Description: 

The unit begins with an exploration of gesture drawing - capturing the action of a figure.  Students are introduced to proportion and are directed to carefully observe t he angles and relationship of limbs, shoulders, and torso as the body changes position.  The unit concludes with students rendering a wooden artist's manikin in charcoal and white chalk to produce the illusion of volume.

Grade 5 Benchmark:

Students begin sequential unit projects; extend knowledge of art media and compositional and design elements; choose new ways of using familiar tools and materials, and deepen imaginative capacities, observational and expressive skills.

Performance Indicators:

Create a series of drawings that indicate:
volume
proportion
gesture
control of soft pencil, charcoal, crayon, pastel
Students will be able to: 
Identify the characteristics of a gesture drawing.
Create gesture drawings using expressive line.
Identify proportional relationships in the body.
Draw a figure in proportion using the head as a unit of measurement
Draw a figure in an action pose with attention to direction and position of the limbs and torso
Engage in a sustained investigation of a subject.
Use compressed charcoal to create a graded value scale on toned paper.
Use white chalk to create highlights.
Control media to produce the illusion of volume.
Students will understand that: 
Artists interpret the figure in a variety of ways.
Gesture drawings capture the essence of an action.
Artists observe anatomical relationships in the human form.
Artists carefully obsrve the poses of a figure when drawing.
Artists engage in sustained investigations of a subject to develop deeper understandings.
Artists combine art media to create new effects.
Artists make aesthetic decisions.
Artists select media to produce specific effects.
Vocabulary:
gesture, expressive line, proportion, torso, limb, manikin, caricature, sustained investigation, three-dimensional, volume, realistic, rendering, observation, illusion, compressed, value, highlight, shadow, medium, aesthetic, gradual, emerging, developing, proficient, mastery, evaluate
Student, Peer, and Teacher Assessment
Informal student reflection/responses
Structured group conversations using accountable talk
Co-creating rubrics with peers
Teacher observation of work-in-progress with feedback to student
Clear teacher expectations, including guidelines, project goals
Completed work