“Diversity-It’s
Right for People; It’s Right for Business”. This slogan was on the
covered coffee mug I bought at a junk store because I forgot my regular one for class
one Monday night. (I normally fill a mug with coffee, and sip it during class.) This mug seemed to jump off the shelf at me with its words and green,
inviting color. Who would carry this—man or woman? Does it matter? Not
particularly. I chose it because of what the message meant and what I wanted to
promote not only in my class, but at our art group: New ideas, new people, new name, changes, positive happenings, places, and a lot of diversity.
Tonight was the best art meeting ever that I presided over as president! Our art group is made up of artists. Our diversity lies in the fact that some paint in watercolor or acrylic, others use pastels, some draw, some create collages, and others do whatever. But we all have various viewpoints. Everyone
is different. We are all people, but may like/do similar or different things, but what makes us work is our diversity. We welcomed two new members tonight--yeah! More members means more ideas, more art to share, and more learning.
While we are on the topic of diversity, I wanted to share a lesson plan on teaching diversity. It is geared for young art students, yet, as adults, anyone can learn from the message. You might even want to try it yourself!! What fun name would you call your skin color?
Celebrating our Similarities and Differences
Ask students to read
and think about the question (have it written on the white board): “Does skin color matter to you
when it comes to friendship?” Teacher will ask students to popcorn out answers,
then state that the correct answer should be: “No matter our skin color, we are
all the same: because we are people.We
may like/do similar or different things and that’s OK! We can still be friends.”
Read the book, The Color of Us by Karen Katz. As the story is read talk about how people were mistreated because of their skin color in history, and various other important facts.
Ask students to compare their skin color with a
student next to them in the group. Ask them to think of a color
that would describe their skin color. Read from a list of colors
(you have already written on the whiteboard). Color names might be: gingerbread,
glazed doughnut, butter cake, lemon ice, vanilla taffy, coffee with milk, cafe-o-
lait, coyote fur, chestnut, black-as-night, soft peach, sand, cinnamon, peanut
butter, etc.
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| Lydia's Peachy Punch Skin Color Hand (Teacher Example) |
Ask students to work together to trace each other’s hands on 12" x 18" drawing paper in pencil.
Then pass out primary colors in paint for students to mix a color which is closest to their own skin
color on their hand. They might even try the color by painting their own hand. Students will fill in their traced hand on the paper with the skin
colored paint.
After the paint dries, explain students
will create the “collage” part of the project. A collage is simply gluing
pieces of paper in a creative way onto another piece of paper. Give out scissors, glue and 9” x 12” black construction paper. Have students cut out
the painted hand and glue it to the black paper, leaving room for the next step.
Using newspapers and magazines, find letters
to spell their name, and the color name they think is representative of their
skin color. These will be glued on 1 ½”
x 9” (size may be cut down if needed) skin color papers in brown, manila
or pink, and glued on to the background paper with the painted hand.
Lesson copyright Lydia Gates 2012
Note: this project was done with a
3-4th split grade class. It was
very successful!!!!
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