Every Picture Tells A Story, Author(s) Donnalyn E. Schuster - Grade 8 Interdisciplinary Art/ELA - Students will use personal histories developed and written as descriptive narratives and transform them into visual imagery integrating characters, events and symbols into an observable story.

LU TITLE: Every Picture Tells a Story

AUTHOR: Donnalyn E. Schuster

GRADE: Grade 8 Interdisciplinary Art/ELA

SCHOOL: Frankfort Schuyler CSD
PHONE: 895-7461

LEARNING CONTEXT

Students will use personal histories developed and written as descriptive narratives and transform them into visual imagery integrating characters, events and symbols into an observable story. Using influences of fabric artist Faith Ringgold and painter Carmen Lomas Garza, students will selectively weave a visual narrative for presentation from individually developed writings. During the creative process, students will use e-mail skills to contact Ms. Ringgold at her web site.

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

Declarative:

Students will know the characteristics of narrative art.

Students will know how to use interpretive techniques to understand a narrative work of art.

Students will understand how the environment and family life shape the creative expression of artists.

Students will understand how their own life experiences can influence their work.

Students will identify influential people and events using a graphic organizer.

Procedural:

Formulate questions for Faith Ringgold in a format suitable for e-mail to the artist via her web page.

Write individual mini narratives based on the ideas generated in a graphic organizer.

Translate written imagery into an illustrative format.

Create a unified composition based on synthesis of multiple sketches.

Prepare work for exhibition and evaluation.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

How has your past helped to shape your future?

How has the work of other artists been influenced by personal experience? What can you learn from them to apply to your own life? Are they relevant to yours?

UNIT OVERVIEW/PREREQUISITES

At the beginning of this unit, it is assumed that students know the characteristics of narrative writing and have used graphic organizers as a part of the middle school ELA program. Students will have had prior experience in looking at and describing images observed in works of art and the process of idea refinement through preliminary sketches.

CONNECTIONS TO THE STANDARDS

This interdisciplinary unit fulfills the following Intermediate Level Learning Standards:

VISUAL ARTS ONE:

Students will know and use a variety of sources for developing and conveying ideas, images, symbols, themes and events in the creation of art.

Students will use elements and principals of at to communicate specific meaning to others in their artworks.

During the creative process, reflect on the effectiveness of selected mediums or techniques to convey intended message.

VISUAL ARTS TWO:

Students will develop skills with a variety of art materials and develop competence in one.

Students will understand careers related to the visual arts and skills related to them.

VISUAL ARTS THREE:

Students will discuss and write analysis and interpretations of their own works and others using appropriate critical language.

Students will identify, analyze and interpret the visual and sensory characteristics discovered in natural and human made forms.

Students will compare ways ideas and concepts are communicate through visual arts with ways that those ideas, concepts and themes as manifested within the discipline.

VISUAL ARTS FOUR:

Students will demonstrate ways that particular artworks reflect important aspects of diverse cultures of the United States.

MST TWO:

Students will access, generate, process and transfer information using the appropriate technologies.

ELA ONE:

As listeners and readers, students will collect data, facts, and ideas; discover relationships, concepts and generalizations; and use knowledge generated from oral and written texts. As speakers and writers, they will use oral and d written language that follows the accepted conventions of English to acquire, interpret, apply and transmit information.

Students will use a wide variety of strategies for selecting, organizing and categorizing information.

Use standard English for formal presentation of information.

ELA THREE:

Students will understand that within any group there are many different points of view depending upon the particular interests and values of the individual and recognize these differences in presentation.

Evaluate their own work based upon a variety of criteria.

ELA FOUR:

Listen attentively to others and build on ideas. Send electronic messages using the Internet. Uses appropriate language and style for the situation and intended audience.

