Portable Collections Program

Adornments From Head to Toe

Table of Contents

Checklist: Whats in the Case? 1

Information for the Teacher: 3

How to Handle and Look at Museum Objects An Introduction to Adornments Information About the Objects in the Case

Activities to Do with Your Students: 11

1 Introductory Activity: Fashion Show 2 What Can Objects Tell Me? 3 Where Do You Wear It and What Does It Say About You? 4 Who Am I? 5 Make a Protective Amulet 6 Additional Activities and Curricular Connections

Resources and Reference Materials: 19

Vocabulary Words Correlations with New York State Standards Corresponding Field Trips Bibliography and Web Resources

 CHECKLIST: WHATS IN THE CASE?

Whats in the Case?

Objects

Bush cow ring

Armlet (Kaka)

Recycled glass beads

Anklet

Earplugs (Isiqhaza)

Beaded collar

Amulet

Comb (Duafe)

Nose ring

Bangle bracelet

Toe ring

Chest ornament (Omak)

Dog tooth necklace

Fibula (Ibzimen)

Evil eye amulet

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 CHECKLIST: WHATS IN THE CASE?

Whats in the Case?

Objects

Leg or arm bands (Wini)

Plaited palm necklace

Owl charm

Cameo brooch

Belt buckle

Sash

Bamboo doorknocker earrings

Tools and Resources

Jewelry (World Crafts Series) by Meryl Doney Jewelry (Traditions Around the World) by Louise Tythacott Accessories and Adornment by Helen Whitty Photograph set Magnifying lenses

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 INFORMATION FOR THE TEACHER

How to Handle Museum Objects

Learning to handle objects from the Museums permanent collection with respect can be part of your students educational experience of the case. Please share these guidelines with your class, and make sure your students follow them in handling objects in the case: Students may handle the objects carefully under your supervision. However, they may NOT try on the adornments. Over time, sweat, body oils, and too much handling can adversely affect all of these objects, even those that seem sturdy. Many of these objects are not replaceable. Hold objects with two hands. Hold them by the solid part of the body or by the strongest area rather than by rims, edges or protruding parts. Paint, feathers, fur and fibers are especially fragile and should be touched as little as possible. Remember that rubbing and finger oils can be damaging. Do not shake objects or the plexiglass cases they are housed in. Temperature differences, direct sunlight, and water can be very harmful to certain objects. Please keep the objects away from radiators and open windows, and keep them secure.

How to Look at Museum Objects

Objects have the power to fascinate people with their mere physical presence. Holding an object in their hands forms a tangible link between your students, the folk artist who made it, and the artists homeland. This sense of physical connection makes it easier for students to think concretely about the ideas and concepts you introduce to them in your lessons. Objects also have the power to tell us about their origins and purpose, provided we are willing to look at them in detail and think about what those details mean. Encourage your students to examine an object carefully, touch it gently, and look at its design and decoration. Have them describe its shape, size, and color. Ask them questions about what they see, and what that might tell them. For example: How was the object made? What tools did the artist need? What materials did the artist use? Where might he or she have gotten those materials? How is the object decorated? What might the decorations mean? What does the object tell you about the person or people who made it?

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 INFORMATION FOR THE TEACHER

An Introduction to Adornments
What can you do with this case?
Children young and old have a lively interest in personal adornment. They often insist on choosing their own caps, belts, shoes, book bags, and jewelry. Because of its appeal and familiarity, and because it is found in every society in the world, personal adornment is a natural starting place for studies you may wish to undertake about our own and other cultures. You can use the objects in the case to embark on or complement many different areas in social studies or the arts, such as personal identity, social roles and status, the impact of environment and circumstances, and aesthetics. This introduction, the information about the objects in the case, and the activities and resources in this guide are all intended to give you some ideas for using personal adornment in your curriculum. They are only meant to provide a starting point, though. We have included a matrix detailing how each activity connects to current New York State Learning Standards (see page 20), but there are many more connections you could make with other content areas. You and your students together can determine how and where you wish this curriculum to go.

Modes of adornment
All over the world, men, women, and children decorate themselves in a variety of ways. People cut their hair short or wear it long, and dress it up in buns, braids, or dread locks. They use their skin as a canvas by daubing on makeup, painting themselves with rich colors, drawing complex patterns on their hands with henna dye, or tattooing themselves with symbols or pictures. Some tribes in Africa even create designs on their bodies by cutting their skin to create a raised pattern of shiny scars. People all over the world adorn themselves according to their different customs, circumstances, and ideas of beauty. Amid this amazing diversity, though, there is one almost universal way of adorning the human body: through the use of jewelry and other accessories. For thousands of years, people have fashioned personal adornments out of stone, clay, metal, glass, and a wealth of natural materials. They attach these decorations to their bodies in a variety of ways, such as by draping necklaces around their necks or belts about their waists. Some people pierce their ears, lips, and noses (among other things). Others slide armbands, anklets, rings and toe rings over their limbs. If you can think of a body part, chances are good that somewhere on earth, someone has found a way to embellish it. The objects in this case were chosen to demonstrate some of the great variety of adornments found all over the world and over time as well. They come from Africa, Oceania, Europe, and the Americas. Some of the adornments are very old (such as the cameo from the 1860s) while others are quite recent (like the bamboo doorknocker earrings made popular in the 1980s). They can teach us valuable lessons about beauty, power, and identity.

