Students explore a variety of media as they learn about the arts of different cultures. They plan, create and discuss their work, learning and using the language of art and the Elements of Art and the Principles of Design. Some cultures that may be explored are: Native North American, Asian, European, Indian, Middle Eastern, African and Middle School Oak Park. Click here to see work from past classes.
Current Topics
Our new unit in Arts and Culture is on South Africa. The students will be making coil baskets in the style of baskets made by the Zulu people of South Africa. I am planning to show a video called Sarafina while they are working on their baskets (after they have mastered the coiling). Sarafina is about a girl battling the oppression of apartheid in South Africa. Sarafina lives in Soweto. Her mother lives in Johannesburg, where she works for a white family. Missing her mother, Sarafina puts her energy into fighting for freedom. When students protest the new law requiring lessons be taught in afrikans, Sarafina is arrested as a demonstrator and must face prison. It is rated PG13 for violence that is part of the story of apartheid. If you have any objections to your student watching this film, please let me know before next Monday, May, 2nd. Thank you.
