Part 1: 

I chose to look at Urban Omnibus: Geologic City to explore contemporary art concepts.

The first thing that struck me was participatory art.  The Omnibus article says that “they will design a printed field guide to complement the website that will invite and inform people to explore the city’s geology themselves.”  This invites people to construct their own meaning through walking around NYC with a field guide showing them different examples of these geological creations that have become a part of the city.  The idea that one can take a new sort of tour of NYC is interesting, and could be a new idea even for seasoned New Yorkers.  People can walk around, look at the limestone and sandstone that make up many buildings in NYC, and discover what that means to them in their own lives today.

The idea of remix came into play when viewing the rockslide at Inwood Hill Park.  This idea struck me because I wanted to “talk back” about this image where nature has overtaken human desire to consume and build on natural land.  The article says:

“By “using” the geoarchitecture afforded by these stairs, New Yorkers today accept an invitation to make direct contact with the geology of the City. The stairs politely suggest that we break from the predetermined route of the sidewalk and head up and onto the open space of bare geologic materiality. What happens next is up to us.”  This

This seems like a great opportunity to use “creative resistance” as defined in our assignment.  Remix allows us to reexamine this natural landscape as a picnic spot, relaxation hangout, or just a way to take in nature.

The out of commission garbage cranes in another picture reminded me of Hybridity from Gude’s text on new contemporary education materials.  She talks about hybridity as “routinely create sculptural installations utilizing new media” and these garbage cranes reminded me of a sculptural installation.  They almost look like letters formed from the cranes themselves trying to give us a message in the shape that the machines lay in.

Richmond Terrace is an area that was abandoned due to extremely high levels of Uranium.  Although still in the initial stages of assessment for danger, no one lives here, nor can they live here.  This directly related to Olivie Gude’s article on Art Culture and Curriculum where she discusses attentive living.  By viewing this installation of the Geologic City one can see and area of land that needs attention, and could have brought great harm to many people if not attended to.  “The contemporary study of nature also leads almost inevitably to consideration of the ways in which human societies impinge upon and potentially threaten the natural environment.”  By viewing these pictures of Richmond Terrace and surrounding areas, we can become more aware of our impact on the land, and what harm can come when that impact is too grand.

The Geologic City project is set to explore many more aspects of NYC over the coming years.  “We want to invent ways to communicate visually how New York’s geologic materials and meanings flow and transform across worlds that have been and worlds yet to come.”  This quote from the article makes me think of collaboration.  This interested group of people making this project need collaboration and support to continue their research.  People need to care, and get involved in order for the Geologic City to continue.

Part 2:

I teach a lesson to sixth graders about contemporary artist Sandra Silberzweig.  She has a condition called synesthesia defined as: the production of a sense impression relating to one sense or part of the body by stimulation of another sense or part of the body.  She describes it as a super sense in terms of color, pattern, and texture.  She claims she can see colors more vividly and they speak to her.  Students really enjoy viewing her art and talking about synesthesia.  They also enjoy discussing how this could affect your life as an artist.

Sandra says she can:

“Taste the color black > Feel the chill of the green wind > Smell blue butterflies > Hear the yellow rain > Life is never boring when inspiration is always around.”

“When you are a synesthesia goddess…your day dreams are always in color..I AM A ARTIST. I paint what I feel–not what I see.. Art is Healing..Healing is an Art”

Sandra’s art uses Semiotics.  Her symbols mean something to her, and can mean something different to viewers.  My students often see different images such as in her hair, some students see fish chasing food while others see fish moving in a river toward their eggs.  These symbols all have different meaning to the viewer.

Sandra also uses both subjectivity and autobiography.  Her images show scenes from her own life and what those scenes mean to her.  Her own memories and experiences are portrayed through her art, color, pattern, and movement.

In the article Principles of Possibility, Olivia Gude talks about “Forming self”.  I think that studying artists like Silberzweig show students that they can add their own ideas to their art, even in a structured lesson.  They can use symbols, color, and shape to create an individualized piece that means something to them.  It may relate to their culture, family, home, or other interests.  This is very hard to do with students because they often do not know how to draw what they are feeling or thinking.  Looking at artwork can help them see what other artists have done to express themselves.

“Public pedagogy is cultural practice that produces influential social narratives”  I think Sandra is achieving this in letting people know she is different, and to be different is amazing.  Her art comes from her difference and she is proud to show it, and let others know difference matters, and can shape who you are in a positive way.

Resources:

https://sandra-silberzweig.pixels.com/index.html?tab=about

https://twitter.com/silberzweig?lang=en

Wexler, A. (2007). Museum culture and the inequities of display and representation. Visual Arts Research, 33, 1, 25–33

Gude, O. (2007). Principles of Possibility: Considerations for a 21st-Century Art & Culture Curriculum. Art Education, 60(1), 6-17.