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 INFORMATION FOR THE TEACHER

Introduction to Adornments (continued)

Why do we wear adornments?

Adornments are a form of wearable art. They beautify the wearer and may make him or her more attractive to other people. Many of the objects in the case are meant to appeal for these reasons. For example, the Maasai people find beaded collar necklaces very attractive, especially the way they sway as a woman dances. Among the Kuna people, slender limbs are thought beautiful, so women wrap wini (long strings of beads) around their arms and legs to make them look thinner. In the United States, one hundred years ago a woman would have added some sparkle to her outfit with a cameo brooch like the one in the case, but today she might choose bamboo doorknocker earrings instead. However, while beauty a very common reason why people adorn themselves, it is not by any means the only reason. Adornments do more than simply decorate our bodies. Some adornments (such as the Mossi armlet or the Frafra anklet) are meant to protect the wearer from evil spirits, or to bring good fortune, good health, and many children. Often these protective amulets are decorated with symbols that hold great meaning for the wearer. For example, the bush cow ring depicts a powerful animal in the hope that its spirit will guard the wearer. The evil eye amulet protects its wearer with both secular symbols (the eye), and religious symbols (the cross). Other charms (like the Fulani amulet) may contain verses from holy scriptures, such as the Bible or the Koran. However, some religiously-themed adornments (such as a crucifix or a yarmulke) are not worn for luck so much as to demonstrate respect for a higher power. Adornments also send messages about who we are. Sometimes these messages are about economic

status and prestige. For example, the Mendi chest ornament in the case brings prestige to the wearer by advertising how much of his wealth he has given away (implying that he must be very rich indeed). Abelam men demonstrate their personal or family wealth by wearing necklaces and other jewelry made of dog teeth (a traditional form of currency). Similarly, in American society, some wealthy people drape themselves in diamonds to illustrate their success. Expensive jewelry is an especially important signifier of economic status among people who live in nomadic societies, like the Bedouin tribes of Saudi Arabia; constantly on the move, they have found that gold and silver jewelry is often the easiest way to transport their wealth and demonstrate their high position to the people around them. Some adornments mark the wearer as a person of authority. Although we have not included any such examples in the case, contemporary Western society yields many instances of this. Political leaders may wear a sash or a medal as a sign of office. Military or police officers wear uniforms decorated with stripes, bars, ribbons, medals, badges, and patches that identify their place in a complex chain of command. Other adornments make a statement about the wearers social identity, from their family ties to their marital status. People in the Scottish highlands traditionally advertised their clan or family identity by wrapping themselves in swaths of distinctive plaid cloth known as a tartan. The native tribes of the Pacific Northwest Coast emblazoned their jewelry, masks, shields, and even their homes with animals representing their clan or family crests. Also, in many societies there are some pieces of jewelry that are only worn by married people. For example, in the U.S. and other Western countries it is customary (though not universal) for married people to wear a

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 INFORMATION FOR THE TEACHER

Introduction to Adornments (continued)

ring on the third finger of their left hand. Similarly, in India the nose ring and bangle bracelet in this case would typically be worn only by married women. Sometimes a person receives an adornment to mark a special moment in the cycle of life, such as puberty, marriage, or starting a family. Zulu children are given earplugs as part of the ceremony to initiate them into adult society, with all its privileges and responsibilities. Kabyle women receive a fibula as a gift from their parents on their marriage (though fibulas are worn by unmarried people as well). Akan men may give their sweethearts, wives, daughters, or sisters a comb like the one in the case to celebrate a marriage or the birth of a child. In like manner, people in the U.S. may give or receive jewelry to celebrate an engagement, anniversary, or a milestone birthday (like a sweet sixteen).

have turned toward more sophisticated techniques for making jewelry and accessories. They have learned to heat and work metal into complex shapes, or to form shards of glass into intricate beads. Today some adornments are molded from plastic by machines and mass-produced by the thousands. All of these materials and techniques are represented by objects in this case.

About the photographs in the case

These photographs show a wide range of adornments being worn or traded. Some of the adornments in the photographs are similar to the objects in the case, but not all of them are. Some photographs depict types of adornment other than jewelry and accessories, such as body painting and tattoos. These photographs can be used to illustrate how adornments vary from one part of the world to another, in type as well as in the parts of the body adorned and the materials used to create adornments. You may also use the photographs as a starting point for activities. For some examples, see Additional Activities and Curricular Connections on page 18.

