Classroom Activities
I am envisioning this being a two and a half-week addition to a previously developed unit in which we treat the image as our primary text to make observations, engage in research, and discuss our research and observations. In this unit, I imagine exploring the five art pieces referenced in the unit using four quadrant analysis. To have a general idea of how I plan on organizing my approach, I am going to map out for you the work that will be done over the course of twelve days.
Day 1
Students will explore the piece Washington Crossing the Delaware (Emanuel Leutze, 1851). They will use Four Quadrant Art Analysis (see the strategy listed above) to closely view the four quadrants of the piece and list out the observations that they make. They will also engage in research about the piece using the following websites below and summarize their research based on what others have found (Google the titles to get live links):
- 10 Facts about Washington's Crossing of the Delaware River | George Washington's Mount Vernon
- Can a Painting Tell More Than One Story? #MetKids Looks at *Washington Crossing the Delaware* - The Metropolitan Museum of Art (metmuseum.org)
- Washington Crossing the Delaware | painting by Emanuel Leutze | Britannica
Day 2
Students will finish exploring the piece Washington Crossing the Delaware (Emanuel Leutze, 1851). They will complete the Four Quadrant Art Analysis by having a classroom conversation using the following questions below:
- What details in the painting catch your attention, and why do you think the artist included them?
- How does the artist show George Washington, and what does this portrayal suggest about him as a leader?
- What emotions or feelings does the painting create? How do the colors and composition contribute to the mood?
- What challenges might Washington and his soldiers have faced during the crossing, and how does the painting show these challenges? This is a good chance for you to share what you learned from your research.
- Why do you think this painting has become such an important image of American history?
Once the questions have been discussed, students will reflect using the last question that is part of the Four Quadrant Art Analysis: After our class conversation, what do you think about the piece? Do you agree or disagree with what other people think?
Day 3
Students will explore the piece George Washington Carver Crossing the Delaware: Page from an American History Textbook (Robert Colescott, 1975). They will use Four Quadrant Art Analysis (see the strategy listed above) to closely view the four quadrants of the piece and list out the observations that they make. I will introduce students to the concept of parody after we view by sharing this definition written on the board:
A parody is “a work that mimics the style of another work, artist, or genre in an exaggerated way, usually for comic effect.” The Encyclopedia Britannica observes that “parody is typically negative in intent: it calls attention to a writer’s perceived weaknesses or a school’s overused conventions and seeks to ridicule them. Parody can, however, serve a constructive purpose, or it can be an expression of admiration.”
They will also engage in research about the piece using the following websites below and summarize their research based on what others have found after I introduce the concepts of parody and satire (Google the titles to get live links):
- Robert Colescott's George Washington Carver Crossing the Delaware: Page from an American History Textbook| Sotheby’s (sothebys.com)
- Figuring History – "George Washington Carver Crossing the Delaware," Robert Colescott (youtube.com) This is a Youtube video with a short artist statement from Colescott
- Lucas Museum Acquires Robert Colescott's 'George Washington Carver Crossing the Delaware' Painting for Record-Smashing $15.3 Million From Sotheby's Auction-Culture Type
Day 4
Students will finish exploring the piece George Washington Carver Crossing the Delaware: Page from an American History Textbook (Robert Colescott, 1975). They will complete the Four Quadrant Art Analysis by having a classroom conversation using the following questions below:
- What colors and shapes do you notice in the painting? How do they make you feel?
- What do you see in the painting that stands out or looks different from what you might expect in a history book?
- What was your first thought when you saw the painting? Did it surprise you
- Why do you think the artist chose to show George Washington Carver in a scene that is usually associated with George Washington? Talk about your research.
- How are George Washington Carver and George Washington similar and different?
- What do you think the artist is trying to say with this painting?
Once the questions have been discussed, students will reflect using the last question that is part of the Four Quadrant Art Analysis: After our class conversation, what do you think about the piece? Do you agree or disagree with what other people think?
Day 5
Students will explore the piece Shadows of Liberty (Titus Kaphar, 2016). They will use Four Quadrant Art Analysis (see the strategy listed above) to closely view the four quadrants of the piece and list out the observations that they make. They will also engage in research about the piece using the following websites below and summarize their research based on what others have found (Google the titles to get live links):
- Shadows of Liberty - e pluribus: Out of Many (nationalacademy.org)
- Titus Kaphar on Putting Black Figures Back Into Art History and His Solution for the Problem of Confederate Monuments (artnet.com)
- Ten Facts About Washington & Slavery | George Washington's Mount Vernon
Day 6
Students will finish exploring the piece Shadows of Liberty (Titus Kaphar, 2016). They will complete the Four Quadrant Art Analysis by having a classroom conversation using the following questions below:
- What do you notice about the painting (like the person depicted, his pose, and any notable details like clothing or expressions)?
- How does the painting address the topic of slavery and its impact on American history?
