scad museum of art curriculum guide info

8/11/2019 SCAD Museum of Art Curriculum Guide Info

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Curriculum Guide


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Produced with generous support from the Hodge Foundation.

Lesson plans designed by SCAD Master of Arts in Teaching students: Kate Barnett, Toni-Lyn Keller, Jessica

Lord, Nicole Devens, Kyle Schuler, Sydney Walters, Julie Kessler Sukman, Kaitlin Stone, Yvette Crow, under

the guidance of Dr. Christen Clougherty.


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WALTER O. EVANS CENTER FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES

CURRICULUM AND RESOURCE GUIDE

Table of Contents

1. Welcome Letter..................................................................................................... ................... 1

2. SCAD Museum of Art............................................................................................................. 3

3. Dr. Walter O. Evans............................................................................................... ................... 4

4. Preparing for Your Visit......................................................................................................... 6

a. Checklist for Teachers ...................................................................................................... 6

b. Location and Hours ........................................................................................................... 6

c. Talking About Art .............................................................................................................. 8

5. Historical Context of the Evans Collection.................................................................... 10

6. Lesson Plans

a. Identity Box: Fred Wilson................................................................................................ 12

b. Artist Cards: Harlem Renaissance ............................................................................... 18

c. Collage: Jacob Lawrence ............................................................................................... 23

d. Group Portrait: Charles White ...................................................................................... 29

e. Printmaking: Edward Mitchell Bannister .................................................................. 34

f. Drama: Walter Dean Myers ............................................................................................ 38

g. Monologue: Langston Hughes....................................................................................... 48

7. Visual Aids............................................................................................. ..................................... 56


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Dear Teachers,

We are pleased to offer this curriculum guide as a resource for your visit to the SCAD Museum of Art. Through the

generous gift of Dr. Walter Evans and his wife Linda, the SCAD Museum is home to more than 60 important works

of art by renowned African American artists such as Romare Bearden, Elizabeth Catlett, Robert Scott Duncanson,

Richard Hunt and Jacob Lawrence. The collection is exhibited in the Walter O. Evans Center for African American

Studies, offering a multidisciplinary approach to understanding and appreciating African American art and culture.

The lesson plans and activities in the following pages are designed to prepare you and your students to fully

experience the Evans Center. Each lesson lists the specific curriculum standards1fulfilled by that lesson as well as

assessment criteria to assist with evaluating your students work. The curriculum is designed for middle school

students, but can be modified to reach a range of age groups. We encourage you to review this material prior to

your museum visit.

We look forward to welcoming you to the SCAD Museum of Art!

Warm regards,

Kimberly Shreve

Outreach and Visitation

SCAD Museum of Art

912.525.7191

scadmoa.org

1National standards cited are those developed by the Consortium of National Arts Education Associations, under the guidance of the National Committee for Standards

in the Arts (1994), available at http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org. Georgia performance standards are those developed by the Georgia Department of Education (2009),

available at https://www.georgiastandards.org.


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The SCAD Museum of Art is a contemporary art and design

museum conceived to enrich the educational experience

of SCAD students and faculty, and to attract and delight

visitors from around the world. Housed in what was

originally an 1853 freight warehouse for the Central of

Georgia Railway, the museum is a prime example of the

universitys award-winning legacy of adaptive reuse and

urban revitalization. This National Historic Landmark is the

only surviving antebellum railroad complex in the country.

The museums entrance is marked by an 86-foot tall steel

and glass lantern, while the facade unites original 19th-

century Savannah gray brick with modern materials.

SCAD maintains a permanent collection of more than

4,500 artworks, including:

The Walter O. Evans Collection of African American Art,

one of the most significant collections of African American

art, spanning more than 150 years and featuring prized

works by Bannister, Duncanson, Bearden, Hunt and many

more; The Earle W. Newton Collection, consisting of rare

books, antique maps, paintings and work by Hogarth, Van

Dyck, Gainsborough, Reynolds and Romney; haute couture

from Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel, Oscar de la Renta and

Givenchy, among others; modern and contemporary works

by Salvador Dal, Nicholas Hlobo, Willem de Kooning, Annie

Leibovitz, Robert Mapplethorpe, Wangechi Mutu, Pablo

Picasso, Robert Rauschenberg, Andy Warhol and Carrie

Mae Weems, and more.

The museum offers distinctive, dynamic art experiences

to advance the educational mission of the university and

champion art in the public discourse. The museum hosts

renowned artists and speakers throughout the year and

engages primary and secondary schools with outreach

programs that educate young students about art and

cultural history.

The Savannah College of Art and Design is a private

nonprofit, accredited institution conferring bachelors and

masters degrees in distinctive locations and online to

prepare talented students for professional careers. SCAD

offers degrees in more than 40 majors.

SCAD Museum of Art

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Born in Savannah, Georgia in 1943, Walter O. Evans developed an interest in

art during his medical training when he noted a distinct absence of African

American art in the worlds major museums. In 1979, he made his first

significant purchase: a portfolio of serigraphs by Jacob Lawrence, titled,

The John Brown Series. This purchase was the beginning of a collection

that became one of the largest private collections of African American art,

rare books and documents in the world.

Although Evans is now considered one of the most accomplished collectors

of fine art in America, he learned very little about art as a child. There

were no artworks in his childhood home of Savannah, Georgia or Beaufort,

South Carolina. Evans collection is an expression of his commitment to the

importance of cultural heritage and family tradition. He feels a personal

responsibility to share the African American cultural legacy. To that end, he

and his wife, Linda, donated more than 60 pieces from his collection to form

the Walter O. Evans Center for African American Studies at the Savannah

College of Art and Design.

In addition to collecting, Evans also served as a surgeon in Detroit for 20

years. A graduate of Howard University and the University of Michigan

Medical School, Evans was chief of general surgery at Hutzel Hospital in

Detroit and also a staff physician at Harper and Grace hospitals. Dr. Evans

serves on the Board of Visitors for the Savannah College of Art and Design.

Dr. Walter O. Evans

What moved me was that in al

my visits to the museums of the

world, I almost never saw any art

by African Americans. If there

were any, they didnt have any

black figures in the paintings.

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Checklist for Teachers

Administrative approval from your school

Bus acquisition

List of supplies (pencils, worksheets, etc.)

Schedule for the museum visit

Review museum hours and any special events

scheduled

Plan lunch (Tad Caf/ bag lunch to eat outside in the

courtyard)

Determine chaperones

Locate restrooms and meeting places

Identify goals for the day

Make a money plan: trip payment, gift shop

Write and send out parent permission letter

Make a list of chaperones, students and their emergency contacts

Museum Etiquette

We are pleased to welcome you to the SCAD Museum of Art. Please

share the following guidelines with your students to help us protect the

priceless artwork in the galleries.

Do not touch the artwork. The oil from your hands can

cause damage.

Stay an arms length away from objects. When pointing to

an artwork use your elbows.

Only pencils are allowed for sketching or writing.

No flash photos. The flash of light can damage the artwork.

Walk, do not run.

Keep voices down.

Stay with your guide.

Interactive Touch ScreenYou will be greeted with a 12-foot long horizontal touch pad in the

atrium where you can learn about the museums artists, exhibitions

and events. Before entering the galleries, invite students to explore the

touch screen. Allow five to ten minutes for students to scroll through

the artwork. Please remember, however, that the screen is sensitive and

objects should not be placed on it.

Location

SCAD Museum of Art

601 Turner Blvd.

Savannah, Georgia

912.525.7191

scadmoa.org

HoursTuesday Friday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

(open late on Thursday until 8 p.m.)

Saturday and Sunday: Noon to 5 p.m.

Closed Monday

Parking

Parking is available in metered spots

alongside the museum on Turne

Boulevard or in the Savannah Visito

Center parking lot located one block

south of the museum on Martin Luthe

King Jr. Boulevard. The museum entrance

is located at the buildings atrium on

Turner Boulevard.

Preparing for Your Visit

PREPARING FOR YOUR VISIT 6


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Galleries Main lobby Entrances Restrooms

TURNER BLVD.

GALLERY 4

GALLERY 5GALLERY 3GALLERY 1

ANDR LEON

TALLEY GALLERY

TAD CAF

AND RETAIL

MAIN

LOBBY

THEATER

MATTHEW MASCOTTE

THEATER PLAZA

ALEX TOWNSEND GRAND COURTYARD

EICHBERG HALL

PAMELA ELAINE POETTER GALLERY

WALTER O.

EVANS CENTER

FOR AFRICAN

AMERICAN

STUDIES

GALLERY 2

MARTINL

UTHER

KING

JR.BLVD.

FAHMA

VENUE

Main Level

PREPARING FOR YOUR VISIT

FahmAve.

FahmAve.

TurnerBlvd.

TurnerBlvd.

TurnerBlvd.

W.OglethorpeLane

Montg

omm

erySt.

Martin

Luth

erKin

gJ

r.Blvd.

MartinL

uth

erKin

gJ

r.Blv

d.

EichbergHall

SavannahVisitorsCenter

SavannahVisitorsCenterparkinglot

ExLibris SavannahCivicCenter

SCADMuseumofArtAlexTownsendGrandCourtyard

W.OglethorpeAve.

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Talking About Art

Below are some questions you might use to begin discussions about the artwork you see in the museum.

Describe it.

1. What do you see in this painting/photograph/sculpture/artwork?

2. What kinds of lines do you see? Shapes? Colors? What does this artwork show?

3. How would you describe the people in this scene?

4. How would you describe this artwork to a friend who isnt here?

Relate it.

1. What does this artwork remind you of? What things do you recognize in it? What things seem new to you?

2. How is this artwork like the one we just saw? What are some important differences?

3. How is this artwork different from real life?

4. What interests you most about this work of art?

Analyze it.

1. Which objects seem closer to you? Farther away?

2. What can you tell me about the colors in this painting? What color is used the most?

3. Does this scene look crowded or desolate?

4. What can you tell me about how this person lived? How did you arrive at that idea?5. What do you think is the most important part of this artwork?

6. How do you think the artist made this work?

7. What questions would you ask the artist about this work, if s/he were here?

Interpret it.

1. What title would you give to this artwork? Why did you you decide on that title?

2. What do you think is happening in this artwork?

3. What sounds would this artwork make, if it could?

4. What do you think this artwork is about? How did you come up with that idea?

5. Pretend you are inside this scene. What does it feel like?

6. Why do you suppose the artist made this artwork? What makes you think that?

Evaluate it.

1. What do you think is good about this artwork? What is not so good? Why?

2. Do you think the person who made this did a good or bad job? What makes you think so?

3. Why do you think other people should see this work of art?

4. What do you think other people would say about it? Why do you think that?

5. What would you do with this work if you owned it?

6. What do you think is worth remembering about this work of art?

TALKING ABOUT ART 8


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The Harlem Renaissance

During the 1920s many African Americans migrated from

rural areas to industrial, Northern urban centers in search

of employment and better living conditions. Termed the

Great Migration, this movement brought many African

Americans to New York City, particularly a neighborhood

in northern Manhattan, called Harlem. This convergence

of African Americans in Harlem led to a renaissance of

creativity and intellectualism, forming new ideas about

black identity and transforming Harlem to a beacon of

African American pride and achievement.

This period marks the era of the New Negro, a term

encompassing the quest for self-identity and the desire to

move beyond the stereotypes surrounding slavery. Critics

such as Alain Locke and W.E.B. Du Bois urged artists and

writers throughout the United States to explore themes

of African American life and culture and to break out of

caricature and stereotyping in their works. They were

encouraged to become a voice for the decades of forced

silence their race endured and to portray their culture

and lifestyle as it was rather than being subject to the

inaccurate representations of others. Artists were also

encouraged to explore African art and culture, the roots

of their ancestry, as a source of inspiration. During this

era, art, music, literature and theater progressed rapidly

The Harlem Renaissance created long-term success

for notable figures such as Billie Holiday and Langston

Hughes, and produced lasting, influential musical styles

such as jazz and swing.

The Harlem Renaissance was a time marked by African

Americans finding and expressing their identity amid a

culture of segregation and inequality. They achieved this

through creative and intellectual practices: literature, music

and artwork. Their successes were lasting and paramount

for the future of equality and cultural recognition in

American history.

Historical Contextof the Evans Collection

HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF THE EVANS COLLECTION 10


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HARLEM RENAISSANCE ART CARDS 1


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Identity Box:

Fred Wilson


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IDENTITY BOX: FRED WILSON

Identity Box: Fred Wilson

Using Fred Wilsons curatorial technique and the context of the Harlem Renaissance, each student will create an

Identity Box assemblage that reveals something about their personality/character and culture.

TIMEFRAME: MUSEUM VISIT AND (TWO-THREE) 60-MINUTE CLASSES

Lesson Objectives

Learn how Fred Wilson gives voice and identity to works of art by

giving them a new context and allowing individuals to form their own

interpretation of a piece. Students will learn how Fred Wilson uses

juxtaposition to create interesting dynamics through art installations.

They will be educated on challenging visual relationships, status quos,

history, and social perspectives.

Discuss why Wilson paired certain historical pieces together, what was

his intended meaning and its connection to the Harlem Renaissance.

Discuss different variables that will encourage finding ones own

identity, the importance of understanding culture and the contributionsAfrican Americans have made to the Harlem Renaissance, and Fred

Wilsons contribution to museums, personal perspective, and the larger

historical context.

Create an Identity Box assemblage of objects that tells a personal story.

National Standards

NA-VA.5-8.1 Understanding and applying media, techniques, and

processes

NA-VA.5-8.3: Choosing and evaluating a range of subject matter,

symbols, and ideas

NA-VA.5-8.4: Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and

cultures

NA-VA.5-8.5: Reflecting upon and assessing the characteristics and

merits of their work and the work of others

NA-VA.5-8.6: Making connections between visual arts and other

disciplines

Georgia Standards

VA7CU.1 Discovers how the creative process relates to art history.

VA7CU.2 Investigates and discovers personal relationship to

community, culture, and world through creating and

studying art.

VA7C.1 Applies information from other disciplines to enhance

the understanding and production of artworks.

VA7MC.2 Identifies and works to solve problems through creative

thinking, planning, and/or experimenting with art

methods and materials.

VA7MC.4 Participates in dialogue about his or her artwork and the

artwork of others.

Materials/Instructional Setup:

Teacher: glue, acrylic paint,

paintbrushes (various sizes), hot

glue gun, Mod Podge, newspaper,

water cans, markers, crayons, and

colored pencils

Students: Five to seven personal

objects/images no larger than

their hand (no glass/ceramics) that

they are allowed to glue or paint, a

shoe or photo box

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ASSEMBLAGE

JUXTAPOSITION

CURATOR

CONCEPTUALART

Assemblages are art creations that consist of a collection

of different materials. These could include wire, wood,

paper, and cloth--almost anything that fits the design

and texture requirements of the artist.

An act or instance of placing two things close together

or side by side. This is often done in order to compare/

contrast the two, to show similarities or differences, etc.

A person responsible for a specific collection in a cultural

heritage institution (such as an archive, a library, or amuseum). The curator specializes in a subject relevant to

the collection and is deeply informed about the content

it contains.

A form of artistic representation, in which a specific

concept or idea, often personal, complex and inclusive,

takes shape in an abstract, nonconforming manner, based

upon a negation of aesthetic principles.

Terminology/Definitions:

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Artists Background:

I get everything that satisfies my soul from bringing

together objects that are in the world, manipulating them,

working with spatial arrangements, and having things

presented in the way I want to see them.

