Unit 1: Identity
Studios and reflection
artist: Henri Mattise
Studio 1
Mini Compositions-Collage: Magazine, Construction Paper
Identity as an explorer
Artist: Chuck Close
Studio 2
Self-Portraiture: crayon, Water Color, Permanent Marker, Wax Paper
characters- Belle and The beast
Artist: William Wegman
Studio 3
Artful Personifications: Mixed Media of Colored Pencil, Magazine Pictures, Text, googly Eyes
Fairy Tale- The Emperor's New Clothes
Unit 1: Identity Reflections
I really enjoyed this unit on identity because I got to explore my own identity, as well as ways to create identity through images for other people or characters.
From Studio 1, I was able to reflect over what I enjoy and how that makes me the person I am today. In Studio 1, I chose to reflect over my identity as an explorer. From recent vacations and road trips, I have come to realize I enjoy exploring new places, and I have so many places I would still love to travel to. This side of me comes out in other ways. I also am an explorer when it comes to learning. I love learning about new things and discovering new ideas. In Studio 2, I explored my identity through familiar Disney characters. I chose to identify with Belle and The Beast. I identify with Belle's compassionate, curious, and spirited side. I chose to display Belle in color because these are traits that I like about myself. I also identified with The Beast's bad qualities. I share the characteristics of sometimes being selfish, hot-tempered, and insecure. These are qualities are ones that I fight against and work to lessen. I chose to put The Beast in the background of the wax paper, without color because these are traits that I do not admire about myself. In Studio 3, I chose the story of The Emperor's New Clothes to focus on the identity of the 4 main characters. I chose a pig because the emperor is greedy, and materialistic. I chose 2 foxes, to identify as the two sneaky tailors who tricked the emperor. I used an owl to display the young child who sees that the emperor clearly has no clothes on at all, because the child is the one who displays the wisdom and moral of the story. The idea behind the story is that you should be your own person, with your own opinions or you will "fall for anything", as the emperor (pig) did in the story.
In my future classrooms, I can integrate what I learned from this lesson into other subjects. In literacy, I can use the idea from Studio 3 to have my students explore identities of characters they have written about or historical figures. I believe this type of lesson would give them a deeper understanding of the people or characters they are learning and reading about. I believe that I could also incorporate the ideas I learned from Unit 1 to have my students create collages of things that interest them or things that they want to learn about at the beginning of the year. This way I can begin to build a relationship and learn what they like early on in the year. According to Eisner (2003), Integrating the arts in core subjects is essential for students to be able to "think through a material" and "learn to say what cannot be said" (p.3). To explain the deep connections I made with my own identity through Unit I, so many words can be said about my ideas, but only the images can leave a lasting impression. Viewers can see something about me that I couldn't necessarily explain in the same way. I agree with Pink's (2005) argument that right brained characteristics and abilities are becoming more valued for creativity and deep understanding. Being able to explain ideas through images, poetry, beauty, and imagination creatively are becoming the core of innovation and success.
Resources
Pink, D. (2005). A whole new mind. New York: Riverhead Books.
I really enjoyed this unit on identity because I got to explore my own identity, as well as ways to create identity through images for other people or characters.
From Studio 1, I was able to reflect over what I enjoy and how that makes me the person I am today. In Studio 1, I chose to reflect over my identity as an explorer. From recent vacations and road trips, I have come to realize I enjoy exploring new places, and I have so many places I would still love to travel to. This side of me comes out in other ways. I also am an explorer when it comes to learning. I love learning about new things and discovering new ideas. In Studio 2, I explored my identity through familiar Disney characters. I chose to identify with Belle and The Beast. I identify with Belle's compassionate, curious, and spirited side. I chose to display Belle in color because these are traits that I like about myself. I also identified with The Beast's bad qualities. I share the characteristics of sometimes being selfish, hot-tempered, and insecure. These are qualities are ones that I fight against and work to lessen. I chose to put The Beast in the background of the wax paper, without color because these are traits that I do not admire about myself. In Studio 3, I chose the story of The Emperor's New Clothes to focus on the identity of the 4 main characters. I chose a pig because the emperor is greedy, and materialistic. I chose 2 foxes, to identify as the two sneaky tailors who tricked the emperor. I used an owl to display the young child who sees that the emperor clearly has no clothes on at all, because the child is the one who displays the wisdom and moral of the story. The idea behind the story is that you should be your own person, with your own opinions or you will "fall for anything", as the emperor (pig) did in the story.
In my future classrooms, I can integrate what I learned from this lesson into other subjects. In literacy, I can use the idea from Studio 3 to have my students explore identities of characters they have written about or historical figures. I believe this type of lesson would give them a deeper understanding of the people or characters they are learning and reading about. I believe that I could also incorporate the ideas I learned from Unit 1 to have my students create collages of things that interest them or things that they want to learn about at the beginning of the year. This way I can begin to build a relationship and learn what they like early on in the year. According to Eisner (2003), Integrating the arts in core subjects is essential for students to be able to "think through a material" and "learn to say what cannot be said" (p.3). To explain the deep connections I made with my own identity through Unit I, so many words can be said about my ideas, but only the images can leave a lasting impression. Viewers can see something about me that I couldn't necessarily explain in the same way. I agree with Pink's (2005) argument that right brained characteristics and abilities are becoming more valued for creativity and deep understanding. Being able to explain ideas through images, poetry, beauty, and imagination creatively are becoming the core of innovation and success.
Resources
Pink, D. (2005). A whole new mind. New York: Riverhead Books.