Lesson 1: Inner Child- Journal
Duration of Days: 2
Lesson Objective
Students will utilize reflective writing and neuroplasticity (non-dominant hand usage) to access and visualize a specific positive childhood memory.
Why does using your "wrong" hand make you feel more like a child? What does "joy" look like when you aren't worried about being "good" at art?
Inner Child: An individual's childhood feelings and memories, seen as a distinct part of their personality. Non-Dominant Hand: The hand a person does not typically use for writing/tasks.
VA:Cn10.1.HS: Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art.
Sensory Details in Narrative: Identifying "imagery" (sight, sound, smell) to strengthen a narrative—a core component of SAT essay analysis.
Description: Journaling and initial non-dominant sketching. Purpose: Vulnerability and memory retrieval. DOK Level 3: Strategic Thinking (connecting physical sensation to memory).
Neuroscience: The "right-brain/left-brain" theory regarding how the non-dominant hand accesses the more emotional, creative hemisphere.
"This looks like a kindergartner did it." Correction: That is the goal. We are looking for the honesty of a child, not the skill of a high schooler.
For students with motor skill challenges: Focus on "scribble-association"—drawing shapes that represent the feeling of the memory rather than objects.
Formative: Observation of the student's willingness to stay with the non-dominant hand despite frustration.
Art journals, crayons, printer/construction paper.