Unit Overview

Community and Culture

Understanding Identity through Portraiture

Grade Level: 5th

Enduring Idea:

By exploring their own experiences, cultural backgrounds, and relationships, students can discover that identity is a complex idea with many parts, which can be expressed and understood through portraiture.

Goals:

CREATE

VA5.CR.1Engage in the creative process to generate and visualize ideas by using subject matter and symbols to communicate meaning.

VA5.CR.2Create works of art based on selected themes.

VA5.CR.3Understand and apply media, techniques, processes, and concepts of two-dimensional art.

VA5.CR.4Understand and apply media, techniques, processes, and concepts of three-dimensional works of art.

VA5.CR.5Demonstrate an understanding of the safe and appropriate use of materials, tools, and equipment for a variety of artistic processes.

PRESENT

VA5.PR.1Plan and participate in appropriate exhibition(s) of works of art to develop identity of self as artist.

CONNECT

VA5.CN.1Investigate and discover the personal relationships of artists to community, culture, and the world through making and studying art.

Resource:Georgia Standards of Excellence Website

Essential Questions:

How can we use portraits to visually represent who we are?
In what ways can creating portraits help us understand ourselves and others better?
How can we communicate emotions and personal stories through art?
How does the Expressionism art movement help artists express intense emotions?
How can we connect through shared identity?
How can we use portraiture to create empathy and community?

Lesson 1

The Face of Identity

Lesson Objectives:

Students will learn to use mirrors to observe their own features and proportions.
Students can work together to observe one another to complete their portraits.
Students will create a simple self-portrait using basic drawing and art skills.
Students will learn about the significance of symbolism in representation.

Lesson 2

Understanding Identity

Through Portraiture

Lesson Objectives:

Students will explore how portraits convey identity through symbolism, color, and artistic choices.
Students will create work based on Amy Sherald’s approach to identity and portraiture with Kehinde Wiley's use of cultural symbols..

Lesson 3

Expressing Our Emotions Through Portraiture

Lesson Objectives:

Students will experiment with color, form, and texture to communicate emotions in a self-portrait.
Students will use elements of Expressionism to heighten the emotional impact of their artwork.

Lesson 4

Using Portrait Art to Connect with Our Community

Lesson Objectives

Create community portraits that celebrate diversity and shared identity.
Understand and apply analogous color schemes (e.g., blue & purple, red & orange).
Complete a self-portrait using two analogous colors and contribute to a collaborative rainbow mural.