Kelly Narowitz art educator/artist
High School
Zentangle Spirit Animals
Connecting To Your Inner Animal
This lesson was developed to give students an opportunity to reflect on their own idenitity as well as practice and develop skills they have learned throughout their art education.
Zentangles are also a great technique to use to teach students several principles and elements of design. Line, pattern, balance, emphasis are just a few design elements and principles for which Zentangles provide teachable moments for students to gain understanding from.
This lesson was utilized as a final practical exam for students in a exploratory art class. It gave them an opportunity to show off many skills that they had learned in class throughout the semester.
Teaching Intern: Kelly Narowitz
School: Garden City High School
Grade Level: 9-12 High School
Content Area: Pattern/Shape/Watercolor
Title: Zentangle Spirit Animal
Time Needed: 4 class periods
1. Learners & Learning Environment:
a. Engaging Diverse Learners: Garden City is a city with a small town feel, where many students are related to each other or families have known each other for generations. The cultural and ethnic breakdown of the class is predominantly white middle class, with 5 African American students and 2 or 3 students of Asian, Eastern descent. The class is all teenagers and they are at a beginning-upper level of artistic education. This means that they have been introduced to the basic principles of design, such as line, shape, color and texture.
This lesson will connect with students by offering them some choice and creative flexibility to express their individual style. They will choose an animal they identify with (or their favorite animal) and develop 10 patterns using line and shape to fill in the silhouette of that animal. As teenagers they are figuring out who they are and need outlets with which to experiment and express their developing identity. This lesson gives them an opportunity to do this.
b. Materials Needed: Project: 9x12 watercolor paper, tracing paper, pencils, fine tip black markers, watercolor paint, brushes. Presentation: Power Point, projector, examples of project.
2. Outcomes & Assessment:
a. Standards:
Standard 1: Apply skills and knowledge to perform in the arts. ART.VA.I.HS.4 Exhibit, present, and publish quality works of art.
Standard 2: Apply skills and knowledge to create in the arts. ART.VA.II.HS.1 Identify, define problems, and reflect upon possible visual solutions.
Standard 3: Analyze, describe, and evaluate works of art. ART.VA.III.HS.4 Evaluate the quality and effectiveness of one’s artwork.
b. Student Outcomes:
The student will be able to practice the creative process to design 15 patterns. Ten of which will be used in a their final Zentangle design.
The student will analyze the shape of their Zentangle silhouette and fill it with 10 well designed patterns.
The student will apply previously learned techniques to create a watercolor background for their animal Zentangle.
The student will evaluate their own work once finished and turn in their evaluation to be part of their grade.
c. Assessment: Students will fill out a self-assessment rubric/worksheet once their project is completed. They will turn it in with their work. I will assess the students use of materials and understanding of techniques as we work through the project, stopping and reiterating anything that has been misunderstood.
d. Evaluation: I will fill out a rubric to evaluate the student’s use of materials and fulfillment of project requirements. We will also do a critique to evaluate the student’s works as a class.
3. Instructional Practices:
a. Introduction: Who has a spirit animal?
i. Teaser/Hook: (End of previous project) Talk about spirit animals and Zentangle Spirit Animal project. Students must find a good silhouette of their chosen spirit animal and bring it to next class. Review what will make a good silhouette.
ii. Stated Objective: (Day 1) Today we will be starting a new project. We are going to create a Zentangle that is an artistic representation of our spirit animal. The goal of this project is to use pattern and design to represent how we connect to our spirit animal.
iii. Introduction: Zentangle introduction/review with PowerPoint presentation. What are Zentangles? How can they be used to create a piece of art that represents our spirit animal? How do we design patterns that say something about our subject?
iv. Motivation: Today you will be drawing the silhouette of your spirit animal on a piece of 9x12 watercolor paper. Then you will do a watercolor wash over the whole paper
v. Student Work Period: Students will work on drawing their silhouettes. Exceptions will be given to those with more detailed animals to use the overhead projector to draw their silhouette.
b. Instructional Procedures:
i. Stated Objective: (Day 2) Today you will outline your silhouette with black ink pen. Then you will take two Zentangle practice sheets and come up with 16 different patterns. Ten of these patterns will be used in your final project.
ii. Modeling: Show my work as an example. Give other examples of good patterns using spirit animals as inspiration. Pass around inspiration packets.
iii. Student Work Period: Students will work on designing patterns in class. I will walk around and support those who need it and make announcements on proper practices and uses of tools when needed.
iv. Stated Objective: (Day 3) Today you will be dividing your spirit animal’s silhouette into 10 separate sections. To do this you will need to draw 9 lines. Think about the animals contour and shape when deciding where your lines will go. Then you will fill each section with one of the patterns you have created. Pick your 10 best patterns for your final piece.
v. Modeling: Show examples of Zentangles with good spatial breakdowns and patterns that are unique and well developed.
vi. Student Work Period: Students will work on applying their 10 patterns to their spirit animal. I will walk around the room and support when needed and make announcements on proper practices and use of tools when I see fit.
vii. Student Work Period: (Day 4) Students will work independently to finish their Zen Tangle Spirit Animals. I will walk around the room and support when needed and make announcements on proper practices and use of tools when I see fit. Students who have finished will do their self-evaluation and turn in their completed project.
c. Technology:
i. Students will use computers to find a good image of their spirit animal to use for their silhouette.
ii. An overhead projector will be used to transfer silhouette drawings to watercolor paper.
d. Closure:
i. Students will write an artist’s statement explaining the connection they feel to the animal they chose.
ii. Students will fill out a self evaluation.
iii. The class will participate in a group discussion about the project and a gallery walk to see their classmates work.
4. Professional Responsibility:
Teacher Reflection can be found here:
Student Work