Gude, O. (2004). Postmodern principles: In search of a 21st century art education, Art Education, 57(1), 6-14.

Parts 1 and 2:

In my house, I am using the metaphor that I am bringing nature into my home with decorations, and furniture.  I am drawn to natural elements such as wood, wool, natural fibers, glass, neutral colors and plants when decoration my home.  These natural elements make me feel connected with the outside world, in an environment where I spend 60% of the year indoors.  This connection to nature expresses my feelings of wanting to be outside in a climate where this is not feasible most of the winter.  My natural elements make me feel like I am living in a more natural world, and I am enjoying nature turned into art.

Andrea Zittle talks about her own experience;

“When I drive down the street in my neighborhood, every single person’s yard is landscaped to represent some fantasy of where they live, whether it be an alpine fantasy or a tropical fantasy or a desert fantasy. And they’re all these totally separate little universes or environments that are completely honed in. ”

I have made my house a natural fantasy.  I am representing nature indoors to bring my comfort and peace in design ideas.  We all have our own styles and they can represent whatever is meaningful to us.

Greg Klaussen makes these tables that are supposed to look like a river is running through a topographic landscape.  He says; “I try to marry the natural beauty of the wood with the skilled craftsmanship of the maker. When the two come together, a piece can really sing!”

This table will be called “Look Out Below”.  This table makes me think of my experiences sitting around a table.  The most common is the dinner table (where I am currently working) and this is a place of gathering together to discuss important things, eat meals, do homework, make art, and just sit and have coffee with a friend.  Look Out Below table can be viewed as a piece of art all on its own, or it can be piled full of stuff to change its appearance.  Kids homework on top of the river can float away, or lead further down the river to represent completion.  Meals can be served around the water, in the water or both.

In the case of the circle table, everyone can sit on the floor and be all around this open blue pool of nature.  There is no one in a power position, and no one who is above or below anyone else.  This table is representing nature and equality.  It looks low enough to the ground that a pillow can be used as a chair, or even just sitting on the floor would work.

Part 3: 

After viewing the encounters in Judy Chicago’s Dinner Party exploration, I was drawn to a few things that could relate back to my classroom and instruction.  Encounter 2 talks about asking students who would you invite to the table and why.  I think this would be an interesting lesson for older students to explore who they think would deserve to be remembered in a women’s art piece and why.

In Encounter 5 we could discuss how women are depicted in art and throughout art history.  This could lead to a project on “women in art” and what that role means to each individual student.

In Encounter 11 we could discuss the symbolism used in the dinner party, and why certain things were chosen to represent feminism or lack thereof.  Students could create their own symbolism to express an injustice they feel in their own life, and place other images around the symbol to give it deeper meaning.

In Suzanne Lacy’s map of her dinner parties all over the world, she is expressing a totally different kind of “table”.  She is using a map as an international table to tell the same story from multiple perspectives.  This would be an interesting project for students to experiment with as well.  They could host an international event that showcased an issue, and post a map drawing about where the participants were from.

All of these “tables”  are significant because they are bringing to light issues that are important.  Students can transfer this meaning into their own table to highlight an issue that is important to them.

Resources:

https://art2https://judychicago.arted.psu.edu/14-encounters/1.org/

read/andrea-zittel-pocket-property/

https://www.boredpanda.com/furniture-design-river-lake-tables-greg-klassen/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic

http://www.suzannelacy.com/feast-radical-hospitality-in-contemporary-art/

Two things that really stood out to my in this exploration were the 4 B’s defined by Linda Stein , and the Dangers of the single story by C.N. Adichi.  The culmination of all these mini-explorations had a lot of personal meaning for me, and for my teaching.

As a teacher you can never consider a single story like Adichi talks about in her video.  People assumed things about her based on her gender, skin color, and accent, and these things were generally wrong.  Teachers can not assume that all students are alike, or have the same wants and needs.  We must be constantly open and aware of all the little individuals around us.  As an art teacher, I have the pleasure of allowing each student to express themselves in a creative way each day.  I strive to be a teacher that treats all students differently, according to different needs.

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The assignment “Justice” led me to watch the video My Name is Ruth Gruber.  This was a new perspective on feminism and the growth of women through history.  I had never heard of her, and I found a lot of power and strength in her story.  She definitely shaped many young women’s lives and empowered them to do great things.

I read Lance’s post for the justice blog, and it was very similar in theme to the Gruber story.  Both were people fighting to rid-injustices; Altmann’s personal loss and Gruber’s collective embarrassment over the entire situation.  Both people stood up for themselves and battled against injustice.

As a teacher I battle injustice all day every day.  Whether it be making students aware of another’s perspective, or separating two students who cannot work well together.  Justice is something I strive to achieve in my classroom .

