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Webquest About Grades 6-8

Introduction  Task  Process  Resources  Evaluation  Reflection



Jacob Lawrence continued to address ideas about struggle in three subsequent series of works: War, 1946-47, Struggle…From the History of the American People, 1955-56, and Hiroshima, 1983.


A symbol is something--usually a sign or an object--that represents or stands for something else. For example, flags are symbols for countries and hearts are symbols for love.

A single or repeated theme, design, or color.

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In this webquest you will:

  • Use visual and compositional devices such as shapes and symbols to communicate an experience of struggle.

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The Migration of the Negro, panel 50, 1940-41
Casein tempera on hardboard
18 x 12 in. (45.7 x 30.5 cm)




    As you look at these images, consider how Jacob Lawrence represents the struggles of people in the face of adversity, and answer the questions below. Take notes.

    What symbols has Lawrence used to portray the tragedy of Hiroshima? World War II? Earlier battles? Make a list.


    What shapes or objects are exaggerated? Why?
    What palette of colors did he use?
    How does color communicate emotion in these works?

  4. Discuss your findings with the class.

  5. What emotions do you express during times of struggle?
    Which body language or gestures do you use? Why?

  6. Draw or paint an experience of struggle. Choose one of the following:

    An historical struggle.
    The struggle of someone you know.
    A personal struggle that you have experienced.

    Use symbols, motifs, and compositional devices that you have explored in Jacob Lawrence's work.

  7. View and discuss your drawings or paintings with the class.

    What do they have in common?
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Film stills







Read the poem One Thousand Cranes on this website.

Read the story of Sadako Sasaki, a young victim of the Hiroshima atomic bomb disaster.

The Legacy Project articulates a global exchange on the enduring consequences of the many historical tragedies of the 20th century.

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You will be evaluated on two elements: your participation in class discussions about struggle; and your drawing or painting about an experience of struggle.
  • Class Discussion Evaluation: Refer to the questions listed in the  Process section. Did you show evidence of thoughtful comparisons between Jacob Lawrence's depictions of struggle and those of other images you found in your web research? Did your comparisons address both content and composition, and a thorough understanding of each? Did you demonstrate an understanding of how scenes of struggle are portrayed differently in still versus moving images and across other genres?

  • Struggle Evaluation: Does the visual representation you created represent creativity, originality and a personal style?

  • What kinds of unique or interesting symbols, motifs or compositional devices did you use to represent struggle?

  • How does it compare in style, composition and content to Jacob Lawrence and other images of struggle you examined?

  •  Learning Standards Addressed
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Compare your own or other's experiences of struggle with those in the Migration Series, the Hiroshima Series and the War Series.

What have you learned about how you and other people handle the challenge of struggle, especially during times of adversity?




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©2001 Whitney Museum of American Art