Latinx Histories, Cultures, and Communities

Classroom Activities

Prior to beginning each art activity, we will devote the start of class to specific aspects of Latinx history and visual imagery related to the lesson. For the first activity, I will address the historical timeline of U.S. interventions and territorial shifts that displaced Latino populations, leading to their journey to Chicago. We will also explore similarities in migration experiences and life in the U.S. as well as how this reflects within artwork. Leading into the second activity, I will illustrate how the Latinx community revitalized and reclaimed barrios in Chicago. This will also provide an opportunity for students to investigate how their own cultures have contributed to the city. Before the final activity, I will highlight Latinx activist groups and other spaces in Chicago that continue to support Latinos. Students will analyze the mural examples mentioned above, as well as comparable murals in surrounding neighborhoods, to gain a better understanding of how artists use their talents as a powerful tool to share their culture's history and traditions while embracing their identity. Throughout this process, students will be required to sketch-note their thoughts and ideas in their sketchbooks for future reference.

Lesson 1: Neighborhood Art Hunt (A community/local research)

“I can select and research local public art to explain how it reflects the history and culture of my community.”

Summary- In this lesson, students will have the opportunity to explore a piece of artwork independently. I will provide direct links to access specific Chicago’s Latinx public artwork and galleries, such as the Mexican Art Museum’s Nuestras Historias. Students will select a piece that captures their attention, and speaks to them about Latinx culture. Prior to beginning their investigation, I will ensure that students have chosen different artworks to avoid any repeats. Their task will be to observe the overall composition and explain visual details such as its elements. Taking a deeper dive, I will encourage them to research the context and story behind the work as well as make a personal connection. After compiling their findings, students will share with their classmates.

Objective-

• Make connections between prior knowledge/experiences and new information using their process of analysis
• Note relevant historical information using visual literacy
• Demonstrate an awareness of purpose, audience, voice, and artistic style
• Synthesize information in order to share observation and interpretation
• Gain insight from peers about similar artwork

Instructions-

Part 1

Choose one of the platforms provided and select an artwork that provokes feelings and thoughts (I encourage to look at a few art pieces before making a final choice).

Document artwork information: Title, Artist’s name, Year, & Medium. 

Part 2

Zoom in and Discover: What are some of the art details observe? Are there any hidden objects or words you do notice at first sight?

List Elements of Art: What are some artistic choices and why? (Example: The color choices the artist uses to express strong emotion)

Context & Story: Look at the Artist’s biography. What is some information you can uncover about the artist and their artwork? Where are they from? How does it relate to their culture?

Personal Connection: Why did you choose this piece? What does it make you think of when it comes to your culture? How does it connect to your ancestral history?

Part 3  

Shared Artistic Investigation: Once you’ve completed parts 1 and 2, share the image and responses digitally on our classroom Google slides.

Open Discussion: We will review all submissions together, exchange thoughts, and communicate similarities we see.

Students will also write a reflection of this activity in their sketchbooks. Some guiding questions will be: What story or message do you think the artist wants to tell the world? How does the artist use specific colors or symbols to show their identity? What does this artwork tell us about the time or place it was made?

Lesson 2: Illustrating Our Cultural Tributes through Lotería

"I can create a custom Lotería card that uses personal and/or cultural imagery to honor my heritage and reflects a traditional printmaking style.”

Summary- In this lesson, students will be recognizing their culture’s attributes. I would like them to consider the positive qualities that their lineage has brought to the City of Chicago, whether illustrated through a person, object, place, or symbol. In other words, they will visualize parts of their heritage as a superpower, and utilize this awareness to reinvent a new Lotería card. Students will brainstorm ideas in groups and finalize their own individual designs. I will also introduce a relief printmaking technique—a method used by many Latinx artists to produce mass democratized art—so that students can create multiple copies of their cards. These designs will ultimately come together for an installation at our school.

Objective-

• Identify distinct positive attributes, traditions, and contributions of their personal cultural lineage.
• Analyze how their heritage has historically or culturally enriched the City of Chicago.
• Synthesize a cultural asset (person, object, place, or symbol) into a conceptual "superpower" visual.
• Translate a brainstormed cultural concept like Lotería into an original, single-image icon design.
• Demonstrate and properly execute relief printmaking techniques.

