LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Snap! Crackle! Box!

The student will create a new cereal and design an original box as their final for Art 1. This is a cumulative assignment incorporating the skills and techniques studied and developed throughout the course of the year.

A lesson plan for grades 9–12 Visual Arts Education and English Language Development

By Joan Lansford and Peggy Peck

Learn more

  • Cereal Box Archive This website is very useful and has lots of other cereal box ideas to use. This is a great visual to get an idea of what the project is.

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Related topics

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

  • develop awareness of a marketing issue by applying the art skills learned this semester similar to what a graphic designer would do.
  • demonstrate understanding of his/her selected artist’s style, subject matter, and/or technique by incorporating at least one of these characteristics into the finished product. The artist selected for study was determined earlier in the semester when each student selected an artist from a teacher-generated list and reproduced a painting by that artist.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

5 hours

Materials/resources

For each student, you will need to provide:

  • an empty, unfolded cereal box
  • a piece of white poster board.

For each group, you will need to provide:

  • assorted art materials (i.e., pastels, oil pastels, water colors, acrylics, drawing and colored pencils, erasers, markers, glue, scissors)

You may also want to provide empty cereal boxes for display.

Technology resources

None

Pre-activities

Teacher-led class discussion and graphic organization about cereals in general, including what prompts us to like or dislike particular cereals; i.e., cereal types, flavors, packaging, prizes included, etc. Class discussion could include brainstorming art professions like graphic artists, etc.

Activities

  1. The teacher will introduce to the students the concept of creating a cereal and designing the boxes using the artist they have studied this year.
  2. Distribute empty, unfolded cereal boxes around and give students time to look at as many different boxes as possible during the allotted time.
  3. Distribute manila paper so student can begin to sketch out ideas for cereal and box design. Students must include as much information as they can: front, back, sides, top and bottom; UPC Code; ingredients; company name and logo; etc.
  4. Once concept drawing is approved by teacher, the student gets a piece of white poster board and an unfolded cereal box for tracing. Student traces cereal box and cuts out the shape (die-cut) and begins drawing all artwork with pencil first. When satisfied with art and design, student should choose and use the mediums best-suited to complete the project.
  5. When all artwork is finished, student will fold and hot glue his/her box for a completed presentation and/or display. (Some students like to add styrofoam peanuts to give the illusion of volume and sound.)

Assessment

A rubric entitled “Snap! Crackle! Box!” has been created for this lesson plan and is attached at the bottom of this page. Download and save it, open in a word processing program, and print.

Supplemental information

Modifications

  • move student to the front of the room near teacher
  • visual demonstration by teacher and supported by peer buddy
  • repetition of verbal directions by teacher and/or student

Alternative assessments

Understanding of vocabulary and concepts will be demonstrated in student’s project. The grading rubric will have been distributed to each student; therefore, no alternative is necessary.

Critical vocabulary

die cut, composition, medium, value, symmetry/asymmetry, emphasis

Comments

This lesson plan was developed during the English Language Development Standard Course of Study lesson planning institutes hosted by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and LEARN NC, June and July, 2004. It includes specific strategies, instructional modifications, and alternative assessments which make this lesson accessible to limited English proficient students. Please note that this lesson has been aligned with the goals and objectives of the N.C. English Language Development standards.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

Visual Arts Education (2001)

Grades 9–12 — Visual Arts I

  • Goal 1: The learner will develop critical and creative thinking skills and perceptual awareness necessary for understanding and producing art.
  • Goal 2: The learner will develop skills necessary for understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes.
    • Objective 2.01: Explore and discuss unique properties and potential of art materials.
    • Objective 2.02: Demonstrate techniques and processes for working with each art material.
    • Objective 2.03: Communicate and express ideas through a variety of materials and techniques.
    • Objective 2.04: Evaluate and select materials, techniques and processes to facilitate the creation of artwork.
    • Objective 2.05: Demonstrate the safe and responsible use of tools and materials.
  • Goal 3: The learner will organize the components of a work into a cohesive whole through knowledge of organizational principles of design and art elements.
    • Objective 3.01: Recognize, apply and evaluate the elements of art in an aesthetic composition.
    • Objective 3.02: Recognize, apply and evaluate the design principles used in composition.
    • Objective 3.06: Demonstrate the ability to form and defend judgments about the characteristics and structures to accomplish commercial, personal, communal or other purposes of art.
  • Goal 4: The learner will choose and evaluate a range of subject matter and ideas to communicate intended meaning in artworks.
    • Objective 4.01: Demonstrate the use of life surroundings and personal experiences to express ideas and feelings visually.
    • Objective 4.02: Interpret the environment through art.

English Language Development (2005)

Grades 9–12

  • Goal 1. Listening: The learner will choose and evaluate a range of subject matter and ideas to communicate intended meaning in artworks.
    • Objective IH 1.02: Comprehend most conversational questions on familiar topics spoken at a normal speed.
    • Objective IH 1.03: Understand and follow multiple-step directions on academic topics when spoken at a normal speed with occasional difficulty.
    • Objective IH 1.04: Comprehend academic questions spoken at normal speed with occasional difficulty.
    • Objective IH 1.07: Respond, with occasional difficulty, when participating in group discourse by adapting language and communication behaviors to the situation to accomplish a specific purpose.
  • Goal 3. Reading: The learner will choose and evaluate a range of subject matter and ideas to communicate intended meaning in artworks.
    • Objective IH 3.04: Demonstrate an increased knowledge of academic content vocabulary.
    • Objective IH 3.05: Use vocabulary strategies to discern the meanings of words (e.g., roots, affixes, word maps, context clues).
    • Objective IH 3.06: Interact with text before, during, and after reading.
    • Objective IH 3.10: Use contextual clues to understand and respond to informational text.
    • Objective IH 3.14: Use reference materials (e.g., dictionaries).
  • Goal 2. Speaking: The learner will choose and evaluate a range of subject matter and ideas to communicate intended meaning in artworks.
    • Objective IH 2.01: Use new vocabulary in speech.
    • Objective IH 2.05: Engage, with some guidance, in social conversations and discussions with peers and adults on unfamiliar topics by asking and answering questions and soliciting information.
    • Objective IH 2.06: Respond appropriately when participating in group discourse by adapting language and communication behaviors to the situation to accomplish a specific purpose.
    • Objective IH 2.08: Negotiate meaning by questioning, restating, soliciting information, and paraphrasing.
    • Objective IH 2.10: Paraphrase important information from visual and oral presentations.
  • Goal 4. Writing: The learner will choose and evaluate a range of subject matter and ideas to communicate intended meaning in artworks.
    • Objective IH 4.01: Write using appropriate word choice.
    • Objective IH 4.02: Use a variety of complex sentence styles and varied grammatical conventions (e.g., clauses, variety of verb tenses).
    • Objective IH 4.03: Demonstrate organization by supporting a central idea.
    • Objective IH 4.07: Edit and correct grammatical structures and writing conventions.