Pat Shea-Bishoff,  Teacher

Category: Language Arts, Art, Guidance

Grade 7

This is a wonderful  "beginning of the year " interdisciplinary project - may be used as the cover of student portfolios.

Academic Objectives:
To engage in a self reflection creation, i.e. the collage. {art, guidance}
To transpose the artwork to prose. {literacy}
 

Art & Technology Skills Targeted:
To learn how to create an artistic collage using both words and pictures.
To develop word processing skills by utilizing the size, style and font menus to depict words artistically and meaningfully.

Student Aim: To create a self portrait by creating a collage.

Motivation:
Write on the board: "A picture is worth a thousand words."  Discuss meaning of this  famous saying.  Ask: How much do you know about these artists by looking at their self portraits?  Discuss. Elicit:  Not very much about their lives or personalities etc.
Distribute the attached "word collage." Ask students to describe the person who
designed it.  How many would like to be friends with this person? Why.  How might we successfully create self portrait so that others can really get to know us? Elicit aim.

Development:
1. Display self portraits of several artists/photographers.  How are these pictures
similar?  Elicit:  They depict single persons.
2. Explain that they are pictures of the artists themselves.  Write: " Self Portrait" on the board.  Discuss use of a camera's timer to allow photographer to enter the picture, and other experiences or knowledge.
3. Students elicit aim.
4. Distribute materials to each table, including: Magazines, newspapers, scissors, glue sticks, construction paper
5. Demonstrate use of word processor to rotating groups.
        a. Font Styles- impressions they leave
             (Note: You might allow students to use colorful paper in computer printer   for personal expression.)
        b. Demonstrate highlighting, menu selection.
        c. Repeat demonstration using style selections- underline, shadow, etc.
        d. Model size selection.  Show samples

(Idea:  Have preprinted samples of available font styles in a binder with  plastic sleeves for students to select styles ahead of time.  You can show them
in various styles and sizes as well.)

6. Student groups rotate to use computers.
7. Teacher advises as students search pictures and prepare words to help to describe themselves holistically, they should be advised to include: hobbies, favorites, personality trait, and other symbols self specific.
8. When students finish their cutting, gathering all materials, demonstrate collage
techniques... successful use of color sand space, shape variations and effect
dramatized by layout.  Pictures of non self portrait related collages should be hung
dramatized by layout.  Pictures of non self portrait related collages should be hung
around the room for students to model and/or glean ideas from.
9. Final presentation collages upon completion- hand on wall for all to see.
{Idea: these collages may be used as a cover for a special notebook or portfolio.}

Summary:
How  is this collage a self portrait?

Follow up activities:
A. It is recommended that the teacher work interdisciplinarily with the Language Arts teacher to produce self-portraits, autobiographical pieces in writing workshop.
B. The collages and compositions might also be published in a Hyperstudio program to introduce members of the class.