STORIES POPPLET
Thomas Hart Benton and Diego Rivera
Procedure
- Reflecting upon the social and political stories of Benton and Rivera’s murals, the student will create an editorial cartoon that conveys a message or story about a subject of social interest.
- These may be political, social, environmental, or school issues of interest to the student or of potential interest to her/his future students.
- The cartoon will visually contain the story elements of character(s), setting, problem, and viewpoint
- STUDIO:
- TSW use drawing to create a political/editorial cartoon that may include caricature representation of a cartoon subject
- ASSESSMENT:
- With Graffiti Boards (includes lesson plan): http://www.eworkshop.on.ca/edu/pdf/Mod36_coop_graffiti.pdf
Reflection
This editorial cartoon expresses my attitude toward the United States’ source for educational policies, lawmakers. Unless they move from classroom teaching to government, lawmakers are never on the receiving end of policies that permeate what happens in every classroom. As a future educator, my side of this story is that educational policy makers should prize educators’ opinions above their own. I think classroom teachers should also communicate more often with legislators so that each consults one another to achieve the best interest of students.
“A Day on Capital Hill” relates to the big idea of story because it shares part of my story in becoming a teacher. As a future teacher, holding opinions about educational topics shows dedication and investment in the field of education. This story reflects my responsibility as a future educator to be in communication with people making decisions regarding education. At the least teachers should be informed of current events and news related to the field. Teachers should not teach in ignorance of potential legislation and policies directly affecting their classroom. This belief is a part of my story of being an educator.
This studio once again has many applications to my future classroom. Drawing an editorial cartoon could be the introduction to an activism project in social studies. I could have students draw cartoons related to one issue such as homelessness, the elderly in society, hunger, etc. After expressing our feelings toward the issue through cartoons, we could them devise a plan as a class to take positive action toward something in the community.
I think this activity could also be a great way to gauge students’ attitude toward school at the beginning of the year. If I could capture students’ prior learning experiences that shape their attitudes toward school, I would know what challenges I face as their teacher.
“A Day on Capital Hill” relates to the big idea of story because it shares part of my story in becoming a teacher. As a future teacher, holding opinions about educational topics shows dedication and investment in the field of education. This story reflects my responsibility as a future educator to be in communication with people making decisions regarding education. At the least teachers should be informed of current events and news related to the field. Teachers should not teach in ignorance of potential legislation and policies directly affecting their classroom. This belief is a part of my story of being an educator.
This studio once again has many applications to my future classroom. Drawing an editorial cartoon could be the introduction to an activism project in social studies. I could have students draw cartoons related to one issue such as homelessness, the elderly in society, hunger, etc. After expressing our feelings toward the issue through cartoons, we could them devise a plan as a class to take positive action toward something in the community.
I think this activity could also be a great way to gauge students’ attitude toward school at the beginning of the year. If I could capture students’ prior learning experiences that shape their attitudes toward school, I would know what challenges I face as their teacher.
FAITH RINGGOLD
Procedure
- ART + SOCIAL STUDIES + LITERATURE
- Prepare by selecting subject matter: a favorite book or story of your own to share
- Sketch your ideas of a scene first (9” x 12”), plan on a border outside or inside of this space
- Play with crayon resist - wax crayons and watercolor to form patterns, then use crayon resist to express your planned scene
- Surround your finished scene with a border of colors and patterns painted or glued to the outside edge
- This art form (quilt-making) can teach basic math skills, record history, recycle materials, and use cooperative efforts within a group
Reflection
I love the inspiration we had in Faith Reinggold for this studio. She tells an incredible story through her Story Quilts, and I enjoyed thinking of a piece of art as something that could represent an entire event, length of time, or life experience.
My piece tells the story of my relationship with my dad. My dad and I have always enjoyed spending time together. This piece shows us golfing, which I started doing with my dad at just eight years old. Throughout the years, I have been blessed to have such a wonderful dad who has always looked for time to spend with his middle daughter. I remember my dad being the one to pick me up from gymnastics as a little girl, take me golfing, ask if I wanted to go to work with him on Saturday mornings, and include me whenever he went to the grocery store. Although times with just my dad and I are now a rare occasion, whenever they happen, I feel like a little kid again, not having to worry about anything except what my dad has to tell and teach me at that present moment. My dad investing time to spend with me has influenced much of how I treat others and prioritize relationships over anything else in life. Although my piece is just one scene, it tells one of my stories that began when I was a little girl and continues today.
