Create + Connect: Famous Faces

Classroom Connections

Ron WalcottApril 24, 2012

TyrishaPeterson

Performing Arts in ArtA Curriculum for K-12 Teachers

The Art and Accessibility of Music

DAY ONE

Songs by Billie Holiday

The Blues are Brewin’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6RwSsHSIfs&feature=related

Fine and Mellow (from Lady Sings the Blues)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtqjW2uhBT4

My Manhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQlehVpcAes&feature=related

Strange Fruithttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4ZyuULy9zs

LOOKat the photograph carefully.

Share out everything that youSEE.

Her clothing?

Her hairstyle?

The microphone?

Her facial expression?

The background?

What else?

Lisette Model

Commercial photographer

Worked for Harper's Bazaar

magazine

In Class Writing Assignment

Write a one-page article for Harper's Bazaar as if you are Lisette Model interviewing Billie Holiday.

Article must reflect research from three reliable resources.

Get ideas about how to write the structure and content of the article by looking at articles about your favorite musicians.

DAY TWO

Students responded to the following question:

When you wrote your article, what did you learn about Billie Holiday?

Jim Crow was missing from students’ responses.

The following information was provided:

One of the first black singers to be featured with a white orchestra. (Artie Shaw, 1938)

She performed during the time of Jim Crow.

She sang in clubs that refused admission to a black audience.

She was cheered by white audiences, but had to exit by the back door.

How would you feel if you

performed in front of an audience

that did not allow people of your

own race to attend?

Because students knew little about the Jim Crow laws, the following assignment was added.

Create a photo essay in six images that explains “Jim Crow.”

Google > Images > “Jim Crow”

Access

Access to music has been limited throughout time. To give context, several images were discussed.

What problems with access exist today?

Dream Act

Students share all that they can see that describes the technical excellence of this work.

Where was Model when she took the photo?

Why did she take this point of view?

How do lines create movement?

What qualities of Holiday did she capture?

Rule of thirds?

The grid?

DAY THREE

Students were asked to shoot 10 photographs of a person or people while performing music.

Students were asked to capture the emotion displayed by the musician(s).

When musicians play, they do not always cooperate with the photographer.

Try to wait for the right moment!

At the beginning of a video clip of a 17-year-old cellist, Stephan looks down.

You have to wait about 2 minutes until he looks up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lh28ZAGkahk

Students selected their best shot out of the 10 photographs they took. They edited the image, gave the photograph a title, and provided general information about it.

Self-Assessment

Students assessed their own photographs in terms of technical achievements.

Students wrote one paragraph about:

• Point of view• Movement• Rule of thirds• The grid• Expressiveness• Intentions

CLASS EXHIBIT

xx by Avery

[Insert student work here]

xx by xx

[Insert student work here]

xx by xx

Access to the class exhibit was

different, depending on the color of

each student’s eyes.