- Fred Wilson

Although I have mainly arranged objects created by

others, I have been thinking about relationships and whats

really important in life. Its great to create this kind of work

in addition to the museum critique projects. This work of

my own creation is what I am excited about now.

- Fred Wilson

Fred Wilson is a world-renowned American artist and curator of African

American and Caribbean descent, whose career has spanned the past four

decades. He was born in the Bronx, New York, in 1954, received a B.F.A

from the State University of New York at Purchase in 1976, and currently

lives in New York City. Fred Wilson has an unorthodox artistic practice o

pairing artifacts found in museum collections in such a way that it leads

viewers to recognize changes in context, thus creating changes in meaning

Although he studied art, he no longer has a strong desire to make things

with his hands. His interest lies in shaping interpretations of historica

truth, artistic value, and the language of display. Wilson creates mixed

media installations that reveal how art and culture are shaped by social and

economic structures. He also has formidable narrative skills and a talent fo

fashioning installations that reinvent a more powerful interpretation than

individual components. His work challenges viewers to think deeply about

the multi-layered art before them.

Selected works of art:

Fred Wilson installations

Fred Wilsons installations will be the catalyst for this lesson. Wilson not only highlights the achievements of the African

American artists, but also exposes the plight of a people that helped build this nation. Wilson has paired specific objects

together in order to tell stories about a forgotten, but important journey that led to the Harlem Renaissance. These

stories tell not only of their life struggles, which are poignant reminders of days gone by, but also reveal the significant

contributions this cultural group made to the world of art (ie. literature, drama, music, visual art, dance).

Students will take a journey of self-discovery by exploring and identifying pieces of themselves as they migrate fromthe museum to the classroom. By examining their own viewpoints and relationships to others, students will gain a better

understanding of the layers that give dimension to culture; gain an appreciation for artistic diversities; and gain sensitivity

that will allow them to show empathy toward those who are different from themselves. This unit is about allowing the

students to relate, rationalize, and reinvent social and historical norms.

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Museum Visit/Discussion

Review Historical Context of Evans Collection, the Harlem Renaissance, page ten.

The artist Fred Wilson realizes that many people do not know about the achievements of African American artists. Being

of African American and Caribbean descent, Wilson wants to let everyone know how important these achievements were

not only to his life as an artist and curator, but also to American history. In order to get his message across, Wilson places

objects together in such a way that the group of objects tells a story about the African American journey to freedom

All of the objects and artwork were created by African American artists and represent a time period that spans from the

late 1800s to the present.

The teacher will look at each installation created by Fred Wilson and ask the students the following questions:

1. Look at this installation for a moment. Describe the objects in this installation

2. How would you describe this scene to a person who could not see it?

3. Are there any people/figures displayed in this scene? How would you describe them? Are they like you or different?

4. How do you think each object relates to the African American journey to freedom?

5. What story do you think Fred Wilson would like us to take away from this scene?

6. How does Wilsons work reflect his personal identity?

7. What questions would you ask Fred Wilson about this work, if he were here?

For homework, students will need to:

Write in their sketchbooks, giving a brief reflection about their experience at the museum. Bring to class a shoe or photo box along with five to seven objects/images that represent their personality/characte

and/or cultural heritage.

Classroom Activities

Discussion/Warm-up:

Teacher will ask the following questions:

What were some of the objects or stories that you remember from our museum visit? (Students can read or talk abou

their reflections that they wrote for their homework assignment.)

How does Wilsons work reflect his personal identity?

Instruction/Guided Practice:

Teacher to ask the following: Look the objects you chose to represent you. What do these objects say about you, you

personality and cultural heritage? Do they represent what is important to you? Your interests, hobbies, and successes?

The student will need to decorate the inside and outside of the shoe or photo box with color combination or pattern

that best depicts their personality and/or cultural heritage.

The students will arrange and glue their objects into the box.

Closure:

Students will write a brief summary on the following to share with the class:

Why they chose the color pattern/combination to represent their personality.

What meaning do these objects have personally and/or culturally?

Modification for Intelligences

Students who finish work early may have free draw time.

IDENTITY BOX: FRED WILSON 16


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Unsatisfactory (1)

Following

Instruction

Student demonstrated

above average listening

skills and exhibited

exceptional behavior

on the museum tour

An outside of the box

thought process was

used when it came to

creating a dynamic

and uniquely colorful

Identity Box

The student brought

in 5 or more objects to

create the Identity Box

Student is

exceptionally neat and

demonstrates superb

craftsmanship

Student proactively

contributed to class

discussion and critique

by offering a variety

of ideas, making

suggestions and asking

a variety of questions

Student did not listen

to any instructions and

disregarded all of the

rules on the museum

tour

Little or no thought

was put into making

the Identity Box

colorful and interesting

The student did not

bring in any of the

requested materials tocreate the Identity Box

No attempt to be

neat or use good

craftsmanship skills

Student never

contributed to class

discussion and critique

Student somewhat

listened and abided by

some of the rules on

the museum tour

Limited or adequate

thought process was

used to make the

Identity Box colorful

and interesting

The student brought in

1 to 2 objects to create

the Identity Box

Student work

somewhat neat and

demonstrates adequate

craftsmanship

Student contributed

to class discussion and

critique by offering one

or 2 ideas, but did not

ask any questions

Student demonstrates

good listening skills

and followed majority

of the rules on the

museum tour

Demonstrated good

thought process and

planning was used to

make the Identity Box

colorful, interesting

and unique

The student brought in

3 to 4 objects to create

the Identity Box

Student is very neat

and demonstrates

good craftsmanship

Student contributed

to class discussion and

critique by offering

various ideas, but

asking few questions

Creativity

Planning

Technical

Skills/

Neatness

Class

Participation

Adequate (2) Good (3) Excellent (4) Score

Identity Box Assessment Criteria:

IDENTITY BOX: FRED WILSON 17


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Artist Cards:

Harlem Renaissance

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Artist Cards: Harlem Renaissance

Artist cards are miniature works of art that can be collected and traded, similar to baseball cards. Students will create

their own artist cards using the Harlem Renaissance as inspiration, and bring their cards with them on their museum

field trip.

ARTIST CARDS: HARLEM RENAISSANCE

TIMEFRAME: (THREE) 60-MINUTE CLASSES

Lesson Objectives

Learn about and take notes on the Harlem Renaissance. Discuss the Harlem Renaissance and analyze and interpret selected art-

works from the time period.

Create individual artist cards using various artworks from teachers intro-

duction on the Harlem Renaissance as inspiration.

National Standards

NA-VA.5-8.1 Understanding and applying media, techniques and processes

NA-VA.5-8.4 Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and cultures

NA-VA.5-8.5 Reflecting upon and assessing the characteristics and merits

of their work and the work of others

NA-VA.5-8.6 Making connections between visual arts and other disciplines

Georgia Standards

VA7MC.1 Identifies and works to solve problems through creative

thinking, planning and/or experimenting with art methods

and materials.

VA7CU.2.d Participates in activities (e.g., discussion, reading writing, art mak-

ing, art events) that promote personal engagement in the com-

munity and/or study of art history.

VA7PR.1 Understands and applies media, techniques and processes

with care and craftsmanship.

VA7PR.2 Creates artwork reflecting a range of concepts, ideas and

subject matter.

VA7C.3.b Identifies and builds art skills and habits of mind that support

a variety of important human endeavors (e.g., higher-order

thinking, tolerance for ambiguity, judgment in the absence of

rule, finding structure in apparent disorder, problem-solving

skills, perseverance, creativity, imagination).

Materials

Students personal sketchbook

Pencil

Artist card template (4x6 or 5x7)

Various art supplies (colored

pencils, markers, paint, paint

brushes, scrap paper, scissors,

glue, hole punch, string)

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PORTRAIT

LANDSCAPE

SCULPTURE

EXHIBITION

COMPOSITION

RHYTHM

A work of art that represents a specific person or a group

of people. Portraits usually show what a person looks like

and reveal something about the subjects personality.

