Silhouette Lesson Plan

Instructor: Rebecca D’Angeli
Title: Silhouettes of Home
Grade: 7th

Brief History/ Background: A silhouette is an outline of an image that has no features or details. Usually the silhouetted object is black to describe the shape of a person’s body or other pictorial representations. It dates back to the 18th century when portraits were made out of cut black paper. In this lesson, students will be creating their idea of home using silhouetted imagery.

Standards:
PA Standards:
-9.1.7. - A. Know and use elements and principles to create works of art.
-9.1.7. - B. Recognize, know, use, and demonstrate art elements and principles to produce artwork.
-9.1.7. - C. Identify and use comprehensive vocabulary within each of the art forms.
-9.1.7. – E. Demonstrate the ability to define objects, express emotions, illustrate an action or relate an experience through creation of works in the arts.
-9.2.7. - A. Explain the historical, cultural, and social context of an individual work in the arts.
-9.3.7. - A. Recognize critical processes used in the examination of works in the arts.

NETS:
1. A. – Promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness.
1. C. - Promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative process.

Goal: To create a silhouette of home.

Objectives: Student’s will:
1. Discuss the history of silhouettes.
2. Reflect on the idea of home and what it means to them.
3. Create an image of their idea of home using silhouettes.

Resource Materials/ Visual Aids:
- Images of silhouettes throughout history
- Exemplar of project

- Karl Johnson

- Silhouettes

- Art Therapy

Supplies/ Materials:
- Construction paper (have plenty black and various colors)
- Bristol board (11” x 14”)
- Scissors
- Oil pastels
- Glue

Teacher Preparation: Gather images of silhouettes throughout history and place somewhere in the room where all students can clearly see. Create exemplar so students will better understand the end product. Have plenty of supplies so each student will have a sufficient amount to create their image.

Teaching/ Introduction: Begin class by asking if anyone knows what a silhouette is? What were they used for in history? Then show images of silhouettes found throughout history and how/ what they were used for. Have the class discuss other ways of using silhouettes as an art form. Ask them to think about what Home means to them. Then explain they will be creating an image of their ideas of Home using silhouettes.

Directions:
1. Have students reflect, “What home means to them.”
2. List ideas that will be present in their image.
3. Have student’s choose one idea that will become the silhouette and main focus of composition.
4. Pass out materials.
5. Using the black paper, have students trace the main subject that will be the silhouette.
6. Put aside.
7. Draw the background on Bristol board using oil pastels.
8. Students have the option of cutting or ripping other colors or construction paper to add onto their background. (i.e. ripping pieces of blue paper to add onto the sky).
9. Paste silhouette onto image.
10. Set aside to dry.

Critique/ Evaluation/ Assessment: Ask students to explain their images of home. What did they find most important? Why did they choose to silhouette certain subjects?

Time Budget:
- 10 minutes introduction
- 25 minutes work time
- 5 minutes clean up
- 5 minutes critique

Vocabulary:
Silhouette- a view of an object or scene made up of an outline and a featureless interior with the object being all black.

Safety concerns:
- Proper handling of scissors