Tonight, please give yourself an (elegant) art problem to solve!

In other words, follow your Elegant Problem wherever it leads you.

For example, if my elegant problem from my thematic unit is:

Students will illustrate a moment where they felt that what was happening inside didn’t match what was happening outside

Using collaged 2D materials

In order to explore the complexity of human emotion and experience.

Then tonight, I'm going to attempt to find an elegant art solution that illustrates a moment where I felt that way using collaged materials in order to explore/convey a complex emotion/experience.

While you are prototyping:

• Put yourself in the mindset of one of your learners. Try to both see from your point of reference-- that of an experienced artist with a whole toolbox of strategies and skills that you employ (sometimes seemingly automatically, without conscious awareness) when you encounter challenges or the unknown-- AND from the point of reference of someone who is engaging with materials in this way for the very first time.

• Pay extra attention to where you struggle in the process. Notice where you feel overwhelmed, notice where you feel lost or uncertain. Notice the strategies that you use to overcome challenges and discomfort. Make note of these things in your journal.

• You MAY (and likely will!) deviate from your planned path! Follow where the process leads, do not be rigid, if you make prototypes that “fail” try again! Go around the spiral again, and try in a new way having learned from the prior attempt!

• KEEP ALL ARTIFACTS that you make, even “failed” prototypes

• please DOCUMENT EVERYTHING (written notes, photos, video, timelapse, other…?)