SELF-PORTRAIT COLLAGE
Learning Description
In this lesson, students will learn more about themselves and others by integrating language arts and visual arts. By creating a symbolic self-portrait, writing about their self-portrait, and discussing both their portraits and those of others, they simultaneously enhance visual and aural communication skills, develop and practice the writing process, and develop further understanding of the expressive elements and structure of visual artwork.
Learning Targets
"I Can" Statements
“I Can…”
- I can identify and select symbols to represent characteristics about myself.
- I can create a self-portrait using symbols.
- I can write informative sentences that identify and explain the symbols in my self-portrait.
Essential Questions
- How can non-human images symbolize aspects of our personality?
Georgia Standards
Curriculum Standards
Kindergarten:
ELAGSEKW2 Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory texts in which they name what they are writing about and supply some information about the topic.
Grade 1:
ELAGSE1W2 Write informative/ explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts about the topic, and provide some sense of closure.
Arts Standards
Kindergarten:
VAK.CR.1 Engage in the creative process to generate and visualize ideas by using subject matter and symbols to communicate meaning.
VAK.CR.2 Create works of art based on selected themes.
VAK.CR.3 Understand and apply media, techniques, and processes of two-dimensional art.
VAK.CN.2 Integrate information from other disciplines to enhance the understanding and production of works of art.
Grade 1:
VA1.CR.1 Engage in the creative process to generate and visualize ideas by using subject matter and symbols to communicate meaning.
VA1.CR.2 Create works of art based on selected themes.
VA1.CR.3 Understand and apply media, techniques, and processes of two-dimensional art.
VA1.CN.2 Integrate information from other disciplines to enhance the understanding and production of works of art.
South Carolina Standards
Curriculum Standards
Kindergarten:
ELA.K.C.2.1 Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory pieces about a topic with supporting details.
Grade 1:
ELA.1.C.2.1 Write informative/explanatory pieces to name a topic and provide information about the topic. When writing: a. introduce a topic; b. provide information with details to develop the topic; and c. provide a concluding statement or idea.
Arts Standards
Anchor Standard 1: I can use the elements and principles of art to create artwork.
Anchor Standard 2: I can use different materials, techniques, and processes to make art.
Anchor Standard 5: I can interpret and evaluate the meaning of an artwork.
Anchor Standard 7: I can relate visual arts ideas to other arts disciplines, content areas, and careers.
Key Vocabulary
Content Vocabulary
- Descriptive/informative writing - A type of writing that aims to educate or inform the reader about a specific topic
- Characteristics - The distinguishing features or qualities that define a person
Arts Vocabulary
- Burnishing - To rub with a tool to smooth or polish
- Collage - To compose a work of art by pasting various materials on a surface
- Self-portrait - An artist’s depiction of themselves in visual form
- Symbolism - An image that has meaning
Materials
- Magazines (student-friendly with primarily non-human images)
- Scissors (1 pair per student)
- Colored paper (for collage background on which to glue final composition)
- Scrap/photocopy paper (2 per student)
- Glue sticks (1 per student)
- Pencils (1 per student)
- Large black banner paper and tape for hanging
Instructional Design
Opening/Activating Strategy
- Project an image of a self-portrait, such as Frida Kahlo’s “The Frame”.
- Ask students to work collaboratively to engage in the See, Think, Wonder Artful Thinking Routine.
- First, students will identify what they see in the image. Emphasize that they should make objective observations about the image (i.e. physical features, colors, textures, etc.).
- Next, ask students to identify what they think about the image. Emphasize that students should be creating inferences using visual evidence from the image.
- Finally, ask students what they wonder about the image.
- Facilitate a class-wide discussion around students’ observations, inferences, and questions.
- Explain to students that Frida Kahlo was a real person and this is one of her self-portraits. A self-portrait is a visual representation of oneself. It gives the viewer special insight into how a person sees themselves.
Work Session
- Explain that students will create their own self-portrait using symbolism. They will use symbols, or images, to represent characteristics about themselves.
- Facilitate a discussion around examples of symbolism.
- Draw or project symbols on the board such as a peace sign, a heart, a smiley face, a stop sign, etc. Ask students to tell you what each means. Then, explain that a symbol is an image that communicates meaning.
