American Identity Jennifer Hankes Daniel Webster Elementary 8th Grade

1. American Identity Jennifer Hankes Daniel Webster Elementary 8th Grade Language and Visual Arts and Social Science

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

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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. Short Story to accompany to the painting Nightlife

8. Poem written to accompany the painting Nightlife

9. Self Portrait

10. Self-Portrait

11. 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

12. 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.