This activity could be used in so many ways! I could integrate it with writing by having students write a story from their life they choose to depict through a piece. I could also use this as a community building activity. In the first week of class students could draw a story that has a significant impact on their life. These would be great pieces to display in the classroom throughout the entire year.
My piece tells the story of my relationship with my dad. My dad and I have always enjoyed spending time together. This piece shows us golfing, which I started doing with my dad at just eight years old. Throughout the years, I have been blessed to have such a wonderful dad who has always looked for time to spend with his middle daughter. I remember my dad being the one to pick me up from gymnastics as a little girl, take me golfing, ask if I wanted to go to work with him on Saturday mornings, and include me whenever he went to the grocery store. Although times with just my dad and I are now a rare occasion, whenever they happen, I feel like a little kid again, not having to worry about anything except what my dad has to tell and teach me at that present moment. My dad investing time to spend with me has influenced much of how I treat others and prioritize relationships over anything else in life. Although my piece is just one scene, it tells one of my stories that began when I was a little girl and continues today.
This activity could be used in so many ways! I could integrate it with writing by having students write a story from their life they choose to depict through a piece. I could also use this as a community building activity. In the first week of class students could draw a story that has a significant impact on their life. These would be great pieces to display in the classroom throughout the entire year.
JEAN SHIN
Procedure
- Mini Sculptures from Found Objects
- Select an object that is mass-produced, abundant, often discarded
- Contemplate the object’s meaning or story (consider a button, for example)
- Create a meaningful mini-sculpture that changes the meaning and/or story of the object
- Sculpture may be freestanding, free hanging, or relief
Reflection
How does this piece of art relate to the big idea of story?
This piece of art fits into the big idea of story because it changed the meaning of my found object, a file folder, into one people might not expect. The purpose of a file folder is to organize, to keep things orderly, to separate papers from others. I thought of a file folder as analogous to the order I try to keep in my life. I do enjoy managing my day-to-day life and trying to accomplish as much in a day as what I can; however, with the end of the semester quickly approaching, I often wish for time that doesn’t have to be structured and spent so intentionally. The title of my studio piece is “Smile File” because the file tabs I cut are supposed to represent the shape of a sun as they are arranged together in this piece. When the sun is shining, it brightens one’s day and makes a person happy. Through this piece I hoped to realize that amidst managing day-to-day life, I must be okay with having unstructured time. My life story will not be as meaningful without putting time toward discovery and reflection. Although it is good to manage time, it is also just as desirable to manage time in a way that leaves some time open for exploration.
I think this studio would be most successful in an upper elementary classroom simply because it does require a high level of critical thinking in order to change the meaning of a found object. Despite this attribute to this activity, I won’t shy away from using this in the classroom because I know kids’ creations will blow my mind. I could see myself using this activity to encourage kids to be problem solvers and to give them an exercise in critical thinking. I don’t think it needs to be tied to a standard. This activity’s strength is that the end product is only influenced by the student’s thinking.
This piece of art fits into the big idea of story because it changed the meaning of my found object, a file folder, into one people might not expect. The purpose of a file folder is to organize, to keep things orderly, to separate papers from others. I thought of a file folder as analogous to the order I try to keep in my life. I do enjoy managing my day-to-day life and trying to accomplish as much in a day as what I can; however, with the end of the semester quickly approaching, I often wish for time that doesn’t have to be structured and spent so intentionally. The title of my studio piece is “Smile File” because the file tabs I cut are supposed to represent the shape of a sun as they are arranged together in this piece. When the sun is shining, it brightens one’s day and makes a person happy. Through this piece I hoped to realize that amidst managing day-to-day life, I must be okay with having unstructured time. My life story will not be as meaningful without putting time toward discovery and reflection. Although it is good to manage time, it is also just as desirable to manage time in a way that leaves some time open for exploration.
I think this studio would be most successful in an upper elementary classroom simply because it does require a high level of critical thinking in order to change the meaning of a found object. Despite this attribute to this activity, I won’t shy away from using this in the classroom because I know kids’ creations will blow my mind. I could see myself using this activity to encourage kids to be problem solvers and to give them an exercise in critical thinking. I don’t think it needs to be tied to a standard. This activity’s strength is that the end product is only influenced by the student’s thinking.