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All grades  Project 6 weeks

Picture This: Portraits & Personal Histories

Cheyenne A
Updated
VA:Pr6.1.IIIa
VA:Pr.6.1
VA:Cn11.1
VA:Cn11.1.Ia
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
+ 5 more
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Purpose

The purpose of this interdisciplinary project is to deepen students' understanding of American history through personal exploration and artistic expression. By engaging in activities such as book clubs, mural creation, and portrait photography, students will critically analyze the impact of historical events on their personal identities. This experiential learning journey aims to foster students' critical thinking, effective communication, and self-directed learning while empowering them to connect personal narratives with broader social and cultural contexts.

Learning goals

Through this project, students will develop critical thinking skills as they explore personal and historical narratives, understanding how major events have shaped individual identities and collective histories. By engaging with interdisciplinary content across art and humanities, they will enhance their understanding of societal, cultural, and political impacts through art analysis. The project's structure will encourage students to practice effective communication, collaborate with peers and community partners, and exhibit their learning through writing, self-portrait photography, and public presentations to their families. Students will also build content expertise in memoir and autobiography structures while refining self-directed learning through consistent reflection and critique.

Standards
  • [National Core Arts Standards] VA:Pr6.1.IIIa - Curate a collection of objects, artifacts, or artwork to impact the viewer’s understanding of social, cultural and/or political experiences.
  • [National Core Arts Standards] VA:Pr.6.1 - Objects, artifacts, and artworks collected, preserved, or presented either by artists, museums, or other venues communicate meaning and a record of social, cultural, and political experiences resulting in the cultivating of appreciation and understanding.
  • [National Core Arts Standards] VA:Cn11.1 - People develop ideas and understandings of society, culture, and history through their interactions with and analysis of art.
  • [National Core Arts Standards] VA:Cn11.1.Ia - Describe how knowledge of culture, traditions, and history may influence personal responses to art.
Competencies
  • Critical Thinking & Problem Solving - Students consider a variety of innovative approaches to address and understand complex questions that are authentic and important to their communities.
  • Collaboration - Students co-design projects with peers, exercise shared-decision making, strengthen relational agency, resolve conflict, and assume leadership roles.
  • Effective Communication - Students practice listening to understand, communicating with empathy, and share their learning through exhibiting, presenting and reflecting on their work.
  • Content Expertise - Students develop key competencies, skills, and dispositions with ample opportunities to apply knowledge and engage in work that matters to them.
  • Academic Mindset - Students establish a sense of place, identity, and belonging to increase self-efficacy while engaging in critical reflection and action.
  • Self Directed Learning - Students use teacher and peer feedback and self-reflection to monitor and direct their own learning while building self knowledge both in and out of the classroom.

Products

Throughout this six-week interdisciplinary project, students will produce multiple drafts of their autobiographical pieces, engaging in peer critiques and revisions to refine their narratives. They will also design and create an exhibit-quality photographed self-portrait, leveraging guidance from local photography experts to master composition and lighting, both showcasing their personal journey and the historical events that have shaped their identities. These products will be presented in a culminating exhibition to families and community members, inviting reflection on personal growth and development.

Launch

To launch the project, host a collaborative timeline and mural activity where students create a visual representation of a chosen year from their lifetime. Working in groups, students will research significant events from that year, considering both local and national contexts, and incorporate these findings into a timeline. This mural will serve as a foundational piece for discussing how these events have shaped personal and collective identities, setting the stage for the exploration of portraiture and autobiography throughout the course.

Exhibition

At the end of the 6-week project, students will host an exhibition night open to families and community members where they will present their photographed self-portraits and read excerpts from their written autobiographies. As part of the event, students will curate a gallery space displaying their work alongside insights into the historical events that shaped them, fostering an interactive viewing experience. Additionally, students will engage in a Q&A session, allowing them to communicate their artistic and research processes, fostering a deeper understanding of the impact of historical and cultural events on personal identity.