INITIATING ACTIVITY

Students will first explore ways to interpret and synthesize results based upon observation and reflection of selected works of art. Using a game format allowing students to draw from a deck of small reproductions, individual responses will be elicited in writing. The students will work in groups of 4 to 5, meeting the next challenge to create a collaborative narrative based on the parts of their individual responses to the prints. By blending parts and working as a team, a creative and usual narrative story ill be put together based on at least one contribution by each member, and read by a group recorder. The initial concepts of combining parts to form a whole, editing and revision, multiple interpretations and the prioritizing of important areas will set the stage for this multi-task unit.

LEARNING EXPERIENCES

To reinforce the concept of the whole being a sum of its parts, students will be introduced to the function of quits as a practical, symbolic and decorative work of art. Using actual quilts, prints, slides, videos and manipulatives, the concept of fabric art serving many purposes will be explored. The role of the quilt as an artifact of the family will enter into the lesson with use of the friendship or wedding quilt as a commemorative piece that tells a story in a visual format. Student responses will be elicited through discussion on their experiences with such artifacts as a means of transmitting values and history.
The role Faith Ringgold plays as a contemporary fabric artist who tell stories through her quilts will be explored. By viewing and discussing prints, slides and/or videos, the influences of her life on her work will be demonstrated. Is she a valid storyteller? Is she an artist, a craftsperson or both? Comparing her work to Carmen Garza, a narrative artist who tells childhood stories through acrylic paintings, inspires a discussion of the "validity" of both forms of expression. Though class discussion and reflection, a compare and contrast list can be created allowing the student to consider non-traditional ways of storytelling and the possibilities for personal expressions. Why one medium may appeal to an artist over another, the fact that visual images can often communicate a universal message better than written language, the acceptance of women as contemporary storytellers are points of discussion that each student can apply in the creation of their own visual narrative.
After discussion of Ringgolds work and influences, each student will write a questions for the artist. Using her web page (www.artincontext.org/artist/ringgold/default.html), students will email her with their questions pertaining to style, medium or ways in which works interest them. To instruct students in procedure of internet use and email steps, the WEB - TV will be used to facilitate large group instruction.
Using a teacher designed graphic organizer, students will explore two significant life events and three individuals that have shaped them in a positive manner. From information generated on the organizer, students will develop a series of mini - narratives exploring the contributions and impact on their lives as a result of these individuals and events.
Using concept of planning sketched and a discussion/modeling of techniques used in translation (ways to demonstrate visually time, season, in/outdoor environments, mood, emotion, etc.) students will develop a series of detailed drawings from each of the five mini narratives.

CULMINATING ACTIVITY
From the series of sketches, students will be challenged to blend imagery into a final composition to be drawn on 18" x 24" bogus paper and completed with oil pastel. Compositional and specialized media techniques will be modeled by teacher during the process. As works are completed, they will be prepared for exhibition and self evaluation.

INSTRUCTIONAL/ENVIRONMENTAL MODIFICATIONS

Resource and Title 1 students will have the choice of working with these teachers during the writing process. Use of scribes and tape recorders to capture narratives are available if needed.
Collage to illustrate visual imagery can be incorporated to accommodate students with limited skills in drawing or dexterity.

TIME REQUIRED
1. Initiating activity - one period

Learning Experiences 1 or 2 - two periods
Learning Experience 3 - two periods.
Learning Experience 4 - two periods.
Learning Experiences 5 - two to three periods.
Culminating Experience - five to eight periods.
Total class time-approx. 18 periods, based on 45 minute class. Students will be encouraged to work outside of class.

RESOURCES

Computers with internet access/WEB - TV
Visual samples of Ringgold and Garza's works.
Mediaography of Ringgold (Madison Oneida BOCES)
Activity packet of narrative prints.
Actual quilts.
Graphic organizer/unit outlines.
Art materials: newsprint, pencils, bogus paper, oil pastels, frames and tape

ASSESSMENT PLAN

Use of graphic organizer to develop lists of events and people.
Participation in class and group discussions during initiating activity and learning experiences demonstrating reaction to works and ideas in development.
Use of student evaluation to assess progress, strengths and weaknesses.
Use of rubric to determine grade.
Successful email to the artist
Creation of a well designed, finished piece for exhibition.

