South Carolina Assessment Program

Task Details

Telling a Story through Mixed Media

In this task, students will demonstrate the ability to tell a story by creating mixed media artwork with a painted subject and collage background. Students should be familiar with painting and collage techniques; elements of art including organic and geometric shapes, color families, and line qualities; developing a complete setting with an emphasized subject; and incorporating details that tell a story. The task takes place over the course of two class periods.

Targeted Grade Level(s)

  • Lower Elementary

Prompt(s)

  • No prompts

Classroom Piloting Status

  • Piloted

Standard(s)

Content Area Artistic Process Standard
Visual Arts Creating 1. I can use the elements and principles of art to create artwork.

Benchmark(s) and Indicator(s)

Benchmark Indicator
VA.CR.NL.1 - I can name and use some of the elements of art to express ideas. VA.CR.NL.1.1 - I can use some elements of art to communicate a story about a familiar place or object.

Rubric and Sample Student Work

TELLING A STORY
Proficiency Level Description Sample Student Work Justification
Exemplary

Student clearly tells a story in their artwork:

  • Emphasizes a primary subject related to the story
  • Develops a background with a complete setting appropriate for the story
  • Incorporates a variety of details that enhance the story
Exemplary Sample 1

Exemplary Sample 2

Exemplary Sample 1
Title: My Monster Lives at Home, Outside in the Desert
The student's use of many details helped to clearly tell a story about a monster living in the desert, which she described to the visual arts teacher. The desert setting is indicated by the large cactus. The outside of the monster’s house is indicated by the vertical stripes for the front door and windows and by the blocks that represent the front steps of the house. The primary subject (a clown monster) is reading a book, while the smaller figure (her alien brother) visits her house.

Exemplary Sample 2
Title: My Monster Lives in a Dark Creepy Forest
The background of this artwork provides a complete setting; the variety of details and the green papers clearly illustrate the dark forest. The painted monster is clearly visible against the collaged background, with color used to emphasize the subject rather than size. The wide variety of details help to complete and enhance the artwork.
Proficient

Student tells a story in their artwork:

  • Creates a primary subject related to the story
  • Develops a background with a setting appropriate for the story
  • Incorporates details that enhance the story
Proficient Sample 1

Proficient Sample 2

Proficient Sample 1
Title: My Monster Lives in a Castle
The student's subject is emphasized by its size and placement in the artwork. The background shows a castle with a tower. The story was enhanced by the collaged details that were used, (e.g., the monster's features, the person in the window, and the contrasting strips of paper), but the student did not use a variety of details to create a complete setting.

Proficient Sample 2
Title: My Monster Lives in a Galaxy
The background of this artwork is appropriate for the story, with the monster emphasized by its color and placement on the page rather than its size. Although there are not many details on the monster or in the background, the student added sufficient details to provide a general understanding of the setting.
Approaching Proficient

Student sometimes tells a story in their artwork:

  • Creates a subject somewhat related to the story
  • Develops an incomplete background with a setting somewhat related to the story
  • Incorporates some details that enhance the story
Approaching Proficient Sample 1

Approaching Proficient Sample 2

Approaching Proficient Sample 1
Title: My Monster Is Living in the Clouds and Dancing in the Sky
The student's subject is only somewhat related to the story of a dancer. The monster’s dress and standing pose does not convincingly show the idea of dance. The background is incomplete and includes only a few clouds and very few other details.

Approaching Proficient Sample 2
Title: My Monster Lives at Wendy's
The background of this artwork is not complete and has only a few details related to the story (e.g., the W for the Wendy’s logo and the girl with curly hair on the building). The monster also seems incomplete with only horns and a few facial features for details.
Emerging

Student rarely tells a story in their artwork:

  • Creates a subject unrelated to the story
  • Develops an incomplete background with a setting unrelated to the story
  • Incorporates few details that enhance the story
Emerging Sample 1

Emerging Sample 2

Emerging Sample 1
Title: My Monster Lives in a Hole
Neither the background nor the monster tell a story in this artwork. The background is undeveloped and only hints at the hole that the monster lives in. It is difficult to discern the monster from the collage background. Shapes and colors were included, but they do not create recognizable elements that enhance the story.

Emerging Sample 2
Title: My Monster Lives in a House
The background of this artwork is incomplete and contains details that do not enhance the story. Both the house and the monster have very few details.
ELEMENTS AND TECHNIQUES
Proficiency Level Description Sample Student Work Justification
Exemplary

Student always demonstrates purposeful use of elements and techniques:

  • Uses a variety of shapes, colors, and/or lines
  • Demonstrates exceptional neatness and use of space
Exemplary Sample 1

Exemplary Sample 2

Exemplary Sample 1
Title: My Monster Lives in a Tent in the Forest
The student demonstrated intentional use of the elements and principles of art. A wide variety of colors, lines, and shapes (organic and geometric) were included. The monster has many creative details. The student demonstrated use of space, especially regarding the placement of the subject, grass, and tree.

Exemplary Sample 2
Title: My Monster Loves Bugs and Lives in the Park
The student demonstrated purposeful use of the elements and principles of art through the choice and application of collage papers. The colors and shapes selected are varied and aesthetically pleasing. The artwork is very neat, and it demonstrates excellent cutting techniques and use of space.
Proficient

Student mostly demonstrates purposeful use of elements and techniques:

  • Uses shapes, colors, and/or lines
  • Demonstrates neatness and use of space
Proficient Sample 1

Proficient Sample 2

Proficient Sample 1
Title: My Monster Lives Outside on a Swing
The student included some variety of shapes, lines, and colors, which seem to have been selected purposefully (e.g., the brown for the tree trunk and the red that accents the swing). The artwork is very neat. There is empty space on the top of the artwork, and the subject is somewhat small.

Proficient Sample 2
Title: In Fairy Land
The student selected only a few colors, but the colors enhance the viewer’s ability to see the lines and shapes that were included. Although the student filled the space, the artwork lacks neatness.
Approaching Proficient

Student sometimes demonstrates purposeful use of elements and techniques:

  • Uses some shapes, colors, and/or lines
  • Demonstrates some neatness and use of space
Approaching Proficient Sample 1

Approaching Proficient Sample 2

Approaching Proficient Sample 1
Title: My Monster Lives at the Beach
The student chose a variety of colors to indicate the beach. Shapes were also used, but they do not relate to or enhance the story. The artwork does fill the space, but it is very messy with little attention given to placement of objects and details.

Approaching Proficient Sample 2
Title: My Monster Lives in Love Land
The student used some shapes, colors, and lines on the subject. Some neatness was demonstrated in the subject. Although the subject’s placement indicates use of space, the incomplete background is mostly empty.
Emerging

Student rarely demonstrates purposeful use of elements and techniques:

  • Uses few shapes, colors, and/or lines
  • Demonstrates little neatness and use of space
Emerging Sample 1

Emerging Sample 2

Emerging Sample 1
Title: My Monster Lives Outside
Very few shapes and colors were used to create this artwork. The artwork is not neat, and space is poorly used (e.g., part of a small sun is crudely cut for the upper corner, a small monster is placed in the center, and a small section of green at the bottom represents grass). Additionally, the subject is not painted and is only partially colored with crayon.

Emerging Sample 2
Title: My Monster Lives in a Lake
The student demonstrated little purposefulness in using the elements and principles of art to tell a story. Very few shapes, colors, and lines were used, and space was not well-utilized. There is some neatness in the use of the marker to show details of the monster, but it is difficult to distinguish its features.
South Carolina Assessment Program