Because of my school's population, Black History Month is especially--and understandably--important here. I've come up with a few Black History-centered printmaking lessons. My itinerant, two other South Fulton elementary Art teachers--and GSU alum--and I have decided to use Elizabeth Catlett as our jumping-off point, if you will. This way, we're introducing the medium and (African American) artist vertically, keeping materials and information streamlined; and in the case of 4th and 5th grades, discussing Africa itself and important happenings in African American history, respectively.
Rebecca Kimble wrote a 5th grade relief print lesson utilizing American Sign Language finger spellings and contour drawing. I modified the lesson to include a discussion about Jim Crow laws, the Civil Rights Movement, and the progress that has been made since Elizabeth Catlett left teaching in the 1940s, including the election and inauguration of Barack Obama--a huge source of pride for my students and something they are genuinely interested in. The following is a link to the lesson and teacher sample:
