Getting to Know Me: Adventures in Self-Expression
Invite students to understand themselves and share their discoveries with autobiographical art activities.
By Alison Panik
The one subject students know more about than any other is themselves. They know their favorite foods, music, activities, and clothing. They know their own family and their friends. Kids are the experts on the subject of “me”, which is why doing autobiographical projects creates a level playing field for children of all ability levels.
Autobiography should be understood in the broadest sense of the term. While autobiography is defined as “an account of a person’s life, written by that person” (Oxford American Dictionary), autobiographical self-expression can be more than just a linear written document. Inviting students to represent themselves through both writing and art can present a more dynamic portrait of “who I am”. Searching for three-dimensional elements for collages that represent who students are can be a process of self-discovery and connection that can not only refine the pictures they have of themselves, but can also help to form who students will become.
Take autobiography to the next level. Encourage students to see themselves as more than a set of life events. Invite each student to choose one of their memories and share how it is part of their history and also how it formed who they are today. Provide opportunities for students to use problem-solving skills to find new ways to share their individual place in this world and the value of their lives in their family’s history, as well as the history of the larger community, even the history of the world.
The lesson plans, units, and projects below provide a variety of opportunities for creative and meaningful self-expression.
Autobiography and Art Lessons:
All About Me: Getting to Know Me
While this collage lesson is aimed at the early elementary level, it could be an adventure in self-expression for all ages. The lesson offers a detailed materials list that includes interesting textured items. The teacher should dedicate time toward setting up a collage table that children can access freely. Ideally this collage table would remain a fixture in the classroom indefinitely to encourage free exploration and expression. Provide plenty of time for “art talk” before, during, and after creating as a large group, in small groups, and one-on-one. This lesson includes prompts and questions to get the dialogue started.
A comprehensive introduction to a broader understanding of autobiography, this group of lesson plans can become a month-long unit or an all-year learning experience. Upper elementary and middle school students read, write, and discuss their own autobiographical writings. I like the tone that is set in this unit. The overriding objective is for the student and teacher to enjoy sharing and expressing a variety of written and non-written autobiographical statements. Note: In one lesson, students are introduced to autobiographical writings of other authors (Anne Frank, Frederick Douglass, Ben Franklin). The author of the lesson includes hand-out sheets with autobiographical excerpts. However – she has a typo (shoes instead of sheets) which made me think that there would be old shoes for the children to look at or wear while reading each person’s autobiographical excerpt. There aren’t shoes in this lesson as written, but it gave me an idea… a trip to a used clothing store is all it would take to pick up four old-fashioned pairs of shoes to make this activity a little more interesting. Walk a mile in a man’s shoes…
This lesson for upper elementary students integrates social studies and art with self-expression as students create personal timelines. The idea of creating a stand-up journal that can hold or display 3-D elements that reflect different life events is compelling, however the how-to is left to the students. I would include an introductory papercraft lesson – how to make pop-outs, pockets, paper ledges, and ways to hang and otherwise attach or display memorabilia on a stand-up journal. Showing children at least 3 different innovations (a simple pop-out, how to design and attach a pocket, and how to use tabs to make a paper ledge) could inspire them to think of their own ideas for display. A stand-up bookmaking experience would also be valuable to give students more than just the accordion-folded book option.
While this project is multifaceted and it may be tempting to have children complete this kind of project at home, it is worth the time in school to allow students in third through fifth grades to use all of their skills -- writing, problem-solving, math, geography, and self-expression – independently or cooperatively with their peers. Discuss how children can see their own history as a part of the history of their families, the school, the community, the country, and the world. One of my favorite parts of this project is the Map Flip Book. This lesson gives children a sense of the world and their place in it.
Students in third through twelfth grades use digital cameras and school computers to create their own multimedia scrapbook presentations about themselves, their school, their friends, etc . . . The best part of this lesson is the introduction to creative software teachers might consider using with their students, as well as a website offering free clip art photos for schools. This lesson is best used as a springboard. A set of school digital cameras (that download photos easily to school computers) would work best for the first step of this lesson; however, if students prefer to use their own cameras, images can be downloaded at home and emailed to the teacher for use at school. Classroom or computer teachers will also want to provide introductory lessons on how to use available (or new) software for children before diving into the design steps of this lesson.
