AED 489 LESSON PLAN
Your Name: Jennifer Weyandt, Laura Nulf, Michael Cherry
Unit Title: Instant Messages: Stories and the World We Live In
Lesson Title: Neighborhood Boogie-Woogie: Neighborhood Maps Inspired By
Mondrian
Number of Students: 11
Age: 7
This is the 5th lesson of 9 projected lessons in this unit.
I.
UNIT RATIONALE
Everything has a story, from a piece of dust to the hat on your head. Our
group chose the central theme of storytelling to guide us through the semester. All
stories have applications in the real world. They determine how we communicate,
what we communicate, what we revel and what we choose to keep to ourselves.
Stories are everywhere. You see them on T.V., on people’s clothes, scrawled
across brick walls, and in paintings and other works of art. Each medium tells a
story differently. Each person tells a story differently, as well, and communicates
their experiences as they relate to the world around them. Stories are central to
students’ and teachers’ lives no matter what the age. Stories make a good teacher
as much as they make an interesting student. We look forward to using this theme
because it will enable us to learn more about the kids we are working with,
throughout the semester, and as future educators. What are the big stories in a
seven year olds life? Is it sports, celebrities, popularity, family, community,
friends? Through active learning of shared experiences we will work together as a
group to create works of art that express personal narratives in meaningful ways.
Students will learn to see themselves as part of a larger society and world. They
will learn to communicate personal narratives through visual and tactile forms.
II.
LESSON RATIONALE
In this lesson students will explore the work of Piet Mondrian. They will
be looking at his painting Broadway Boogie Woogie (1942-43), while comparing
it to maps in video games like Pac-Man, Sim City, and Super Mario Brothers.
Students will be asked to think about how neighborhood maps resemble mazes, or
the maps found in video games. Using Mondrian’s painting and the games
mentioned above, students will create their own neighborhood maps with cut
paper and sharpies.
III.
LEARNER OUTCOMES
With the teacher’s guidance…


Students will look at the work of Piet Mondrian, discussing how
Mondrian’s painting Broadway Boogie Woogie resembles a map of
New York City or those found in video games like Pac-man.
Students will brainstorm a list of people, places, and things found


IV.
in their own neighborhoods.
Students will create Mondrian inspired maps with sharpies, on grey
granulated paper. Using cut paper (primary colors), the students
will be given the option to paste small squares into their
neighborhood maps to represent houses and cars, or other
buildings.
Students will be able to see the relationship between Mondrian’s
painting, video games, and their own video game inspired maps.
(Think of your neighborhood map like a game or a maze!)
MATERIALS NEEDED FOR LESSON
A. Teacher Materials
1. Grey granulated paper
2. Sharpies
3. Cut paper squares (primary colors)
4. Pencils
5. Erasers
6. Sketchbooks
B. Student Materials
See list above.
V.
LESSON PROCEDURES
A. Starting the Lesson
See lesson sequence.
B. Behavioral Expectations
Students are expected to continue working on their sketchbooks or scratch
paper as class begins. They will remain in their seats as we begin the lesson. They
are expected to listen to instructions carefully as the day’s events are explained.
Students will remain in their seats during any demos and ask questions with their
hands raised. Students will be given appropriate instruction and safety
information regarding the lesson for the day. They are expected to follow these
precautions.
C. Organizer
Students will be informed of the day’s activities at the start of the lesson.
This will allow them to understand the major objectives of the day’s lesson and
what is expected of them by the end of class.
D. Lesson Sequence
Teacher Actions
9:00-9:15 (ALL) Greet students as they
arrive.
Expected Learner Outcomes
9:00-9:15 Students will work in either
their sketchbooks or on scratch paper.
9:15- 9:30 (ALL) Lead students into a
discussion on Mondrian’s Broadway
Boogie-Woogie. It may start with a
simple question such as, “What do you
see?” mondrian’s painting, albeit
rhythmic in its composition, is also an
abstract image of New York City. Other
questions to get the kids going may
include: “Does this picture remind you of
anything?” Compare Mondrian’s painting
to Pac-Man. How are they alike? How
are they different? Does Mondrian’s map
of the city look like a video game or a
board game? After some initial responses
explain the painting in further detail,
pointing to the streets and buildings.
Then ask, “Do you think the video game
(Pac-man) looks like a map or maze?
Show students other examples of maps
from games like Sim City and Super
Mario Brothers? Ask the kids, “If you
were to draw maps of your
neighborhood, what would you put in
these maps? Mention that neighborhood
maps could be like mazes as we move
through streets, sidewalks, and houses.
9:30-10:15 (All) Distribute the materials
to the students. Each student gets one
black marker and one sheet of paper.
Cups of little squares are placed around
the tables. Give students the option to
paste squares into their neighborhood
maps as houses and other buildings.
Refer back to the Mondrian painting, if
needed.
10:15-10:30 Snack. During snack allow
students to discuss their creatures,
paintings, and pots from the previous
week. This will spark student dialog and
reflective thinking about their work.
10:30-10:50 Continue working on maps
or in sketch books. Students could also
continue painting their creatures and pots,
or canvases from the previous week.
10:50-11:00 Clean-up and pick up.
9:15- 9:30 Students will discuss
Mondrian and video games as they relate
to neighborhood maps. The questions to
the left will act as prompts leading the
class into a discussion on maps.
9:30-10:15 Students will make drawings
of their neighborhood maps. They are
encouraged to think about what people,
places, and things will go into their maps.
Encourage them to think of their drawing
like a maze or video game, such as Sim
City or Pac-man. Where are the streets?
Where are the people? Where are the
cars? Etc.
10:15-10:30 Snack
10:30-10:50 Work on maps, clay
creatures/pots, or canvases.
10:50-11:00 Clean-up and pick-up.
VI.
ENDING THE LESSON
The maps will later be used in our final two lessons on superheroes and
comic book cities. Students will be creating their own superhero, and then
collectively building a city. They may refer to their neighborhood maps for
inspiration.
VII.
ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT LEARNING
Teachers will be able to monitor students’ progress through observation
and evaluation of students’ abilities to listen and talk respectfully, engage in
active class discussions and activities, and follow directions.
VIII. REFERENCES TO MATERIALS CONSULTED
Slides of maps and video game maps.
Mondrian’s Broadway Boogie-Woogie.
See pictures below…
Group: Max’s is the blue “Stadium,” Age 7
Griffen, Age 7; Griffen
referred to his as a “maze”
Group: Neighborhood Boogie-Woogie
Jeong Won: Age 7, bird’s eye view