Whats that youre wearing? Materials used for making adornments

The jewelry and accessories in this case provide examples of many common materials that people all over the world have used to decorate their bodies. Stone and wood are materials that have been popular for thousands of years. Adornments made from natural materials like ivory, animal teeth, and shell have also been known since ancient times. However, as human technology has advanced, many peoples

Words in boldface have been included in the Vocabulary Words section on page 19.

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 INFORMATION FOR THE TEACHER

Information About the Objects in the Case

BUSH COW RING (OBJECT NO. 84.31.157)
The Bwa people of Burkina Faso wear brass rings and anklets decorated with the image of a bush cow to protect them from harmful spirits lurking in the forest. The bush cow is also a popular jewelry motif among many of their West African neighbors, including the Bobo and Senufo peoples. The Senufo believe that the bush cow has the power to bestow knowledge of herbal medicines, so their healers wear jewelry adorned with its image.

ANKLET (OBJECT NO. 75.36.328)

Frafra women in West Africa have traditionally worn brass anklets like this one to prevent bad luck and to protect them from potentially harmful spirits lurking in the forest. They usually wear these anklets on the advice of a diviner, a spiritual leader who is thought to be able to foretell events in the future. Frafra men and women also wear ivory, stone, and bone jewelry on their legs and upper arms.

EARPLUGS (ISIQHAZA) (OBJECT NO. 90.9.2A-D) ARMLET (KAKA) (OBJECT NO.79.25.149)

Among the Mossi people of the Congo, men historically have worn armlets called kaka on their upper arms. They believe the armlets protect them from disease, make them attractive to women, and assure their wives of having many healthy children. This armlet was carved from a black stone mined in Mali, which was very expensive to obtain. Today glassmakers from the Nupe tribe in Nigeria make glass imitations that are sold throughout the area. Isiqhaza are large round earplugs (earrings) worn by the Zulu people of southern Africa. Zulu childrens ears are pierced during puberty ceremonies, an act known as opening the ears so that the children may learn to listen to the world around them and understand it better. The first time the ears are pierced, the holes are plugged with small round sticks. Over time, larger earplugs made of polished bone, ivory, or wood are inserted into the holes, stretching the earlobes until they can hold earplugs like these.

RECYCLED GLASS BEADS (OBJECT NO. 2004.5.8)

The mottled gray-green beads on this string were recycled from old bottles and other glass objects. In many parts of West Africa, artisans make beads by crushing old glass into a powder and adding a little water. They shape this thick paste of powdered glass into individual beads, using a metal pin to poke a hole in the center of each one. Then they fire (bake) the beads in a hot oven, fusing the tiny pieces of crushed glass into solid glass beads.

BEADED COLLAR (OBJECT NO. 75.36.302)

Maasai women in Kenya wear elaborate ensembles of beaded clothing and accessories, including many necklaces and earrings. They make traditional flat collar necklaces like this one by stringing glass beads onto wire spaced with strips of cowhide. They begin wearing beaded collars as young girls, adding more and more necklaces of different sizes as they grow into young women. The Maasai find the gentle swaying of these flat collar necklaces as a woman moves and dances very alluring.

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 INFORMATION FOR THE TEACHER

Information About the Objects in the Case (continued)

AMULET (OBJECT NO. 84.34.133E)

The Fulani people of West Africa wear leather amulets like this one to protect themselves, bring good fortune, promote fertility, and assure the health of their cattle herds. The amulets get their power from the contents hidden inside, which may include verses from the Koran or supposedly magical substances (such as claws, teeth, shells, or cow hair). The Fulani decorate their amulets with shells, beads, and buttons, often arranged in geometric patterns; their jingling is supposed to scare evil spirits away.

BANGLE BRACELET (OBJECT NO. 84.34.215)

Bangle bracelets are an ancient jewelry form often found among the ruins of early South Asian civilizations, and they remain one of the most common types of jewelry worn by women in India today. Like other jewelry types, bangles often indicate that the wearer is a married woman. These bracelets are often made of lac (a natural resin excreted by an insect that lives in Indian forests), conch shell, ivory, glass, and metal. This example was carved from wood and painted a glossy black with bright floral patterns.

COMB (DUAFE) (OBJECT NO. 75.26.273)

Among the Akan people of Ghana, women use large decorated combs called duafe for styling their long hair (men usually have very short hair and do not use duafe). Duafe often have handles carved in human or animal shapes. These traditional Akan designs are sometimes combined with symbols of European origin, like the Christian cross on this comb. Women may purchase a duafe from a carver, but usually they receive these combs as a gift from a man close to them in order to celebrate a special event.

TOE RING (OBJECT NO. 84.34.181)

In India, many people go barefoot (especially in rural villages), so toe rings are very popular. Sometimes their designs have a symbolic meaning, but in this case the flower-like metal knob on top seems to be simply for decoration. The ring is worn on the big toe, with the unusual metal bar on the side passing under the smaller toes. This style is sometimes seen in central India, but is much more common in Sri Lanka, so it is possible that the ring actually came from there.

