Artist Project: Matisse. This studio lesson is related to the big idea (Identity) because every collage represents something either we experienced (extent of significant events) or something that is/ was important to us that somehow defined us or shaped our personality and who we are. This particular collage is of a European church, and I put this as my collage because I traveled to Greece sophomore year of high school, and it definitely shaped who I am and was a huge impact on my life, especially since I am Greek Orthodox. I would use this in my classroom with a social studies lesson for myself and the class to learn about where their peers are from or something that is important to them which is a good community builder activity.
Artist Project: Close. This studio lesson is related to the to the big idea (Identity) because it represents what characteristics we have in common with the antagonist and protagonist Disney characters, so therefore those characteristics make up who are (our identity). I picked Sleeping Beauty as my protagonist and Scar as my antagonist because I have an older sister, so growing up I would easily get jealous of my sibling, and I picked Sleeping Beauty because I am a little shy at first, hard-working, romantic and I enjoy sleeping. I put Scar at the top as if the antagonist was "keeping an eye out" for the protagonist. I would use this in my classroom integrated with writing because it would allow the children to use descriptive words which also might be personality traits, so they are working on their writing but also realizing who they are. When I did this activity I never really realized how much I have in common with both characters, and kids might have this belief also. I think it is important to point out things you are proud of , of yourself, but also things that you know you do or bad habits because it will just show how people share those commons things.
Artist Project: William Wegman. This studio lesson relates to the big idea (Identity) because the character that I picked relates to myself in a way and I didn't even realize it. I have a cat's head on Peter Pan's body and at first I just tried to pick a fable character, but then as I was making this, I had some similar characteristics with Peter Pan. I put a cat's head on Peter Pan's body because when people think of Peter Pan they think of "the boy who doesn't want to grow up" and leave Neverland, and my first insight was that "cats have 9 lives" so the cat represents how they can keep reliving their youth, like Peter Pan. Then, I thought more about how cats are more of an indoor animal and don't really like to be outside and I made the correlation to Peter Pan because he never wants to leave his bubble which is Neverland, and cats don't like going outside which is why it says "I don't want to leave" not only to show that cats don't want to go outside but Peter Pan doesn't want to leave Neverland. The interior is a magazine picture of a living room which represents where cats spend most of their time sleeping, but also Neverland which is why Peter Pan does not want to leave. When I was making this, I made the correlation that I didn't want to leave Mizzou, since this is my last semester here. To integrate this into the classroom, I would have kids find something that they share characteristics with whether it a person, animal, object etc and write about it. This would incorporate writing skills and hopefully the kids will realize they share common characteristics with things, people or animals that the wouldn't think of.