Teaching Strategies
Reading Art
Reading takes different forms in different classes. In math you’re reading numbers, in literature you are reading words, in French class you read in French, and in Art class, well, you read art. To do this, we will first select a work of art for the students to look at. Having it in a large format is best, on screen for the whole class, printed in color for small groups, or on a laptop screen for individuals or pairs. First, look at the artwork, up, down, all around for about 90 seconds. Then take another 90 seconds to ask the 5 W’s: who, what, when, where, and why. You can also throw in how, like, “How was it made? " or “How did the artist achieve that texture?” Then discuss the 5 W’s (and are students’ answers fact or opinion) and give students time to ask questions. Finally, give the students the artist’s name, the title of the piece, if any, and any other background information available. How does this information change what the students originally thought about the piece? And just like that, you have read a short story.
Peer Tutoring and the Inquiry-Based Model
Working in small groups during introductory activities is beneficial for engaging students and encouraging them to discuss the material with one another. Peer tutoring will allow all students to participate, regardless of reading level, as they work together to complete tasks. The first activity listed below is small-group research activity conducted through an inquiry-based model. This will occur after the teacher's introduction of the lesson, so students will already have some understanding of the material and the “why” of the unit before starting their tasks. Small group sizes depend on the activity at hand. From buddies to table groups of six, I use small groups to get students to talk more comfortably about the topic. I require all students to use their voices, even if it is only to say, "I agree" or "I disagree”. The inquiry-based model of teaching is student-centered and encourages students to explore materials, ask questions, and gain a deeper understanding of the topic by finding answers rather than being given them through direct instruction.
Learning Stations
Students have been using small group rotations since elementary school, for the most part. They are familiar with the “centers” process and will typically, if not begrudgingly, move around the room if the activities are interesting enough. In my classroom, I have iPads and Chromebooks and will use them to set up stations for small-group research. Each station will have one of the websites to explore. There will also be a protest button-making station, a station for an introductory printmaking activity (styrofoam prints), a station for books on printmaking, protest printmaking, and books about the various movements, as possible, and a music station to listen to and evaluate a song of choice from a list prepared by the teacher.
Reflections
After completing the unit and presenting their final project, students will observe all the other projects in small groups. After a class discussion about their feelings, emotions, and understanding of the projects, students will write a reflection on what they have learned and how it has shaped their understanding of the 1960s protests and movements. What was new information compared to what they already knew? Did their viewpoints on any of the issues change, become stronger, or remain the same? What current movements might they be interested in becoming involved in? These are just a few of the questions that can be addressed in the reflection writings.
Classroom Activities
There are four basic printmaking techniques: relief, planographic, intaglio, and stencil. Within these four types of printing, more specific styles include woodcut, linocut, collagraph, engraving, etching, aquatint, monotype, lithography, screen printing, and more. Each type is used differently, with different materials and tools, and produces very different images. In our classroom, we will explore woodcuts, linocuts, monotype, screen printing, and etching. Students will explore each style presented through instruction, demos, videos, and images.
Small Group Research
Students will investigate printmaking styles and their use as a form of protest. Students will work in small groups to explore websites and videos: Allentown Art Museum Prezi, Prints and Protests 1960-1970,57 The Met’s article, Art, Protest, and Public Space58, and the Smithsonian’s ¡Printing the Revolution! The Rise and Impact of Chicano Graphics, 1965 to Now (namely the first video on this site).59 Students will have a graphic organizer to take notes and write reflections. Students will learn about different movements and printmaking simultaneously.
Styrofoam Printmaking
Printmaking was a major part of the 60s protests. Posters were often silk-screened for quick, colorful, creative images. This made it easy to quickly create fliers and posters that could then be distributed throughout an area. We will start our own printmaking lessons with a simple relief Styrofoam print using a word and an image. This printmaking style is simple and helps students better understand the reverse image, or reflection, it creates before going on to more detailed, exacting styles like woodcarving and screen printing. Students will be able to experiment with single- and multi-color printing, overlaying images for impact, and will demonstrate knowledge of how to use various tools safely and correctly before moving on to more challenging forms of printmaking.
Designing a Flyer
Using the information about their chosen movement, students will create a flyer to announce a made-up protest, rally, or demonstration. On Northwestern University's Global Marketing and Communications website, students will walk through the “Best Practices for Designing Flyers”.60 These best practices will help guide students to create a successful flyer for their final project display. Students may use computers or hand-design their flyer. Requirements and expectations include a Title or headline, the purpose of the event, the time, date, and location, and an image to represent the movement.
Protest Art and Music Analysis
The teacher will create a list of protest songs for students to view as historical documents. Students will answer questions about the lyrics to evaluate them, identify the song's purpose and intended message, and, if possible, compare it to a current song. Students will choose a song to represent their movement for the final project, so this will help get them started. They will include the title of their chosen song, the lyrics, musician or group, and explain how it represents their chosen movement.
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