Approaching Diversity in Lifestyle
Objective:
The goal of this workshop is to help students and teachers create an open mindset to diversity in regards to lifestyle.
Opening Activity:
Divide people into groups of about 6. Have images from "Fourth Grade Stories" printed out and divided so that all groups have at least one child from different countries. Have groups take a few minutes and review the photos. Allow them time to discuss.
Video:
Watch a portion/or all 11 min of the Ted Talk: "What Fourth Graders can Teach Us" by Judy Gelles, the photographer of "Fourth Grade Stories."
Lesson:
Define the word diverse - showing a great deal of variety; very different. Traditional definition of portraiture - a painting, drawing, photograph, or engraving of a person, especially one depicting only the face or head and shoulders. Another definition - a representation or impression of someone or something. Briefly talk about portraiture in art and how it is used to help us clue in on another person.
Art Making:
Have everyone repeat this art project in a similar fashion. If possible, as everyone comes into the workshop, have someone (maybe even a few people) photographing everyone's back (preferably in front of a white/light colored wall or foamboard). After reviewing Gelle's work and video, have workshop members recreate this type of experience. Everyone will get their own printed photo back of their backside. Have them answer the questions: "Who do you live with? What do you wish for? What do you worry about?" They will write the answers to these questions directly onto the photograph.
Now here's the fun part, everyone gets to exchange their photographs with another person. Each person is required to trade photographs at least 5 times with people they do not know. Each time they should take a moment to read the photograph before they trade again.
Discussion:
Ask the workshop members how this exercise impacted them. Ask them what they think results might be like had this workshop had more diverse members from different circumstances around the world. How would children respond? How do we connect with people and learn about others from around the world? How does art help that? How does our manner of interpretation change when we see the back side of someone vs. a selfie?
Now here's the fun part, everyone gets to exchange their photographs with another person. Each person is required to trade photographs at least 5 times with people they do not know. Each time they should take a moment to read the photograph before they trade again.
Discussion:
Ask the workshop members how this exercise impacted them. Ask them what they think results might be like had this workshop had more diverse members from different circumstances around the world. How would children respond? How do we connect with people and learn about others from around the world? How does art help that? How does our manner of interpretation change when we see the back side of someone vs. a selfie?
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