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The assignment “Upstander” reminded me of a personal teaching experience I had with a young trans student who was struggling in school and at home.  I wrote my inkelwriter story based on my Jane/Jacob encounter at my own school.

I read Elenor’s post about being an upstander and she talks about a boy that was a bystander to her bullying as a child.  She said he was a loyal friend, but he did not stand up for her because he was trying to remain macho to the other kids.  This reminded me of my story, and the story of so many men who cannot show emotion or empathy, because of fear of emasculation.  I am a woman, so I don’t fully understand this feeling, but I am sure that it is not easy bowing down to the standards of society for men or women.

In my classroom I try to show equal amounts of men and women artists, and showcase their talents, and their kwirks.  I often discuss with students how the artist may have felt in today’s society.  Would they fit it?  Would they be successful?  Would their societal/gender roles play a part in the art that they created?

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The assignment “Empower” was inspired by cultural differences and misunderstandings that may lead to social injustice.  One of my teacher’s today was giving a lecture on how our idioms in the English language can be extremely confusing for a new english language learner to understand.  I stood in the hallway and listened as she shared the example “Don’t beat a dead horse”  She was trying to explain to students that an english language learner has a very hard time with idioms in our language.  My story was along the same lines, my characters did not understand Fife, and his customs or culture.  Some were more understanding than others.

I read Shelby’s blog about empowerment and this assignment meant something completely different to her than it did to me.  She struggled through a divorce and empowered herself through friendship and support to become a new version of herself.  I thought this was very empowering to hear her point of view, and her overcoming of adversity.

Empowerment is huge in the art classroom.  I want to empower each and every student with feelings of self worth, and success.  Even if they are terrible in math, science, social studies, and writing; they can be successful in my classroom.  Even something not beautiful can be art, and can be personally meaningful.

These lessons are all so important.  Incorporating the 4 B’s into my classroom was easy and meaningful.  I will not be a bystander in most situations, and I will be a brave upstander, and encourage my students to be brave upstanders for others in society, especially those less fortunate in this world.  If we can teach that to our children and students, maybe the next generation can be one that doesn’t grow up with bullying as the norm.  We have a spartan pride club at school, and I would love to encorporate the 4 B’s into our positive messages we spread throughout the school.

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Resources:

http://evoyvodich.wixsite.com/eportfolio/blog

https://sites.psu.edu/lancerautzhan/

https://sites.psu.edu/sbackus/

https://sites.psu.edu/eleslie/

As I viewed the H2F2 essays and art, I thought of the power of one person over another, and how that power can be used for good or evil.  The powerful people during the holocaust were mostly evil, and mostly used their power to hurt other people, but what if we flipped the script, and the powerful people helped the less fortunate.  Molly acts as the brave upstander, Fife the bullied, and Braiden the Bully.

As February is coming to an end, I am focusing my school lessons on Dr. Seuss, and I have been drawing a lot of Seuss characters.  So my inspiration for this week’s post came as the character “Fife” a made up alien, inspired by all my Seuss drawings.  Fife is an alien in a new school who has very strong feelings about the new class project he is working on with Molly and Braiden.  Molly is understanding and helpful, Braiden is not.  The assignment is to make a box that an egg can survive during a forty foot drop.   As the story unfolds Fife wants to protect his egg because on his planet, eggs are pets.  This concept mirrors cultures that come to another country and have different ideas than their peers.  We can be understanding and helpful, or we can be resistant and use our power for evil, making an outsider feel strange or misunderstood.

Gloria Steinem writes:

“The good news about being human is that we’re adaptable;
therefore the species survives. The bad news
about being human is that we’re adaptable;
therefore violence and unfairness can be
normalized and make us fearful that helping a
victim will make us a victim, too. Yet, unless we
have been too traumatized by violence or shame
or humiliation, there is always an ability inside
each of us to identify with others. That’s why the
human race survives.”

Resources:

Steniem, Gloria. (2016) Holocaust Heros: Fierce Females.  Philadelphia, PA Old City Publishing Inc.

This weeks lessons were very interesting.  Hearing the perspective of a male who was in the midst of the feminist movement was very interesting.  I am sure he has some gendered opinions on this superbowl sunday.  I found his views on feminism some that I have never heard before.  For example, he spoke of women starting the sufferage movement, and asking men’s permission to do so.  Also he stated that women need to know their history or we are doomed to repeat it.