A painting, photograph or other work of art that depicts

natural scenery such as mountains, valleys, trees, rivers

and forests.

A three-dimensional work of art. Such works may be

carved, molded, constructed or cast. Sculptures also in-

clude assemblage, in the round and relief, and are made

in a variety of media.

A public showing of a piece or a collection of objects.

The plan, placement or arrangement of the elements

of art in a work. It is often useful to discuss these in

reference to the principles of design, as well as to the

relative weight of the compositions parts

A visual tempo or beat. The principle of design that

refers to a regular repetition of elements of art to

produce the look and feel of movement. It is often

achieved through the careful placement of repeated

components, which invite the viewers eye to jump rap-

idly or glide smoothly from one to the next.


ARTIST CARDS: HARLEM RENAISSANCE 20


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Aaron Douglas,The Creation,gouache on paper, 12.75"

x 9'', 1927. Aaron Douglas created three images used as

illustrations for the book of poems by James Weldon

Johnson titled Gods Trombones: Seven Negro Sermons

in Verse. He rendered each piece with a flatly painted,

hard-edged style reminiscent of African sculpture.

In these poems, Johnson draws on the rhythms and

pacing of an African American minister preaching to the

congregation.

The Creationwas inspired by the Book of Genesis. This

work depicts the first man with plants, hills, a rainbow

and a stream. Douglas uses scale, contrast and line to

illustrate the moon, as God flung it against the darkness.

Richmond Barth,Head of a Dancer, bronze, 18'' x 7'' x 7''

1937. Inspired by a long-standing interest in Greek and

Roman art and mythology and living in Harlem as the

Harlem Renaissance unfolded, Barth created sculpture

that engaged and celebrated the beauty of the black

male body. Head of a Dancer encapsulates this focus

presenting an elegant, grounded form.


Romare Bearden, The Blues Has Got Me,watercolor on

paper, 19.375'' x 26.125'', 1944. The piece pays tribute to

jazz music of the 1920s and 1930s. This particular image

was inspired by the lyrics from In the House of Blues, a

song by American blues singer Bessie Smith.

Beauford Delaney, Portrait of Ella Fitzgerald, oil on

canvas, 24'' x 19.5'', 1968. This painting combines

abstract techniques with portraiture. The characteristics

of Ms. Fitzgeralds face subtly emerge from, or disappea

into, the expansive field of color and texture around her

Delaney used color in expressive and symbolic ways

with yellow being a common hue used to reference

illumination and healing.

Alain Locke, The New Negro,1925. This is the definitive

text of the Harlem Renaissance and includes poems,

writings and art from the leading African American

writers and artists of this time.


Aaron Douglas,Boy with Toy Plane, oil on canvas,22.5''

x 17'' 1938. This piece highlights an important aspect

of Aaron Douglas conceptual focus, capturing those

everyday moments of African American life. Here

with his active and intentional brushstrokes, Douglas

depicts a boy at rest in the midst of play. With color and

contrast, he conveys the boys pensiveness, the relaxedstate of his body and a moment of pause from which

the boy seems likely to move on.

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Discussion/Warm-up:

Describe: Have students describe what they see in the artwork.

Analyze: Students discuss how the visual findings relate to one another and compare the design relationships of the

elements and principles in the artwork that help organize it.

Interpret:Encourage students to identify themes and ideas in the artwork to find meanings and emotion. Have the

students create their own interpretation or explanation of the artwork.

Evaluate: Have students make decisions on the success, value or worth of the artwork. Students can also relate the

artwork to other works from the same time period or from other periods in art history.

Instruction/Guided Practice

The teacher will introduce and present a short history on the Harlem Renaissance. After the introduction on the Harlem

Renaissance, the teacher will present the chosen artworks and students will take part in analyzing and discussing each

artwork. The discussion/warm-up procedures can be used when investigating each artwork. Students will listen and

participate in the discussion.

Students need to take notes in their sketchbooks during the teacher lecture and artwork discussion.

After the presentation on the Harlem Renaissance, the teacher will give instruction on the project. Students will begin

by brainstorming 3 sketches in their sketchbooks using the Harlem Renaissance and chosen artworks as inspiration.

Each student will get an artist card template (these templates should be 4'' x 6'' or 5'' x 7'').

On the back side of the artist card, students will write bullet points about the Harlem Renaissance.

Art supplies will be passed out for the students to begin creating their individual artist card, building on their sketchesto illustrate their ideas.

After completing the artist cards, students will share their finished projects and discuss highlights of the Harlem

Renaissance.

Students will bring their cards with them on their museum field trip for further comparison and discussion.

Closure

Upon completion of the project, the teacher will reiterate what was learned about the Harlem Renaissance.

Questions to ask the class:

How did the Harlem Renaissance influence life for African Americans during and after that time?

What kind of impact did the Harlem Renaissance have on American history?

In what ways do the select works of art reflect the history of the Harlem Renaissance?

Each student will share something they learned about the Harlem Renaissance and how it inspired the artwork on thei

artist card.

During museum field trip: Teacher can repeat the closure and have students share highlights of the Harlem Renaissance


Teachers can select different artworks to demonstrate themes occurring in the Harlem Renaissance and add more

detailed instruction to the lesson procedures to accommodate advanced students. Students who finish work early can

make more than one artist card.

Assessment Criteria

Checklist: Each item counts for 25 percent of the final grade

Students were attentive and participated in class discussion during the lecture.

Students took notes during the lecture.

Students completed a minimum of three sketches in their sketchbook before beginning their final artwork.

Students completed their artist card with bullet points on back.

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23

Collage:

Jacob Lawrence


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Collage: Jacob Lawrence

After viewing, analyzing and discussing the artwork of Jacob Lawrence, create a collage that emulates the artistic styles o

Jacob Lawrence, focusing on color and shape. The collage must relate to the students identity and include a background

that represents two contrasting settings (rural and urban). The artwork can be a split scene going any direction.

TIMEFRAME: (TWO TO THREE) 45-MINUTE CLASSES

Lesson Objectives

Learn about the Harlem Renaissance by observing and analyzing paintings

by Jacob Lawrence.

Discuss and write about the idea of a sense of place and identity as

explored by Lawrences work.

Create a collage that represents personal identity in two different settings:

rural and urban.

National Standards

NA-VA.5-8.6: Making connections between visual arts and other disciplines.

Achievement Standard:Students compare the characteristics

of works in two or more art forms that share similar subject

matter, historical periods, or cultural context. Students

describe ways in which the principles and subject matter of

other disciplines taught in the school are interrelated with the

visual arts.

Georgia Standards

VA6CU.1 Discovers how the creative process relates to art history

a. Recognizes the unique contributions of past and

present artists, art periods, and movements.

d. Recognizes varied reasons for making art throughouthistory, how history and culture have influenced art,

and how art has shaped culture and history.

VA7AR.3 Reflects and expands the use of visual language throughout

the artistic process

a. Writes a personal reflection about a work of art in a

journal, essay or other written response that captures

of a work of art.

b. Reflects upon meaning conveyed through principles

of design and elements of art discussing how these

contribute to the merit of a work of art.

f. Evaluates own artwork using criteria (e.g., composition,

craftsmanship, technical skill, meeting goals of work,creativity, felt meaning, progress over time).

VA8MC.3 Demonstrates how artists create and communicate meaning

in artworks

c. Studies contemporary and/or historical works of art to

determine influences that shaped the development of

the work.


Handouts about Harlem

Renaissance and printouts of the

selected artworks (or PowerPoint

presentation), pencils, brightlycolored construction paper, scissors,

glue. Advanced students will also

need shoeboxes.

