EmpathywithArt:theChairsof

DorisSalcedo
WadeBranstner,McKennaKraus
th
9
Grade,2periods.

Frameworks:
SR.5.S.3Analyzetherelationshipbetweengroupsandindividualsinsociety
P.5.VAI.1Participateintheprocessofexhibitingpersonalartwork(s)(e.g.,plan,select,
promote,install,attend)
R.7.VAI.1Describeaspectsofworksofartperceptualinfluenceunderstandingof
humanexperiences.
CN.10.VAI.2Identifypersonalconnections(e.g.,self,gender,family,community,
history,culture,environment,visualcultures)toonesownartwork(s)
EnduringIdeas:
CulturalAwareness,LifeandDeath,HumanSufferingandCompassion
Materials
:Watercolorpaper($24for60sheetsof9x12),acrylic(estimated$20)paint
brushes,pens,scissors,cuttingmat,Xactoknives,glue,rulers,(Thesearestandardart
roomsupplies)templatesforchairs,blackandwhiteletters($15for2packs)andold
magazinesandnewspapersformoreletters.
Vocabulary
:
Oppression
prolongedcruelorunjusttreatmentorcontrol
Equality
thestateofbeingequal,especiallyinstatus,rights,andopportunities
Inequality
differenceinsize,degree,circumstances,etc.lackofequality
Empathytheabilitytounderstandandsharethefeelingsofanother
Conceptualof,relatingto,orbasedonmentalconcepts

Introduction
:
Objective
:StudentswillbeintroducedtotheworksofDorisSalcedo,andwill
evaluate
andbeabletodescribe
herartintermsofmemory,empathy,compassion,andthe
honoringoflostanddisplacedpeople(R.7.VAI.1).Studentswill
evaluatetheirpersonal
connections
towardsmissingpeopleintheirlivesbycreatingpaperchairsthatwill
conveyamessageaboutortothosethattheyhavelost,orwhomtheywishto
commemorate.(CN.10.VAI.2).
UseofResources
:PowerPointpresentationwithimagesofartistworkandYouTube
video:DorisSalcedoontheimportanceofmemory
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOpEO8kq0uE
Demonstration
:Wewillbepreparedwithaprecuttemplate.Wewilluseapieceof
paperwithanexampleoftextalreadywrittenandcutthechairtemplatefortheclass

Assignment
:
Studentswillbeaskedtoconstructachairusingmaterialsprovided.Studentshavethe
optiontoaddtheirownmaterialchoices.Studentsmaychoosewhetherornottousethe
templateprovided.
Guidedpractice
:Encouragestudentstopracticefoldingchairsonplainscrappaperand
tobeginconsideringmodificationstothetemplateandtext/designideasfortheirartwork.
Askstudentstobeginthinkingaboutwhotheywanttheirchairstocommemorateand
why.

QuestionsforClassL

Doyouwanttoimaginewhatyouwouldsaytooneofthevictims
commemoratedinSalcedosinstallation?

Canyouthinkofanyotherscenariosinwhichyouwouldwanttosaysomething
tothosewhohavebeenvictimized?

Whatwouldyousaytothisperson?Whatwouldyousayaboutthisperson?How
willyouincorporatethisintothedesignofyourchair?Someofthewordswillbe
hardorimpossibletoreadonthefinishedchairs.Howdoesthataffectyour
design?

Whatifyouwereoneofthevictims?Whatwouldyouwantpeopletoremember
aboutyouoryourlife?

Studentswillexecutetheassignment.Oneparagraphexplainingtheirdecisionsabout
textandcontentwillaccompanythefinalpiece.Thiscanbehomeworkbetweenthetwo
classperiods.
Cleanup
:Eachstudentwillworkindependentlyandberesponsibleforhis/herownarea
Assessment
:Toassessthisprojectwewilllookatthequalityoftheworkmanship,think
aboutthelevelofdetailandcomplexityofthechairanditselementsofdesign.The
paragraphshouldbethoughtfulanddealwithasubstantiveissue.Iftheissueis
somethingmundaneorlighthearted,itshouldbedoneinasurprisingorthought
provokingstylethatisreflectedintheartwork.
Viewingstudentwork
:Alocationintheclassroomoroncampuswillbedesignatedfor
theinstallation.
Discussion/Reinforcement
:Wewillleadadiscussionatthetimeoftheinstallationto
getstudentfeedbackontheexperienceandtheoveralleffectofthecombinedpiece.At
theconclusionofthediscussionstudentswillbeinstructedtowriteareflectionparagraph
ortwodescribingwhattheworkofSalcedomeanstothem,howtheyadaptedthe
conceptualstrategyofcompassiontotheirownworkStudentswillbeexpectedtowritea
fewsentencesaboutthepersontheywerethinkingabout,andwhatthatdecisionmeansto
themselves.Thesewillbehandedinatthenextclassperiodandusedfortheassessment
process.

Rubric
:
Sketch/ideageneration:
thoughtfulexplorationofideasandchairdesigns.
Creativity:
thecombinationofalltheelementsoftheprojectcometogetherina
uniqueorsatisfyingresult,withanoticeableefforttoaddresstheconceptualbasis
oftheproject.
Execution:
finishedontime,neat,andwithacohesiveresult,participationat
installationanddiscussion.

StudioPractice:
studentsengageintheirwork,usetimeeffectively,finishon
time,attendclass,maintainapositiveattitude,andcleanup.Iftheyaresocial,
aretheydiscussingideasrelatedtotheproject?