The inkelwriter and twine stories were entertaining, sad, and thought provoking.  I have never heard someones intimate details in coming out to their parents, and I can’t image my reaction to my own children’s announcements as they grow up.  These stories reminded me of a student in my daughter’s class who is struggling with gender identity.  I chose to write my interactive story inspired by her struggle.  However, I has some serious problems with inkelwriter.  I could not save my work because every time I signed in, I was signed out due to inactivity (even after 30 seconds).  I eventually ended up screenshoting my work and posting it in a word document, because it would not save.  I believe I got most of my story saved below.  I would have loved to use inkelwriter more successfully, and introduced it to my students, but I do not think I will do that based on the trouble I had.

Brave Upstander-pq1wxz

Hello.  My name is Elizabeth Leslie.  I am currently teaching art education at an elementary center in NEPA.  I teach grades k-6, and I have about seven years experience teaching in a variety of settings, charter schools, catholic schools, substituting, and art studio lessons.  This is my second year in my current position.

I have chosen to talk about Facebook as a Public Pedagogy. I use Facebook in a variety of ways as an educator.  One way is through a private group of art teachers that share lesson plans, and tips and tricks specifically designed for the art room.  These forums are helpful and professional in nature, which is in stark contrast to how most people I know use Facebook.  The idea of Facebook (that I have gathered from observation) is to show the world your dream life.  As I was reading Hooks description of his high school art project, I was thinking of how people portray their “dream self” on their page.  Hooks talks about his assignment to create a “dream house” in his class, and how he felt like he had no realistic parameters such as a budget to tie him down during this exploration.  He felt free to create his own story through this artistic exploration.

People portray a picture of their life on Facebook that is mostly false (in my opinion).  No one is posting horrible pictures, and tragic stories (unless they need them for their go fund me page) about their days.  Most people are posting family outings, selfies with filters to make themselves look better, trips, beautiful scenery, etc.  This public forum is so fake, and as we listened to Chimamanda Adichie speak in her Ted talk on the dangers of a single story, we are giving those people around us an idea of ourselves in a single story.  For example, a “friend” of mine posts her entire day online.  Everything is happy, shiny, and perfect in her life online.  She is presenting a single story to the world about her life.  I am quite sure that she has ups and downs throughout the day just as the rest of us do.  But this picture she is portraying online is one of a perfect existence.  No one can live up to this standard of perfection, and no one should have to look at this and compare their own life to someone else’s.

I think Facebook could be a great place for educators to come together and share information with each other, if only we could do it in a more honest way.  We could portray the kinds of days that we really have at school, good, bad, and ugly, and really help each other through these experiences that we have.  I think the future of groups and forums on Facebook will be very beneficial to teachers and educators all over the world.

Resources:

Adichie, C. N. (2009). The danger of a single story. TEDGlobal [18:49 video]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story?language=en

Read hooks, b. (1995). Black Vernacular: Architecture as cultural practice. In Art on my mind: Visual politics (145-151). New York: The New Press.

Unit Plan On Diversity in Children’s Literature

Grades K-6

Grade-Kindergarten

Book: The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

Objective: Students will be able to understand the Snowy Day story and create their own snowy day picture using paint and oil pastels.

Procedure: Teacher will introduce story and talk about the feelings that the first snow gives you.  Teacher will talk about how students can create a snowy landscape and add texture to the snow with oil pastel.

Materials: Construction paper, paint, brushes, book; The Snowy Day, oil pastels

Significance to course:  The main character of this story is a small black boy alone outside.  He is one of the only characters, and he gets to go on this journey of the senses by himself.  He is in awe of nature and his surroundings.  Students get to see a main character that is black, and is independent.  This is a unique view for students who may be in a world where they are controlled by adults, and rarely see anyone as a main character outside their racial background.

Summary/Reviews: “The Snowy Day” won the Caldecott Medal. It’s a simple story: Peter wakes up, puts on a red snowsuit and plays in the snow, making tracks and snow angels and sliding down a “mountain” of snow. He puts a snowball in his pocket and is sad when, after his bath, it’s gone. But the next day he’s delighted that it has snowed again. Simple, but world-shifting: Peter was black, and no black child had ever been the protagonist of a full-color American picture book.

Assessment: Students will complete a self-rubric and teacher will complete a rubric to add points to grade.

References:

Russo, Maria. (2017) “The Snowy Day”, captured in New Stamp Series.  https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/22/books/review/ezra-jack-keats-the-snowy-day-forever-stamps.html

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Grade-1

The Crayon Box That Talked by Shane DeRolf and illustrated by Michael Letzig

Objective: Students will learn about teamwork and collaboration to make a team drawing using 64 colors of crayons.

Procedure: Teacher will read book and lead discussion on how the crayons can work together to make things better.  Students will use 64 colors in a creative picture where one at a time they add to an imaginary landscape.  Each student will add elements of landscape and fantasy to each other’s papers.  Papers will be passed to the right at a table every eight minutes.

Materials: White drawing paper 12 x18, 64 box crayons, book: The Crayon Box That Talked, markers for outlining.

