After viewing the paintings and discussing the journals over a period of time which might be from a week to a month depending on the teacher, comes the artistic element of this unit the: students artistic interpretations of Native Americans. During this, the final section of the course, students will be asked to create their own depiction of Nineteenth Century Native Americans using an artistic medium of their choice.
I will remind students that we have examined many portrayals of Native Americans by many artists. Now they are the artists. How will they portray the Native American? The depictions the students create can be portraits, battle scenes, sculpture, photography, dance, music, modern art, whatever they choose. They must come up with something that is their own rendition or portrayal of Native Americans during the Nineteenth Century.
My students have the advantage of being at an arts magnet school. They are offered a variety of art classes and are fortunate to be able to choose an art emphasis. Students choose from visual arts, photography, video, dance, music, drama or creative writing for their emphasis. Students in my school have the resources and the guidance to interpret academic projects artistically. For teachers who do not have these resources available this will be more difficult. I would first try to connect with whoever leads the arts department in your building. If this is not helpful, do your best with your own supplies in your own room. Last resort, students can even simply sketch with pencils, create a one-act play or bring in sculpture supplies from home, but do your best to provide them with resources which will lead to a really exciting and fun cumulating ending to this course.
As always, (this is an English class) students will be expected to write a bit and attach it to the back of their works. See the appendix for the specific assignment.