COLLAGE: JACOB LAWRENCE 24


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COLLAGE: JACOB LAWRENCE

BACKGROUND

CRAFTSMANSHIP

COLLAGE

DISCRIMINATION

IMMIGRATION/MIGRATION

PREJUDICE

The space in the picture that is farthest from the viewer.

Objects in the background are less detailed and smaller.

How well the artwork was constructed or assembled.

A form of art in which various materials such as photo-

graphs, pieces of paper or fabric are arranged and at-

tached to a backing, such as paper.

Any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference

based on race, color, origin, etc.

Disliking someone without reason; bias.

Moving to a new country or a new part of a country.


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COLLAGE: JACOB LAWRENCE


Artists Background:

Born in Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1917, Jacob Lawrence emerged as one of Americas leading painters and the first to document

the history of African Americans through widely viewed and influential artworks. Lawrence moved to Harlem in 1924 where he

experienced the vibrancy of black intellectual, cultural, and artistic life during the Harlem Renaissance. At the age of 24, he became

the first African American whose work was included in the permanent collection of the New York Museum of Modern Art.

The 1930s was actually a wonderful period in Harlem, although we didnt know it at the time

Of course it wasnt wonderful for our parents. For them it was a struggle, but for the younger

people coming along like myself, there was a real vitality in the community.

Our homes were very decorative, full of pattern, like inexpensive throw rugs, all around the

house. It must have had some influence, all this color and everything. -Jacob Lawrence

Jacob Lawrence, Library Series: The Schomburg,gouache

on paper, 26 x 20, 1986. Lawrence has captured the

motion and liveliness of a library that he most likely

spent numerous hours in during his childhood. Within

the image, each figure in the canvas is immersed in thei

reading materials, engaged in an activity.

Jacob Lawrence, Genesis Creation

Sermon III: And God Said Let the

Earth Bring Forth the Grass, Trees,

Fruits, and Herbs,gouache on paper,29.75'' x 22'', 1989.

Jacob Lawrence, Genesis Creation

Sermon VIII: And Creation Was Done

and All Was Well,gouache on paper,

29.75'' x 22'' 1989.

Based on biblical texts and his own memory of the

Sunday sermons of the Rev. Adam Clayton Powell Sr. at

the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, New York, Jacob

Lawrences Genesis Creation Sermonseries delivers a richly

personal interpretation. Inspired by realism and details of

iconography, Lawrences Genesis Creation Sermon series

also reveals his interest in references from art history. The

bright colors and expressive, monumental preacher figure

that stands central in each work reflect the artists affinityfor action and resonance given in the sermon. The gestural

movements of the preacher figure engage the viewer in

the immediate foreground while also leading to a middle

ground containing parish members watching in awe. In

the background, four arched windows exhibit an exterior

scene beyond the church that encompasses the theme

of each Genesis Creation panel. Together, the Genesis

Creation Sermonseries depicts a unique narrative universally

celebrated and one that is unique to American art.

Jacob Lawrence, The Card Game,tempera on board,19

x 23.5'', 1953. This piece depicts a group of four car

players, two men and two women, seated around a re

table wearing embellished garments and looking deepl

engaged in their game. This scene is framed by an arc

of white curtains, and the brilliant light that illuminate

from within the group is similar to card playing scene

from Northern Renaissance artists like Caravaggio an

Adam de Coster.

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Discussion/Warm-up:

Introductory Questions

1) What is discrimination?

2) Why do people discriminate?

3) Have you ever experienced discrimination?

Lets take a look at the first two paintings by Lawrence from Genesis Creation Sermon.

1) What is similar about these two paintings?2) What is different?

3) How can we describe Lawrences style using art terms like color and shape?

Imagine that it is the early part of the Great Migration and you recently moved to the North.

Write a letter to a family member or friend who has remained in the South. You may want to tell them about your trip

North, your first impressions of a Northern city, or the things you like and do not like about your new home. Like many

migrants, you may also want to try to convince people back home to move North to join you.

Now lets look at Library Series andThe Card Game.

1) What kind of activities are the figures engaged in at the library?

2) What expressions do you see on their faces?

3) What do you notice about the color/shapes in this piece? 4) How is The Card Gamedifferent from the library scene?

5) What do you notice about the figures faces?

6) What messages do these images communicate about the Harlem community?


Teacher will discuss benefits of collage over painting and model the planning and placement of objects before

gluing them down to show different outcomes. Teacher will demonstrate how to draw and cut out the paper for the

collage (keeping in mind there are students at different ability levels) emphasizing that the background needs to be

constructed first.

Steps to Completion

1) Draw background objects, people, shapes etc. on construction paper first (vary your colors of construction paper)

2) Experiment with the layout of your collage before gluing.

3) Glue down the background objects first once youve decided on an arrangement that you like.

4) Draw middle and foreground objects, people, shapes, etc. on construction paper.

5) Cut out your foreground and middle ground objects (cut out sharp lines at odd angles to give effect of Lawrences

style).

6) Experiment, overlap and adjust your layout of shapes.

7) Glue final pieces down.

Closure

Quick writing prompt: Why was Jacob Lawrence an important historical figure?, What does your collage tell us

about your identity?

Students will turn in a written reflection about their identity and sense of place using art terms like space, color, shape

form, etc.



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Simplified students are shown many examples of works by Lawrence and pictures from the Harlem Renaissance

Students may orally explain their sense of place and create a collage using only one setting instead of two.

Advanced students create the original project and then choose which setting they prefer. Then using construction

paper and a shoebox, they will construct a 3-D model of their collage.

Assessment Criteria Each section is worth 20 points

Craftsmanship how well the project was put together, glued down, cut out Objective goals met and project turned in on time

Background shows two different settings or places

Reflection thoughts and ideas are well-written and turned in with the collage

Artistic achievement student shows growth in this media, paid attention to details and instructions and worked

diligently throughout the project.



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29

Group Portrait:

Charles White


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Group Portrait: Charles White

Students will create their own group portrait representing a culture they identify with. Supported by visual principals

employed by artists during the Harlem Renaissance, students will have the framework to create a dynamic and expressive

piece through a limited palette of shapes, forms and (optionally) color.

TIMEFRAME: (THREE TO FOUR) 60-MINUTE CLASSES

Lesson Objectives

Discuss both aesthetic and narrative qualities in the piece through critical inquiry and deduction. Students will identify

major forms, shapes and directions of movement by using design vocabulary like line, shape, space and form, along

with basic geometric vocabulary (circle, oval, diamond, etc.).

In order to identify the narrative, students will use Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS). The teacher will prompt with

questions like, What do you see these figures doing? and What makes you say that? until the class has come

to an agreeable conclusion regarding the story and its elements.

Create a group portrait, individually, celebrating a culture or subculture students identify with and have a vested interes

in. Examples might include a group of friends, family, or something less personal such as a musical genre, or even less con-

crete and more abstract like pet culture, etc.

National Standards

NA-VA.5-8.2: Using knowledge of structures and functions

Achievement Standard:Students generalize about the effects of visual structures and functions and re

flect upon these effects in their own work. Students employ organizational structures and analyze what

makes them effective or not effective in the communication of ideas. Students select and use the quali-

ties of structures and functions of art to improve communication of their ideas

NA-VA.5-8.4: Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and cultures

Achievement Standard:Students know and compare the characteristics of artworks in various eras and

cultures. Students describe and place a variety of art objects in historical and cultural contexts. Students

analyze, describe, and demonstrate how factors of time and place (such as climate, resources, ideas, and

technology) influence visual characteristics that give meaning and value to a work of art.

