). Provide each student with one of the questions related to the artworks. Use the strategy mix and mingle to pair up students. As students stroll through the gallery in pairs, they interview each other about the artwork, using their questions. Debrief by inviting response to the works viewed and discussed. Extend the discussion by pointing out similarities and differences in the artworks. Preview the learning goals by making connections to the artworks (e.g., pointing out, in general terms, aspects of elements and principles of design) and telling students they will become more proficient in naming and applying the elements and principles of design found in these works. Extend the discussion by explaining the power of the elements and principles of design to convey a message. Review that even a line alone can express mood, emotion, and meaning. Pause and Ponder QuickTip Provide some guidelines for accountable talk. Preview learning goals and make connections to student talk during the mix and mingle. Action! Whole class/individual Exploring the elements and principles of design Distribute placemats and manipulatives. Explain that they will use the manipulatives to demonstrate understanding of elements and principles in a set amount or time, (e.g., two minutes for each). Call out names of elements and principles, one at a time by randomly drawing cards with the names of each element. For each one, provide a definition and make connections to artworks displayed in Minds On. Students produce a composition using the manipulatives. Post each word on a word wall. Based on student readiness, increase the complexity of the composition by providing qualities of line, (e.g., angry, rhythmic), texture, (e.g., smooth, rough, dull, shiny), shape, (e.g., organic, geometric), space, (e.g., positive, negative), form, (e.g., organic, geometric), and colour, (e.g., primary, warm/cool, analogous, complementary). Small Group/Whole Class Creating compositions based on an action word Working in small groups, students combine their placemats to form one large surface. Assign each group a different action word, (e.g., speed, dance). Groups create an expressive composition based on the assigned word. Conference with students during creation and encourage them to use precise vocabulary and language when discussing their compositions. Direct them to use the word wall as needed. When compositions are complete, students do a Gallery Walk. Debrief by highlighting some of the elements and principles in the work and make connections among the works. Extend the discussion by making connections between the elements and principles of design to examples in the school, in nature, and in media. Consolidation Individual Creating examples of elements and principles Using the word wall, students jot down notes on the elements and principles in their sketchbooks, including thumbnail sketches that illustrate the terms. Students choose three of the terms and create sketches on small pieces of paper to post on the word wall. They post sketches with the corresponding term on the word wall. Use the compositions to assess understanding of the elements and principles. QuickTip Make connections with the artworks from the Minds On or have other examples to illustrate elements and principles of design ready to show, as needed. Use group work to assess and provide feedback on Collaboration for Tracking the Learning Skills and Work Habits. Assess student understanding, using their compositions and listening to student talk in their groups. Use the examples posted on the word wall to gauge the understanding of the group as a whole, (e.g., if there are no examples provided for some of the words, prompt the class to demonstrate their understanding in another way). LITERACY GAINS TRANSFORMING INSTRUC TIONAL PRAC TICE SUPPORTS GRADE 9 VISUAL ARTS 2
Minds On Sample questions related to art works What do you think this image is about? What do you think the artist was trying to express? How does this image make you feel? How has the artist used colour? line? etc. When you look at this work, where do your eyes go first, and why do you think that is? Which element or principle of design do you feel dominates, or stands out, more than the others? What do you think the artist tried to achieve by using this colour? type of line? texture? Mix and Mingle This strategy provides an opportunity for constructing understanding through productive talk. It also supports community building. In this strategy, students engage in brief paired discussions about a particular topic. Students can generate their own ideas to share on the topic, or the teacher can provide information to read aloud to a partner. Students speak to as many partners as they can in the allotted time. As students share, they build their understanding on the topic. See Think Literacy, Subject-Specific Examples, English, Grades 7-9, pp 56-59. Action Elements of Design Elements of design Colour Form Definition The particular wave length of light seen by the eye when an object reflects or emits light. The four characteristics of colour are hue (name), value (lightness and darkness), intensity (saturation, or amount of pigment), and temperature (warm and cool). The physical shape and dimensions of an object within an art work. Form is three-dimensional, having length, width, and depth. For example, spheres and cubes are forms. Line Shape The visual path left by a moving point; also, a mark, guide, or boundary that leads the eye in an artwork. Differences in the type, orientation, and/or quality of lines can be used to suggest a variety of ideas, states, or moods. The external outline of an image produced by the use of line, value, colour, and/or texture. Shape may be geometric or organic, positive or negative. Shapes have two dimensions - length and width. Space Texture Value The area around, within, or between images or elements. The appearance of space can be created on a two-dimensional surface by means of techniques such as the overlapping of objects, the varying of object size or placement, the varying of colour intensity and value, and the use of detail and diagonal lines. The feel, appearance, thickness, or stickiness of a surface or substance. Subcategories of texture include the following: illusory texture - visual effect in which the eye is tricked into seeing three-dimensional materials, (e.g., wood, fur, glass, metal, fabric) on a two-dimensional surface. real texture - the three-dimensionality of surfaces and materials that is perceptible by touch as well as sight, (e.g., smooth, rough, silky, furry). Describes the lightness or darkness of a colour and/or the gradual changes in the lightness or darkness of an artwork even when colour is absent. Taken from The Ontario Curriculum: Grades 9 and 10, The Arts, Revised 2010. LITERACY GAINS TRANSFORMING INSTRUC TIONAL PRAC TICE SUPPORTS GRADE 9 VISUAL ARTS 3
