Lesson 1: Space: (Positive & Negative)

1. What do we call the "empty" air around our bodies?
2. Can a "hole" be a shape?
3. What happens when we paint around something instead of on it?

Space, Positive Space (The Object), Negative Space (The Background), Overlap, Background.

NCAS: VA:Cr2.1.HS1 (Engage in making a work of art without a pre-conceived plan).

Adaptive Focus: Figure-ground discrimination (the ability to see an object against its background).

Geometry: Understanding area and perimeter.

Reading: Visual tracking (distinguishing letters/words from the white space of a page).

Description: Students place a large "Sticker" or "Template" (Positive Space) in the center of their paper. They paint or sponge-dab the entire background. When they peel the sticker away, the "Negative Space" remains as the colorful background, leaving the white "Positive Space" behind.

Purpose: To help students identify that the "empty" areas of a page are just as important as the "filled" areas.

DOK Level: Level 2 (Skill/Concept) – Students will manipulate the relationship between an object and its surroundings to create a focal point.

Parking: How a car fits into a "parking space" (The car is positive, the spot is negative).

Graphic Design: Looking at the "FedEx" logo or the "Apple" logo and finding the hidden spaces.

Culture: Exploring Notan (Japanese paper cutting) which focuses on the perfect balance of light and dark space.

Thinking that "nothing" is there if it isn't painted.

Confusion between "Shape" and "Space" (Explain that Space is the room a shape lives in).

Visual: Use a light box or backlit table to help students see the "silhouette" (outline) of their shapes more clearly.

Physical: Use Adaptive Stencils with handles or Low-Tack Tape that is easy for students with limited finger strength to peel up.

Communication: Use a "Peek-a-Boo" frame (a cut-out window) to help students isolate specific spaces on their paper.

What Students Will Know: That Space is the "room" around an object and can be used to make shapes.

• What Students Will Do: Successfully "block" a space and paint around it to reveal a hidden silhouette.

• Demonstration of Learning: Given a finished piece, the student will point to the "painted part" (Negative Space) and the "clean part" (Positive Space) when prompted.