CHEST ORNAMENT (OMAK) NOSE RING (OBJECT NO. 75.36.450AB)

Nose rings are a popular adornment in India, and usually indicate that the wearer is a married woman (especially when they are worn in the left nostril). This silver-plated nose ring has been decorated with a simple floral design, a symbol of new life that is a frequent motif in Indian jewelry. The example in the case is fairly small and light, but some nose ornaments in India are so elaborate and heavy that they must be supported by small chains attached to the wearers hair, headscarf, or hat. (OBJECT NO. 84.34.220) An omak is a chest ornament worn by Mendi men as a way for them to display their power and high status. Each of the 38 bamboo slats on this omak represents a valuable gift that the owner has given. In Papua New Guinea, people earn prestige by giving each other large gifts of animals, food, trade goods, or money. Such a gift brings great honor to the giver because it shows he is so wealthy that he can afford to give his possessions away.

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 INFORMATION FOR THE TEACHER

Information About the Objects in the Case (continued)

DOG TOOTH NECKLACE (OBJECT NO. 58.6.5)

The Abelam people of Papua New Guinea have traditionally used the teeth of dogs and other animals for making jewelry. Men wear dog tooth necklaces as a sign of their high status, power, and wealth. Strings of dog teeth are part of a familys wealth, and may be worn every day or on special occasions. They also continue to be valued as a type of traditional currency, one mainly used for paying social debts (such as a bride price or a midwifes fee).

LEG OR ARM BANDS (WINI)

(OBJECT NO. 84.34.264A-C) Among the Kuna Indians of Panama, women traditionally wear long strings of colorful beads called wini wrapped around their arms and legs, from wrist to elbow and ankle to knee. The beads are arranged on the string in such a way that, when wrapped snugly around a womans limbs, each string forms a pattern or design. The Kuna believe that beautiful women must have thin arms and legs, so they wrap these long strings of beads around their daughters arms and legs to make their limbs look slender. (The wini in the case have been mounted on a length of wood to demon-strate the intended shape.)

FIBULA (IBZIMEN) (OBJECT NO. 40.12.7)

Kabyle women in North Africa wear a fibula (or cloak pin) called an ibzimen to fasten their woolen capes at the shoulder. A Kabyle woman receives her ibzimen and other jewelry from her parents upon her marriage as part of her dowry. The ibzimens triangular shape symbolizes the female form, while the egg-shaped stone in the center is a symbol of fertility. The Kabyle are known for making silver jewelry with cloisonn enameling, but this ibzimen is very simply made of painted brass adorned with bakelite.

PLAITED PALM NECKLACE

(OBJECT NO. 79.29.183B) The beads on this necklace are made from plaited palm leaf. Colorful jewelry and other adornments are common among Mexican women. Gold and silver jewelry have been highly valued in Mexico since long before the Conquest, but folk jewelry made from less expensive materials is also quite popular. Artisans make earrings, necklaces, and other adornments from a variety of natural materials, including plaited fiber beads, seeds, and tiny painted gourds.

EVIL EYE AMULET (OBJECT NO. 91.30)

Decorated with Christian symbols on one side and an eye on the other, this blue plastic amulet is meant to protect the wearer against the evil eye. The evil eye is a type of misfortune (such as illness, infertility, or even death) believed to be caused by other peoples praise or envy. However, its dangers can be warded off with charms like this one (which are often blue, the color considered most powerful in fighting the evil eye). Belief in the evil eye is common among people of all religions in parts of southern Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.

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 INFORMATION FOR THE TEACHER

Information About the Objects in the Case (continued)

OWL CHARM (OBJECT NO. 71.33)

Carved by an Inuit person from Canada, this owl-shaped ivory charm has been hung on a leather thong so it may be worn around the neck. The Inuit peoples live in the northernmost regions of the northern hemisphere, and comprise many different cultural groups. They have carved walrus and whale ivory for thousands of years. In the late 19th and early 20th century many Inuit began to make ivory carvings and charms like this one specifically for sale to non-native tourists or collectors.

BELT BUCKLE (OBJECT NO. 82.21.30)

Although this belt buckle comes from Japan, its design a large steel ring with a pivoting tongueis distinctly European. Belt buckles have been made in Japan for more than a thousand years, but they were not always widely used. Instead of belts, Japanese people of different classes often wore silk sashes or girdles, or tied their waists with rope or twine. But after Japan opened its seaports to trade with European countries in 1868, its people adopted some European clothing and accessories. Trousers became quite popular, as did belts and elaborate belt buckles. Some 19th-century belt buckles were crafted in traditional Japanese styles, but others were made in the European fashion.