SELF EVALUATION FORM FOR VISUAL NARRATIVE PROJECT

Explain what you have learned from looking at the artwork of Ringgold and Garza. Do you see any themes "common" to them and your own life? If so, describe them.
Describe the hardest part of this project. What problems did you run into and how did you solve them?
In your opinion, what was the best part of this project and why? What part(s) did you enjoy working on the most?
What insights have you gained from this interdisciplinary project? Are there any other subjects that might fit together with art for a project? Explain your idea.
What did you learn about yourself and others (including Faith Ringgold) as a result of this project? Describe your impressions and experience:

Name_____________ Period___________ Date__________

EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER

Identify 2 events that have had a positive impact on your life:
Write a short narrative describing the events and how it affected you for both a and b. Use separate page and label.
Identify 3 people that have had a positive influence on your life:
Based on the information in #3, Write descriptive narratives for each, explaining how these people have helped you become the person you are today. Use separate sheets and identify each by letter.

UNIT RUBRIC

Participation in the initiating activity (ELA 3,4) 4 - Rich detail in written imagery, insightful, directions followed, 3 - Detail in one area of writing, directions followed, 2 - Minimal writing, minimal participation in group process, 1 - Did not participate.
Successful Email; Written Questions and Transmission (MST 2, ELA 4, VA 2) 4 - Richly written, insightful question(s), transmission completed, 3 - One question written, transmission completed, 2 - One question written, unsuccessful transmission, 1 - Did not participate.
Identification of Two Events (ELA 1) 4 - More than 2 selected, with introductory notes and details, 3 - 2 Selected, some notations, 2 - 1 selected, 1- None selected.
Narrative of Events (ELA 1) 4 - Richly written narrative demonstrating strong visual imagery and insight. Neatly written, 3 - Areas fully developed, extra detail in one story. Neatly written, 2 - Areas left underdeveloped, weak imagery. Little detail, 1 - Incomplete writing.
Identification of three key individuals (ELA 1) 4 - More than 3 chosen, introductory notations made, 3 - 3 chosen, some notations made, 2 - 2 chosen, 1 - One or none chosen.
Narrative Writing about individuals (ELA 1) 4 - Richly detailed stories, strong descriptions and insights about influences in all three pieces. Neatly written, 3 - Strong detail in 2 areas, neatly written, 2 - Minimal develop of stories, areas weak, 1 - Incomplete writing.
Initial drawn imagery about 5 stories (VA1) 4 - Extensively detailed drawings for all 5 events. Rich detail and notations, 3 - Drawings completed with detail in 4 or 5 sketches, 2 - Drawings completed with minimal detail in at least 3 areas, 1 - Sketches weak, unfinished or not attempted.
Compositional Exploration (VA 1) 4 - Willing to attempt complex arrangements, utilizing suggestions in creation of two or more compositions demonstrating unification of events, using standard compositional techniques, 3 - Final composition developed from all 5 sketched using standard compositional techniques, unification of events evident, 2 - Partially developed final sketch, minimal unification, 1 - Incomplete idea development.
Final Drawing (VA 1,3) 4 - Rich and accurate drawing demonstrating extensive planning and design. Color application done skillfully and use of symbolic color evident. Neatly finished, 3 - Detailed and accurate drawing demonstrating knowledge of media and compositional skills. Color applied neatly, 2 - Minimal detail and accuracy in drawing. Poor compositional design, demonstrating lack of planning. Inconsistent application of color, 1 - Drawing incomplete, areas left uncolored.
Completion of Self Evaluation (VA 3,4; ELA 3) 4 - Well developed and insightful responses demonstrating serious thought and reflection, 3 - Areas answered completely, some insight in at least 1/2 of responses, 2 - Minimal writing and insight in less than 1/4 of responses, 1 - Areas not answered.