Substitute Lesson Plan: Introduction to Digital Art

Resource: Introduction to Digital Art: Basics of Art & Design with Adobe Creative Cloud (Kristen R. Kennedy) — Chapter 1: "The Digital Art Revolution"

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Objective

Students will be able to define what digital art is, describe its evolution, and explain its cultural significance and role in the contemporary art scene, based on Chapter 1 of the textbook.

Materials

• Copies (printed or digital) of Chapter 1: "The Digital Art Revolution," including the sections: What is Digital Art?, Evolution of Digital Art, Cultural Significance of Digital Art, The Creative Process in Digital Art, and The Contemporary Digital Art Scene
• Notebook paper or blank paper for each student
• Pens/pencils
• Whiteboard or chart paper (optional, for listing student ideas)

Warm-up (~5 min)

1. Write the words "Digital Art" on the board.
2. Ask students to jot down on a piece of paper one or two words or phrases they associate with digital art (no wrong answers).
3. Call on 3–4 volunteers to share their words aloud. Write these on the board to create a quick class list.
4. Tell students they will read a chapter that explains what digital art actually is and how it developed.

Main Activity (~25 min)

1. Silent/Guided Reading (12 min): Have students read the following sections of Chapter 1 individually or in pairs:
2. Introduction to Digital Art
3. What is Digital Art?
4. Evolution of Digital Art
5. Cultural Significance of Digital Art
6. The Creative Process in Digital Art
7. The Contemporary Digital Art Scene

1. Section Notes (8 min): As they read, students write one sentence summarizing each of the five sections above (five total sentences) on their paper.

1. Class Discussion (5 min): Bring the class back together. Ask for volunteers to share their one-sentence summaries for each section, in order. Write key points on the board as students share, building a class outline of Chapter 1.

Wrap-up / Exit Ticket (~10 min)

On a half-sheet of paper, have each student answer the following in complete sentences:

1. In your own words, what is digital art?
2. Name one way digital art has evolved over time (based on the reading).
3. Describe one reason digital art is culturally significant.

Collect the exit tickets as students leave.

If Time Remains

Have students revisit their warm-up list of words/phrases about digital art from the beginning of class. Ask them to write a short paragraph (3–4 sentences) comparing their original idea of digital art to what they learned from the chapter's discussion of The Contemporary Digital Art Scene.