CAMEO BROOCH (OBJECT NO. 82.21.77)

A cameo is a raised design or picture carved from a piece of shell or stone. It often features a scene from Greek or Roman mythology or the Bible, or (as in this example) an idealized portrait of a man or woman. Cameos are often made into rings, brooches, or pendants. Though these adornments date back more than two thousand years, they reached the height of their popularity in the 18th and 19th centuries in Europe and America, where they were worn by royalty and ordinary citizens alike. This cameo was made in 1860.

SASH (OBJECT NO. 2005.0.2)

All over Mexico, people have many different styles of traditional dress, but almost all of them wear some type of woven wool sash or belt. Men wrap sashes around their waists to hold up their trousers, while women wear them to secure their heavy skirts. Depending on the local style, sashes may be wrapped around the waist once or many times, and worn with the ends tucked in or left hanging. This sash is decorated with a simple design of green and white stripes on a red background, but other sashes may be woven or embroidered with geometric designs, flowers, animals, or religious symbols. You can learn more about these adornments and other objects from around the world by visiting our Collections Central Online database at www.brooklynkids.org/emuseum.

BAMBOO DOORKNOCKER EARRINGS

(OBJECT NO. 2005.7.1AB) Bamboo doorknocker earrings get their name from their large, dangling, doorknocker shape and the way the metal has been molded into bamboo-like segments. This style of earring first became fashionable during the early years of American hip-hop culture in the 1980s. Along with boomboxes and breakdancing, this urban youth movement popularized a unique style of dress that included tracksuits, designer sneakers, leather jackets, and large gold jewelry.

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ACTIVITY 1
All Grades Related Objects: All

Introductory Activity: Fashion Show

3 Organize the students into pairs or teams and have them help each other identify what accessories each person is wearing. Have them take notes and prepare a runway announcers description of the accessories, what part of the body they decorate, and what they are made of. 4 Create a runway in the classroom by having students sit or stand facing one another across an aisle, or clear space for them to line up on each side. 5 Have students walk down the runway in turn. Have each students partner or team member describe aloud for the group, as if announcing a fashion show, what the student is wearing and why it is important or special.

This activity can be done before you receive the case (or before you share its contents with the class) in order to introduce the idea of adornment.

Materials:
Whatever youre wearing! Optional: Background runway-type music will help students get into the spirit. Optional: Images or even videos of fashion shows featuring both men and women. (Hint: You can search the Internet for fashion show videos and find some short examples online.) These also add to the fun.

What To Do:
1 Remind your students that people wear other things besides their clothes. Discuss some of the accessories you are wearing and tell the students why you have chosen them. For example, if you are wearing a special piece of jewelry, you may wish to share its significance with your students. Ask them to think about what the accessories we wear say about us. 2 Tell the students that they are going to be models in a fashion show in which their adornments will be highlighted and described by other students as they walk the runway.

Discussion Questions:
How many different parts of the body did you see adorned on the runway today? What other parts of the body could also be adorned? What are some types of body adornment besides jewelry and accessories? Why do people pierce or tattoo their bodies?

See page 20 for details on how this activity meets New York State Learning Standards.

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ACTIVITY 2
Grades 25 Related Objects: All

What Can Objects Tell Me?

3 Distribute the What Can Objects Tell Me? chart and go over it with the students. 4 Divide the children into groups and have each group explore their object and fill in the boxes of the chart. After a few minutes, have the groups rotate to a new station. Repeat this step as many times as you like. 5 Have the students reconvene as a class to discuss their findings. You may want to use the chart paper to make notes about the students observations, and respond by presenting some background information on the objects.

Your students can learn a lot about the objects in the case by looking at them carefully. After the students examine the objects, you can share more about them using information from this guide, the resources listed at the back, or your own knowledge.

Materials:
Objects from the case One or more copies of the "What Can Objects Tell Me" observation chart for each student (OR a transparency of it for a whole class exercise) A large piece of chart paper for recording group observations.

Discussion Questions:
All of these items are worn on the body. What part of the body does each adorn? How did looking at the object help you figure this out? Based on the materials the objects are made of, what can you say about the people who made them or where they live? What other things can you say about the people who wore them?

What To Do:
1 Depending on the age and interests of your students and the amount of time you would like to spend, you can do this activity using a handful of objects or every object in the case. 2 Prior to the presentation of the lesson, set the classroom up into stations (make sure there are enough stations that you have only 34 students working at each one). Place one or more objects and a magnifying lens on the table at each station.

See page 20 for details on how this activity meets New York State Learning Standards.

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What can objects tell me?

Draw the object. What color or color is this object? What material or Describe the shape. materials is it made of?

Look at each object closely. What kinds of things can we learn about an object just by examining it closely? What can objects tell us about the people who made them? Use this chart to record everything you discover.

What kind of decoration What part of the body does it have? does it adorn?

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ACTIVITY 3

Where Do You Wear It and What Does It Say About You?

4 Older students may draw adornments on the figure to represent one or more characteristic purposes of adornment, like wealth, gender, age, authority, or coolness. They may do this by using objects from the case, or by drawing adornments from their own culture.

