At the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
- share their artwork with community members.
- celebrate the role of art and activism.
- assess the success of their own artwork in conveying important messages and ideas.
- Enduring Understanding: People take pride in the work they do and the art they create. Art work is an expression of our abilities, our beliefs and our ideals. Feeling proud of our accomplishments builds self-esteem.
- What does it mean to feel proud of a work you have completed, and why is this pride important?
- People take pride in the work they do and the art they create. Art work is an expression of our abilities, our beliefs and our ideals. Feeling proud of our accomplishments builds self-esteem.
- Students’ completed murals from lessons nine and 10. Optional: Consider including other artworks created during the process.
- Supplies or materials needed to host the exhibit. If school supplies aren’t available, ask students to volunteer to share their own materials, or hold a small school fundraiser to provide them.
This lesson is part of the series Art and Activism.
Vocabulary
exhibition [ek-sə-bi-shən] (noun) a public display of works of art or other items of interest, often in an art gallery or museum
pride [prīd] (noun) a feeling of pleasure or satisfaction gained from one’s achievements
Suggested Procedure
1. After the class has completed its work on the mural, tell students that it’s now time to celebrate their artistic accomplishment—and their activism. Explain that they will be hosting an art exhibit for their classmates, families, and community members in order to display their mural(s) and any other works created as part of this series of lessons. Ask: “Who should attend our exhibit?”
2. As a class, brainstorm what might make attending the exhibit welcoming, fun, and informative for visitors. If needed, start the discussion by offering a few suggestions — such as invitations, refreshments, and music. Note that this event would offer an opportunity for class members to make presentations explaining their mural, their message and their process.
3. Divide students into small groups, one for each task that came out of the brainstorming session.
4. Schedule, prepare, and then… host the art show!
5. Encourage students to talk outside of class to family, school or community members who came to the exhibition. Urge your students to speak with others about what they enjoyed and what they learned.
6. Record the interactions during the exhibition to share with students and families.
7. When you reconvene, invite students to talk about what it felt like to share their art, and what new hopes they have for themselves as community members, artists and activists.
Common Core State Standards: SL.1, SL.2, SL.3, SL.4
Extension Activity
Have each group create a poster to promote the event. Remind the children that the poster should include the exhibition’s title, date, time, and place. Tell students that the posters should also convey their mural’s overall intent and message. Display the posters in the school and the community.
