​rethink.

Lesson Overview:

This lesson uses Native American artist Jaune Quick-to-See Smith's masterpiece Trade (Gifts for Trading Land with White People) to analyze our assumptions about Christopher Columbus and Native Americans and compare them with the true story of what happened. In this lesson we will view the painting and discuss the different elements that come together to form an important message. Next, children will engage in creating their own depiction of Columbus by collaging words, phrases, and images within a sillhouette of Columbus. By doing this, students will create meaning from what they have just learned in the previous three lessons. By sharing at the end, students will be able to present their work to each other in order to learn and help others take on different perspectives. ​​

 

Preparation:

-Painting by Jaune Quick-to-See Smith Trade Canoe (click here for image)

-Print Silhouettes of Christopher Columbus (click here for image)

-Visual Thinking Strategies in Action (click here for video)

-Understanding the Basics of VTS (click here for pdf)

-Project Example (click here)

 -Copies of Christopher Columbus silhouette printed on paper

 -Scissors 
 -Paper
 -Glue sticks
 -Markers
 -Magazines

-Black Construction Paper

 

Instruction:

1. The teacher will pull up Jaune Quick-to-See Smith’s painting Trade (Gifts for Trading Land with White People) on the projector.

2. The teacher will prompt students into discussion using visual thinking strategies to talk about the meaning behind the painting. (See above document link and vide as well as the questions below)

   1. What’s going on in this picture?

   2. What do you see that makes you say that?

   3. What more can we find?

3. Teachers should guide students toward thinking about how both our previous beliefs and new, enlightened knowledge are depicted in the painting: (fan gear vs. canoe, articles in the background, etc.)

4. Teacher will introduce project to the class by showing an example.

5. Students will each get a silhouette of Christopher Columbus.

6. Each student will fill in the silhouette using a combination of newspaper clippings, written words, magazine text and images, and other miscellaneous materials. (These images should reflect what students have learned Columbus. These words and images should serve to portray him on the outside, as who he was on the inside.)

7. Students will paste down the images on the silhouette.

8. Students will the cut out their silhouettes.

9. Paste silhouette collages onto the black construction paper.

10. Students will explain the images and words they chose for their silhouettes to a partner.

11. There should be a wrap-up discussion at the end of this lesson tying together the themes from the unit.

-How does our prior knowledge and assumptions differ from what we have just learned?

-How primary sources can change our opinions on what happened in history

-How popular culture depicts foreign cultures

 

Standards:

8.1.3.B: Identify fact, opinion, multiple points of view, and primary sources as related to historical events.

8.3.3.D: Identify and describe how conflict and cooperation among groups and organizations have impacted the history and development of the US.

8.4.3.D: Identify conflict and cooperation among groups and organizations from around the world.

9.1.3.E: Demonstrate the ability to define objects, express emotions, illustrate an action or relate an experience through creation of works in the arts.

9.1.3.F: Identify works of others through a performance or exhibition (e.g., exhibition of student paintings based on the study of Picasso).