I have suggested three lessons in this section that I am planning to use with my sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students.
Grade 6
: My sixth graders will construct a quilt type wall hanging, depicting scenes from various spirituals. Here I will use the Faith Ringgold book,
Tar Beach
, as inspiration.
Grade 7
: My seventh graders will each do one acrylic painting on canvass board depicting a scene from one of the spirituals. Here I will use the Jacob Lawrence series of paintings on Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman as a model. Canvasses will be the same size and will be displayed as a series.
Grade 8
: Eighth graders will make murals. I am planning to make six murals—three students per 5’ x 7’ panels. I will introduce contemporary mural artists work but the spirituals will provide the inspiration.
My intention is to begin all three lessons the same way:
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1.
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As a class listen to the Spirituals.
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2.
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Discuss the tapes (Did you like the music? How did they make you feel? What do you think the author meant?)
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3.
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Discuss the history of the spiritual and the people that wrote them.
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4.
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As a class read and discuss the text of the songs.
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5.
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Identify the material objects in the text—striking symbols that invite mental inquiry and play.
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6.
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List these objects and symbols on the board.
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7.
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Identify the story in the song.
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Discuss strong African narrative tradition.
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8.
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Brainstorm as a class.
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On this step we will list all symbols and objects that are available in the song to tell the visual story. We will discard anything that will not serve our visual need. Again I will use the Jacob Lawrence painting series on Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass to show how Lawrence selected only striking monumental symbols. He simplified ideas and went straight to the heart of the material to extract his visual symbols.
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9.
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As a class look at and discuss narrative type works, murals and contemporary Black artists.
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Discuss qualities identified as appealing and successful
I will go through this procedure with each grade level. Sophistication and depth of response will naturally vary with each grade.
Grade 6
: Using the information gathered from the above procedure, we as a class will commence to make a quilt type wall hanging. Each student will produce one square. The wall hanging will not be stuffed or quilted. The pieces will be sewn together and I will line the back with muslin. I have done numerous quilt type wall hangings with my students and have found this to be an extremely successful art lesson. My students have always enjoyed this project and have generally produced great results.
I will show pictures of Faith Ringgold’s quilt “Tar Beach” and will read them the story, focusing on the narrative tradition.
I will have each student select an aspect or symbol and create one square depicting their selection. A student may select a simple object such as a key, boat, golden slipper, etc., and make a repetitive design or take an idea and create a whole scene.
Each student will cut their objects out of felt, glue them lightly to their square, and then, depending on their sewing ability, stitch them on.
I will encourage my students to make their squares as simple or as complex as they want. These differences complement each other very nicely when the hanging is assembled.
Grade 7
: Each seventh grade student will do an acrylic painting on canvass board depicting some aspect or subject found in the Black spiritual. I will use the Jacob Lawrence painting series on Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman as a model for this assignment. Some of Lawrence’s techniques such as, distorted perspective, simplification of form, flattening of shape would appeal to my students and surface in their own work, thus providing them with a style or base with which to build their own visual vocabulary upon.
Grade 8
: My goal with the eighth graders is ambitious, I plan to make six murals. I usually have eighteen to twenty-one students in my eighth grade classes. I will assign either three or four students to each mural. Each group will select the spiritual that they want to illustrate. Here I plan to spend more time discussing the character of the slaves that wrote these songs. This is where I want to stress the proud to be Black theme I mentioned in my narrative. I will stress the motivation aspect of the slave.
We will do our preliminary drawings on 4’ x 8’ roll paper, working out ideas and making a color key. When each group is satisfied with their effort we will draw out our ideas on canvass then proceed to paint.
I plan to use these three projects in the end of the year city-wide art exhibit, then have the murals permanently displayed in our school.
Examples of Black Spirituals
“The Gospel Train”
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“If God was to call me I would not care-um-u, For he done move away my fears-um-u.
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I’m goin’ to heaven, an’ I’m goin’ fo’ long-um-u, All don’t see me will hear my song-um-u.
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When de gospel train come’ long-um-u, That’s the train goin’ carry me home-um-u.
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Wake up, sinner, yoy will be too late-um-u, Gospel train done pass yo’ gate-um-u
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De gospel train’s a comin’,
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I hear it jus’ at hand,
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I hear the car wheels rumblin’,
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An rollin’ thru de land.
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I hear de train a comin’, She’s comin’ around de curve,
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She’s loosened all her steam an’ brakes, An strainin’ eb’ry nerve.
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De fare is cheap an’ all can go, De rich an’ pore are dere,
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No second class aboard dis train, No difference in de fare.
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Ther’s Moses and Noah and Abraham, And all the prophets, too;
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Our friends in Christ are all on board, Oh, what a heavenly crew.
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We soon shall reach the station, Oh, how we then shall sing;
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With all the heavenly army, We’ll make the welkin ring.
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She’s nearing now the station, O sinner, don’t be vain,
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But come an’ get your ticket, And be ready for the train.
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No signal for the other train, To follow on the line;
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O sinner, you’re forever lost, If once you’re left behind.”8
“The Pilgrim’s Song”
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“I am a poor wayfaring stranger, While journeying through this world of woe;
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But there is no sickness, toil, no danger, In that bright world to which I go.
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I’m going there to see my classmates, They said they’d meet me when I come;
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I’m just going over Jordan, I’m just going over home.
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I know dark clouds’ll gather’ round me, I know my road is rough and steep;
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Yet there bright fields are lying just before me, Where God’s redeemed their vigils keep.
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I’m going there to see my mother, She said she’d meet me when I come;
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I’m just going over Jordan, I’m just going over home.
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I’ll soon be free from every trial, My body will sleep in the old churchyard.
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I’ll quit the cross of self-denial, And enter in my great reward.
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I’m going there to see my mother, She said she’d meet me when I come;
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I’m just going over Jordan, I’m just going over home.”9
“Goin’ Down To Jordan”
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“Halleluyer to the Lam’!, Goin’ on down to Jordan,
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Lord God’s on that givin’ han’, Goin’ on down to Jordan.
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Goin’ down to Jordan,
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Goin’ down to Jordan,
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I got my breas’ plate, sword an’ shield,
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Goin’ down to Jordan,
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Boldly marchin’ thru’ the field,
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Goin’ on down to Jordan
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I plucked one block out’n Satan’s wall, Goin’ on down to Jordan,
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I heard him stumble an’ saw him fall, Goin’ on down to Jordan.
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Ole Satan’s a liar an’ a conjurer, too, Goin’ on down to Jordan.
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If you don’t mind he’ll conjure you, Goin’ on down to Jordan.
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Ole Satan mad an’ I am glad, He missed a soul he thought he had.
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Ole Satan thought he had me fast, Broke his chain an’ I’m free at last.
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I’ve landed my feet on Jordan’s sho’
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Now I’m free forever mo’, Goin’ on down to Jordan.”10
