1. Exploring Primary Documents: An Arts-Based Assignment
Multicultural Women’s and Gender Studies
Exploring Primary Documents: An Arts-Based Assignment
Sheila Bustillos, M.Ed., PhD Candidate
Assignment Objectives and Background
Assignment instructions Cont.
Summary/Reflections
The purpose of this assignment is to teach students how to use primary sources to analyze historical evidence from the historical, social, political, economic, cultural, and global forces in US history as they affect women of color. For this final, students locate, analyze, and produce new knowledge forms for understanding primary documents important for women of color in the United States.
This project is scaffolded throughout the semester in four parts:
In-class activity
Analysis
Art
Performance
Primary document in-class activity – worth up to 50 points
Students visit the women’s collection archives and then select a primary document. Students type preliminary notes on their primary source for in-class discussion.
Primary document analysis – worth up to 150 points
Students write a 2-3-page analysis of the primary source they chose for their final exam project. Students are given writing instructions, examples of this assignment, and a grading rubric for the essay.
Primary document art assignment – worth up to 100 points
Students have freedom to turn their analysis into an art piece. Their art can be displayed in any of, but not limited to, the following ways: tangible art (painted, water colored, drawings, sculptures, photography, mosaic art, etc.); performance art (dance, spoken word, theatre, musical theatre, music, poetry, comedy, etc.); written art (poetry, short story, a series of blog posts or journals, etc.)
Primary document performance piece – worth up to 100 points
Students write an abstract for their art piece and present it to the class in addition to their performance piece (if they created one.)
Assignment Highlights:
Done both individually and in groups
Semester long engagement with project
Students learn archival methods and document analysis
Provides an opportunity for both scholarly and artistic engagement
Aligns with core assessment requirements
Reflections:
Add peer review session on paper analysis draft
Display projects publicly and invite community
Students enjoyed exploring the intersections of race, gender, and class in this assignment
Assignment instructions