Doll Books- Integrating Art, Literacy, and Culture

Summary of Activities

by Lonnie Stewart-Austin

It has been a wonderful life’s learning and working journey blending my experiences with ATI and my position as a classroom art teacher at Newark Public Schools.
I have taught in Newark Public Schools for 25 years. Within this district I have taught at a small K-6th school, k-8 school and I have taught high school students during the summers at Farleigh Dickerson University as part of the lead program. I have experience as a \manager, school administrator and business owner. It is my passion to continue to work closely with students, parents and teachers in a variety of positions.

My first experience was with Book Arts and Printing at Paterson University 2003. I was referred to the program by fellow art teacher, Ms. Harriet Washington. I was able to take my experiences and bring then into my classroom the following year. It impacted my students by using the books for their literacy class as well as the art class. The following year, ATI also awarded my school with a professional development grant. A professional book-artist, Ms. Shaffer provided a book workshop for teachers in grades three - eight. She was able to directly address concerns and suggestions of how the construction of books would assist students in their classrooms. The feedback and comments from the administrators and teachers were extremely positive. The younger students made name-tag books to wear around their necks for a field trip the following week. The teachers commented that the workshop had the ability to address their curriculum needs without many adjustments.

This past year, 2008-2009, I had fifth grade and eighth grade students participate in a bookmaking activity as an interdisciplinary project with their literacy class. The fifth grade students were to write a biography and include information about the country their ancestors originated from. The information had to be contained in two or three paragraphs. They could choose to dress their doll/book in traditional dress or contemporary dress. They could incorporate the country’s flag in the clothes. The eighth grade students chose to make elves for Christmas decorations. We based the idea on a story about Christmas. Inside of the book the students could write an opinion about the holiday, Christmas and how it affects them. Several students wrote poems or made up their own Christmas story.


Art Lesson Plan- Doll Book
GOAL: Personal Book GRADE: 4-8, Four weeks

OBJECTIVE: TSWBAT construct a personal doll book. The student will choose the clothing and colors. The book will be an extension of the decided project for the proposed lesson. A biography, information about a country or flag, a story, or a holiday poem are some of the projects that a book can be written about. The features on the doll can represent the student.

CCCS: 1.1 1.2 1.3 3.2
CPI: 1.2.6D.3

VOCABULARY: Biography, collage

ARTIST/ART MOVEMENT: Faith Ringgold, Romare Bearden, Jacob Lawrence

PROCEDURE: The students will watch a video and view some pictures by Romare Bearden, and Faith Ringgold. Ms. Ringgold’s biography and books are inspiration for the students to reflect their short life’s stories. The students will decide what the doll will wear and what it will be made out of (mainly paper). The students can use material, construction paper, crayons, felt, etc. The biography will be written inside of the book (body section), using pen or computer printed if time permits.
The students will look at power point of Bearden.
The students’ biography should answer 3 major questions.
1. What is important?
2. What do you like the best?
3. Where do you see yourself living?
4. How do you plan to get there?

MATERIALS: Pencils oak tag crayons material glue pen
Construction paper

EVALUATION: The student and the teacher will review the project. The student will make his/her picture available to have the project reviewed by the art class. The class and the teacher will accent the positive aspects of the picture. The student’s grade is contingent upon how well he/she followed directions/instructions, the uniqueness of the project and the complexity of how it was completed.


Art Lesson Plan- Line Dance

GOAL: Line direction / Design GRADE: Kndg-first



OBJECTIVE: TSWBAT learn, recall and draw the three major directions of lines. Horizontal, vertical and diagonal lines will be shown to the students using a dance.

CCCS: 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.6
CPI: 1.2.2c.2 1.2.2d.3

VOCABULARY: Horizontal line Vertical line Diagonal line
Design = Different colors, different lines and different shapes

ARTIST/ART MOVEMENT: Mondrian and other paintings with lines in them

PROCEDURE: The teacher will review with the students the definition of design. It is different colors, different shapes, and different lines. The teacher will draw the many different shapes and lines the students should know. Each child will also name a few colors. After the review, the teacher will share with the students a dance that she and her other young students developed.
The dance was based on the three directions; horizontal, vertical, and diagonal.

MATERIALS: Markers white construction paper bell shape

EVALUATION: The student and the teacher will review the project. The student will make his/her picture available to have the project reviewed by the art class. The class and the teacher will accent the positive aspects of the picture. The student’s grade is contingent upon how well he/she followed directions/instructions.