Instructions-

Part 1

Brainstorming Stage: In groups of 3-4, take turns exchanging ideas and providing recommendations. Create 3 small thumbnail sketches, share and give feedback among your group.

Part 2

Finalizing Card Design: Centered by your brainstorm stage, create your final preferred design in a larger scale (8x10). Follow the visual and textual components:

-Image Centered (the focal point)

-Spanish name (Example: El/La [noun])

-A digit from 1 to 54 placed in the corner (consider selecting a meaningful number)

-A Border (a plain frame that surrounds the central artwork)

Part 3

The Relief Printmaking Process:

1. Transfer your image to the linoleum block: Rub the back of your drawing with soft pencil graphite, place the drawing face-up on top of your linoleum block, and trace over the lines with a pen to press the graphite onto the lino surface. Remove the original drawing and go over the transferred lines with a permanent marker so they do not rub off while you work.
2. Carve the Linoleum: (safety: Always cut away from your body and keep your non-cutting hand safely behind the blade. Turn the block instead of your hand to make curved lines easier.) Use a small V-gouge tool for fine details and outlines, and a larger U-gouge tool to scoop out big blank areas you want to stay white. Remember, whatever you carve away will not hold ink.
3. Ink and Print: On a flat surface, in this case cardboard, squeeze block printing ink. Roll your brayer back and forth until the ink sounds tacky and looks thin and even. Roll the inked brayer smoothly over your carved linoleum block in multiple directions until the raised parts are entirely covered. Carefully place a piece of paper directly onto the inked block. Rub the back of the paper firmly and evenly using your hand, the back of a spoon. Carefully peel the paper away from one corner to reveal your finished print. I would advise you make 2-3 editions of your design.

Following this activity, students will complete an Artist statement about their card. In a brief paragraph, they will explain why their design is a cultural tribute. I will collect one edition from each student, and use it to build a new diverse classroom Lotería deck for an art installation in our school.

Lesson 3: Our Roots, Our Neighborhood

“Collaboratively, we can create a culturally empowering mural for Back of the Yards.”

Summary- In this lesson, students will work in groups (3-4 students) in a communal effort to design a new mural for our neighborhood. Driven by what they have learned thus far in the unit and influenced by cultures’ history and contributions, they will form a composition that embraces their diversity and welcomes other to their neighborhood. Additionally, students will be asked to play an activist role in changing societal views of Latinos and actively rewriting their narrative in a public space. Although it will not be a large-scale model, students will create a smaller 18x24 prototype with their group, and present it to the community during our annual art show.

Objective-

• Recognize that their experiences and perceptions have value
• Work collaboratively on a group mural, strategizing a cultural theme.
• Explore the elements of art (texture, color, line and form) as they choose compositional layout for their mural.
• Gain experience with sequential imagery to convey a common message.
• Develop a deeper appreciation of cultural diversity by introducing them to murals from a Latinx standpoint.

Part 1

Planning and Brainstorming:

• Pick a theme: Select a unifying concept together that acknowledges and empowers every group member’s heritage.
• Gather input: Have every student draw individual idea, symbol, or imagery on small pieces of paper.
• Group discussion: Talk about colors, shapes, and favorite motifs that represent everyone’s voice.

Part 2

Designing the Prototype Layout:

• Scale the dimensions: Considering you’re the “wall” space (18x24), draw a miniature version (8x10 standard paper).
• Arrange elements: Move the small classmate drawings around on a shared board to test foreground, middle ground, and background.
• Create the master sketch: Combine the chosen pieces into a single unified blueprint that matches the wall's proportions.

Part 3

Transfer and Create your Mural Prototype:

• Map out a grid: Lightly sketch a grid to map the small prototype onto the “wall”.
• Test colors: Try out small paint samples or markers on a test sheet to check how colors look together. Make sure everyone agrees on the color selections.
• Communal efforts: Work together to paint your mural. Everyone should be contributing equally. Include a title and purpose.

During their mural-making process, I will provide students with the opportunity to complete a peer critique. Using a Praise, Question, and Suggest protocol, I will have groups exchange their work-in-progress with another group, so they may share comments in what is working out well and point out specific strong elements of their composition, ask open or focusing questions to understand their artists’ intention, and offer a gentle, helpful idea to make the mural better prior its completion.