- Connect symbols to illustrations in a book; just like illustrations tell the reader about the text, symbols are also images that communicate meaning.
- Next, discuss what characteristics are. Differentiate between physical characteristics like hair or eye color and personality characteristics. Ask students to share examples of personality characteristics.
- Each student will use symbolism by choosing objects and/or images that represent his/her likes, interests, talents, dreams, work and passions, but not pictures of actual body parts.
- Show students a body template on the board. Discuss the parts of the template. Ask students to help you brainstorm items and activities that could go in each body part.
- Heart – something loved
- Stomach – food
- Hands – things to do
- Feet – places to go
- Head – academic topics
- Now, ask students to choose at least one thing to put in their heart, one thing to put in their head, two things in hands/arms–one for each hand/arm, two things for feet/legs–one for each foot/leg, and one thing for their stomach. They will write them on scratch paper.
- Have students brainstorm with a partner what types of images could represent these things.
- Explain that students will cut out images from magazines and glue them down on the shape of a body to make their self-portrait. (Alternatively–if cutting out images from a magazine is not practical, students can draw images instead).
- Either pass out a body template or large blank paper for each student to draw their body outline on.
- Tell students that once they find and cut out their images, they should plan their composition by laying them out on their outline of the body. This will allow students to move pieces around and change them before they glue, preventing tearing of images.
- To glue the images, lay them face down on a piece of scrap paper. Use a glue stick around the edges and back surface until the entire area is covered with a thin, even layer of glue. Take the glued image and lay it down onto their paper, glued side facing down.
- Have students carefully place a piece of clean scrap paper on top and smooth over the glued piece by rubbing with their hand to secure it in place. This is called burnishing and will give the collage a professional look.
- On a separate sheet of paper, have each student describe their self-portrait (in complete sentences if grade-level appropriate). Sentence starters, such as, “I chose a _______ because ________”, may be helpful to students.
Closing Reflection
- Display all collages on a piece of black banner paper without students knowing who created each collage.
- Have students guess the creator of each collage and explain their reasoning.
- Compare and contrast guesses with actual facts. This closing conversation can lead to discussions of perceptions, assumptions, similarities, and differences.
Assessments
Formative
Teachers will assess students’ understanding of the content throughout the lesson by observing students’ participation in the activator, discussion of symbolism and characteristics, ability to identify personal characteristics and translate them into symbols, and conferencing with students during the writing process.
Summative
CHECKLIST
- Students can identify and select symbols to represent characteristics about themselves.
- Students can create a self-portrait using symbols.
- Students can write informative sentences that identify and explain the symbols in their self-portraits.
DIFFERENTIATION
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Acceleration: Students will choose a character from a class-read text. They will create a portrait collage to represent the character without sharing their choice with other classmates. All portraits will be displayed. Students will pick a collage created by another student to match to a character in the book and defend their choice in writing with support from the text. Finally, students will compose a writing sample comparing and contrasting their own self-portrait with the character portrait. Remediation: Provide a body template for each student. Discuss the parts of the template. Provide pictures for students to choose their favorites in the following categories:
Invite students to choose pictures from each category and glue them to the appropriate body part of the template. Students can dictate words or sentences for each body part. ESOL Modifications and Adaptations: Introduce vocabulary: Collage (show students examples of a collage) and burnishing (show students what burnishing is and have them try it with scrap paper). Teacher will create a prototype and use it as a demonstration model to scaffold process and product development. Students will label their own portraits including the head, body, arms, and legs. Students will also dictate descriptive words or write descriptive words (using inventive spelling according to language level). |
*This integrated lesson provides differentiated ideas and activities for educators that are aligned to a sampling of standards. Standards referenced at the time of publishing may differ based on each state’s adoption of new standards.
Ideas contributed by: Anne Ostholthoff. Modifications, Extensions, and Adaptations Contributed by: Peggy Barnes, Candy Bennett, Lindsey Elrod, Jennifer Plummer, and Vilma Thomas. Updated by: Katy Betts.
Revised and copyright: July 2024 @ ArtsNOW