Submitted by: Lotte Petricone,
Clarkstown
Central School District, NY
UNIT: Sculpture - Adornment - African Art
Lesson: Paper Sculpture Headdress
Grade Level: Middle School (adaptable to elementary)
Summary:
After looking at
masks and headdresses in Africa, and their uses in ceremony and
daily life, artists created their own paper sculpture headdresses,
and the ceremony where it would be used. Animal
symbolism could also be presented. Hats are constructed on a
newspaper hat "armature". Hats can be supported by large
cans (or deli containers) while in progress. Optional: purchase
some wig forms for display.
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Rationale
for Teaching Lesson:
Students will learn
about the use of headdresses in African cultures, and create
a headdress celebrating a ritual or quality of their own |
Lesson
Objectives:
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1. Learn about how
headdresses have been used in African cultures
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2. Make connections to
their own culture through a brainstorm process where they
create a headdress to communicate: Friendship ideals, honor
someone in their community with a festival, show
characteristics of an important person in their community or
country, or show the importance of something they do in
their daily life.
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3. Use paper sculpture
techniques
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4. Understand how the
Elements of Art and Principles of design can be used to
communicate specific ideas: Color, Shape, Texture, Line
& Pattern
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New
York State Learning Standards:
Standard
1: Students will actively engage in the processes
that constitute creation and performance in the arts and
participate in various roles in the arts.
Standard
2: Students will be knowledgeable about and make
use of the materials and resources available for
participation in the arts in various roles.
Standard 3:
Students will respond critically to a variety of works in
the arts, connecting the individual to other works and to
respond to other aspects of human endeavor and thought.
Standard 4: Students
will develop and understanding of the personal and cultural
force that shape artistic communication and how the arts in
turn shape the diverse cultures of past and present society.
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How
the Standards are addressed in this lesson:
1. Students will create a headdress which communicates a specific idea
using paper sculpture and the Elements and Principles of Art
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2. Students will use animals to represent their concepts in a paper
sculpture, using references from the Internet and books.
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3. Students will look at and discuss headdresses in African culture,
brainstorm their ideas in writing, and reflect on their
finished work of art in writing through an Artist
Statement.
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4. Students will create a headdress that explores the African rituals
that headdresses are used in, through connections with their
own culture.
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Resources:
Animal
Symbolism
African
Art Links
Brief
Summary of Regions of Africa (Utah Museum of Art)
Hats
Off: Salute to African Headwear - Smithsonian on line exhibit
Gelede
Images for Inspiration (links were active at time lesson was
published)
Shown
with costume
shown
with costume Cleveland
Museum of Art British
Museum
Bayly
Art Museum (scroll down to Gelede Mask) Bayly
Art Museum Kimbrough
Collection
Several
examples- Rand African Art More
from Rand African Art Emory
University
Yoruba
Crowns - See World
Myths and Legends Minneapolis Institute
Lesson
Procedures:
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Lesson
Segments:
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Materials:
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1. PP presentation and
brainstorm (1 class – finish for hw)
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1. PP presentation about African Headdresses, Brainstorm sheets
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2. Sketch ideas using
color pencils (1-2 classes)
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2. 9 x 12 white drawing
paper, color pencils
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3. Newspaper hats, demo
paper sculpture techniques (1 class)
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3. 4 sheets newspaper per student, colored tag board – minimum 3 ½
large sheets per student, white glue, scissors
(construction paper may be substituted for tag board)
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4. Paper sculptures (6-8
classes)
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4. See above
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5. Artist Statement
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5. See separate lesson plan
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VARIATION: Use tag board/cardboard as base for paper mache and
painting of headdress – will need much more time!
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Segment
1: PP
presentation and brainstorm (1 class – finish for hw)
Teaching Style:
Guided
Practice
- Use
PP to discuss headdresses in African cultures.
- Use
Brainstorm sheets with Artist Choices to think through
what the headdress the students create can communicate
and how.
Independent
Practice
Finish brainstorm sheets for HW.
Assessment
Method:
Verbal and through sheets.
Modifications:
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Segment
2:
Sketch ideas using color pencils (1-2 classes)
Teaching Style:
Guided
Practice
- Discuss
use of Elements of Art: how can shapes, color, line,
textures, patterns communicate animal characteristics
for the headdress?
- Discuss
the use of references available.
If they are looking for something specific, then
they can use the computer.
Independent
Practice
- Drawing
for headdress
Assessment
Method:
Modifications:
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Segment
3: Newspaper
hats, demo paper sculpture techniques (1 class)
Teaching Style:
Guided
Practice
- Demo
beginning – Make a newspaper hat by folding newspaper
sheet in half, and folding the corners in, then folding
each side up and stapling.
- Decide
which way you want your headdress to face sideways or
facing you. Draw
a body shape on a large sheet of colored tag, and cut
through two sheets at once.
If they are too thick then cut one, and trace the
other.
- Demo
various sculpture techniques: discuss shapes again,
accordion folds, using tabs, curling… Demo gluing
using clothespins.
Independent
Practice
- Prop
newspaper hats on containers and begin sculpture
Assessment
Method:
Verbal – Review sculpture techniques and artist choices
Modifications:
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Segment
4:
Paper sculptures (6-8 classes)
Teaching Style:
Guided
Practice
- Review
sculpture techniques and Elements and Principles
Independent
Practice
- Continue
sculptures
Assessment
Method:
Verbal
Artists'
Statement
Modifications:
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Student
Handout:
Name: __________________________________________
Art
7 - Headdress Brainstorm
Directions:
Read through all the choices below, reviewing how headdresses
are used in African cultures.
Then choose one choice to brainstorm for your own
headdress and fill in the questions on page 2
Artist
Choice #1
The Bamileke people wear the
elephant mask with leopard spots in ceremonies to inspire
respect for their rulers.
List the characteristics you think are important in a
leader in our society. What
animals would you include in a headdress for a powerful person
in your community to show that these characteristics?
Use these ideas to make a sketch for your own
headdress for royalty or for a special person in your community.
It could be a president, governor, or mayor. Add features
from the animals that you wish to include. For example, the
large eyes of an owl could represent wisdom. Use colors that you
feel represent the respect that is felt for the wearer of your
mask. Decide when your mask would be worn and what the costume
worn with it will look like.
Artist
Choice #2
 The Bamana people use the legend of the Chi
Wara to show the importance of hard work and harmony in
farming life.
Choose something that you do in your daily life. What animal has
characteristics that would be good for teaching you how to do
that activity? How do you honor that animal today? You can
invent an animal legend that explains how you learned to do that
activity. Use these ideas to make a sketch for your own
headdress showing the importance of you chosen activity from
your own life. |
Artist
Choice #3
The Yoruba celebrate the Gelede
festival each year in order to honor women and to ensure
well-being in their community. If you could create a festival
that would do the same in your community, what would it be? Here
are some ideas to consider:
- Who or what will the festival honor?
- How will you celebrate?
Then, make a sketch of a headdress that would be worn
in that celebration.
Artist
Choice #4
The elders of the Sande association wear the Sowei
headdress to celebrate and communicate feminine ideals.
An Ideal Friend: Make your own headdress to communicate your friendship
ideals. Choose and list the qualities that you would like to
have in a friend. Now select physical features that can
represent different qualities that you value in a friend. For
example, the Mende used a small mouth to show that one should
not gossip. How might you show the qualities that you think are
important in a good friend through animals?
Use your list of qualities and
features to create sketch of a headdress which communicates your
ideals for friendship.
My
Artist Choice
I
chose this because:
List
the who, what or the qualities your headdress should
communicate:
List
the animals that represent these qualities
