Transit Art Curriculum
6-8th Grade Visual Arts | 10-12 hours
Unit Summary: Students will create artwork for a bus stop bench that represents something about their neighborhood that makes them proud. The artwork will bring student voice to an important resource in their community. Winning designs will be chosen to be put on a bus stop bench in the student’s neighborhood.
Universal Concept/Big Idea
Connectivity
Enduring Understanding
Well-planned physical connections allow us to access ideas, people, places, and resources.
Driving Question
How can I use art to create a thriving community in my neighborhood?
Unit Preparation
Neighborhood Research
If possible for your classroom, you can plan either a walking, bus, or virtual tour through your school’s neighborhood to support students in their exploration of neighborhood identity on “Day 2: Neighborhood Research.”
Enrichment Lessons
“Day 6: Large Scale Layout” is an optional enrichment lesson where students will learn how artists use the grid method to enlarge drawings and use a scale factor to create a grid for their own artwork.
During “Enrichment: Career Exploration” students explore the careers of an Artist and a Project Manager, which are the two careers closest to the skill sets needed for this project.
Materials
Day 5 asks students to do a draft of their artwork on 3.75” x 10.5” paper. You can use standard 8.5” x 11” size paper for the draft and have students measure out a box this size, or use the template linked in Day 5.
Students will need to do their final artwork on paper that is a similar proportion as a bus stop bench. The actual bench size is 29.5”h x 83.5”w. The Civic Design Center provides paper that is 15” h x 42” w. You can use your own paper if you prefer.
In addition to paper, students will need colored pencils, markers, or paint to create their artwork.
Adapting the curriculum for your classroom…
Unit Length
If you use all the lessons, the Transit Art project takes 12 hours total to teach, but there are a few adjustments you can make to make the project shorter to fit the amount of time you have to implement the curriculum.
No Enrichment Lessons: Without including any of the enrichment lessons, the curriculum takes about 9 hours to teach. These lessons are marked in the unit overview below.
Career Exploration
Large Scale Layout (STEAM lesson)
Shortest Version: The following are the lessons we recommend using if you need to shorten the curriculum further to about 5-7 hours.
Public Art and Public Transportation
Neighborhood Identity Collage
Artwork ideas
Artwork and Artist Statement Draft
Final Artwork Days
Unit Overview
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Find links to the paper and online versions of the pre-survey.
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Students will consider the benefits of public transportation for their neighborhood and analyze examples of public art from cities across Tennessee. They will be introduced to the project which will bring together public art and public transportation to design artwork for a bus stop bench that represents something about their neighborhood that makes them proud.
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Students will consider the difference between a city and neighborhood, locate their neighborhood on a map, and discuss the meaning of neighborhood identity. After that, students will do research about important places in their neighborhood using Google Maps and the Visit Music City website. If possible for your classroom, you can do a neighborhood walk to discuss important locations.
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Students will continue researching different categories of their neighborhood’s identity (history, places, and culture) and will create a digital collage with images that represent their findings.
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Students will present their collages from the day before to classmates. After the presentations, students will get into their small groups and decide on a vision for their artwork using ideas from their neighborhood research and collage. They will begin sketches that represent their idea.
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In their groups, students will create a draft of their bus bench artwork considering what they have learned about neighborhood identity. At the end of the lesson, groups will respectfully give one another feedback using the questions and prompts.
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Students will learn how artists use the grid method to enlarge drawings. Then they will use a scale factor to create a grid for their own artwork as they prepare for their final draft.
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Groups will use their design draft and peer feedback to begin working on their final bus bench artwork. Each group member will contribute to the final design.
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Groups will use their design draft and peer feedback to finish their final draft of the bus bench artwork. Each group member will contribute to the final design.
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Students will work in their groups to submit their artwork to the bus stop bench artwork competition and practice their presentation. They will individually complete a project reflection.
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Each group will present their artwork and will be assigned another group to score and provide feedback on their presentation using a rubric. Each student will also complete a self and peer evaluation to reflect on their contribution to the project.
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Find links to the paper and online versions of the post-survey.
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Content + Standards
Visual Art Standards
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6.VA.Cr1.A Combine concepts collaboratively to generate innovative ideas for creating art.
6.VA.Cr1.B Investigate personally relevant content for creating art.
6.VA.Cr2.A Experiment with new ideas, materials, methods, and approaches in making works of art and design, using course specific craftsmanship.
