Art 309 Elementary
Saturday Visual Art Class
5th Grade: Our Hero Hall
For Saturday Art Class, with my co-teachers Kaitlin, Graci, Eleni, and Ashley, we designed and taught a 5th-grade unit titled Not All Heroes Wear Capes! Students explored the idea that a “hero” can take many forms. Heroes can be family members, friends, mentors, first responders, teachers, community leaders, idols, or even fictional characters who inspire us. Each student chose someone meaningful to them and used that inspiration to create their own original comic-book-style hero.
Over the seven weeks, students developed their hero hands on through drawing, painting, ceramics, digital editing, mixed media collage, and photography. Students developed a story for their character, illustrated moments from that story, and sculpted a clay figure that captured their hero’s personality and strengths. This blend of 2D and 3D work gave students room to experiment and bring their ideas to life in different ways.
The final outcome celebrates the everyday heroes who shape students’ lives and encourages creative risk-taking, artistic growth, and meaningful self-expression through artmaking.
Rationale: IPTS Standard 7: Assessment. I used ongoing formative checks to monitor student progress and guide instruction. By observing sketches, clay models, and digital drafts, I could provide targeted feedback, reteach techniques when necessary, or challenge students ready to move forward. The final clay figures and mixed media comic book served as summative evidence of each student’s growth throughout the project.
Classroom Setup
Description: Our classroom was arranged with four long tables connected in a circle to encourage collaboration, making it easier for students to interact and share ideas. At the front of the room, a teacher table held materials for student use, teacher examples, and handouts. In the back of the classroom, we set up a cozy corner with a playmat and sensory toys, providing a calm space for students who needed a short break or a chance to self-regulate during the lesson
Rationale: IPTS Standard 4 - Learning Environment. This setup was designed to create a supportive and inclusive classroom where all students could feel comfortable, engaged, and empowered to participate in their learning.
Week 1: Who is your Hero?
Students will be asked to think about influences in their lives and figure out who the hero in their lives is to them. Students will be asked to design a superhero character in their sketchbooks using dry media (pencil, pen, colored pencil) based on their personal hero's, they will create a story and idea of who this hero is, and what role they play.
Teacher example:
Week 2: Zine Comic Book
Students will be asked to establish who their hero is, what their hero’s stories are, and what additional characters are involved in that story. Students will be asked to create and design a comic book zine using mixed media (pencil, pen, colored pencil, marker, crayon) based on their personal hero's, they will create a comic of who this hero is, and what role they play.
Teacher example:
Week 3 & 4: Ceramic Bobble Head
Students will explore character design and self-expression while developing ceramic skills. Through building a clay bobble head figure, they will practice hand-building techniques and learn how to create a 3D artwork that demonstrates craftmanship, self-expression, and creativity.
Teacher example:
Week 5: Mixed Media Collage
This week we are exploring the collaging of mixed media and various watercolor techniques. Students will create a mixed-media watercolor collage landscape as the backdrop for photographing their ceramic hero figures. These layered compositions will symbolize the environment or community our heroes are apart of.
Teacher example:
Week 6: Catch up
Students will be asked to finish their project(s) or work on other projects including sketching, zines, line design, etc.
Week 7: Comic Book Cover Page:
Mixed Media Watercolor Collage, Photography, Typography and Digital Editing
Students will create a mixed-media watercolor collage landscape as the backdrop for photographing their ceramic hero figures. These layered compositions will symbolize the environment or community our heroes are apart of. We are digitally editing and titling these images to print as the cover page for our comic book zine, and can digitally collage photographed elements. We are exploring the collaging of 2d mixed media and various watercolor techniques.
Teacher example:
Student Exhibition:
We participated in an exhibition at Julian Hall and displayed all of our students completed artwork, including their comic book zines, ceramic action figures, and
their collaged water color backdrops. We also displayed their name tags, sketch
books, classroom agreement, and descriptions of what are classes overall
theme was. During the exhibition majority of our students came with their loved
ones and got to admire the work that they worked hard on!
PAL 1:
Week One Lesson Plan
Week Two Lesson Plan
Week Three Lesson Plan
Week Four Lesson Plan
Week Five Lesson Plan
Week Six Lesson Plan
Week Seven Lesson Plan
Description: During my winter break, I visited the Art Institute of Chicago for the first time. Walking through the galleries and seeing so many historical works up close was inspiring, and gave me new ideas I’m excited to bring back to my students.
Rationale: IPTS Standard 9 - Professionalism. This visit shows my dedication to learning as an artist and teacher. Being surrounded by real artwork inspires me and gives me new perspectives that I can carry into my classroom.
PAL 2:
Description: I led a one-on-one wheel-throwing workshop where the focus was simply practicing the basics of throwing on the wheel. Using an at-home ceramics kit, we worked with guided tools and step-by-step supports to make the process approachable and beginner-friendly. I demonstrated centering, opening, and pulling walls, and the student practiced these skills to create a small bowl by the end of the session.
Rationale: IPTS Standard 2 - Content Area and Pedagogical Knowledge. This workshop allowed me to apply my ceramics knowledge through clear step-by-step instruction. By demonstrating each technique and providing immediate feedback, I supported the student in practicing basic wheel-throwing skills and successfully creating a small bowl.
