This Black Mountain College Game and Transmedia Website assignment was one of three major projects in Spring 2018 for CI 2010, Narrative and Gaming.

Course taught by Damiana Pyles.
Assignment credit: Paul Wallace, a co-developer and teacher of this course for many semesters.

RL.K.7 With prompting and support, describe the relationship between illustrations and the story in which they appear (e.g., what moment in a story an illustration depicts).RL.1.7 Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.RL.2.7. Explain how specific aspects of a text’s illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the words in a story (e.g., create mood, emphasize aspects of a character or setting). Students in grades K-2 learn about Children's book authors and illustrators. We study various illustrators of Caldecott Award winning and Honor books each year. Students are very familiar with illustrators such as Eric Carle, Chris Van Allsburg, and Dr. Seuss. This lesson introduces students to some lesser known illustrators such as Jean Charlot.Jean Charlot is the illustrator of Margaret Wise Brown's book A Child's Goodnight Book. This book is a Caldecott Honor Book for 1944. Charlot also illustrated The Whipping Boy, ...And Now Miguel and the Timid Ghost to name a few. In the summer of 1944 he was invited to teach at the inaugural Summer Institute. During his time he created two murals, "Inspiration" and "Knowledge" on the pylons of the Studies Building to commemorate the event. Charlot is not the only children's book author to spend time at Black Mountain College. Leo Lionni was part of the 1946 Summer Institiute Faculty and illustrated several Caldecott Honor books such as Frederick, Swimmy, and Inch by Inch. Vera Williams graduated from Black Mountain College and illustrated Caldecott Honor Book More, More, More Said the Baby.In the wrap up of this lesson, students will connect Jean Charlot to these other lesser known illustrators. The teacher will show students other book covers from Leo Lionni and Vera Williams and discuss their connection to Black Mountain College as well. Students will then see pictures and can view a short video about Black Mountain College.    

Creating art from found materials is not a new concept.  Josef Albers, one of the most famous residents and faculty members of Black Mountain College, encouraged his students to create art from scarcity.  This art project is based on the same principals of making something amazing out of something that was discarded or seen as irrelevant.  Grade Level 7/8Lesson name:  Trash to TreasureTimeline:  5 work sessions at 40 MinutesMajor Concept:  Assemblage of assorted materials to create art.Visual Art NCES7.V.2 Apply creative and critical thinking skills to artistic expression. 7.V.3 Create art using a variety of tools, media, and processes, safely and appropriately. 8.V.2 Apply creative and critical thinking skills to artistic expression. 8.V.3 Create art using a variety of tools, media, and processes, safely and appropriately.  8.CX.1 Understand the global, historical, societal, and cultural contexts of the visual arts. Essential QuestionHow can I take found materials to create a complete new piece of artwork?  Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy forNCES CoursesEvaluate:  Students will evaluate the uses of found materials in their personal artwork.Apply:  Students will apply their knowledge of the elements of design when putting together their composition.Create:  Students will create an original piece of art using a variety of tools, media, and processes.Lesson Details and FacilitationAbout a week or more before you plan to teach this lesson, show your students the following videos:  http://safeyoutube.net/w/Uued, http://safeyoutube.net/w/PredOnce you have shown the videos, ask the students to be on the lookout for materials they think might be useful in creating artwork.  Once collection has begun, put the materials into groups for students to look through for inspiration. Assign each student a type of symmetry.  Based on what they are assigned, they will create a composition. They will then glue their found objects into place. While, students are working, they should talk with their table about what looks interesting and get other opinions on their work.  MaterialsAssorted materials (Ex: bottle caps, string, gum wrappers, old jewelry, pencils, buttons, anything you can find that could be repurposed.)Glue, (Hot glue, Modge Podge, white glue, tacky glue)Backing (Cardboard, book board, mat board, pasteboard, wood)VocabularyAssemblage, collage, repurpose, found materials, composition, elements of design, balance, functional fixedness, repetition, emphasis, linear symmetry, asymmetrical, radial symmetryIntegration Cross CurricularIn art class, discuss The Great Depression and how scarcity led to creativity.  Discuss how a place very much like Ashe county became a “Mecca”, so to speak, for artistic ingenuity.  Discuss with students what it might have been like to attend BMC and participate in the community that the college created.  Seventh Grade teachers can discuss the migration of Jewish artists to America and how their influence shaped American art of that time period.Eighth grade teachers can discuss the shortages created by World War 2 that led to the idea Josef Albers had to repurpose found materials for use in art.ResourcesThe Black Mountain Connectionhttps://docs.google.com/document/d/1yyLhjSV599Uph4eKelG5NPpJW6f9pp3KvvjGjxJqmJ8/edit?usp=sharing