I’m looking forward to teaching class next week. It’s a great feeling knowing that I can program the entire class. We’re going to start with a chance operation about meaning construction to situate construction of meaning in the reading body. For once I have enough time to take this through the entire process:

clipping text and images
random selection of text and images
juxtaposition of text and images
meaning construction of text and images
sharing interpretations of text and images

looking at digital environments from a perspective of meaning construction
what has meaning
what are we reading

constructing our own meaningful digital environment
image editing
text / font decisions
juxtaposition
location
identity

by the end of the class each student should have a rich media webpage
no, we will not attempt to upload in this class
it will be enough to use NVu to teach the class
I need to do some work in NVu, just to make sure I can do it myself
I think its going to be okay

materials:
colored pens, 9″ x 12″ drawing paper, flip chart, paper, pens
lesson objective:
At the end of this lesson students will have a small expressive drawing demonstrating participation in a blind contour drawing activity.

pre test:
What experience have you had with drawing? How do you see yourself, as a person who draws?
bridge/hook:
Think back to your earliest experience of drawing. Where are you? Did you have a favourite place to draw? Was it your size? Did you have a favourite color? A  collection of crayons? Felt pens? Did you draw the same thing over and over? A favourite subject that pre-occupied you? This might all be taking place before you went to school.
participation:
Pick up the pen in front of you and place it on the paper, tip down, ready to draw. Don’t worry about ink blotches, they are part of the drawing. Close your eyes. Imagine yourself back at that earlier age, in that time when drawing was simply a pleasurable, satisfying activity. Now, still at that age, or close to it, remember your favourite toy. See it in your minds eye with all the detail you can. If you don’t have an image of the toy in your imagination, sense the presence of that toy, what did it feel like? Was it soft, or hard? Did it have wheels or eyes? Remember the toy as fully as you are able.

Pretend you can touch the toy with your pen tip as it rests on the paper. Pretend it is touching the toy and now, moving the pen on the paper, pretend it is tracing the edges of the toy. It doesn’t matter where you start, this is not an outline of the toy. It is simply following the edges of an ear or eye, a wheel or headlight. Keep following the edges of the toy in one continuous line, as if the tip of the pen, on the paper was your fingertip touching the toy, exploring the shape and feel of it. Keep your eyes closed, don’t open your eyes.

post test:
Look at your drawing. Anywhere on the drawing sheet, write down your thoughts and/or feelings evoked as you look at the drawing.

Summary:
Drawing is an important form of expression and communication.

Many people feel resistant to drawing because they think they “can’t draw” or they “aren’t good enough”.

This lesson is designed to encourage you to question your beliefs about your own creativity, creative expression adn how you might use draing in your teaching practice to enrich and enhance learning.