The intention of this unit is to have students reflect on what is popular culture and how it influences their choices.

Middle school students are extremely interested in pop culture and developing their identities within it. They gravitate to famous icons, popular brands, and status ranking labels. They are becoming consumers themselves, beginning to have a personal preference over what they want or think is “cool.” They are deeply connected to the world of popular culture. 

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The intention of this unit is to have students reflect on what is popular culture and how it influences their choices. Using the Pop Art movement, students will create artwork that reflects their pop culture identities. Because adolescents “turn to peers, music, and other forms of popular culture to express their identity” (Sickler-Voigt, 2020) students might feel these icons and imagery is a sort of self-portrait. It is a good lesson to open the door to self-reflection and understanding that we are more than just consumers.

• 7.1CR Explore influences on style and choice of subject matter.

• 7.4 CR Consider ethics when interacting with visual resources.

• 7.2 PE Explore materials to design and create works of art.

• 7.4 RE Connect various art forms to their social, cultural, or historical purposes.

• 7.1 CO Analyze how art is used to inform or influence beliefs, values, or behaviors of a community.

• 7.3 CO Explore how personal experiences influence style and choice of subject matter.