street art assignment

History of Street Art and Make Your Own Mural Activity

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About this lesson

For this lesson, students will learn about the history of graffiti and its evolution to street art. Students will learn about the different factors that go into creating a mural by analyzing the art of Ruben Ubiera, and use these to guide their own mural design.

For a more in depth background information on the lesson topics, questions and pointers to help guide class discussions, links to videos to show in class, and lesson worksheets, among other things, download the unit guide below. You can also download an accompany P owerPoint for this lesson below.

Students will be able to…

1. Discuss the history of graffiti and its evolution into Street Art.

2. Analyze a work of art to understand its meaning.

3. Create a design for a mural that demonstrates an understanding of creative problem solving.

Visual Arts

• Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work. (5-6.V.Cr.01)
• Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.  ( 5-6.V.Cr.02)
• Refine and complete artistic work. (5-6.V.Cr.03.a-b)
• Select, analyze and interpret artistic work for presentation. (5-6.V.P.04)
• Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation.(5-6.V.P.05)
• Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work. (5-6.V.P.06)
• Relate artistic ideas and works to societal, cultural and historical contexts to deepen understanding. (5-6.M.Co.11)

English Language Arts

Text Types and Purposes

• Write arguments (e.g., essays, letters to the editor, advocacy speeches) to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. (W.6.1.a-e)

Production and Distribution of Writing

• Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (W.6.4)

Comprehension and Collaboration

• Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 6 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly. (SL.6.1)
• Interpret information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how it contributes to a topic, text, or issue under study. (SL.6.2)

Knowledge of Language

• Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening. (L.6.3)

Extension activities for Visual Arts, ELA, and Science and Technology standards are included below and in the unit guide .

Postgraffism

Computer with internet access

Colored pencils, markers, or crayons

Lesson Procedures

To start this lesson, gauge the classroom on their understanding of graffiti and street art. To do this, ask students if they know what graffiti is. Next, ask if they know what street art is. The goal is to have students understand that the main difference between the two is permission – if the art was sanctioned by someone or not.

It is important to note that the teacher/instructor is not trying to say that graffiti (being the “illegal” one) is bad or not. Rather, by discussing graffiti students will understand its evolution into what is today called street art.

For a more in depth background information on the lesson topics, questions and pointers to help guide class discussions, links to videos and PowerPoints to show in class, and lesson worksheets, among other things, read the unit guide . 

1. Discuss the definition and history of graffiti, then discuss its evolution into street art. Make sure to discuss the definition of “mural.”

2. Show students examples of graffiti and street art and have them compare and contrast.

3. Introduce students to the artist, Ruben Ubiera, and his thoughts on “postgraffism.” To do this, show students the video of his interview .

4. Show students Ruben’s mural “Guerilla” and have them analyze the artwork using the accompanying worksheet.

5. Introduce students to the “Create Your Own Mural” art activity. For this activity, students must design their own mural using an actual wall within their local community. Students will spend time drafting, reviewing, and editing their artwork. Afterwards, students will present their mural to the rest of the class. For more instruction on this activity, including a description and  criteria, refer to the unit guide . 

Extension Activities

5-6.V.R.07- 09 and 5-6.V.Co.10

Shows students an example of graffiti art next to Ruben’s “Guerilla” and have them create a venn diagram to compare and contrast the two images.

Next, have students write down how the artist uses two elements of art in each image.

Lastly, based on responses to the above questions, have students discuss if they do or do not like the graffiti work and Ruben’s work. They must explain their answers.

Shows students an example of graffiti art next to Ruben’s “Guerilla.” Then, have students create a venn diagram to compare and contrast the two images.

Have students write a paragraph summarizing the similarities and differences using the venn diagram they created.

Science/Technology

6.MS-ETS1-1, 6.MS-ETS1-5(MA), and 6.MS-ETS1-6(MA)

Rather than letting students choose their own wall, the teacher provides one wall to all students, allowing everyone to work within the same design problem. The chosen wall should include obstacles the student has to work around, including windows, pipes, vents, etc.

Next, instead of students tracing the printed photo of their wall, have students create a scaled drawing of both the wall and of their mural.

If you follow the unit guide, assessment is conducted regularly throughout the lesson in the form of group discussions and activities.

For alternatives, go to the resources section of the unit guide.  This will take you to a document with a comprehensive list of assessment options. Though they are geared more towards Visual Arts, they can be altered or used for other curriculums, such as ELA and Science/Technology.

Exit slips are also a great strategy for assessment at the end of a lesson. For these slips, have students respond to the following questions:

Write one thing you learned today. Write one question you have about today’s lesson. Did you enjoy the lesson activities?

Art Installations

Designed response, beyond walls.

Copyright 2024, All rights reserved.