Principles of Design Principles of design Balance Contrast Emphasis Harmony Definition A feeling of visual balance results when the elements of design are arranged symmetrically or asymmetrically to create the impression of equality in weight or importance or harmony of design and proportion. The juxtaposition (placement) of different elements of design, (e.g., complementary colours such as red and green, textures such as rough and smooth, values such as dark and light) in order to highlight their differences and/or create balance, visual interest, or a focal point. Special attention or importance given to one part or element in an art work, (e.g., a shape of darker value in a light composition). Emphasis can be achieved through placement, contrast, colour, size, and repetition, among other means. The combination of elements so as to highlight their similarities and produce a unified composition. Movement Repetition Rhythm Unity A principle of design. The way in which the elements of design are organized so that the viewer s eye is led through the work of art in a systematic way, often to the focal area. Movement can be directed along lines, edges, shapes, colours, and similar values within the work. The repeated use of similar elements and visual effects in a composition. Repetition may produce the dominance of one visual idea, a feeling of harmonious relationship or unity, a pattern, or a rhythmic movement of the viewer s eye. A principle of design. The use of recurring elements to direct the movement of the viewer s eye through the art work and give a sense of unity to the composition. There are five kinds of rhythm: random, regular, alternating, progressive, and flowing. A principle of design. The arrangement of elements to give the viewer the feeling that all the parts of the piece form a coherent whole. Variety A principle of design. The quality of being diverse or incorporating a number of different or contrasting elements. Variety may be achieved by opposing, changing, elaborating, or contrasting the elements of design. Taken from The Ontario Curriculum: Grades 9 and 10, The Arts, Revised 2010. Gallery Walk A Gallery Walk is a flexible strategy during which students respond to a range of texts. In a Gallery Walk, students explore multiple texts posted around the room. Texts can include: print, images, historical and contemporary texts, draft or completed texts, professional or student texts. Often, this activity is cooperative and structured by question prompts that require students to observe, discuss, and reflect. Because students move physically, it can appeal to kinaesthetic learners and provide variety in classroom activity. The activity can be used at various points in the lesson, (e.g., as a community builder, a warm-up, source of debate, or consolidation activity). The debriefing focuses on key ideas and synthesizing observations, responses, and thinking. LITERACY GAINS TRANSFORMING INSTRUC TIONAL PRAC TICE SUPPORTS GRADE 9 VISUAL ARTS 4
Word Wall A Word Wall is an organized array of words important to the topic being studied. To be effective, word walls must be: visible accessible selective incremental, adding only 5-7 words at a time A Word Wall can serve as: a focus for vocabulary building a scaffold for conversation and reading and writing activities a visual map to show relationships among words Teachers need to incorporate words regularly into instruction, cue students to use the word wall, and integrate the word wall into vocabulary building activities. The word wall is an interactive instructional tool. To maximize this interactivity, create laminated word cards that can be moved around, removed, and used. Word walls support effective vocabulary-building practices: Knowing a definition is not synonymous with understanding a word. Word knowledge is built incrementally. Be selective about academic vocabulary to include in a word wall or in vocabulary-building activities. Limit words to those essential to the study and to words students will use during teaching-learning activities. Include proper names. Students need to hear words used in context and to practise using words in context about a half-dozen times. Pronounce multi-syllabic words clearly while cueing students to word parts so that they both hear and see words. Associate words with visual symbols and with words students already know. Use color and clustering, (e.g., concept maps and mind maps, to show connections between words). Gradually build understanding of the multiple meanings of words. Use semantic maps to focus on related words, explanations, word roots, and prefixes and suffixes, word history (how it came to mean what it does). See Think Literacy Cross-Curricular Approaches, Grades 7-12, Getting Ready to Read: Extending Vocabulary (Creating a Word Wall), pp. 30-31. See also Word Walls and Word Walls Gallery in the Think Literacy library. Resources for vocabulary building: Allen, Janet (1999). Words, Words, Words: Teaching vocabulary in grades 4-12. Stenhouse. Marzano, R. J. (2004). Building background knowledge for academic achievement: Research on what works in schools. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. LITERACY GAINS TRANSFORMING INSTRUC TIONAL PRAC TICE SUPPORTS GRADE 9 VISUAL ARTS 5