Cassandra Durham

EDTE 228A-FA, Sec. 4

Dr. Cris Guenter


Mindful Murals

Grade- 2nd

Time- 60 minutes

Topic- This is a visual arts lesson introducing the works and literature of artist/author, Faith Ringgold and the skill of overlapping.

Rationale: This visual arts offers aesthetic valuing, historical and cultural context and artistic perception. Learning about the artist, Faith Ringgold, and working with her pieces will encourage connections through art, and expressing emotions and will expose the students to the skill of overlapping.

Standards, Goals and Objectives:

Artistic Perception: Each student will identify with the elements of art in objects in nature, the environment, and Ringgold's mural, emphasizing line, color, shape, texture and space.

Creative Expression: Each student will depict the illusion of depth in an artwork, using overlapping shapes, relative size and placement of fabric on the mural.

Historical and Cultural Context: In pairs, students will discuss how the artist, Faith Ringgold uses her work to share experience or communicate ideas.

Aesthetic Valuing: Students will verbally compare ideas expressed through his or her own artwork with ideas expressed in the piece created by Faith Ringgold.

Connections, Relationships, and Applications: Students will use placement, overlapping, and size differences to show opposites on Ringgold’s piece and their pieces (e.g up/down,in/out,over/under, together/apart, fast/slow, stop/go).


Strategy: A combination of direct instruction and guided discovery will be used. Group processes will also be incorporated.



closeness-having an intimate relation

family-set of parents and children, or of relations

wishes-express one's hopes for

future-time to come

creating-make, produce, form

imagination-ability of the mind to be creative or resourceful


scene: incident in real life

design-lines or shapes forming a pattern

fabric-woven material

pattern-arrangement, plan

overlapping-partly cover


Introduction: Introduce students to Faith Ringgold, the featured artist. Discuss her background; where she grew up, her hobbies, her family history, why she became involved with creating art and writing children books. Read Ringgold's book, Tar Beach. Display and share pieces of work. Discuss and share the different mediums that Ringgold likes to work with. Be sure to use affiliated vocabulary.

Explain to the students that as a class, they will be creating art both on their own and together. Explain that each student will get a small square of fabric and a piece of paper. The fabric will be the base of the mural that the students will design, practicing overlapping. Be sure to have a large square outlined so that they have a designated space to glue their square.

While some students are gluing their fabric squares, the rest of the students can be working on their squares of paper. On this paper they are to be drawing a favorite memory that they have with their families, their dog, their friends. Or, they can draw a wish or dream for the future that they might have. Keep in mind that some students might not have family, so be considerate when addressing the class with instructions.

As students start to finish their drawing, have them come up to the mural to place their drawing where they desire.

Closure: Once the mural is complete, give the students time to come and sit around the mural so that they are at an "eyes view". Lead a discussion about the mural and how it was created. Ask the following questions: How do you think Ringgold felt when she created her mural? What was Ringgold thinking about when she created this scene (select a specific section of the mural to concentrate on)? What were you thinking about when you were creating your piece? How does it make you feel to share your created mural? When you were drawing your scene, what emotions were you feeling? What do you want your audience to see when they look at your mural?

Clean-up: Prior to handing out needed materials, assign individual students clean-up duties such as glue, scissors, and scraps collector. Be sure to remind students that supplies need to put back in the proper spaces neatly.


Assessment: Assessment will occur while the students are placing their fabric squares on poster board. The teacher will be looking to see that each student is using the skill overlapping. Assessment will also occur while the students are drawing their families and wishes as they share their drawings with their neighbors. The teacher will be listening for appropriate use of the vocabulary reviewed and introduced (family, closeness, wishes, future, scene, pattern). During discussion, the teacher will lead a conversation about the mural, how it was created and what the student’s felt during the process of creation and after.


5"x5" pre-cut fabric pieces with various designs and colors

standard poster board

glues (non-toxic)

colored pencils

one copy of the book, Tar Beach, by Faith Ringold