Grades K 4 Related Object: All

In this activity, children explore the function of each object by matching it to the corresponding part of the body upon which each item is worn.

Materials:
Copies of the Where Do You Wear It? body template worksheet for each student Pencils and crayons

Discussion Questions:
Why do you think people make or use jewelry and other accessories? When you wear jewelry, what are you telling people about yourself? What can adornments tell us about the wearer? (Hints: social status and position, age, gender, marital status, wealth, etc.) What are some examples of this from your own life? (Hints: a married person wears a ring, a police officer wears a badge, etc.)

What To Do:
1 Lead a discussion about individual objects using the background cultural information about each object and the people who created it. 2 Give each student one or more copies of the Where Do You Wear It? worksheet on the next page. 3 Younger students may draw a selection of objects from the case on the body template, and also fill in the facial and physical features as they choose.

See page 20 for details on how this activity meets New York State Learning Standards.

LITERACY EXTENSION GRADE 35

Have students write a sentence or paragraph describing the adornments they drew on the worksheet body template, and what characteristics those adornments are supposed to represent. Alternatively, they may write a story about the person they created on the worksheet, paying particular attention to how the persons adornments reflect his or her age, gender, or role in society.

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Where Do You Wear It?

What we wear can send messages about who we are. Your adornments may tell other people many things about you, such as your age, your religion, how wealthy you are, and whether or not you are married. Draw some adornments on the figure at the right.

What can the adornments you drew tell us about this person?

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ACTIVITY 4
Grades 36 Related Object: All

Who Am I ?
3 Based on the situations and roles you brainstormed together, have each student pick a role to portray (they should choose silently and keep their choice a secretit is fine if some choose the same role). Then using whatever craft materials you have gathered, students should create an adornment reflecting that role. (Examples: a graduates cap, a bridal veil, a coachs whistle, patches identifying a ball team or police rank, a royal crown, and so on.) 4 Have the students put on their completed adornments. Then, one by one, they should stand before the rest of the class and act out their role while their classmates try to guess their identity. Encourage students to ham it up, and to use their accessories to help make their point.

Many adornments or accessories tell us something about the wearers role in a particular situation or status in society. This activity encourages students to create and use adornments to act out a social role. It is a good opportunity to talk to your students about how societies organize themselvesby age group, socioeconomic level, job type, and so on.

Materials:
Any of the following: White or colored construction paper Small scraps of cloth Beads, buttons, bells String, yarn, pipe cleaners Any other general craft supplies

Discussion Questions:
Why do people wear adornments and accessories, besides simply for decoration? Why are some adornments and accessories worn only by certain people? Think of examples of adornments and accessories that reflect a persons age, job, marital status, position of authority, wealth, and so on. Think of examples of when it is helpful to be able to identify a persons role or rank. (Hints: When you need an employees help at a store, or when you need to ask a MTA agent for directions.)

What To Do:
1 Brainstorm with your class a variety of social occasions, ceremonies, or occupations in which people have clearly defined roles that are reflected in what they wear. This may include anything from school graduations and weddings to sports teams or jobs that require uniforms. 2 Discuss the different roles you might encounter in those situations, such as principal, graduate, bride, groom, coach, player, police officer, or MTA agent. Ask your students how they can tell who a person is based on what they are wearing. Emphasize how each persons clothing or adornments reflect their identity or role in that particular situation.

See page 20 for details on how this activity meets New York State Learning Standards.

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ACTIVITY 5

Make a Protective Amulet

4 For students who have brought something from home: Have them string it on the wire, or fold a scrap of cloth around their item and tie it to the wire. 5 If students have not brought an item from home, have them create an amulet using the beads, buttons, or other small objects you have provided. Alternatively, they may simply draw a symbol for protection or good luck (such as a Christian cross, a Star of David, a rabbits foot, or a four-leaf clover), tie it into a scrap of cloth, and attach it to the wire.

Grades 35 Related Objects: armlet, bush cow ring, Fulani amulet, evil eye amulet, Frafra anklet
People all over the world create special pieces of jewelry called amulets (or talismans or lucky charms) that they believe hold magic and power to protect them from harm and bring them good luck. Amulets may include images of powerful animals or even teeth and claws that help to remind the wearer to be strong and fearless. In this activity, students can make their own protective amulet.

Discussion Questions:
What kinds of amulets or charms do you or people you know wear for protection or good luck? (Possible examples: a rabbits foot, a saints medal, or other religious jewelry.) What symbols do these amulets use to offer protection or good luck? The objects in the case are from many different places in the world. Look at each object. What kinds of things do you think the people who created these amulets might need protection from? (Hints: Bad luck, illness, bad dreams, evil spirits or people, accidents.) What symbols do they use to protect themselves?

