Ruth Starr Rose s Perspective as told Through Her Art Museum Connection: Art and Enlightenment Purpose: In this lesson students will make inferences about several works of art created by Ruth Starr Rose by analyzing the images. Grade Level and Content Area: Language Arts, Social Studies, Arts Integration, Grades 3-5 Time frame: 1-2 class periods Standards: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.D: Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.1: Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.1.D: Review the key ideas expressed and explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.5.1.D: Review the key ideas expressed and draw conclusions in light of information and knowledge gained from the discussions. D2.His.6.3-5: Describe how people s perspectives shaped the historical sources they created. Objectives: Students will make inferences about an artist s perspective by analyzing details within several paintings. Page 1 of 13
Vocabulary and Concepts: Word or Concept Infer Inference Perspective Details Definition To analyze a work of art by looking closely at it in order to guess what the artist is suggesting is happening. The act or process of deriving logical conclusions from premises known or assumed to be true. The way that a person looks at something. Analyzing the parts that make up the whole. Materials For the Teacher: Teacher Resource Sheet 1: Downes Curtis, black and white lithograph, 11 5/8 x 14 ¾ Teacher Resource Sheet 2: Charleston Flower Sellers, ca. 1930, oil on Masonite, 18 x 24 Teacher Resource Sheet 3: Maryland Crab Pickers, 1933, black and white lithograph, 11 x 14 Teacher Resource Sheet 4: Artful Thinking Routine Teacher Resource Sheet 5: Messaging Board For the Student: Chart paper and markers Student Resource Sheet 1: Tweet from Ms. Rose Page 2 of 13
Historical Background: Ruth Starr Rose (1877-1965) was a woman who enjoyed a lifestyle of financial wealth and social mobility. As she observed the lives of the African Americans in her rural Talbot County community, she was deeply inspired to celebrate and memorialize. Rose created over 250 finished works of art. Despite her many awards and the fact that her work is held in the collections of some of the most famous museums in the world including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Philadelphia Museum of art, records of Rose s work and accomplishments are not as well-known as some of her contemporaries. Rose s actions and behaviors challenged societal norms of the era (1920-1950). She openly defied segregation, recognizing racial injustices and supporting early civil rights movements. As a woman from a privileged family in Talbot County on the eastern shore of Maryland, her political views were complicated and unnoticed. Locally, she befriended the black community and depicted their lives with beauty and dignity through her art, defying the race barriers of her day. In this lesson, students are introduced to several of Rose s works from the 1930s. In these lithographs and oil paintings, African Americans are featured as devoted to their art and are honored for their craftsmanship and productive labor. Rose s perspective of African Americans at that time was unlike many other artists. Lesson Development: Motivation: 1. Share selected images (listed below) with students using a projector or by posting printed copies around the classroom. Downes Curtis, black and white lithograph, 11 5/8 x 14 ¾ Charleston Flower Sellers, ca. 1930, oil on Masonite, 18 x 24 Maryland Crab Pickers, 1933, black and white lithograph, 11 x 14 Page 3 of 13
2. Complete the I See, I Think, I Wonder Artful Thinking Routine using the following questions: What do you see? What do you think about that? What does it make you wonder? Allow time for students to respond to these questions as prompted by their observations of the art. 3. 4. Allow time for students collaborate in order to share their ideas with partners or in small groups. 5. Ask students to share some of the ideas their group discussed. Ask students, What makes you say that? as the discussion occurs to encourage students to justify their thinking as they share their ideas. Instructional Delivery: 1. In small groups, ask students to use the details they gathered from the motivation activity to describe the characters and setting in the paintings. Have the students consider facial expressions, apparel, and the events taking place. Students record their group ideas on chart paper or another organizer. 2. Have students use those descriptions to make inferences about the characters and setting in the art examples. Ask students, how do you think the artist feels about the characters and setting that she is painting? What evidence from the text makes you think that? 3. Share group inferences during a whole class discussion. Record ideas for the whole class to view using the messaging board template (Teacher Resource 5). You may wish to create a larger messaging board on chart paper. Record all inferences and evidence from the groups. 4. After all inferences are recorded and discussed, ask students to consider the artist s message in the Wrap-it up part of the messaging board. Ask, what message do you think the artist was trying to share when she painted these? What evidence supports your idea? Allow students time to think about this idea and discuss in small groups. Keep messaging board posted for students to reference the recorded ideas. Page 4 of 13