Course Significance: This book shows students the meaning of diversity and cooperation in school and in life.  We can discuss as a class, how the meaning of the crayons can be mirrored in people, and what it means to be different.  In our discussion students can realize that people are different, and life is more colorful and meaningful when we come together and collaborate.

Summary/Review: After overhearing some crayons in toy store complaining about one another, a little girl decides to buy them all and take them home. The girl picks up the colors one by one and draws. When the crayons see the picture they have all helped create, they realize that beautiful things can happen when everyone works together.

This classroom favorite began as a poem, and its important message of cooperation was chosen as a theme for the National Anti-Discrimination Campaign for Children.

Assessment: Students will reflect on their classmates work as well as their own using an “I Can” statement paper.  Teacher will use “I Can” statement and rubric to grade project.

Resources:

https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/books/the-crayon-box-that-talked-by-shane-derolf/

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Grade-2

Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell and illustrated by David Catrow

Objective: Students will be able to identify bullying, and discuss how to deal with it in school.  Students will respond to questions about how to handle themselves in Molly’s situation.  Students will make anti-bullying or inspirational messages in calligraphy and fancy lettering to hang around the school.  Detail, color, and pattern will add decorative elements to saying.

Procedure: Teacher will read book to class, and discuss significance of Molly’s behavior.  Teacher will demonstrate how to do calligraphy and how to illustrate words.  Students will create their own anti-bullying poster to be hung in hallways.

Materials: Posterboard, paint, glitter, glue, inspirational sayings, book, pens, markers.

Course Significance: Molly is a short, different looking little girl who is described as having a bullfrog voice.  She uses her smarts and courage to stand up to her peers who are bullying her, and in the end she ends up happy with herself no matter what anyone else has to say.  The concepts in this book show diversity, self –esteem, kindness, gender equality, and being brave.  Molly Lou Melon shows students that all of these qualities can be shown even in the face of difficulty.  The Merchants of Cool PBS Video makes comments on peer pressure, and the societal flaw of wanting to fit in.  Our heroine Molly defies all of these stereotypes, and shows a character who is not afraid to be herself.  The Code of the Freaks came to mind when I chose this book.  Although it is not mentioned that Molly has a disability, she is very different looking and sounding, and she celebrates her difference even though others make fun of her.

Summary/Review: Meet Molly Lou Melon: she’s “just taller than her dog,” with “buck teeth that stuck out so far, she could stack pennies on them,” and a voice that brings to mind “a bullfrog being squeezed by a boa constrictor.” She also possesses huge insect-like eyes. In fact, young readers may actually gasp when they get a good look at the fearless first-grader in Catrow’s (She’s Wearing a Dead Bird on Her Head) double spread, extreme close-up portrait. Thanks to her grandmother, the protagonist possesses seemingly indomitable self-esteem—but will it survive a move to a new school and a bully named Ronald Durkin? Newcomer Lovell doesn’t offer any real surprises in her fable—there’s never any doubt that Molly Lou Melon will charm her classmates with her eccentric talents (which include making a paper snowflake the size of a school room), or that even Ronald Durkin will capitulate and join her fan club. What keeps the storytelling fresh is the crisp prose and the heroine’s full-speed-ahead determination; the story never dallies too long on the potentially saccharine message. Catrow’s full-bleed pencil-and-watercolor illustrations, awash in ripe colors and animated by slapstick exaggeration, radiate a winningly eccentric elegance. Ages 4-8. (Sept.)

 Assessment: Students will present their work and use a critique format to talk about each other’s work.  Teacher will give critique examples and questions.

Resource:

https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-399-23416-3

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Grade-3

The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch and illustrated by Michael Martchenko

Objective: Students will learn and discuss what a princess looks like.  Students will create their own alternative princess after listening to story.  Students will use elements of design such as texture, movement, and emphasis in their drawings.

Procedure: Teacher will ask the question “What is a princess? Teacher will read book and lead discussion about new idea of what a princess is.  Students will reimagine their own female lead character and draw it on sulfate paper.  Color will be added using marker, colored pencil, and crayon.

Materials: 12×18 sulfate paper, markers, crayons, colored pencils, book

Course Significance: Students will reexamine the idea of princess.  Students will see Elizabeth in the role of main character and heroine, not the damsel in distress.  Teacher will emphasize the role of the female as the main character with no one who needs to save her.

