The ADE Thesis focuses on practice-based research related to curriculum planning and curriculum-in-action. Elliot Eisner (1984), argues that there is a gap between the “intended curriculum” and the “operational” curriculum, noting that what teachers plan may not necessarily be operationalized in the classroom. While planning is important, it is what teachers do with the curriculum they design that leads to high quality educational experiences and student work.
The ADE Thesis research explores the gap between curricular intention and operation through a process in which students research, plan, teach, reflect upon, and revise a thematic unit plan. Students design a thematic Unit Plan (12-16 weeks) incorporating contemporary art. They then operationalize a segment of it by teaching it in an after-school program (6 weeks). Based on a reflective teaching process they revise the Unit Plan, moving “from experience , to description, to analysis and interpretation, to taking intelligent action” (Rogers, 2020) in conversation with their peers and professors.
Students develop thematic curriculum, grounded in contemporary art and guided by an enduring idea such as “identity, justice, relationships, interdependence, survival, power, humans and nature, conflict, celebration, freedom, emotions, and spirituality” that link academic subject matter with life-focused issues” (Stewart, 2005). According to Ann Thulson, “themes provide opportunities for students to voice opinions about their own times and to engage with the viewpoints of others. Viewers of all ages can use themes to find meaning in unfamiliar artworks and see familiar work in interconnected contexts” (2021). Following is an example of a Thematic 14- week Unit Plan Overview by Yung Ju (Rebecca) Yu, 2023-24:
Unit Plan Overview (14 Weeks)
Unit Plan Theme
Fear and Protection: Paper Mache Pectoral Sculpture Project
Grade Level
4th and 5th Grades
Enduring Idea
As our understanding of the world expands, the list of what we fear or are scared of will also grow longer. Although some fears are grounded in reality while others are products of our imagination, fear remains a universal feeling in every human experience. We continually grapple with our fears and seek ways to overcome them. Facing and confronting fears is a powerful way to protect ourselves. This unit plan will center its lessons on the interplay between fear and protection. Students will learn about how artists address their fears within their works and the protection they portray in response to their fears.
Essential Question
How do artists address and respond to their fears in their works?
Unit Plan Description Statement
Through creating a pectoral relief sculpture with paper mache and acrylic paint, students will be able to transform 2-dimensional materials into 3-dimensional structures with their hands and understand that artwork could hold feelings and that the process of art-making could be a method to address or respond to these feelings.
Students identify contemporary artists whose work touches on such themes as they become “critical curators of the artists they select by researching, editing, archiving, combining, and sharing ( Thulson, 2022, p. 16). This is not an easy task as the numbers of contemporary artists from all over the world continues to expand. But the diverse scope of offers also helps students develop curriculum that is culturally relevant in their specific teaching contexts. Yung Ju (Rebecca) Yu, 2023-24, identified four artists—Nick Cave, Louise Bourgeois, Bisa Butler, and Landon Pointer, selected because each of these artists approached the theme in distinctive ways. Following is an example of the work selected:
Project Example, 7th and final iteration (cardboard, paper mache and acrylic paint)
After students have identified a theme and artists, they plan backwards as they make, and remake a project example that helps them refine the tools, materials, concepts and language for the Unit Plan. The project example helps students to think “deeply about being an artist-teacher” (p. 22) by reinvigorating “the role of the artist in education” (Daichendt, p. 61). The project example exemplifies ADE students’ content knowledge based in their studio core, such as painting, printmaking, sculpture, etc. The project example is not a personal work of art but students must bring artistry and aesthetic judgment to the making in order to fully explore its potential. Students follow an iterative making project, making at least three project examples as they reflect upon their making processes, materials, and the relationships of the project example to the theme. Following is an example of the iterative making process by Yung Ju (Rebecca) Yu 2023-24:
Fear Collage Project Example, 1st Iteration (Oil Pastel and Paper) Fear Collage Project Example, 2nd Iteration (Oil Pastel and Paper)
Protection Sculpture Project Example, 1st Iteration (Air Dry Clay) Protection Sculpture Project Example, 2nd Iteration (Paper Plate and Paper Mache)
Protection Sculpture Project Example, 3rd Iteration (Paper Plate, Paper Mache and Acrylic Paint) Protection Sculpture Project Example, 4th Iteration (Cardboard, Paper Mache Clay)
Protection Sculpture Project Example, 5th Iteration (Cardboard, Paper Mache Clay and Acrylic Paint) Protection Sculpture Project Example, 6th Iteration (Cardboard, Paper Mache and Acrylic Paint)
After identifying the theme, related artists and making, and reflecting upon, iterative project examples, students weave rituals, routines and artistic dispositions into their 12-14 week Unit Plan. They identify the learning objectives, standards, tools, materials and pacing for each lesson, guided by a unit plan and lesson planning template. Following are the lesson summaries of a 12-week Unit Plan by Yung Ju (Rebecca) Yu, 2023-24:
Lesson Summaries at a Glance
Lesson 1
Exploring Paper Relief Sculpture Through making an exploratory paper relief sculpture using monochromatic paper strips and their hands, students will learn to manipulate paper into 3-dimensional structures by curving, rolling, folding, and twisting. Additionally, they will understand what a relief sculpture is and how it can be constructed using 2-dimensional materials.