Art Lesson Plan- Cultural Study Doll Book

GOAL: Personal Book/culture GRADE: 6-8

Four weeks

OBJECTIVE: TSWBAT make a personal doll book which will be dressed in the students native costume. The book will contain information about their culture and how they include that information each day. The doll will have symbols or objects that represent the student.

CCCS: 1.1 1.2 1.3 3.2
CPI:

VOCABULARY: Biography, collage,

ARTIST/ART MOVEMENT: Faith Ringgold, Frieda Kahlo, Romare Bearden, and Jacob Lawrence

PROCEDURE: The students will watch a video and view some pictures by Romare Bearden. The students will decide what the doll will wear and what it will be made out of. The students can use material, construction paper, crayons, felt, etc. The biography will be written inside of the book (body section).
The students will look t a power point of Bearden.
The student’s biography should answer 3 major questions.
5. What is important?
6. What do you like the best?
7. Where do you see yourself living?
8. How do you plan to get there?

MATERIALS: Pencils oak tag crayons material glue
Construction paper

EVALUATION: The student and the teacher will review the project. The student will make his/her picture available to have the project reviewed by the art class. The class and the teacher will accent the positive aspects of the picture. The student’s grade is contingent upon how well he/she followed directions/instructions.

Art Lesson Plan- Doll Book Mural

GOAL: Class mural GRADE: 5-8

OBJECTIVE: TSWBAT draw a scene that everyone can add his or her dolls to the mural.

CCM:1.2 1.4 3.2

VOCABULARY: Mural

ARTIST/ART MOVEMENT: Jacob Lawrence

PROCEDURE: The teacher and students will decide what background they want the picture to be for their dolls. The discussion will talk about where and what time in the year the picture will be . The students will paint the background and the rest of the class complete their dolls.

MATERIALS: Brown or white mural paper paint brushes newspaper

EVALUATION: The student and the teacher will review the project. The student will make his/her picture available to have the project reviewed by the art class. The class and the teacher will accent the positive aspects of the picture. The student’s grade is contingent upon how well he/she followed directions/instructions.


Art Lesson Plan- Stained Glass Window

GOAL: Stained glass window cut-out GRADE: 4th-8th

OBJECTIVE: TSWBAT cut out negative shapes from the positive stained glass window shape. 2 Circles will be used for the presentation. One circle will be to learn on the second will be used to create an individual design.

CCCS: 1.2 1.3 1.6
CPI: 1.1.8a.1

VOCABULARY: Positive and negative shapes

ARTIST/ART MOVEMENT: Matisse Bearden Calder

PROCEDURE: The teacher will show the students pictures of collages made by Matisse or Bearden. Based on the student’s experience with cutting out for snowflakes, cutting for a stained glass window is a little different. Students will cut out two circles, one to learn on and the other to be creative with. They will then glue tissue paper to the circle and trim the excess. A silhouette of a candle will be taped to the window and the stained glass project will be taped above. The sun will highlight the colors.

MATERIALS: Different color tissue paper black construction paper scissors glue

EVALUATION: The student and the teacher will review the project. The student will make his/her picture available to have the project reviewed by the art class. The class and the teacher will accent the positive aspects of the picture. The student’s grade is contingent upon how well he/she followed directions/instructions.


Evaluation of Lesson's Success:

Teacher: I enjoyed this project and will probably continue using a variety of formats to work with the students. It provided an opportunity for so many of my new (to this country) students to express their pride in their other country. As their first book project I provided a pattern of which the students could change at will. It was my desire to make it an enjoyable project with concentration on reflecting the writing that went into the book. I spoke with the literacy teachers so that the students could receive credit for the projects. Most of the projects were displayed outside of the student’s homeroom class.

Fifth grade students told me they liked this project because they could use what they were learning in their literature class and now use it in their art class.

- Another student liked drawing and coloring the clothes for their doll. They mentioned the freedom of choosing what the doll would wear.
- Many students like the project because they could use the other country’s flag.

Eighth grade students enjoyed making the project with the flexibility of making it an imaginary elf. The book’s clothing reflected the Christmas colors and the writing commented on the holiday. The elves were used for holiday decorations in the auditorium. The students were surprised to see their work onstage and enjoyed by the younger students.

- An eighth grade student expressed a desire to make a serious book that they would be able to keep as a souvenir from Mt.Vernon. Later during the school year, the same students made a more structured book-using student made marbleized paper and glued on jewelry. The students like the project.

Because the students enjoyed this project, overall grades improved. I am also happy to report less discipline problems in the classroom.