Summary/Review: If ever there were a book with the most perfect plot twist, this could be it. In a “typical” princess book, the princess is kidnapped and rescued by a prince and then they end up married. Well, no siree, not in this book! In this excellent picture book, the very smart, spirited, and beautiful Princess Elizabeth, who is set to marry Prince Ronald, sets out to rescue him from a fire-breathing dragon. The dragon has smashed her castle and burned her clothes with his fiery breath, so she dresses herself in the only thing she can find, a brown paper bag. With the use of some outstanding trickery, she goes about saving the life of Prince Ronald. And then it happens, the most unexpected and perfect ending to a story. Don’t expect me to spoil the biggest plot twist of all, I want you to get the satisfaction of reading or listening to it yourself.

This princess tale is short and sweet and funny, and empowers young girls to be true to themselves. The illustrations by Michael Martchenko offer just the right amount of grit, and the dulled colors provide a great backdrop for beloved author Robert Munsch’s cracking humor. The Paper Bag Princess is a classic picture book that packs a real punch to the “princess” genre!

Assessment: Students will self grade using a rubric, teacher will grade using a rubric.

Resource:

www.thechildrensbookreview.com/webblog/2018/the-paper-bag-princess-by-robert-munsch-book-review.html

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Grade-4

Violet the Pilot by Steve Breen

Objective: Students will learn about a female heroine who saves the day.  Students will use their sense of hearing to sketch out a scene from the book, then they will read the book again looking at pictures, and edit their drawing.

Procedure: Students will listen to book with their eyes closed and try to visualize one scene from the story.  They will then sketch the scene from memory using pencil. Story will be repeated with pictures a second time, and students will add or take away from their drawings based on what they see.

Materials: 9×12 drawing paper, pencil, eraser, book, colored pencil, marker

Course Significance: This story empowers all students to know they can be whatever they want to be regardless of gender.  Historical gender roles are no longer valid, and students can feel empowered to choose their own path using Violet’s example.  The Dinner Party curriculum project uses examples like Violet to show female empowerment and capability.

Summary/Review: By the time she?s two years old, Violet Van Winkle can fi x nearly any appliance in the house. And by eight she?s building elaborate fl ying machines from scratch?mind-boggling contraptions such as the Tubbubbler, the Bicycopter, and the Wing-a-ma-jig. The kids at school tease her, but they have no idea what she?s capable of. Maybe she could earn their respect by winning the blue ribbon in the upcoming Air Show. Or maybe something even better will happen?something involving her bestever invention, a Boy Scout troop in peril, and even the mayor himself!

A classic underdog story full of humor and sweetness and retro pizzazz, Violet the Pilot is both endearing and adorable. It?ll fl y right into your heart.

Assessment: Students will critique each other’s work and discuss strengths and weaknesses.

Resource:

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Grade-5

My Heart Will Not Sit Down by Mara Rockliffe and illustrated by Ann Tanksley

Objective: Students will learn about the Great Depression, and discuss what this may look like to an outsider not living in the United States.  Students will make a collage, illustrating some of the hardships that occurred during this time in the US.

Procedure: Teacher will lead discussion on the Great Depression.  Students will think about words or images that can show the state of our country at this time in history.  Students will use magazine, newspaper, and print outs to make a Great Depression themed collage.

Materials: Paper 12×18, marker, glue, magazines, newspaper, printer, computer, book

Course Significance: This book shows cultural sensitivity from across the ocean.  It is the opposite of ethnocentric the way this girl shows empathy for another nation that is suffering.  We can learn to care about other countries, problems, and cultures.

Summary/Review: Inspired by a true incident, Rockliff’s (The Busiest Street in Town) story demonstrates what real generosity looks like. It takes place in a Cameroon village, where an American teacher tells his students that the Great Depression is worsening in his country, “far away across the great salt river.” His news that children were starving deeply affects Kedi, who knows hunger firsthand, and the girl’s “heart stood up for them in sympathy.” When she asks her mother and other villagers for money to send to America, they respond that they have none to spare, yet Kedi’s “heart would not sit down.” The narrative conveys a keen sense of Kedi’s compassion and determination to help, which, as the conclusion proves, is contagious. Rendered in watercolor, pen-and-ink, and oils, Tanksley’s (The Six Fools) pared-down, childlike pictures provide a sketch of Cameroon village life, their electric hues of orange, magenta, and scarlet jumping from the pages. An author’s note, which puts the story in real-life context and spotlights others who, despite their own need, have aided the hungry, offers a useful springboard for discussion. Agent: Andrea Brown Literary Agency.

Assessment: Student and teacher rubric.

Resource:

https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-375-84569-7

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Grade-6

Art From The Heart: Folk Artist Clementine Hunter by Kathy Whitehead and illustrated by Shane W. Evans

Objective: Class will discuss race and inequality.  Students will write a complaint letter to the gallery discussing their outrage at the situation.  Students will illustrate their feelings using emojis to accompany their letter.

