There are several key parts to the lesson plan. There are the administrative items, such as the unit, lesson title and subject area. Then there is the time allotted, the description of the project, the organization of the students and classroom, the curriculum standards, the necessary materials, procedures and outcomes. Completing each part of the lesson plan ensures you will have enough time and resources to teach the material and achieve the desired outcome.
A well-prepared lesson plan will help you teach your students about mosaics and how to make them. To begin, you need to consider the age of the students you are teaching and what you want the teaching outcomes to be. If you are teaching students grades K-5, you might prepare a simple lesson plan using colored paper. Older students might be able to handle a more complicated mosaic project using smooth glass, stone and plaster of Paris.
Gathering your materials is an important part of lesson plan preparation. If you are going to make paper mosaics, gather construction paper, scissors and glue. If you are going to make glass or stone mosaics, pick up pebbles or smooth glass pieces from your gardening or craft store. Plan out how you will arrange the classroom for the project and estimate how long it will take.
A history of mosaics should accompany the craft part of the lesson. Mosaic art is over 4,000 years old and has been used by the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines and Muslims. You can use the mosaic project as a way to teach the students about one specific period in art history, or give a general timeline.
Before you teach the lesson, decide what skills you want the students to gain and how you will evaluate them. If art history is the goal of this lesson plan, you might give a short quiz or ask students to write a paper to accompany their mosaic. If it is solely an art project, you can evaluate students on the level of their craftsmanship. Since art is subjective, it is better to grade on the student's improvement.