High School

Mural concept by Sheboygan North High National Honor Society.

The Essential Question
In what ways can we use art to stimulate collaboration and creative ideas?

Objective
Students will conceptualize and produce a 4 x 14' (1 x 4 m) mural based on feedback from a local elementary school.

Materials
sketchbooks, pencils, erasers, MDF (medium density fiberboard), acrylic paint, brushes, paper towels, gesso, projector, transparency

Procedures
1. Students video conference with clients from a local elementary school to brainstorm ideas for creating a mural.
2. Students break into smaller groups to conceptualize various mural sketches based on input. Students create a PDF of all preliminary sketches and email it to the client (elementary school) for review.
3. Students engage in a second virtual meeting to receive feedback from the client, then consolidate ideas into one final preliminary sketch to present to the client.
4. Students transfer the final mural drawing onto MDF with pencil. Once the drawing portion is complete, they move to painting.
5. Students present the results to the client (in-person or virtually) and receive final feedback.

Assessment
Students engage in weekly discussions about the mural process, artistry, and presentation.

Frank Juárez is an art teacher at Sheboygan North High School in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.