Lesson 2
Fear and Protection By observing and discussing contemporary works of art that explore the themes of fear and protection, students will identify their fears. They will also sketch out their ideas of fears and objects that symbolize protection against those fears on a brainstorming worksheet. Through this process, they will learn that the works of other artists inspire artists and that artists can address and respond to their fears through art-making.
Lesson 3
Symbol and Exaggeration Through analyzing artworks that employ symbols and exaggeration, students develop their ideas brainstormed in Lesson 2 and create sculpture sketches that exaggerate forms to emphasize their chosen protective objects. They will also learn that artists use symbols and exaggeration to convey ideas, emotions, or themes, allowing for a deeper interpretation of their work.
Lesson 4
Reflection and Base Selection After receiving feedback from their peers on their sculpture sketches, students will make adjustments to their sketches and offer suggestions for suitable bases for their relief sculptures, choosing from three different shapes. Through this process, they will learn that feedback helps artists refine their work and generate new ideas.
Lesson 5
Creating Paper Forms Through an exploration of 3-dimensional forms using newsprint paper and tape, students will create a variety of paper forms based on their sculpture sketches. Students will also learn that forms are 3-dimensional shapes, and artists use their hands to manipulate paper into different forms.
Lesson 6
Building Armature Through building armatures for their protective relief sculptures based on their sculpture sketches, students will continue to explore the manipulation of paper forms and develop the ability to view their sculpture from different perspectives during construction. They will also learn that the creative process of sculptural construction begins with the armature, the underlying structure.
Lesson 7
Paper Mache Through applying paper mache to their protective relief sculpture, students will be able to cover the armature of the sculpture using overlapping and crossing techniques. They will also learn that paper mache acts as the “skin” that goes over the armature, helping to maintain the final form of their relief sculpture and making it stronger and smoother.
Lesson 8
Paper Mache As students apply paper mache to their sculptures, they will ensure that all areas are thoroughly covered with newsprint. Through this process, they will learn that artists pay close attention to details, which affect the final results.
Lesson 9
Monochromatic Color Palette By learning about a monochromatic color palette, students will be able to choose either a primary or secondary color for their 3-color palette and map out the color placement on their sculpture sketches. They will also learn that artists thoughtfully select a color palette.
Lesson 10
Reflection Through a peer-share feedback session, students will refine their color palette or placement on their sculpture sketches based on the feedback they received. They will also learn the importance of reflecting on their creative process before progressing to the next step.
Lesson 11
Painting: Base Color By referring to their sketch from the oil pastel color palette exploration, students will use a large brush to apply the chosen base color from their monochromatic color palette onto the sculpture. They will also learn that artists carefully choose materials and utilize planning tools that support their art-making process.
Lesson 12
Painting: Medium Shapes Through continuing to paint their protective sculptures, students will use a medium brush to map out shapes that define features of their protective sculpture. They will also learn that shape can be used as a design tool to enhance and exaggerate features of a subject.
Lesson 13
Painting: Details Finalizing their protective sculpture, students will use a thin brush to add details with the third and final color of their color palette; they will also learn that more information can add visual description and a sense of finality to their artwork.
Founded in 2013, East Elmhurst Community School (PS 329Q), is an elementary school located in Queens, New York. The student population at PS 329Q is primarily Hispanic students, with a diverse range of cultural backgrounds represented, including immigrants from countries such as Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia, and Mexico. Additionally, there is a mix of students hailing from both urban and rural backgrounds, although there is a notably high percentage of students from rural areas according to the principal (Yung Ju Yu, 2024). Students conduct specific research on the classroom context related to their unit plan as needed. Following is one example by Yung Ju Yu (Rebecca) 2023-24:
ADE students record their teaching in the East Elmhurst after-school program and through a reflective teaching process revise both their teaching and curriculum planning processes. Their peers observe their teaching and provide feedback. ADE students delve deeper into an area of teaching they want to strengthen based on their reflections through a brief integration of relevant theory and research. Following is an example of a student’s Teaching Reflections by Yung Ju Yu (Rebecca) 2023-24:
“As the foundation of studio practices, materials aren’t merely substances and tools; they are expressive media and carriers of meaning (Hafeli, 2005). Understanding the properties and possibilities of different materials empowers students to become more independent and expressive during their creative processes. I had the opportunity to use students’ work as a lens to analyze my teaching methods. Although we didn’t reach the painting stage for the sculptures by the end of the sequence, their work still provided valuable insights into my teaching approach for sculpture building. Reflecting on my lesson plans, I noticed that the after-school program’s scheduling structure has limited students’ opportunities to explore the materiality of paper form sculptures. This constraint was reflected in their work, particularly in the transition from 2-dimensional to 3-dimensional forms. It becomes evident that there are interconnected issues concerning both scaffolding and open-ended exploration that need further attention.”
(Rebecca Yu, 2023-2024)
Acknowledgments
We would like to thank the following individuals and institutions for their support of and contribution to this project:
Professors, Thesis I and II Heather Lewis, Art and Design Education Department Katherine Huala, Art and Design Education Department
Pratt Institute Art and Design Education Department Aileen Wilson, Chair Louise Butler, Assistant Chair Juniper Jeong, Department Coordinator
Special thanks to the staff and Principal at East Elmhurst Community School and to Yung Ju (Rebecca) Yu, ADE Alumna, 2024