Closure: Explain that during Ruth Starr Rose s lifetime, racial segregation was common and in many cases enforced by law. Depending on the understanding of your children, explain that people of different races did not live in the same communities, go to the same schools and attend the same churches. The historic works Rose left behind were shaped and developed based on her perspectives of African Americans during her lifetime. Think about the message she wanted to communicate to people then and to us now. Assessment: Have students use Student Resource Sheet 2 to write a Tweet from Ms. Rose. The tweet should convey the message being communicated in the pieces of art based on Ruth Starr Rose s perspectives and include a piece of evidence to support the statement. Differentiation for Advanced Learners: Brainstorm a list of at least 10 questions about the artwork and attempt to answer them by making inferences. Using starters: Why? What are the reasons? What if? What is the purpose of? How would it be different if? Suppose that What if we knew? What would change if? Differentiation for Struggling Learners: Students who struggle with analyzing details to make inferences may require additional modeling prior to this lesson. Consider using only one painting for the students to analyze. Page 5 of 13
Lesson Extensions: Write a narrative story based on one of Rose s works. Think about what events may have happened before and after the scene. Write a letter to Ruth Starr Rose sharing your ideas about the paintings. Research Ruth Starr Rose and write a short biography of her life and contributions. Research Talbot County Maryland and explain the importance of maritime industries on its economy. Page 6 of 13
Teacher Resource Sheet 1 Downes Curtis, Black and White Lithograph, 11 5/8 x 14 3/4 Use granted by the estate of Ruth Starr Rose Page 7 of 13
Teacher Resource Sheet 2 Charleston Flower Sellers, ca. 1930, oil on Masonite, 18 x 24 Use granted by the estate of Ruth Starr Rose Page 8 of 13
Teacher Resource Sheet 3 Maryland Crab Pickers, 1933, black and White Lithograph, 11 x 14 Use granted by the estate of Ruth Starr Rose Page 9 of 13
Teacher Resource Sheet 4 Artful Thinking Routine Routine Artful Thinking I See. I Think. I Wonder. KNOWLEDGE INTERPRETATI ON Steps/Procedure/Question 1. What do you see (hear)? 2. What do you think about that? 3. What does it make you wonder? Use when you want students to: -Make careful observations and thoughtful interpretations. -Make inferences. Artwork Example Foxes Marc Franz 1939 Common Core Connections Reading Gr. 4/Gr. 8 Key Ideas and Details: 1 & 2 1. Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. Gr. 4 2. Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text. Gr. 4 Thinking Map Tree Map Beginnin g. Middle. End. COMPREHENSIO N APPLICATION Creative Question s ANALYSIS SYNTHESIS Claim. Support. Question. COMPREHENSIO N ANALYSIS SYNTHESIS Choose one of the 3 questions: 1. If this artwork is the beginning of a story, what might happen next? 2. If it this artwork is the middle of a story, what might have happened before? What might be about to happen? 3. If this artwork is the end of a story, what might the story be? Brainstorm a list of at least 12 questions about the artwork or topic. Using starters: Why? What are the reasons? What if? What is the purpose of? How would it be different if? Suppose that What if we knew? What would change if? 1. Make a claim about the artwork or topic (An explanation or interpretation of some aspect of the art-work or topic). 2. Identify/provide support for your claim (things you see, feel, and know that support your claim.) -Make observations and use their imagination to elaborate on and extend their ideas. -Look for connections, patterns, and meanings. -Develop writing or storytelling (narrative) skills and sequencing. -Make inferences. -Develop good questions. -Think deeply about a topic. -Reason and provide evidence or support, especially with topics in the curriculum are open to interpretation. -Practice The Gulf Stream, Winslow Homer 1899 The Uprising Honore Daumier 1860 A Sunday on the Grande Jatte Georges-Pierre Seurat 1884 Key Ideas and Details: 1 & 2 (see above) Craft and Structure: 5 (above) Writing: 3. Write narratives in which they recount a well-elaborated event or short sequence of events, include details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide a sense of closure. Gr. 4 Key Ideas and Details: 1 & 3 (see above) Key Ideas and Details: 1 & 3 (see above) Integration of Knowledge: 8 (see above) 8. Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text. Gr. 4 Flow Map Multi-Flow Map Frame of Reference (Thinking Map depends on the question the students generate) Tree Map *When using this routine for answering assessment questions, choose Thinking Map that is appropriate for the question and Page 10 of 13
3. Ask a question related to your claim (What s left hanging? What isn t explained? What new reasons does your claim raise?) argument writing skills. apply the frame of reference to help students develop their question or extension. Page 11 of 13
Teacher Resource Sheet 5 Messaging Board Talk about it: Does everyone understanding what the question is asking? How do you think the artist feels about the characters and setting that she is painting? What evidence from the text makes you think that? Keep a record: Record all thoughts and questions from discussion. Wrap it up: Using the ideas listed above, what message do you think the artist was trying to share when she painted these? What evidence support your idea? Page 12 of 13
Student Resource Sheet 1 A Tweet from Ms. Rose Page 13 of 13