I will introduce and define the term counter-narrative on the board (rewritten from the criteria I mentioned in the content section in a more kid-friendly way): A counter-narrative is a way of telling a story from the viewpoint of people who haven't always had the chance to share their experiences. These stories often go against the usual versions of events that we're used to hearing, which are often told by people in power. They give a voice to those who have been left out, allowing them to tell their own stories and share their true experiences. Counter-narratives don't just stick to simple or one-sided versions of events. They explore the different feelings and challenges that people faced in history.
- How is this piece a counter-narrative?
- Whose viewpoint is being shared in this painting?
- How does this painting go against the usual version of how George Washington is portrayed?
- Who has been “left out” in the telling of history in this painting? How does the artist address this and what do you think about it?
Once the questions have been discussed, students will reflect using the last question that is part of the Four Quadrant Art Analysis: After our class conversation, what do you think about the piece? Do you agree or disagree with what other people think?
Day 7
Students will read the Chicago Tribune article: “Johnson to remove George Washington statue from outside his City Hall office (msn.com)” regarding Chicago’s Mayor Johnson’s recent decision to relocate a statue of George Washington currently outside of the mayor’s office to another location. I will model for students the form of a letter to mayor and project it for students to refer to as they write. Students will need to take a position in their letter to the following question: “Do you agree or disagree with Mayor Johnson’s decision to relocate the statue based on our research. Student responses will be mailed to Mayor Johnson’s office.
Day 8
Students will explore the piece American Gothic (Grant Wood, 1930). They will use Four Quadrant Art Analysis (see the strategy listed above) to closely view the four quadrants of the piece and list out the observations that they make. They will also engage in research about the piece using the following websites below and summarize their research based on what others have found (Google the titles to get live links):
- American Gothic (paining by Grant Wood) | Description & Facts | Britannica
- How American Gothic became an icon (bbc.com)
- How American Gothic became an icon (youtube.com)-a short Youtube video
- American Gothic Meaning: Grant Wood Painting Interpretation & Analysis (legomenon.com)
- Great Depression | Definition, History, Dates, Causes, Effects, & Facts | Britannica
Day 9
Students will finish exploring the piece American Gothic (Grant Wood, 1930). They will complete the Four Quadrant Art Analysis by having a classroom conversation using the following questions below:
- What stands out to you about the way the two people are dressed and what they are holding?
- How would you describe the facial expressions on the faces of the man and woman? Why do you think the artist decided to give them the expressions he did?
- What do you think this painting tells us about life in rural America during the time it was painted?
- What mood is created for you as a viewer? What makes you feel that way?
- Why do you think the painting is called "American Gothic?" Google the meaning of Gothic" consider why the artist might have used this term for a painting of ordinary people.
Once the questions have been discussed, students will reflect using the last question that is part of the Four Quadrant Art Analysis: After our class conversation, what do you think about the piece? Do you agree or disagree with what other people think?
Day 10
Students will explore the piece The New American Gothic (Criselda Vasquez, 2017). They will use Four Quadrant Art Analysis (see the strategy listed above) to closely view the four quadrants of the piece and list out the observations that they make. They will also engage in research about the piece using the following websites below and summarize their research based on what others have found (Google the titles to get live links):
- https://www.artofit.org/2021/04/03/the-new-american-gothic-by-criselda-vasquez-oil-on-canvas-72-x-48/ -This link includes an image and artist statement.
- Latinx Artist Criselda Vasquez Paints A Dedication To La Lucha (boldlatina.com)
- How the news media portray Latinos in stories and images (journalistsresource.org)
Day 11
I will revisit the term counter-narrative that was defined on the board earlier (rewritten from the criteria I mentioned in the content section in a more kid-friendly way): A counter-narrative is a way of telling a story from the viewpoint of people who haven't always had the chance to share their experiences. These stories often go against the usual versions of events that we're used to hearing, which are often told by people in power. They give a voice to those who have been left out, allowing them to tell their own stories and share their true experiences. Counter-narratives don't just stick to simple or one-sided versions of events. They explore the different feelings and challenges that people faced in history.
- How is this piece a counter-narrative?
- Whose viewpoint is being shared in this painting?
- How does this painting go against the usual version of how immigrants are portrayed in the news?
- Who has been “left out” in the telling of history in this painting? How does the artist address this and what do you think about it?
Once the questions have been discussed, students will reflect using the last question that is part of the Four Quadrant Art Analysis: After our class conversation, what do you think about the piece? Do you agree or disagree with what other people think?
Day 12
The Problem We All Live With, Norman Rockwell, 1963
I want students to create a counter-narrative to this piece. We would revisit the student-friendly definition that I have developed. What would this painting or scene look like envisioned by a Black artist and in contemporary times? I would create an assignment in which students have the open-ended invitation to envision a critical response to the work after they fully understand the concept of counter-narrative. They can respond by making another piece of art, writing a song or poem, or another open-ended way of expressing their thinking.
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