Elements of Story Team with Illustration by Linda

Common Core standards
ELA Writing Standards 6-12 Text Types and Purposes--3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.
Production and Distribution of Writing--4.  Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.

ART Standards--1:Creating, performing, and participating in the Arts.
4: Understanding the cultural contributions of the arts--specifically communication through art.

The writing and illustration processes mirror each other in their creation of story and image:
                            Writing                                                  Illustration
1.  Brainstorm all and any ideas.                            1.  Thumbnail sketches of all and any ideas.
2.  Select idea and map supporting details.            2.  Select idea/s and develop preliminary sketches.
3.  Create a rough draft.                                        3.  Use elements of art to develop visual specifics.
4.  Edit and re-write.                                             4.  Evaluate "look", add/delete details, media, etc.
5.  Finished work.                                                 5.  Finished work/s.

In the following lesson example I have included aspects of the 21st century college and career readiness skills.  Students work in groups as individuals and as contributing members of the group.  Students use elements of ELA and Art to create a written and visual story.

Create a Monster World

Each student creates a monster and environment for his/her monster that visually connects to the environments of the group members when all the pictures are put next to each other.  Each student creates a visual character card that depicts the monster and lists the monster's characteristics: gender, family, home, abilities, what it eats, what it likes/dislikes, etc.  As a group, students create a written story that includes the monsters of each member of the group and the events and interaction between the monsters.  Story must include: characters, setting, plot, theme, conflict/resolution.  Each student hands in their preliminary drawings and writings, their character cards, and environments to be graded independently.  The success of the group is also evaluated both through the process and with the finished products.

Materials:  Flocabulary on the internet, all and any art media the teacher wants to provide, handouts to facilitate both the writing and drawing elements, description of the project with clearly identified requirements.

Introduction:  The project idea is introduced and students discuss elements of story and view the "Flocabulary: Elements of Story" video/rap.

Procedure:  1. Students are broken into small groups.  2. Students receive the project handout describing the requirements for both the visual and written pieces, a worksheet handout for the elements of story, drawing paper to work out the visual aspects.  3. Students work in their groups and independently on all aspects of the project.  Teacher facilitates, encourages, edits, critiques, etc.

Closure:  Students read their individual character cards to the class.  Students read the group created story aloud to the class.  Students present the visual environments they created and display them with each character card on the walls of school.

Minecraft Lesson By: Crystal

My  goal as an Art Teacher is to not only fulfill my art curriculum and link to the Common Core but also to engage students in ways that are interesting to the student. One of the hottest and trendiest activities in today's world are video games. Many educators overlook video games as an  waste of time or a waste of brain cells. I disagree! Successful and valued teachers have always used games to teach. The fact that games are now on the computer are just a bonus. The focus of this lesson is one of the most popular and most creative games currently being played by many of our students: Minecraft. No, it really isn't MinD Craft, it is MinEcraft. Unlike most video game worlds which are created by artists this world allows the user to create their own buildings, landscapes, landmarks,