American Identity

Jennifer HankesDaniel Webster Elementary8th GradeLanguage and Visual Arts and Social Science

Archibald J. Motley, Jr. (1891-1981)Self-Portrait, 1920Oil on canvas; 30 1/8 X 22 1/8 in.The Art Institute of Chicago

Archibald J. Motley, Jr. Nightlife, 1943Oil on canvas; 36 x 47 3/4 in.The Art Institute of Chicago

Key information & ideas about the artworks that informed the lesson:

Self-Portrait--wanted to show he was an artist and a gentleman

Painted during the Great Migration and the Harlem Renaissance

Negative stereotypes and few opportunities existed for African Americans in art during this time

Goals for Lesson--what I wanted students to learn:

Artists tell stories through the images in their work

Stereotypes influence how we see others and ourselves

What does it mean to be an American?

One can express his/her identity through texts and illustrations

A few major learning activities:

Close Read: Formal analysis of Self-Portrait

Research the artwork, artist, and time period

Compare and contrast two different paintings (Self-Portrait and Nightlife)

Compose a narrative to accompany Nightlife

Create a self-portrait

Short Story to accompany to the painting Nightlife

Poem written to accompany the painting Nightlife

Self Portrait

Self-Portrait

What my students learned:

• “Paintings tell a story.” –Andrenetta

• “Painting yourself is hard to do.” – Ronald

• “I learned that paintings can be based on true events.” –Renita

• “His painting [Archibald Motley’s Self-Portrait] tells a lesson about not to judge others by how they look.” –Tachetti

What I learned:

Lack of art experience and exposure in elementary education. Visual arts are easily integrated into language arts.

American art is a great tool to grab students’ interest into a historical time period.