Procedure: Teacher will introduce story and lead discussion on race and equality in this situation.  Students will discuss how this could have been handled differently and write a letter to the “gallery” to complain about this act of disgrace against a person.  Students will choose an emoji to emphasize their feelings about this incident.  They will use elements of design and color to add to their letter and emoji.

Materials: Paper, pencil, circle tracer, emoji examples, marker, paint, brushes, book, example of complaint letter.

Course Significance: This book shows students they can make a difference through art.  They can recognize and do something about a racial discrimination making a statement with their art.  Looking through the eyes of another can help make them aware of another persons position in life.  The How Racism Harms White Americans video is significant to this argument in the fact that many students do not understand White Privilege, and the effects it can have on our fellow students and teachers.   When we take an active part in changing the face of racism, we can start to understand how others feel and behave in a privileged environment.

Summary/Review: A picture book biography of the remarkable folk artist Clementine Hunter.

Can you imagine being an artist who isn’t allowed into your own show? That’s what happened to folk artist Clementine Hunter. Her paintings went from hanging on her clothesline to hanging in museums, yet because of the color of her skin, a friend had to sneak her in when the gallery was closed.

With lyrical writing and striking illustrations, this picture book biography introduces kids to a self-taught artist whose paintings captured scenes of backbreaking work and joyous celebrations of southern farm life. They preserve a part of American history we rarely see and prove that art can help keep the spirit alive.

Assessment:  Students will read letter and present emoji to talk about their feelings regarding Clementine Hunter.

Resource:

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Resources:

Munsch, R. N., & Martchenko, M. (1980). The paper bag princess. Toronto: Annick Press.

Rockliffe, M., (2012). My Heart Will Not Sit Down. New York, NY: Alfred P. Knopf

Breen, S., (2016). Violet the Pilot. New York, NY: Random House

Whitehead, K., (2008). Art from the Heart- Folk Artist Clementine Hunter. New York, NY: The Penguin Group

Lovell, P., (2001). Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon. New York, NY: Penguin

Keats, Ezra J. (2012). The Snowy Day. New York, NY: The Viking Press.

DeRolf, Shane., (1996). The Crayon Box That Talked. New York, NY: Random House.

Goodman, B. (Producer & Director), & Dretzin, R. (Producer & Writer). (2001). The merchants of cool. Frontline co-production with 10/20 Productions. Boston: WGBH Educational Foundation.

The Dinner Party Curriculum Project

The idea of empowering our students to succeed is always something I am interested in learning more about.  The idea of empowering ALL students, regardless of ability is something that is very challenging as a teacher.  In the video Code of the Freaks, I saw disabilities in a new light, and thought about how I could use this in a lesson.

I teach seven art classes a day from kindergarten to sixth grade.  I teach all ability levels, and have special education students who do not participate in any other mainstreaming except for art, music, library, and science.  This can be challenging for lesson planning.  During this lesson I wanted to make sure that all students were accommodated.

The lesson was on Picasso and cubism.  The students were third graders.  I had a list a mile long of what my requirements were to succeed in this evaluation by the principal.  I struggled for a lesson that taught both to advanced students and to lower level students.  This is what I finally decided to do.  I taught the Picasso lesson using powerpoint, videos, and physical examples.  Students had to sort cubist pictures and realistic pictures accordingly in groups on the board with no prior knowledge of cubism.  After the sorting we discussed what cubism was and what it was made of.  Then I wanted to do a project that was successful for all students.   We turned our papers upside down and made our drawing.  Everyone was supposed to have an original, unique piece at the end that didn’t necessarily have to make sense.  Students thought this was super cool, and were so excited to flip their papers over and see what they drew right side up.  This enabled all students to see from a completely different point of view.  No one is used to this vantage point, and it put everyone on a more even playing field.

The lesson went fine, and I was happy with the results.  I thought my principal seemed satisfied and waited for my written evaluation for more reflection and feedback.  I got my results and was very happy to see that my principal gave me distinguished status in the category of creating an environment of respect and rapport.  His comments on this were: ” You demonstrated a keen knowledge of your students needs without singling anyone out, or disrupting instruction time.  You gave excellent examples of how to take project to the next level, and how to make all students successful.”  I was happy with this because I don’t always feel successful, sometimes I feel like I am giving disabled students something to do to pass the time, not engaging them in a lesson.  The Code of The Freaks video showed how Hollywood portrays disabled people as an inconvenience to the main character, or an embarrassment.  I never want this to be the case in my classroom.  Everyone has the same right to learn, regardless of their physical or mental status.  I do not want my classroom to be an environment where I am not accommodating everyone due to hardships, as discussed by Carrie Sandahl in her video on the ADA.