Georgia Standards

VA7MC.1 Identifies and works to solve problems through creative thinking, planning, and/or experimenting with art

methods and materials

a. Uses imagination and the elements and principles of design to shape meaningful works of art.

b. Visualizes new ideas using mental and visual imagery.

c. Explores essential questions, formulates unique ideas and concepts using creative thinking and

problem-solving skills (e.g., using visual organizers, diagrams, visual journals, brain-storming lists

art resources, and in discussions)

VA7C.2 Develops fluency in visual communication.

a. Reads, writes, listens to, responds to, speaks about and views information related to art (e.g.

reading across the curriculum). b. Integrates information and skills from art into other areas of knowledge and academic disciplines

(e.g., math, Reading, English Language Arts, social studies, science, performing arts, physica

education, technology, connections, and other programs within and beyond the middle schoo

environment). (Using art to enhance other areas of learning)

d. Identifies and describes trends in the visual arts and communicates how the issues of time, place

and culture are reflected in selected artwork.

GROUP PORTRAIT: CHARLES WHITE 30


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GROUP PORTRAIT: CHARLES WHITE

SHAPE

LINE

SPACE

FORM

An element of art. An enclosed space defined and de-

termined by other art elements such as line, color, value,

and texture.

A mark with length and direction(s). An element of art,

which refers to the continuous mark made on some sur-

face by a moving point, often defines a space, and may

create an outline or contour; define a silhouette; create

patterns of movement and the illusion of mass or volume.

An element of art that refers to the distance between,

around, above, below or within things. It can be de-

scribed as two-dimensional or three-dimensional; as flat,

shallow, or deep; as open or closed; as positive or nega-

tive; and as actual, ambiguous, or illusory.

In its widest sense, total structure; a synthesis of all

the visible aspects of that structure and of the man-

ner in which they are united to create its distinctive

character. The form of a work is what enables us to

perceive it.



11'' x 17'' white paper

Construction paper of various colors

Crayons, markers, pencils, erasers, etc. (teacher

may offer assortment of available supplies)

Adhesives (glue, tape, etc.)

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Selected work of art:

Charles White,The Bridge Party, oil on canvas, 22'' x 17'', 1938. As with other works by White

The Bridge Party employs a dramatic perspective and tight compositiongrouping the figures

as if contained by the support itself, with a rich palette of warm hues and exaggerated features

White is able to draw out characteristics, expressions and styles of dress that offer an honest

yet poetic narrative whose clues portray the realistic human relationships and situations othe time.

Discussion/Warm-up

Teacher prepares drawing materials and an image of Charles Whites The Bridge Party(on the overhead projector

monitor or printouts) for discussion.

Teacher presentsThe Bridge Party(without mentioning the title or giving any background on the image at first) and

begins discussion by asking students what they see (using VTS prompts) until the class has identified the theme

elements of design (line, shape, etc.) and their significance, and the cultural ramifications of the piece.

Students will then have the opportunity to discuss their own cultures and communities, whether it is a microcosm o

friends with common interests or more comprehensive family backgrounds.


With guidance from the teacher, students will render their own group portrait representing a culture they identify

with. Supported by visual principles upheld by many visual artists during the Harlem Renaissance, students will have

the framework to create a visually dynamic and expressive piece.

The cultural background of each portrait should be supported by visual cues, which may include:

Choice of dress

Props

Qualities of shape or line

Other indicators that came up during group discussion

Students will begin by assembling a word bank of nouns and adjectives that can be translated into a visual portrai

representing the culture they most strongly identify with.

Teacher will ask students to select a number of shapes they wish to use before they begin rendering their portrait

emphasizing cohesion of form over complexity of individual facets in their portrait.

The number of shapes and geometric complexities may vary from class to class, depending on their sophistication

and responsibility with provided tools.

In a more advanced class, the teacher may wish to incorporate vocabulary like line, value, negative/positive space

and so forth. These too can be substituted for the simple outline above.

In order to check for understanding, the teacher may again ask students to identify major shapes and forms within

The Bridge Party, or use another piece of art to ensure the concept has translated properly.

Once the teacher is satisfied students have grasped the concept and parameters of the assignment, they are free to

begin their portrait. The teacher may need to remind students to refer to their word bank and limit themselves to the

shape palette established earlier in class.

Closure

Students will have an opportunity to share and discuss their work. The teacher should encourage students to use

vocabulary from the lesson and identify the cultural significance of their portraits components (dress, props, etc.)

Alternatively, students may present their work without delineating its culture outright and allowing their peers to

analyze it through VTS, identifying effective visual elements and making suggestions for future work.

Students are encouraged to identify the shapes used in their peers work and assess the effectiveness of their use

individually as well as in the composition as a whole. This should be a good opportunity to address the concept o

constructive criticism in the art room.



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Students who finish early may ask the teacher for advice on refining their image.

Assessment Criteria

See rubric below.

Grading Scale

A= 4 3.6

B= 3.5 3.2

C= 3.1 2.8

D= 2.7 2.5

F= 2.4 0 Score#x Weight%(for each objective)

In-Progress

Craftsmanship Paper torn or

heavily wrinkled,

smudged or

scribbly mark-

making

Little application

of materials,

very few visual

elements

present.

Irresponsible

or unsafe use

of materials,

e.g. accosting

classmatesor breaking

materials.

Paper wrinkled

or in generally

poor condition,

little effort

evident in mark-

making.

Less than half

of the paper

covered, poor

use of time.

Use of materials

somewhat

controlled, messy

or thoughtless

application topaper.

Paper mostly

intact, some

care used in

application of

medium.

Portrait mostly

complete,

subjects

present but few

supplementary

visual cues.

Controlled use

of materials,

application may

be haphazard.

Thoughtful

application

of materials,

paper in good

condition.

Portrait

complete,

cultural

background of

characters clear.

Good use of

materials,

thoughtful

application,

tried innovativetechniques.

Paper clean

and unwrinkled,

exceptional use

of materials,

undisputable

effort applied.

Portrait complete

with detailed and

creative use of

shapes, cultural

significance

abundantly clear.

Safe but

exploratory use

of materials.

Medium stayed

on paper andaway from other

surfaces.

Completion

Use of Medium

Beginning Developing Accomplished Exemplary Score



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34

Printmaking:

Edward Mitchell Bannister


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PRINTMAKING: EDWARD MITCHELL BANNISTER 35

Printmaking: Edward Mitchell Bannister

Monoprinting is a form of printmaking that produces a singular print rather than multiples. Using Edward Mitchell

Bannisters work and the Harlem Renaissance as inspiration, students will create a monoprint of a unique landscape that

conveys a mood.

TIMEFRAME: (ONE) 60-MINUTE CLASS

Lesson Objectives

Learn about mood, brush strokes, and racial prejudice.

Discuss what layers of paint symbolize. What do colors symbolize? What do

brush strokes symbolize?

Create a natural mood landscape monoprint.

National Standards

NA-VA.5-8.1: Understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes

Achievement Standard: Students select media, techniques and

processes; analyze what makes them effective or not effective incommunicating ideas; and reflect upon the effectiveness of their

choices.

Georgia Standards

VA5CU.2 Views and discusses selected artworks

c. Discusses how social events inspire art from a given time

period.

VA5AR.3 Explains how selected principles of design are used in an artwork

to convey meaning and how they affect personal responses to and

evaluation of the artwork

b. Uses art terms with emphasis on the principles of design:

balance, proportion, rhythm, emphasis, unity, contrast.g. Discusses the effect of color properties (hue, intensity,

and value) and color schemes (analogous, monochromatic,

complementary) on the composition.