How to Implement a Graffiti-Inspired Unit: Week 1

Are you looking for an exciting way to start off your Visual Arts class this year? Bring the study of graffiti to your students! The relevance and intrigue of graffiti art will hook kids immediately. Graffiti-inspired study can build fundamental art skills and knowledge while authentically motivating every student. Structuring a graffiti unit can be a challenge, especially in the early weeks. How do we give students accessible, engaging, and constructive scaffolding assignments? Today we’re publishing two articles laying out all of the specifics. After you finish reading about week one, you can read about week two here .

The Elements of Art and the Elements of Graffiti

The first three elements of art are line, shape, and form. The three elements of graffiti mirror those art elements by manifesting as a “tag,” “throw,” and “piece.”

• Tag A “tag” is a word design using the qualities of line. We cannot color in a tag, it is simply the essence of what develops the next dimensions in the form of a line.
• Throw A “throw” is a letter or word that can be filled in with color or design. The letters in “throw” styles now have shape.
• Piece A “piece” letter or word now has the illusion of form. Various forms of perspective create perceptions of height, length, and width. Overlapping letters create depth in space. Color theory is applied in numerous schemes, including gradation, to further enhance references to form.

Since these elements parallel one another, we should allow students to experiment with them in their progressive order.

Exercise 1: Tag Letters

On the first day of the unit, get students to design letters. Begin by experimenting with “tag” letters that will give students practice manipulating line. Each student will need a dry-erase board, a dry-erase marker, and a rag for an eraser. If you do not have a set like this, cut paper in half and give students a few pieces each. As the instructor, you will be at the front board demonstrating and drawing with your students. Draw a rectangle at the front of the room in proportion to the surface students will be using.

Draw the X and Y axis on your surface to break the space into four boxes. In each box, you will ask students to do different designs. You will also do a demonstration drawing for each design. Students can use their initials to start, or any two letters of their choosing.

In each box, give them a way to design their initials.

• In the first box, explain they are creating “tag” letters. Ask students to stretch one letter to touch the top and bottom of the box with the second letter being smaller.
• In the second box, have students stack one letter on top of the other.
• In the third box, ask students to twist and curve their letters in uncomfortable ways.
• In the fourth box, ask students to make each letter touch all four edges of the box.

By giving them different challenges, students are breaking habits in their mind and creating new ways to design. After filling up each box, have students wipe their boards clean, and draw four new boxes.

Exercise 2: Throw Letters

After a run or two of “tag” letters, have students move into the “throw” design. Students can continue to use their initials or any two letters of their choice.

• In the first box, simply show students how to start with “tag” letters and to expand into a letter that has shape.
• In the next box, have students draw one letter tall and one letter small.

Continue this idea in the remaining boxes. Twist letters. Stack letters. Make letters connect to each side of the box. Really force students have to leave their comfort zones. Once they have had some practice, have students overlap letters. Ask students to add new letters and try to overlap three and four letters in one box. When students are finished quickly with any one box challenge, invite them to create designs, images, and patterns inside their letters. All of these actions will help develop their letter designing ideas for graffiti-inspired work.

Exercise 3: Piece Letters

On the second and third days, draw in the four boxes on their boards and begin perspective. One-point perspective is a common way to start. Have each student design the same letter as you are demonstrating on the board. Begin with letters that are not round, like capital “L” and “N”. Draw an arrow to show students which direction you will be extending each letter to create the third dimension. As you demonstrate each letter, circulate your room and help students who are struggling. When quicker students are finished, challenge them to incorporate a new letter in the box with perspective. They can also experiment with adding designs inside the letters. Gradually increase to two letters in each box while adding perspective.

The last activity to do on the dry erase boards is to allow students to design a word using various strategies. Instead of four boxes, have students divide their surfaces into two halves by drawing one line. Give students five to ten minutes to design a word in each box. These words need to incorporate overlap, perspective, designs inside, or unusual letter design. Do not let students use tag letters simply because the artistic conventions applied to them are limited. Students can write tag letters within letters or words, but make sure students are focusing on the shape and form illusions that have been practiced.

Once students have had a chance to design, have some volunteers hold up their boards to show their peers. Make sure you reinforce the notion that sharing ideas and designs can influence and inspire others. One person’s design can spark a new idea for another person’s work. Sometimes each student table can show off their work to the whole room one table at a time to ensure a culture of peer review begins early. After spending three or four days drawing and designing letters, students are ready to incorporate color. To see the progression of this unit, check out week two here .

Drawing is a common way to begin a Visual Arts class. Instead of drawing things we see, such as hands or fruit, why not have students practice drawing what they do not see but may be familiar with. By manipulating letters, students are practicing hand-eye coordination, developing confidence, and starting to find excitement in the act of drawing.

Letters have a certain low-risk association because they are used by students every day. By starting the year in graffiti-related study, students who have the most anxiety toward art can find success and purpose from the moment school begins. Graffiti-inspired study can be brief and simple, or it can be months of complex composition creation. Either way, starting off the school year by using graffiti to work on drawing and color theory is a dynamic way to enhance fundamental art skills and concepts.

