SESSION TWO

Topic: Proportions & Grid Drawing

Warm Up Game:

Game Title: Whit and Watt

Objective:

To successfully pass a message (a nonsense word: "Whit" or "Watt") around the circle while practicing attentive listening, memory, and teamwork. The challenge escalates as a second object with a different word is introduced in the opposite direction.

Requirements:

  • Players: 6 or more (best with 8–15)

  • Time: 10–20 minutes

  • Space: A circle formation where everyone can see and hear each other

  • Equipment:

    • 1 small object (e.g., a ball or eraser) = Whit

    • 1 different object (e.g., pencil or spoon) = Watt

Game Description:

Round 1 – Passing the Whit (Object 1)

  1. Everyone sits in a circle.

  2. The Leader holds the first object and turns to the person on their right (Person A) and says:

    • “This is a Whit.”

  3. Person A replies:

    • “A what?”

  4. The Leader answers clearly:

    • “A Whit.”

  5. Person A then turns to the next person (Person B) and says:

    • “This is a Whit.”

  6. Person B asks:

    • “A what?”

  7. Person A turns back to Leader and asks:

    • “This is a what?”

  8. Leader repeats:

    • “A Whit.”

  9. Person A tells Person B:

    • “A Whit.”

  10. Now Person B repeats the process with Person C. The object and phrase keep moving around the circle.

This "telephone-style" chain continues around the circle, each player asking and confirming the word before passing it on.

Round 2 – Add the Watt (Object 2)

  1. After the Whit has passed a few players, the Leader starts passing a second object in the opposite direction (counter-clockwise) and says:

    • “This is a Watt.”

  2. The Watt object follows the same verbal pattern as the Whit.

  3. Now, two different objects (and words) are being passed simultaneously in opposite directions. Players must listen, remember who they are talking to, and keep track of both “Whit” and “Watt.”

Challenge and Fun:

  • As the objects get closer together, players may be receiving and passing both Whit and Watt at the same time.

  • It gets confusing and funny when players mix up the words or say the wrong thing.

  • The goal is not perfection—it’s engagement, laughter, and mental juggling.

Make Art:

Super Scale: Comic Character Proportions & Grid Drawing: Lesson Plan + Slideshow

Gallery Walk & Reflection:

Setup

  1. Have each student display their final scaled drawing at their table, or tape it to a wall/board.

  2. Space out drawings so students can move freely around the room.

  3. Play soft music or a superhero soundtrack to set the mood.

Instructions (Student-Facing Language)

Say to students:

“Now it’s time to explore each other’s creative work! As you move through the gallery, look closely at the proportions, creative choices, and how grid transfer was used to enlarge the characters. Use your reflection sheet to jot down your thoughts.”

Reflection Questions

1. Accuracy & Math Focus:
Pick one artwork that used math and proportion well.

2. Creativity & Style:
Pick one artwork that showed great creativity.

3. Personal Reflection:
What was challenging about using a grid to scale your drawing?

What’s one thing you learned about the connection between art and math today?

Optional “Gallery Awards”

As a fun closeout:

  • Let students vote for “Best Use of Proportions” and “Most Creative Character”

  • Use sticky notes or tally sheets

Wrap-Up Discussion Questions

End the session by gathering students in a circle or at their seats:

  • “What surprised you about someone else’s work?”

  • “Did you notice different ways students interpreted scale or creativity?”

  • “How did math help us become better artists today?”

Make Art:

Create a painting with the grid system: This is an extension of the grid drawing activity but using acrylic paint.

Gallery Walk & Reflection:

Gallery Walk & Reflection: Super Scale Painted Characters

Purpose:
This gallery walk invites students to:

  • Observe classmates’ paintings with focus and intention

  • Reflect on their own creative and mathematical choices

  • Use academic vocabulary (e.g., ratio, proportion, scale, symmetry, measurement)

  • Make meaningful connections between math concepts and visual expression

Time Allotment:
15–20 minutes total

  • 10 minutes for the walk

  • 5–10 minutes for group reflection

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Setup (2–3 minutes)

  • Have all student paintings of their scaled comic characters displayed on tables, desks, or taped to walls.

  • Ensure each painting is labeled discreetly on the back.

  • Intern/Assistant Task: Help students display their paintings neatly. Remind them to respect and handle the artwork with care if needed.

2. Gallery Walk (10 minutes)

Teacher Directions to Students:

“Walk silently through the room as if you're in an art gallery. Observe how your classmates used grids and proportions to scale their characters, and notice the artistic choices in color, pattern, and composition. Focus on how math helped shape each painting.”

Optional Tool: Provide sticky notes or feedback slips with sentence starters:

  • “I love how your scale stayed consistent across the painting.”

  • “The way you used symmetry makes your character feel powerful.”

  • “Your color choices highlight the proportions really well.”

Intern/Assistant Task: Support reflection by asking:

  • “Where do you see symmetry or balance in this painting?”

  • “How do you think they used math to plan this figure?”

3. Group or Written Reflection (5–10 minutes)

Option A: Partner Discussion
Ask students to pair up and respond to:

  • “What math helped you the most while painting your character?”

  • “Where did you see proportion and scale in someone else's painting?”

  • “How did using a grid help you stay organized while painting?”

Option B: Written Reflection
Students write 3–5 sentences in their sketchbook or on a handout. Prompts:

  • “I learned that painting with a grid helped me…”

  • “Math and art worked together in my painting when…”

  • “I admired a painting because it used ___ and ___ really well.”

Encourage vocabulary such as: scale factor, ratio, symmetry, grid system, proportion, visual balance, enlargement, color emphasis.

Intern/Assistant Task: Help students with writing, organizing ideas, or using key vocabulary.

Clean Up:

Be sure to include all students in the cleanup process—this promotes a sense of ownership and responsibility for both the materials and the classroom. Assign clear roles to each student, such as putting away paper, collecting trash, and checking that all artwork has names written on the back.

Optional activity:

Legos or Magnet Tiles