Images of Edward Mitchell Bannisters Streamside(1870), Landscape(1897)

and Summer Twilight(1899)

acrylic paint

8'' x 8'' glass/Plexiglas

8'' x 8'' tag board/ card board/ matboard

foam brush/ paintbrush

paper towels

masking tape

markers

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PRINTMAKING: EDWARD MITCHELL BANNISTER

MONOPRINT

MOOD

TONALISM

A single print created in paint or printed ink on glass,

Plexiglas or metal plates

State of mind or feeling

Quality of brightness, deepness, or hue of tint or shade

of color



Streamside, oil on canvas,

14 x 22, 1870

Landscape, oil on canvas,

21 x 25, 1897

Summer Twighlight, oil on canvas,

14 x 19.5, 1899

Edward Mitchell Bannister (1828-1901)

Painter Edward Mitchell Bannister found much of the inspiration for his paintings in the seascapes and landscapes of

New England. He maintained a keen interest in the French Barbizon School and in the work of artist Jean-Franois Millet

Accordingly, Bannister was known for using a tonalism style (which emphasizes mood and shadow) in the rendering o

his pastoral scenes. His technique often involved building up the surface of his works through heavy, dense brush strokes

in what was often deemed Impressionist style painting. Bannisters preference for landscapes adorned with trees and

rolling hills as seen here in Streamside (1870), Landscape (1897) and Summer Twilight (1899) recalls the 19th-century

tradition of the Hudson River School, whose oeuvre captured the sprawling vastness of Americas natural terrain.

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Discussion/Warm-up

Provide the following instructions for students:

Can you write in your own words about a time when you felt you were pushed into a new situation, where you had to

start over completely? (Maybe it was a new school, or a new neighborhood. Relate to the Harlem Renaissance and the

migration to the big cities.)


Instruct students to sketch a series of unique landscapes. They may depict places they have been before, but studentsmust change some element drastically, so it looks new.

Use the masking tape, mask off the border on your glass. On the glass/Plexiglas youre going to paint the landscape

using the paint and paintbrush, and then transfer it to the paper/board.

The first layer can be the background. Youre going to stamp the paper/board onto the glass. Once youve pressed i

the first time you want to mark on the back of the paper and on the masking tape so you know where to line it up for

the next few times.

The next layer can be trees or bushes. Continue with more layers. The thicker the paint, the better. The colors you

choose will set the mood your monoprint will reflect.

Closure

Whats the meaning behind the mood in the work you created? Did you use nature to describe it? How does this relate

to the Harlem Renaissance? What kind of mood have you created? Does your landscape represent a possible mood thatthe people of the Harlem Renaissance might have been feeling? Before the migrations to the cities most people lived and

worked on farms. How do you think they adapted to the city life? What do you think that was like for them?


For simplified lesson, allot extra time. For advanced students, additional objects in the landscape are required. Examples

include animals, fence, barn, etc.

Assessment Criteria

Have students successfully created a monoprint?

Have students learned how to respond and discuss to the Harlem Renaissance?

Have students created their own mood with good craftsmanship?

PRINTMAKING: EDWARD MITCHELL BANNISTER 37


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38

Drama:

Walter Dean Myers


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Drama: Walter Dean Myers

Using Walter Dean Myers poem Harlem and related artwork, students will create a performance using narration, tableau

improvisation and pantomime; incorporating costumes, props, music and set pieces as desired.

TIMEFRAME: (FOUR) 50-MINUTE CLASSESLesson Objectives

Learn about the history and culture of the Harlem Renaissance through observation of art, research and literary com

prehension to create a performance of Harlem, by Walter Dean Myers.

Learn to stage a poem as a dramatic work.

Discuss how to create a dramatic work from a poem that communicates thought and feeling.

Create an original performance piece that is instructive and entertaining for the school community.

Participate in a cooperative learning environment.

National Standards

NA-T.5-8.6: Comparing and incorporating art forms by analyzing methods of presentation and audience response

for theatre, dramatic media (such as film, television, and electronic media), and other art forms

Achievement Standard:Students describe characteristics and compare the presentation of charactersenvironments, and actions in theatre, musical theatre, dramatic media, dance, and visual arts. Students

incorporate elements of dance, music, and visual arts to express ideas and emotions in improvised

and scripted scenes. Students express and compare personal reactions to several art forms. Students

describe and compare the functions and interaction of performing and visual artists and audience

members in theatre, dramatic media, musical theatre, dance, music, and visual art.

NA-T.5-8.7: Analyzing, evaluating, and constructing meanings from improvised and scripted scenes and from the

atre, film, television, and electronic media productions

Achievement Standard:Students describe and analyze the effect of publicity, study guides, programs

and physical environments on audience response and appreciation of dramatic performances. Stu

dents articulate and support the meanings constructed from their and others dramatic performances

Students use articulated criteria to describe, analyze, and constructively evaluate the perceived effec-

tiveness of artistic choices found in dramatic performances. Students describe and evaluate the per

ceived effectiveness of students contributions to the collaborative process of developing improvised

and scripted scenes.

NA-T.5-8.8: Understanding context by analyzing the role of theater, film, television and electronic media in the

community and in other cultures

Achievement Standard: Students describe and compare universal characters and situations in dramas

from and about various cultures and historical periods, illustrate in improvised and scripted scenes, and

discuss how theater reflects a culture.

Georgia Standards

TAMS6.1 Analyzing and constructing meaning from theatrical experiences, dramatic literature, and electronic

media

TAMS6.2 Developing scripts through improvisation and other theatrical method

TAMS6.3 Acting by developing, communicating, and sustaining roles within a variety of situations and

environments

TAMS6.5 Directing by conceptualizing, organizing, and conducting rehearsals for performance

TAMS6.6 Researching cultural and historical information to support artistic choice

TAMS6.7 Integrating various art forms, other content areas, and life experiences to create theatre

TAMS6.11 Engaging actively and appropriately as an audience member in theatre and other media experiences

DRAMA: WALTER DEAN MYERS 39


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DRAMA: WALTER DEAN MYERS

TABLEAU

IMPROVISATION

PANTOMIME

Participants make still images with their bodies to represent

a scene

To invent, compose, or perform with little or no preparation

The telling of a story without words, by means of bodily

movements, gestures, and facial expressions



Copies of the poem for distribution

Device for playing music

Various costume and set pieces as needed

Internet or encyclopedia for research

Observation notebooks for museum visit

Video recording equipment for performance

and/or evaluation if desired

Artists Background:

Walter Dean Myers is an author for young adults who was born in West Virginia in 1937. He spent most of his childhood

and teenage years in Harlem. Myers experienced a happy, yet tumultuous childhood, growing up with foster parents. He

developed a love of books at a young age, perhaps partially due to his speech impediment, and he cultivated a habit o

writing poetry and short stories.

From Walter Dean Myers:I am a product of Harlem and of the values, color, toughness, and caring that I found there as

a child. I learned my flat jump shot in the church basement and got my first kiss during recess

at Bible school. I played the endless street games kids played in the pre-television days and

paid enough attention to candy and junk food to dutifully alarm my mother.

Bernard Drew, The 100 Most Popular Young Adult Authors: Biographical Sketches and Bibliographies, 1997, p. 289

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DRAMA: WALTER DEAN MYERS

Selected work of art:

Harlemby Walter Dean Myers 1997. This poem was penned by young adult fiction writer Walter Dean Myers (book-

form of the poem was a 1998 Caldecott Honor book) who grew up in Harlem. It relates the story of settlement of African

Americans in Harlem from the South. Many well-known landmarks and luminaries from the era are included in the poem.

The poem is a rich depiction of the Harlem Renaissance. Through it, learners will connect to different aspects of the

arts, history and culture of the time period using observation, dramatic tableaux and creative improvisation. WalterDean Myers is a modern day author who was raised in Harlem and enjoys much success as an African American author

of young adult literature. Presumably, he had his way paved for him by the great Harlem Renaissance writers who came

before his time. In this respect, a connection is made to many modern artists, including the work of Fred Wilson, also a

New Yorker from the Bronx (a few blocks north of Harlem).

Discussion/Warm-up

Teacher leads the class through the following discussion:

What to do you see in your imagination when you read/hear the poem?

What works of art do you see in the museum that correlate with your mental images of the poem?

Can you transpose these images into sound and movement for the stage?

How would you use costumes, set pieces and music in your vision of this staging? Color and sound?

Can you communicate the locations from the poem to the stage?

Can you create characters from the poem and bring them to life in performance?