I feel like the added element of upside down drawing really made a difference in students work.  Usually I have at least a few students who are unhappy with their work, and who compare their work with their neighbors, saying “yours is better.”  With this project that did not happen at all.  My students of all abilities were able to make a successful cubist drawing, and there were no unhappy comparisons.  I think sometimes you have to step into someone else’s shoes to think about how you can help all student’s be successful.  Everyone felt included in this lesson, because there was no hand raising and answering questions, and there was no amount of drawing skill that could make your work more successful than another students.

After watching Don’t Look Down on Me, I am inspired to add another important step to this lesson.   I always talk about artists with differences and disabilities, such as Van Gogh’s mental illness, and Sandra Silberzweig’s sinesthesia.  I can now ask students to consider stepping into another’s shoes, who may have different abilities than themselves.  Imagine you have a reading disability and the words look different to you, imagine you are hard of hearing and the sounds are not all getting to you, imagine you have a vision impairment, and you cannot see color like the rest of the class.  These questions can help students to think of their fellow students with disabilities in a more empathetic way, and possibly open up a new world of creativity for all students.

References:

Chasnoff, Salome. (2010) Code of the Freaks. https://vimeo.com/20531038

Novick, Jonathan. (2014) Don’t Look Down on Me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mD_PWU6K514

Stevens, Cassie. (2016) Sandra Silberzweig Selfies. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_ZP7Z2UH6M&t=204s

Arts Alliance Illinois. (2015) Carrie Sandahl, UIC Department of Disability and Human Development.  https://vimeo.com/24992332

Cultural Identity in the classroom is an important part of lesson planning.  I think about many aspects when planning a lesson.  Maintaining and cultivating a child’s cultural identity in teaching is a new concept for me.

A few things come to mind that I may be doing right or wrong.  I teach multicultural lessons, such as Indian Art, art history such as the life of Van Gogh, Folk Art, such as the art of Heather Galler, and Types of art such as surrealism by Salvador Dali.

When teaching multicultural lessons, I include aspects of the culture we are discussing, such as the culture of India.  We talk about color, practices, and culture.  Students can talk about areas that they never knew about or understood, and can feel free to ask questions, some that I do not know the answers to.   I think this type of lesson allows students to think outside of their comfort zone and into the lens of someone else’s life.  I believe this is a good use of cultural intelligence and identity in the classroom.

Teaching Vincent Van Gogh to children is always interesting because they find his life fascinating and understand the troubles that he had in his life.  We talk about how Van Gogh lived most of his life poor, and not reaching any historical significance until after his death.  I feel this can reach students whose parents may be struggling financially.  They can see that even poverty can’t stop artistic genius.  This can help a student have some hope for the future, and see they can do anything they want to do in life.  This topic also allows students with mental health issues to see that abilities can be showcased even with a mental illness.

The art of Heather Galler is an interesting topic for students also.  Galler is a contemporary  female artist living and working in New York.  She makes folk art and sells it around the country.  She is a self taught female who makes a decent living selling her art.  Galler can show students that a there are females in art history who are changing the way art is bought and sold.  Galler wants everyone to be able to afford her art, and it is not overpriced.  She is also not a classically trained artist, yet she is successful.  This shows females they can change the way art history is thought of, and break free from the traditional male artists that history highlights.  Judy Chicago writes about one of her goals in publishing The Dinner Party;    I often describe my hopes for this curriculum by stating that I see a classroom engaged in, for example, a study of the artists represented in The Dinner Party. A young student discovers Elizabeth Vigee-Lebrun, the 18th-century French court painter who produced more art than any woman artist prior to her time. The student learns that Vigee-Lebrun’s achievements cannot be evaluated by art historians even now, over two centuries later, because her work has never even been catalogued. This young pupil decides that she will dedicate her life to the task, thus ensuring a role for herself in the arts, a career, and a contribution to history. Although this is only an example, it is one that would demonstrate a successful application of the enormous potential of The Dinner PartyCurriculum.”  Judy shows her passion for the education of women, and the empowering affect it can have on future students.

The lesson on surrealism shows students that they can put things where they don’t belong.  This can show students how to put things in their life into categories that they had not thought of before.  Maybe it is a feeling, or an insecurity, or a secret.  These things can be categorized into the surreal in their lives.

The work of the Feminist Art Project aims to keep women culturally and historically significant in the art world.  The study of all genders, races, and cultures can lead students to become better thinkers, and better people in general.  All of my lessons incorporate some aspect of these thoughts.

The messages in these lessons can give students new perspective and answers to tough questions.  I have a banner in my classroom that says “Art is a creative way to solve a problem” and through my pedagogy I hope to give students the tools they need to solve the problems that they come across in life.

Resources:

Chicago, Judy.  (2018) The Dinner Party Curriculum Project. https://judychicago.arted.psu.edu/dpcp/

The Feminist Art Project.  (2018) http://feministartproject.rutgers.edu/fare/