Activity: Why Does It Look the Way It Does?

1. Start by showing an object or artwork. For each object discuss briefly:

• What do you see?
• What do you think it means?
• What makes you think that?
• What more are you wondering about this object?

2. Capture a list of the ideas that the class is wondering about the objects. Then ask students individually or in groups to make a sketch of the object and write a description of what they notice in terms of colors, shapes, images, lines, and size. Debrief with the class on each object paying close attention to observations that reflect identity and culture.

• Ask: What are some of the unique characteristics of your object? What makes it different from the other objects like it?
• Capture the key ideas.

3. Ask the group to think about the ideas of culture and identity of the makers of these objects and compare those ideas with the list of unique characteristics that the students identified with their object. Use a Venn diagram to capture the shared characteristics.

4. Have each student write a response to the objects they’ve studied using one of the following prompts:

• What do these objects remind you of? Do they relate to anything in your own life?
• Is this object like something you’ve seen before? How similar or different is it?
• If you had an object like this, how would you know it was yours? What about that makes it important to you?
• Where would you put this in your home? How would you display it? What else would go with it?
• Would it have a special place in your home? Do you think you would use it or show it just for special occasions or all the time? Would you point it out to people?