Day 1

Distribute and read poem out loud with the class.

There are 26 stanzas in the poem. Divide them among small groups of students (3-5 per group). Explain that each

group will rehearse and perform more than one stanza.

Ask students questions for reflection from the discussion/warm-up listed above.

Museum Visit

Have groups work together in museum to identify art works that will help them bring their stanzas to life in a

performance piece. Can they identify images that they would be able to recreate for their performance? Suggestions

of music? Colors? Attitudes? Are there depictions of people, animals, or objects in the art works they can embody?

Students should bring notebooks and writing utensils for taking notes and writing down the names of art works for

further research, if necessary.

Day 2

Have groups read and research their stanzas for historical and literary meaning. For instance, in the stanza tha

mentions Jack Johnson, Joe Louis and Sugar Ray: Who were these people? What are the calls and songs and shouts

referred to in the third stanza?

Each group will assign a narrator and create a tableau for each of their stanzas utilizing images from museum visi

and research. Vocals may be used for emphasis (such as background noises of traffic) or to engage music/singingbut additional dialogue may not be added. Group may break up the narration amongst members if desired.

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Day 3

Finish tableau and research, if necessary

Narrator will recite the stanza of the poem while group members act out the scene. Students are encouraged to

embellish tableau with movement, props, costumes, music, etc. Class time will be taken to plan and incorporate these

elements.

At end of class period, discuss staging of performance options. Some examples:

Set up the room in stations so that observers can move from station to station in the order of the poem

Set up as a proscenium performance and have frozen tableau come alive one by one on the stage

Day 4

Students will perform their stanzas of the poem for each other and use evaluation worksheet to assess one another.

Optional: Performance

Students may invite family, or school may have other students attend performance. If working on Harlem Renaissance

in social studies or art, for example, these students may benefit from learning about the time period after viewing the

performance. May also be used as a performance for a future assembly or other opportunity for performance during

non-school hours.

Closure

What was your experience in staging the work? Was it easier or harder than you expected?

What did you learn that you didnt know before you started working on this:

About drama?

About history?

About art?

Were you able to incorporate skills you learned (e.g. observation, improvisation, pantomime, and tableau) in prio

lesson units?

How was it working with your group?

Are you proud of your work and would you like to perform it for the public?

If you had more time, what would you improve?

Modification for Intelligences:

Students not able or willing to participate in the performance aspect of the lesson may contribute by working as

researchers; costume/prop/set designers. Students proficient in art, dance and music may also create works to contribute

to the dramatic performance.

Assessment Criteria

See Assessment Rubric and Students Self-Evaluation



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Review of classmates work

When you watched your classmates work:

1. Could you tell who the characters were? ______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Were you able to recognize any of the art works from the museum? _______________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Did you know where (location) they were? If so, where? _________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Did they use music, costumes, props, or some other way to help make the story clear? _______________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

5. Did you see clear actions? If so, can you name some of them? ____________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

6. If you were directing this, what are some suggestions you would make to improve the communication of the ideas in

the poem? ______________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

7. What did you like the most in what you saw and why? __________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

8. Did you learn anything from watching the scene? If so, what? ____________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________



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Harlem: A Poem

By Walter Dean Myers

1. They took the road in Waycross, Georgia

Skipped over the tracks in East St. Louis

Took the bus from Holly Springs

Hitched a ride from Gees Bend

Took the long way through Memphis The third deck down from Trinidad

A wrench of heart from Goree Island

A wrench of heart from Goree Island [sic]

To a place called

Harlem

2. Harlem was a promise

Of a better life,

of a place where a man

Didnt have to know his place

Simply because

He was Black

3. They brought a call

A song

First heard in the villages of

Ghana/Mali/Senegal

Calls and songs and shouts

Heavy hearted tambourine rhythms

Loosed in the hard city

Like a scream torn from the throat

Of an ancient clarinet

4. A new sound, raucous and sassy

Cascading over the asphalt village

Breaking against the black sky over

1-2-5 Street

Announcing Hallelujah

Riffing past resolution

5. Yellow, tan, brown, black, red

Green, gray, bright

Colors loud enough to be heard

Light on asphalt streets

Sun yellow shirts on burnt umber

Bodies

Demanding to be heard

Seen

Sending out warriors

6. From streets known to be

Mourning still as a lone radio tells us how

Jack Johnson

Joe Louis

Sugar Ray

Is doing with our hopes.

7. We hope We pray

Our black skins

Reflecting the face of God

In storefront temples

8. Jive and Jehovah artists

Lay out the human canvas

The mood indigo

9. A chorus of summer herbs

Of mangoes and bar-b-que

Of perfumed sisters Hip strutting past

Fried fish joints

On Lenox Avenue in steamy August

10. A carnival of children

People in the daytime streets

Ring-a-levio warriors

Stickball heroes

Hide-and-seek knights and ladies

Waiting to sing their own sweet songs

Living out their own slam-dunk dreams

Listening

For the coming of the blues

11. A weary blues that Langston knew

And Countee sung

A river of blues

Where Du Bois waded

And Baldwin preached

12. There is lilt

Tempo

Cadence

A language of darkness

Darkness known

Darkness sharpened at Mintons

Darkness lightened at the Cotton Club

Sent flying from Abyssinian Baptist

To the Apollo.



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13. The uptown A

Rattles past 110th Street

Unreal to real

Relaxing the soul

14. Shango and Jesus

Asante and Mende

One people A hundred different people

Huddled masses

And crowded dreams

15. Squares

Blocks, bricks

Fat, round woman in a rectangle

Sunday night gospel

Precious Lordtake my hand,

Lead me on, let me stand

16. Caught by a full lipped Full hipped Saint

Washing collard greens

In a cracked porcelain sink

Backing up Lady Day on the radio

17. Brother so black and blue

Patting a wide foot outside the

Too hot Walk-up

Boy,

You ought to find the guys who told you

you could play some checkers

cause he done lied to you!

18. Cracked reed and soprano sax laughter

Floats over

a fleet of funeral cars

19. In Harlem

Sparrows sit on fire escapes

Outside rent parties

To learn the tunes.

20. In Harlem

The wind doesnt blow past Smalls

It stops to listen to the sounds

21. Serious business

A poem, rhapsody tripping along

Strivers Row

Not getting its metric feel soiled

On the well-swept walks

Hustling through the hard rain at two oclock

In the morning to its next gig.

22. A huddle of horns

And a tinkle of glass

A note

Handed down from Marcus to Malcolm

To a brother

Too bad and too cool to give his name.

23. Sometimes despair

Makes the stoops shudder

Sometimes there are endless depths of pain

Singing a capella on street corners

24. And sometimes not.

Sometimes it is the artist

looking into the mirror

Painting a portrait of his own heart.

25. Place

Sound

Celebration

Memories of feelings

Of place

26. A journey on the A train

That started on the banks of the Niger

And has not ended

Harlem.

[Note: last line, Harlem, may be performed by entire ensemble.]



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Skill

Demonstrates concentration and

believability in drama activities.

Expresses original and imaginative ideas

in discussion and/or drama activities and

work in a group

Demonstrates the use of museum

observation and utilizes research tools

to create performance. Behaves in

appropriate manner in museum setting.

During rehearsal: communicates story by

utilizing script, improvisation, tableaux

and other skills

Performance: develops and maintains

character through movement, dialogue,

vocal projection, and scene work. Also able

to contribute in other areas such as dance,

music, design of props, costumes, etc.

Listens and reflects as an attentive

audience member.

Reflects on their own work in the drama

process (at closure)

Assessment Rubric

Total Score

A= 10-12 (83-100%)

B= 7-9 (58-75%)

C= 4-6 (33 -50%)

D= 2-3 (17-25%)

F= 0-1 (0-8%)

Developing (1)

Breaks concentration and lacks focus.

Work lacks originality and

imaginati

scad museum of art curriculum guide info

Documents