Friday, August 9, 2013

You know the school year is growing close when...

...you have dreams about lesson planning!  Yup, that's right.  I had a dream about my graffiti unit that I want to do with my 7th graders and it was virtually planned in my sleep!  Anyone else have weird dreams like that about school?

Well, that dream kicked my butt into gear for planning and I decided to browse the books on Blick and use my winnings from The SmARTteacher July challenge to purchase some informational books on graffiti.  I did a post previously about my plans, or lack there of, for this graffiti unit. (Thanks to Shaun for responding to that post...I'll definitely be using that YouTube video!)  I purchased these two Griff graffiti books...one of which has some history and techniques in it, and the other is a workbook.  My 7th graders specifically asked to do graffiti projects so I'm thinking the workbook will be a good source for some homework assignments and bell ringers/warm-up exercises.
GRAFF The Art & Technique of Graffiti
GRAFF Color Workbook

I also purchased this zentangle book.  I plan to incorporate the zentangles into this unit by talking about expression in fonts, to hopefully draw the female population in a little more to the idea of graffiti.  Again, it appears that the set-up of this book may lead to some good homework assignments and bell ringers/warm-ups to use in class during the unit and throughout the year.  These books should also, hopefully, be able to give me some reading material to photo copy off to incorporate those Common Core standards as well.
One Zentangle a Day

I'm still in my early brainstorming stages of this, but I think this will be basic set-up of the graffiti unit:
1. History of Graffiti
2. Discussion of fonts
3. Bubble letters
4.  3-D letters
5. Zentangled letters
6. Unit project: Design a graffiti inspired cover for your sketchbook.

9 comments:

  1. I did a graffiti project with my 5th graders last year. There's a pretty cool youtube video of Scape Martinez being interviewed.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=S-1jJH623cg

    :)
    Ms. Gram
    http://artwithmsgram.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cool, thanks for sharing! May have to add that one to my list of videos as well!

      Delete
  2. Thanks for sharing the books! I try to do a graffiti lesson in my public art unit but I'm so bad at that kind of expression ... I'm going to have to get this workbook.
    ~ Kristin
    thisoldartroom.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The books have shipped and say they will arrive by Saturday the 18th...I'll be sure to do a follow-up post on if the books are actually worth it! They seemed like they were from the preview pages I saw...

      Delete
  3. I am in the throws of a unit on Graffiti now with my 8th graders. I have started off each 8th grade group with this unit, for the past 8 years, primarily because it grabs their attention and is a way to stimulate great discussions.
    Graffiti Verité, is a great video to use with this unit. I warn the students that there is some strong language in it, but I stress that I believe they are mature enough to handle it (I know better, but they do rise to the occasion and don't snicker too much). The "taggers" have great real life stories and focus on the art o Graffiti.
    Good luck and have fun!
    ~Alanna

    ReplyDelete
  4. I dream lesson plans ALL THE TIME! I am so glad I am not the only one. I also have weird dreams like kids climbing the walls and my classroom turning into a jungle, but that's another story...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Haha, I haven't had any dreams to wild about my classroom...however, I do think pregnancy makes you have weird dreams in general! I just had my baby shower and I think I must have been stressing about it the night before...I dreamt that my dad was dressed in a tailed tuxedo and acting as a servant at the shower. I also dreamt that he had a little monkey dressed like him to help and the monkey brought me a drink. Then, when my mother-in-law asked the monkey for a drink, he brought it to her and threw it in her face! Hmmm...lol

      Delete
  5. I have just discovered your BLOG after much research and searching on SLOs and SGOs and all that stuff - AWESOME + great lessons too!!! Do you have a Teachers Pay Teachers site - you have SO MANY amazing resources. Upload them there and you can make $$$! Keep doing what your doing!
    Thanks, Susan B

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the good words! I hadn't really thought of using the Teachers Pay Teachers site, but I don't know as if I would...I always hate it when I come across something I see on Pinterest that looks amazing to use but I have to pay for! I'd rather share freely :). And, I prefer to share my documents and such on the SmARTteacher website...I've won gift certificates to Blick and Crystal Productions almost every month since November!

      Delete