Materials:
Optional: You may want to prepare for this activity in advance by asking your students to bring a small object from home that is special to them so that they may incorporate it into their charm. Lengths of colored wire or plastic lanyard string Beads or buttons in a variety of sizes and colors Small scraps of cloth no larger than 3 x 3

What To Do:
1 Discuss with your class what the word amulet means, and brainstorm some reasons why people might want to wear a protective charm. 2 Refer to the related objects in the case in order to demonstrate the variety of forms an amulet might take. 3 Have the students cut and bend the wire or lanyard to create a ring, bracelet, necklace or other form of adornment.

See page 20 for details on how this activity meets New York State Learning Standards.

LITERACY EXTENSION

Have your students write a paragraph describing their amulet, including details like what it will protect them from, and how they chose to decorate it and why.

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ACTIVITY 6

Additional Activities and Curricular Connections

English Language Arts: Story-writing Grades 45
Have students imagine that they are washed up on the shore of an unknown country. All they have with them is their clothing and an adornment. Have them imagine the adornment (they can make a drawing if you like) and write an adventure story in which it saves their life and leads to a happy or suspenseful end.

Arts: Art-making All Grades

Accessories encourage flights of fancy! Have students create adornments using their imaginations and whatever materials are at hand. There are many ways to do this, depending on the age of your students and the materials available. Younger students can string pasta or straws cut up into short lengths. Play dough or clay can be used to roll out beads to pierce and string. Beads can also be made of colored magazine pictures, cut up, rolled around a straw, and coated with clear varnish (nail polish or the hardware store variety). The examples in the case can inspire pins or ear ornaments cut from Styrofoam trays and colored using paints or markers. Students could make belts, bracelets, headbands, or anklets from braided yarn hung with natural materials (such as seeds, nuts, and leaves).

Social Studies: Geography Grades 35

Have students cut out copies of the object images from the Information pages and place them on the objects country of origin on a world map.

Social Studies: Adornments photo safari All Grades

Share the set of photographs from the case with your students as a way to explore how adornments vary from one part of the world to another. Have students sort the photographs by the type of adornment each one depicts, the materials used to make it, the part of the body it adorns, or the geographic area it comes from. Using one of these criteria as an organizing idea, students may also create an art exhibit by arranging the photographs together with objects from the case, adornments they created themselves, or photographs of them wearing their own adornments.

English Language Arts: Word play All Grades

As a group, brainstorm the many words and terms (in English and any other languages known by the students) that identify different kinds of jewelry. You can use terms for the objects in the case found in the Information and Vocabulary pages of this guide as examples. Older students may use books, dictionaries, and the Internet to find more words. Then have students organize the terms according to the body part to which each word refers.

See page 20 for details on how these activities meet New York State Learning Standards.

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 RESOURCES AND REFERENCE MATERIALS

Vocabulary Words
accessory:
something a person wears (such as a piece of jewelry, a scarf, or a belt) to accent or complete his or her outfit.

fire: to bake clay until all the moisture is gone, leaving the clay hard and durable. jewelry:
ornamental pieces (such as necklaces, rings, or bracelets) worn for personal adornment. Originally this word applied only to pieces made with precious metals and stones, but its definition has expanded to include objects made from all sorts of materials.

adornment:
something people wear to demonstrate their status, to ensure protection or good luck, or to make themselves more attractive, beautiful, or interesting.

amulet: an adornment believed to protect the wearer from evil spirits or to bring good luck. Often amulets are decorated with magical or religious symbols. brooch:
a piece of jewelry with a pin or clasp on the back, meant to be fastened to the wearers clothing. Brooches are usually worn by women.

motif: a design or decorative theme. nomadic: lacking an established home or village; constantly on the move. ornament: a decoration; something that lends grace or beauty to the object or person it adorns. pendant:
a piece of jewelry that hangs around the neck from a chain (or a piece of string or leather).

charm:
an object believed to have magical powers to ward off evil or ensure good luck.

Conquest:
a historical term referring to the European (and particularly Spanish) conquest of the Americas from the 15th to the 17th century.

plaited: braided.

diviner:
a person (usually a religious figure) who is believed to be able to foretell the future through magical or supernatural means. For more vocabulary ideas, see the Word play extension activity on page 18.

fibula:
a clasp or cloak pin.

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 RESOURCES AND REFERENCE MATERIALS

