Why don't you submit some quality lesson plans to Incredible Art
Department to show teachers how to do a lesson that gets quality
results, but allows for choice/more creativity?
I am always looking to add new lessons to the site. When I get totally
bored someday, I will rewrite lessons that appear too restrictive.
If you want to see some lessons that are way off the charts - check
Linda Woods sites. She has somewhat structured lessons (teacher
directed) but provides choices within the lessons.
http://www.sjs.org/stories/default.asp?L2=3&newsid=44754
Go to Lower School Gallery. Linda teaches 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6th (6th
is middle school). Weezie Johnston teaches 1st, 4th and 6th.
Those of you designing curriculum now might want to consider leaving
it more open to allow for more choices. Be carefull about making it
too restrictive. Go for essential understanding - big ideas - and
leave it open for students to explore more.
If you really read the National Standards, they are geared MORE to
Choice Art Education - with students selecting subject and materials.
Really read content Standard 1 (I believe that is where it is).
In defense of the rabbit lesson.... If the objective is for students
to draw a rabbit from life - from the rabbit that was brought into the
classroom - then the results will all be a rabbit. Or if the objective
was to draw a fish from life - the students will all draw the fish.
Before you are too critical of lessons you find online, you might want
to consider what the objective may have been?
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