What questions do you have about how to begin a graffiti-inspired game plan?

What ways do you start off your school year to hook students from day one?

Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.

Matt Christenson

Matt Christenson, a high school art educator, is a former AOEU Writer. He strives to cultivate maximum creative potential in all students through visual art and mural design.

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• B2 graded reading

Graffiti and street art (B2)

Vandalism or contemporary art? Find out more about where street art has come from and where it might be heading.

Instructions

Do the preparation exercise first and then read the article. If you find it too difficult, try one of the lower levels. After reading, do the exercises to check your understanding.

Preparation

Before you read the story, do this exercise. It will help you to understand some of the more difficult words.

A long history

People have been painting and writing on walls throughout history. In prehistoric times, people in Africa and Europe used to paint pictures of animals and people in caves. Graffiti has been found on buildings at ancient sites in Greece, Italy, Syria and Iraq. In the Roman town of Pompeii, archaeologists have found numerous examples of graffiti written in Latin. These include religious, political and romantic messages, and even some magic spells!

Modern times

In the late twentieth century, graffiti and street art became an international phenomenon. In the 1970s, young people in New York used pens to write their names, or 'tags', on walls around the city. One of the first 'taggers' was Demetrius, a teenager from a Greek family. Demetrius's tag was TAKI 183. TAKI was his nickname and 183 was the number of the street he lived on – 183rd Street. At first, he wrote his tag on walls in his neighbourhood. Then he started tagging in subway stations on the way to and from school. When the subway train stopped at a station, he would jump off, write his tag on the wall and then jump back on before the doors closed. Other teenagers noticed Demetrius's tag and started to write their own. Soon, New York's walls, buses and subway trains were covered with tags: Barbara 62, Joe 182 ... Later on, some teenagers started writing tags with aerosol paints. Their tags were bigger, more colourful and took more time and imagination than the simple, pen-written tags. The trend spread and from the 1970s, aerosol paint graffiti became a common sight on trains, buses and walls in cities around the world. In the 1990s, graffiti continued but there was also an explosion in street art around the world. Some artists wanted to make political points and produced art that tried to make people think about war, inequality and discrimination. Other street artists were more concerned with producing beautiful, attractive work. In South America, many street artists went to work in poor areas adding colour, life and beauty to grey, city walls.

Art or vandalism?

Is graffiti art or vandalism? This depends on your point of view, but in many countries, writing or painting on public or private property is considered vandalism. Many street artists have been stopped by the police and some have had to pay fines. Many city councils complain about the high cost of cleaning graffiti off buildings, buses and trains. In some areas, councils have tried to encourage artists not to paint randomly on walls by allowing them to work in designated areas. Taiwan is one such place and there are 'graffiti zones' where artists are free to paint and write on walls. In São Paulo in Brazil, the city council has even allowed some graffiti artists to paint on the city's subway trains. And what does the art world think of graffiti and street art? Recently, there has been a growing recognition of its value as an art form. There have been major exhibitions of street art in galleries in Paris, London and Los Angeles. The American artist Elura Emerald organised a street art exhibition at a New York gallery in 2008. She defended street artists, saying 'artists who paint on the street are merely expressing themselves, not hurting anyone. They should be appreciated and celebrated'.

Who are the artists?

Most street artists are anonymous, but others have become globally famous. Here are three stars of the street art world:

• Os Gêmeos are identical twin brothers from São Paulo. They paint everything from tags to huge, colourful pictures of people on the sides of buildings. Their work is often so big that they need cranes to help them work. In 2007, they covered the whole of a castle in Scotland with paint.
• Blek le Rat started out painting rats on the walls of his home city, Paris. Nowadays, he tries to make people think about different social issues and problems. He paints pictures of homeless people in big cities to encourage residents to think about the problem of homelessness.
• Faith47 is from Cape Town in South Africa. She paints big, colourful pictures of people and animals and likes to explore different locations. Her work is found on pavements, in empty factories and on abandoned cars. She likes the fact that most street art is temporary and will soon be removed by weather or cleaners from the city council. For her, this reflects how life is full of change with its cycle of endings and new beginnings.

Street art and the global village

It is impossible to know how street art will develop in the future but certain trends are emerging. While most street artists are young people who paint in their city or neighbourhood, more and more street artists are travelling and working around the globe. Other artists are using the internet to talk to each other and share photos of their work. Also, the art world is giving more recognition to street art as a legitimate art form. Although we don't know what will happen to street art in the future, we can be sure that it is here to stay!

Robin Newton

Check your understanding: true or false

Check your understanding: gap fill, worksheets and downloads.

What do you think about graffiti and street art? Do you think is it vandalism or contemporary art?

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