Summary
The “Community Cupcakes” lesson takes students who are just beginning to understand the creative processes of art and how to apply them into computer based programs in order to depict their ideas and creations. After a quick review of Pop Art and the works of Andy Warhol, the students were surprised by a guest speaker, a local business woman, who has run her own local cupcake shop for over two years. Students were encouraged to try samples of her delicious cupcakes and were told about each of the ingredients involved. The cupcake shop owner explains that the Computer Art class is being asked to help create a new and inventive cupcake for her store. The class must work in groups of 2 to 3 and design a concept of a cupcake that uses the theme, “Anything and Everything Richmond.” The groups were instructed to create a Pop Art poster design that advertises their cupcake idea and theme. The students must research any aspect of Richmond they feel will give them the upper edge in this cupcake design contest. The final works of art were displayed and voted on by the community in the cupcake shop for two weeks. The winning cupcake was then created and sold in the store for a month. The students got to see their idea/concept develop and become a real product in their community!
TIPC Ratings
Students must research themes that have to deal with Richmond. The class may use any search engine they desire, along with any digital tools that help with their research.
Students are able to choose their own groups and organize roles within the team to help with individual tasks. The groups must communicate their ideas constantly when designing the poster and work together while using the appropriate digital tools.
Students must come up with a Richmond theme based cupcake. The theme needs to be something popular enough so that the community will be interested in their cupcake. The groups must also create this cupcake theme into a Pop Art style poster design and choose which digital programs will best provide for the look that they are going for.
Students have to apply what they have learned about Richmond with what they already know and create an interesting theme that would catch the public’s attention. The students must also put this theme into a Pop Art style poster that will catch any viewer’s eye. The class will create meaningful, original works of art within the assignment parameters to create new cupcake ideas, that eventually turned into real, new products for the cupcake shop.
