|
On December 4, 2001, students and teachers nationwide
collaborated with the
staff from the world famous Whitney Museum of American Art in New
York City to experience the works of renowned African American
Artist, Jacob Lawrence.
 A
hands-on, interdisciplinary classroom program, curriculum and
electronic field trip: Over the Line: The Art and
Life of Jacob Lawrence was designed and
developed for students in grades 5 - 9. This Website
provides lessons and resources that support the broadcast and
content contained within. The broadcast will be available for
replay soon.
Jacob
Lawrence, the artist
Lawrence, a 20th century
painter, explored the diverse aspects of the African American
experience. He focused on the struggle for freedom and
justice in America from the Civil War period of the 1860's,
through the Civil Rights movement of the 1960's, to the end of
the 20th century.
Over the
Line: The Art and Life of Jacob Lawrence includes
hundreds of paintings. The Migration of the Negro series
(1940's) includes sixty panels that
tell the story of African Americans migrating from the South
to the North in search of better living conditions, economic
security and social justice. The
project will focus primarily on selected paintings
from this series which
introduce students to Lawrence's theme and the struggle
he encountered.
The themes in
this program include migration, discrimination, race
relations, family and community, and labor. The program
examines the tales of hardship and despair, and the hopes and
dreams people experienced while seeking new life.
The teaching
team from Oneida Middle School in Schenectady, NY has
viewed the collection and met with Museum staff.
The
teachers and student participants spent a weekend in New York
not only preparing for the broadcast, but also deepening their
knowledge and understanding of Lawrence, his work and
the city of Harlem.
The developed
comprehensive activities and projects continue to
support use of the broadcast, theme and
museum content and material.
|