6.VA.Cr2.B Explain environmental implications of conservation, care, and clean-up of art materials, tools, and equipment.
6.VA.Cr2.C Design or redesign objects, places, or systems that meet the identified needs of diverse users
6.VA.Cr3.A Reflect on and revise personal artwork to convey intended meaning.
6.VA.P2.A Individually or collaboratively, develop a plan to display works of art that includes analyzing the exhibit space, while considering the audience.
6.VA.P3 Explain how an exhibition in a traditional or emerging presentation space reflects the history and values of a community.
6.VA.R1.A Analyze how images and cultural associations influence ideas, emotions, and actions.
6.VA.R1.B Identify and interpret works of art that reveal a variety of world cultures and values.
6.VA.R2.A Interpret art to identify ideas and mood conveyed by determining relevant context and analyzing use of media and subject matter while using appropriate art vocabulary.
6.VA.R3.A Develop and apply relevant criteria to evaluate a work of art.
6.VA.Cn1.A Generate and investigate a collection of ideas that reflect awareness of current interests and concerns through art-making.
6.VA.Cn2.A Analyze how art reflects changing times, traditions, resources, and cultural uses
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7.VA.Cr1.A Apply formal and informal methods to overcome creative blocks.
7.VA.Cr1.B Develop criteria to guide art-making or design to meet an identified goal.
7.VA.Cr2.A Persist in developing skills with various materials, methods, and approaches in creating works of art or design using course specific craftsmanship.
7.VA.Cr2.C Apply visual organizational strategies to design and produce a work of art, design, or media that clearly communicates information or ideas.
7.VA.Cr3.A Reflect on and explain important information about personal artwork in an artist statement or another format.
7.VA.P2.A Based on criteria, analyze and evaluate methods for preparing and presenting art.
7.VA.R1.A Analyze multiple ways that images influence specific audiences.
7.VA.R1.B Explain how presentation methods and environments influence how art is perceived and valued.
7.VA.R2.A Interpret art to identify ideas and mood conveyed by analyzing art-making approaches, relevant context, subject matter, and use of media while using appropriate art vocabulary.
7.VA.Cn1.A Individually or collaboratively create visual documentation of places and times in which people gather to make and experience art or design.
7.VA.Cn2.A Analyze how responses to art are influenced by understanding the time and place in which it was created, the available resources, and cultural uses.
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8.VA.Cr1.A Document early stages of the creative process using traditional or emerging media.
8.VA.Cr1.B Collaboratively investigate an aspect of contemporary life utilizing art and design.
8.VA.Cr2.A Experiment, innovate, and take risks to pursue ideas, forms, and meanings that emerge when making art, using course specific craftsmanship.
8.VA.Cr2.C Select, organize, and design images and words to make visually clear and compelling presentations.
8.VA.Cr3.A Apply relevant criteria to examine, reflect on, and plan revisions for a work of art or design in progress.
8.VA.P2.A Collaboratively prepare and present selected theme-based artwork for display, and formulate exhibition narratives for the viewer.
8.VA.P3.A Analyze why and how an exhibition or collection may influence ideas, beliefs, and experiences.
8.VA.R1.A Compare and contrast contexts and media in which viewers encounter images that influence ideas, emotions, and actions
8.VA.R1.B Explain how aesthetic choices are influenced by visual and material cultures and can impact perceived meaning of artworks.
8.VA.R2.A Interpret art by analyzing how mood and meaning are impacted by the relationship of subject matter, use of media, art-making approaches, and relevant context while using appropriate art vocabulary.
8.VA.Cn1.A Make art collaboratively to reflect on and reinforce positive aspects of group identity.
8.VA.Cn2.A Distinguish different ways art is used to represent, establish, reinforce, and reflect group identity.
Interdisciplinary Connections
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Math standards are used to scale a drawing from a small sketch to a larger size.
7.G.A.1 – Solve problems involving scale drawings of geometric figures, including computing actual lengths and areas from a scale drawing and reproducing a scale drawing at a different scale.
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ELA standards are used to research the neighborhood’s identity and write an artist statement.
6.W.TP.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.
6.W.RBPK.7 Conduct research to answer a question, drawing on multiple sources and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate.
7.W.TP.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.
7.W.RBPK.7 Conduct research to answer a question, drawing on multiple sources and generating additional related, focused questions for further research and investigation.
8.W.TP.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.
