Lesson Two

Lesson Two

Title of Lesson: Taking up Space with Yourself and Others Time: 8:45-9:55 Grade Level/s: 10-12

Main Goal: Through discussion and analysis of artworks, students will examine the idea of using themselves as sculpture. They will consider how people can use their bodies to take up space.

Standards: ● National Standards

○ VA:Re.7.1.Ia: Hypothesize ways in which art influences perception and understanding of human experiences. ○ VA: Cr1.2.Ia: Shape an artistic investigation of an aspect of present day life using a contemporary practice of art or design.

● Georgia Performance Standards

○ VAHSSC.RE.2 Critique personal works of art and the artwork of others, individually and collaboratively, using a variety of approaches. ○ VAHSSC.CN.1 Develop personal artistic voice through connecting uses of art within a variety of cultural, historical, and contemporary contexts.

Objectives:

● Students will analyze activist artists who use themselves as a medium to investigate social issues. ● Students will connect the idea of using the body as a medium to issues that affect them personally.

Materials and Technologies (Teacher and student):

● Google slides presentation: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1KdnjwSbBbPAwhv0Vd8mAPu21IcQBEnUGn_ ns8I9hsGE/edit#slide=id.g80110783f8_0_15 ● Sheet of paper to answer exit questions

Key Understandings:

Students will understand how performance art can be considered to “take up space.” They will explore how to use limited materials to create artwork.

Essential Questions:

● What is performance art? ● How does performance art take up space?

How does the human body take up space?

Key Vocabulary:

Performance art: (from Merriam-Webster) A nontraditional art form often with political or topical themes that typically features a live presentation to an audience or onlookers (as on a street) and draws on such arts as acting, poetry, music, dance, or painting. Collaboration: (from Merriam-Webster) To work jointly with others or together especially in an intellectual endeavor.

Interdisciplinary Connections:

● By exploring social issues, students can connect this lesson to their social sciences classes. Topics discussed in these classes can be incorporated into the students’ performances.

Accommodating individual differences:

● This lesson includes movement, writing, and discussion, so students with various learning types can participate in a capacity that best suits their strengths.

Technology:

● Students will be presented with artwork and questions using Google slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1KdnjwSbBbPAwhv0Vd8mAPu21IcQBEnUGn_ ns8I9hsGE/edit#slide=id.g80110783f8_0_15 ● Students will watch a performance piece via video

Instruction: Starter:

● Students will be instructed to answer the following prompt: “In 2-3 sentences, define performance art and how it relates to the idea of “taking up space.”

Overview of the lesson:

● First, students will watch two videos about performance art, then relate those videos to a previous activity. Then, students will be assigned at random one of four social issues to explore. They will discuss how to create a performance piece about a specific social issue using only their bodies as the artistic medium. Once they have given a short performance, each group will work with another group to critique their performances. The two combined groups will then present what they discussed. Students will then return to their seats and fill in an exit slip with similar questions to the discussion.

Hook:

● Students will watch two videos about performance pieces

Tap into prior knowledge:

● After watching the video and writing down some thoughts on performance art, students will be shown a slide with images of their previous activity, thus building upon a project they already completed themselves.

Presentation of artists/artwork:

● Kordae Jatafa Henry: Earth Mother, Sky Father: 2030, 2019

https://www.nowness.com/story/afrofuturist-sci-fi-dance-performance-utopia-korda e-henry

○ This video emphasizes the movements of the human body, but explores multiple issues, including racial identity and environmental issues. ● Marina Abramovic: Marina Abramović: The Body as medium (video) ○ Although not an artwork, but an interview, this video will allow students to explore the idea of using the body as a medium

Detailed description of activities:

8:45-8:50: Students will answer questions from this opening slide:

8:50-9:00: Students will watch 2 videos 1. Marina Abramović: The Body as medium (video) 2. https://www.nowness.com/story/afrofuturist-sci-fi-dance-performance-utopia-kordae-hen ry 9:00-9:05: Students will discuss how the previous yarn activity relates to performance art:

9:05-9:20: Students will be assigned one of four social issues (at random) and split into groups. They will then come up with a way to create a performance piece about that issue using only their bodies - talking and singing included. Be sure to tell students to have one person take down notes and write everyone’s names on the paper (it will be turned in). - Issues: Immigration, Bullying, Global Warming, Mental Health 9:20-9:30: 3-5 minutes to perform/present (10 minutes total for 4 groups) 9:30-9:40: Group pair/share: each group will work with another group to critique their performance and process. Person who made notes for the group will continue to take notes. They will be prompted to answer the following 5 questions:

9:40-9:45: Present as a class what was discussed during group pair/share 9:45-9:55: Using a sheet of paper, individually answer the questions from the group pair/share.

Monitoring of students:

● The teacher will walk through the classroom, checking on student groups and checking that notes are being made. Questions will be asked/answered based on student interactions.

Closure:

● Student who took notes for the group will turn in the group and pair/share paper ● Students will turn in a sheet of paper answering the 5 questions posed.

Evaluation of student learning:

● Students will be evaluated on their participation. Even if they do not wish to participate in a performance, they can participate in the discussion. They will also be evaluated based on their answers on the exit slips.