Correlations with New York State Learning Standards

New York State Learning Standard Performance Indicators (Elementary Level) Standard Area Standard # Arts 1 Subject Theater Letter b Students will Imitate experiences through pantomime, play making, dramatic play, story dramatization, story telling, and role playing Use language, voice, gesture, movement, and observation to express their experiences and communicate ideas and feelings Experiment and create art works, in a variety of mediums (drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, video, and computer graphics), based on a range of individual and collective experiences Develop their own ideas and images through the exploration and creation of art works based on themes, symbols, and events Explain their reflections about the meanings, purposes, and sources of works of art; describe their responses to the works and the reasons for those responses Explain the visual and other sensory qualities (surfaces, colors, textures, shape, sizes, volumes) found in a wide variety of art works Look at and discuss a variety of art works and artifacts from world cultures to discover some important ideas, issues, and events of those cultures Create art works that show the influence of a particular culture Gather and interpret information from childrens reference books, magazines, textbooks, electronic bulletin boards, audio and media presentations, oral interviews, and from such forms as charts, graphs, maps, and diagrams Select information appropriate to the purpose of their investigation and relate ideas from one text to another Select and use strategies they have been taught for notetaking, organizing, and categorizing information Ask specific questions to clarify and extend meaning Present information clearly in a variety of oral and written forms such as summaries, paraphrases, brief reports, stories, posters, and charts Select a focus, organization, and point of view for oral and written presentations Observe basic writing conventions, such as correct spelling, punctuation, and capitalization, as well as sentence and paragraph structures appropriate to written forms Activity

1 2 3 4 5 6

Arts 1 Arts 1

Theater

Visual Arts

Arts

Visual Arts

Arts

Visual Arts

Arts

Visual Arts

Arts

Visual Arts

Arts English Language Arts

4 1

Visual Arts Listening & Reading

ELA

Listening & Reading Listening & Reading Listening & Reading Speaking & Writing Speaking & Writing Speaking & Writing

ELA

ELA ELA

1 1

ELA ELA

1 1

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 RESOURCES AND REFERENCE MATERIALS

Correlations with New York State Learning Standards

New York State Learning Standard Performance Indicators (Elementary Level) Standard Area Standard # ELA 2 Subject Speaking & Writing Speaking & Writing Letter Students will Create their own stories, poems, and songs using the elements of the literature they have read and appropriate vocabulary Observe the conventions of grammar and usage, spelling, and punctuation Study about different world cultures and civilizations focusing on their accomplishments, contributions, values, beliefs, and traditions Explore the lifestyles, beliefs, traditions, rules and laws, and social/cultural needs and wants of people during different periods in history and in different parts of the world Study about how people live, work, and utilize natural resources Ask geographic questions about where places are located; why they are located where they are; what is important about their locations; and how their locations are related to the location of other people and places Access needed information from printed media, electronic data bases, and community resources

Activity 1 2 3 4 5 6

ELA Social Studies

2 2

Social Studies

Social Studies Social Studies

3 3

Math, Science, 2 & Technology

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 RESOURCES AND REFERENCE MATERIALS

Corresponding Field Trips

The following museums and organizations have exhibits or programs related to adornments. Check with each for days/hours. Then do a treasure hunt through the exhibits to find actual adornments and images of people wearing adornments. For example, check out the Egyptian, Pre-Columbian, Native American, Asian, and African galleries at these museums. Walk through the American Wings of the Brooklyn and Metropolitan Museums and look at portraits to see mens and womens accessories from different eras of American history. The European Sculpture and Decorative Arts galleries at the Metropolitan Museum may yield fine examples of European jewelry. The Islamic, Ancient Near Eastern, and Greek and Roman galleries also have accessories. Remind students to look for mens ceremonial accessories (such as swords) as well as for jewelry.

Bibliography & Web Resources

The following books and websites have provided valuable source material for this guide and may also help you to enrich your experience with the objects in the case.

Fisher, Angela. Africa Adorned. New York:

Harry N. Abrams, 1984.

Paine, Sheila. Amulets: Sacred Charms of Power and Protection. Rochester, Vermont: Inner
Traditions, 2004.

Untracht, Oppi. Traditional Jewelry of India.

New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1997.

American Museum of Natural History

Central Park West at 79th Street, Manhattan (212) 769-5100 www.amnh.org

American Museum of Natural History: Totems to Turquoise: Native North American Jewelry Arts of the Northwest and Southwest. www.amnh.org/exhibitions/totems/ The Costumers Manifesto: Click on pages for Jewelry, Accessories, and Ethnic Dress to find hundreds of links to websites about those topics. www.costumes.org The Newark Museum: Baubles, Bangles, and Bling Bling: A World of Jewelry. www.newarkmuseum.org/blingbling/collection.htm

Brooklyn Museum
200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn (718) 638-5000 www.brooklynmuseum.org

Metropolitan Museum of Art

1000 Fifth Avenue, Manhattan Manhattan (212) 535-7710 www.metmuseum.org

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Acknowledgments
Beth Alberty Niobe Ngozi Chrisy Ledakis Tim Hayduk Nobue Hirabayashi Whitney Thompson

Portable Collections Series Coordinators

Jewell Handy Melissa Husby

Special Thanks
The Teachers of the New York City Department of Education

Funding
This revision of Brooklyn Childrens Museums Portable Collections Program is made possible by a Learning Opportunities Grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services.

2006 Brooklyn Childrens Museum 145 Brooklyn Avenue Brooklyn, New York 11213 718-735-4400 ext. 170 www.brooklynkids.org

For information about renting this or other Portable Collections Program cases, please contact the Scheduling Assistant at 718-735-4400 ext. 118.