Kiran Kaur Wildwood IB World Magnet Humanities, Grade 7 The Changing American Identity: Gender and Social Roles in American Art

Artist: John Singleton Copley Title: Portrait of Mrs. John Stevens Date: Medium: Oil on canvas Terra Foundation for American Art

Key Ideas about the artwork(s) that informed the lesson:   People were measured visually during the late colonial period: linkage between objects and identity   Quest for prestige and power   Portraiture was most popular type of painting   Proper social etiquette: manners = social theatre   How does art reflect society?   How does art reflect gender roles?

What I wanted students to learn:  Changes in American identity through time are reflected in portraiture  Essence of careful observation and analysis  Art helps us make connections  Various perspectives  Thought process behind art creation  Art appreciation does not require artistic talent

Comparison / Contrast Male v. Female Gender Roles

A few major learning activities:  Comparison/Contrast in artists’ portrayal of gender roles  Poetry writing developed from artwork  Daily journal writing/reflections using art terminology  Reading about artist, historical context, and artwork  Lessons on basic sketch patterns in portraiture  Creation of self-portrait

Bulletin Board January / February 2008

What my 7th grade students learned:  “I learned that there is a significant difference in the portrayal of females and males throughout the history of American art.” -Josh H.  “I learned that there are lots of different words (art vocabulary) that I never knew about.” -David C.  “I liked learning about shadow and sketching. I had to practice SO many times in order to get my portrait to look somewhat decent!” - Anton M.  “I learned how to use art terminology in everyday life.” - Hailey F.  “I enjoyed going to the Art Institute because I can appreciate the different types of art and styles they have. I thought the ascension number was interesting.” - Frank P.

What I learned:  Art stimulates student learning and enhances their understanding of history.  Art analysis encourages students to study and see various viewpoints.  Art serves as a wonderful motivational tool at the onset of a lesson / unit.  There is much to learn within the art world. Teachers and students can learn together and learn from each other when studying art, which makes teaching all the more exciting!