Strategies
Word Explosion
Word Explosion is a strategy for brainstorming that can be used at the beginning of a writing activity. It is meant to clear your mind. In this strategy, you start with one word or concept. The concept activates additional words, especially adjectives that will help modify the noun to create a better description. In the beginning, students will be taught about adjectives as an important integral part of a sentence. With guidance, students will use Word explosion to brainstorm for adjectives.
Activate Prior Knowledge
In this strategy, students will be asked to study that art. Students will be asked what they already know about the art piece. Maybe they recognize something in the story. The idea is to teach students to ask themselves, what do I already know about this? For example, Begay’s work is about the culture of the students. Many are still exposed to the culture or experience the events depicted in the art. Because Begay’s art activates prior knowledge, I want to use his work at the beginning of this unit.
Field Trip
The grand finale for the unit is for students to visit a museum, specifically the Museum of Northern Arizona. This particular museum displays various artists from the around the Colorado Plateau, many of whom are Navajo artists. Currently, Navajo Artist Tony Abeyta, Navajo artist who is a contemporary painter, has his work on display until the end of September. The exhibit includes paintings, drawings, and mixed media pieces and jewelry. With their new abilities to use adjectives to write a descriptive and narrative piece on art, I expect students to discuss Abeyta’s work. Because Abeyta’s work is contemporary, I want to students to spend most of their time at this exhibit. Did the art send a message to them? Did it create an interest, did it confuse them, and if so, why?
It would be a great opportunity for students to see various arts from Native American Artists on display.
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