8.W.RBPK.7 Conduct research to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on multiple sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.
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Social Studies standards are used to research the neighborhood’s identity, including the history.
SSP.01 Collect data and information from a variety of primary and secondary sources, including: ● Printed materials ● Graphic representations ● Artifacts ● Media and technology sources
SSP.05 Develop historical awareness by: ● Recognizing how and why historical accounts change over time ● Perceiving and presenting past events and issues as they might have been experienced by the people of the time, with historical empathy rather than presentmindedness ● Evaluating how unique circumstances of time and place create context and contribute to action and reaction ● Identifying patterns of continuity and change over time, making connections to the present
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6th Grade
9.1 Architecture & Design: Research a well-known building, such as the Empire State Building. Incorporate information obtained from the research to inform an original design for a structure meant to serve a specific purpose. Create a scaled drawing of the design as well as a 3-D model, attending to appropriate dimensions and scale.
7th Grade
4.1 Design and Sketch Principles: Identify basic design and sketching principles used in the design stage of the innovation process, including orthographic projection, object lines, hidden lines, dimensioning, and scale. Create a scaled and dimensioned, single or multi-view sketch of a product.
8th Grade
4.3 Design Model Concept: Create a scaled model of a design concept. A digital or manual drafting design should be made of this model prior to building or producing the model. For example, create a digital 3-D design of a product and use a 3-D printer to create a physical model of the design. If a 3-D printer is not available, build a model from materials provided in the class.
Other Connections
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The artwork that the students design is for a real world bus stop bench. Students have to draw upon characteristics of their neighborhood to create the artwork. Through the project, students learn how their public art is contributing to their community.
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Students will learn about the following careers and identify how their project relates: graphic designer, artist, and project manager.
Skills
Learning and Innovation Skills (4Cs)
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Articulate thoughts and ideas effectively using oral, written and nonverbal communication skills in a variety of forms and contexts.
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Demonstrate ability to work effectively and respectfully with diverse teams.
Assume shared responsibility for collaborative work, and value the individual contributions made by each team member.
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Create new and worthwhile ideas.
Develop, implement, and communicate new ideas to others effectively.
Demonstrate originality and inventiveness in work and understand the real world limits to adopting new ideas.
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Analyze how parts of a whole interact with each other to produce overall outcomes in complex systems.
Reflect critically on learning experiences and processes.
Solve different kinds of non-familiar problems in both conventional and innovative ways.
SEL Core Competencies / “I Can” Statements
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1B.2 Identifies interaction between personal qualities and interests with academic activities and social opportunities
1B.3 Utilizes interest to gain additional experiences toward mastery of a skill or concept
1C.1 Identifies personal strengths and limitations as they relate to specific activities
1C.2 Applies self-reflection techniques to recognize potential, strengths, and growth areas
1D.1 Identifies areas of school and life that are within personal control
1D.2 Plans and develops an action plan to set and achieve short- and long-term goals
2A.1 Maintains balance during stress, emotional responses, or changing emotions
2B.4 Establishes criteria for evaluating personal and academic success
3A.2 Recognizes multiple points of view or perspectives in a situation
3A.4 Predicts the impact of one’s own behavior on the emotions of others
3B.2 Shares reasons for helping others
3B.3 Identifies roles they have that contribute to their school, home, and community
3B.4 Works collaboratively with peers to complete a job, task, or address a need
3C.2 Recognizes the similarities of different cultures and social groups
4A.1 Practices reflective listening
4A.2 Demonstrates ability to perform different roles in a cooperative group to achieve group goals
5A.4 Explains how honesty, respect, and compassion (empathy) enables one to take the needs of others into account
5B.1 Identifies and applies the steps of systematic decision-making
5B.3 Defines how external influences impact decision-making
Language Acquisition
Academic Vocabulary + Language
Public art, public transportation, identity, sketch, grid method, scale
Language supports/scaffolds for comprehension of content standards
Visual representations of vocabulary words will be provided.
Copyright Information
Copyright Disclaimer
The Design Your Neighborhood curriculum is copyrighted and there are constraints to its use.
Please Do: copy this resource for your personal classroom use only, and post this for students on a password protected class website.
Please Do Not: reproduce or distribute this resource to other colleagues, post this on the internet in any form - including classroom/personal websites, network drives, or other sharing websites (i.e. Amazon Inspire, etc.), or teach this without the Civic Design Center’s notice.