Who Am i? identity collage

Theme:  Art, Creative Thinking, Language Arts
Grade Level: elementary

Lesson Overview
Through discussion, writing, and art, students will reflect on the question “Who am I?”  Students will define “identity” and create a collage that depicts all the components that make up their identity. 

Lesson Objectives

• Students will gain an understanding of a variety of means of expression of identity.
  
• Students will engage in research and self-exploratory writing activities.
  
• Students will explore the role of art in self-expression.
  
• Students will create a rendering of their own identity by using varied forms of expression.
  
• Students will gain insight into their own identity.
  

Supplies
Large light colored construction paper (for background)
White construction paper square
Glue sticks
Scissors
Print outs of various objects and activities
Old magazines
Markers

Questions

• How can art be a form of communication?
  
• What makes you unique and how do you express that?
• How would you define yourself to someone else?

Process

• Students will discuss the meaning of identity.
  
• Students will make a list of adjectives/activities that describe them. This could include words like brother, sister, athlete, musician.  Words can be listed on the board or students can write them on paper.
  
• Students will be divided into small groups of three or four and ask each other the following questions:  What 3 words would you choose to best describe yourself? 
 Why do those words accurately describe you? 
 What 3 words would your family or friends use to describe you? 
 How accurate are other's descriptions of you? 
 What 3 words do you want to describe yourself as 10 years from now?
• The students will receive a white construction paper square and are asked to either write their name (bubble letters, etc.) or draw their picture on it.
  
• Once completed, the student will glue the picture onto the larger construction paper.
  
• Students will then cut out pictures from the printouts and old magazines that depict aspects about them and glue them around their name/self portrait.
  
• Students will use cutout letters or markers to describe themselves on the collage.
  
• Once students complete the project have a class exhibition of the work and have students explain their project.

References

Carroll, Maureen. (2011). Who Am I? Exploring Identities. In THIRTEEN ed online. Retrieved
            from http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/lessons/whoami/index.html.