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Chairs, Corduroys, Cottages, & Cars: Exploring the Diversity of Design
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Title:
Chairs, Corduroys, Cottages, & Cars: Exploring the Diversity of Design
Posted by:
Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum
Date:
9/24/2007
Grade Level:
High School
Category:
People's Design Award
Subject Area:
Arts
Language Arts
Lesson Time:
One to two fifty-minute class periods
Introduction:
In this lesson, students will explore the extensive design collection showcased on the People’s Design Award Web site. The People’s Design Award, which is hosted each year by Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum and sponsored by Target, gives the general public an opportunity to nominate and vote for their favorite designs. Students will work in collaborative groups to create theme-based exhibitions highlighting examples from the Web site collection. 
State Standards:
No State Standards available.
National Standards:
Reading
Standard 7. Uses reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret a variety of informational texts
Level III. 1. Uses reading skills and strategies to understand a variety of informational texts (e.g., electronic texts; textbooks; biographical sketches; directions; essays; primary source historical documents, including letters and diaries; print media, including editorials, news stories, periodicals, and magazines; consumer, workplace, and public documents, including catalogs,technical directions, procedures, and bus routes)
Writing
Standard 1. Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process
Level III. 5. Uses content, style, and structure (e.g., formal or informal language, genre, organization) appropriate for specific audiences (e.g., public, private) and purposes (e.g., to entertain, to influence, to inform)
Visual Arts: Artistic Expression & Communication
Standard 1. Understands and applies media, techniques, and processes related to the visual arts

Level III. Benchmark 2. Knows how the qualities and characteristics of art media, techniques, and processes can be used to enhance communication of experiences and ideas 

Arts and Communication
Standard 3. Uses critical and creative thinking in various arts and communication settings
Working With Others
Standard 1. Contributes to the overall effort of a group
Objectives:

Students will:

  • conduct Internet research
  • participate in small-group and large-group discussion
  • analyze, summarize, critique, and evaluate information from varied sources
  • work collaboratively in small groups
  • create and present a theme-based exhibition using resources from the People’s Design Award Web site
  • demonstrate an understanding of the elements of the design process
Resources:
  • “Design Collection” handout (attached)
  • Internet Web sites
Materials:
  • Computer with Internet access
  • Software to create a slideshow (if possible) or drawing materials/poster board
Vocabulary:
Students in this age group should be familiar with all words used.
Procedures:
Building Background
Exploring Collections
The purpose of this activity is to allow students to explore, analyze, and critique varied aspects of a design exhibition.

1. As a class, browse Cooper-Hewitt's online exhibition entitled Looking Forward, Looking Back: Recent Acquisitions in 20th-and 21st-Century Design at https://cooperhewitt.org/EXHIBITIONS/looking_forward/site/.
Ask your students to think about how the objects are categorized, how the objects are described, and how they might have been selected to highlight the exhibition theme.

2. Collect an assortment of thirty to thirty-five everyday objects and place them on a table in the center of your classroom. Divide the class into five groups. Ask each group to create a list of potential categories for the objects. There are no right or wrong ways to categorize the objects; instead, the purpose is to actively engage the students’ critical thinking skills and creativity. Invite each group to share its categories with the entire class.

Steps for Learning
Create Your Own Collection
The purpose of this activity is to help students closely observe, evaluate, and analyze the way objects are categorized to express a specific design theme. They will create their own theme-based collections.
1. Divide the class into small groups and ask them to complete the “Design Collection” handout (attached).

2. Stage a class presentation of each group’s collection. Invite guests, if possible. Host a critique/discussion after the presentations are complete.
Assessment:

Create a class rubric with your students that will help them understand the effectiveness of their design process. Use the following guidelines to help create the rubric.

- How effective was your presentation in highlighting the collection’s theme?

-Rate how well you incorporated text and images into your design collection.
 
-Rate the effectiveness of your group’s brainstorming in generating ideas.

-Rate how effectively you analyzed the information you used to identify your problem.

-Rate the effectiveness of your solution.

-Rate how clearly you communicated the problem you wanted to solve.

-Rate how clearly you communicated your solution.

-Rate your creativity.

-Rate how well your group was able to collaborate.
Enrichment
Extension Activities:
Activity One: Build a New Collection
Have students conduct further research on the People’s Design Award Web site and add items to their theme-based collections or create new theme-based collections.
Activity Two: Exploring Collections Around the Globe
Have students conduct research on museum collections around the globe. Have them compare the different ways items are categorized. Ask the students to share what they learned with their classmates.
Teacher Reflection:
N/A.
Related
Files:
Design Collection handout.doc ("Design Collection" handout)
 
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