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Lesson Plans


fwd: career self-portraits

[ Thread ][ Subject ][ Author ][ Date ]
Larry Cox (L_J_Cox)
Sun, 25 Apr 1999 21:57:39 -0600

After looking at slides and magazines and talking about different careers,
the students paint pictures of what they would like to be when they're
older.

When talking about careers with my fourth- and fifth-graders, I realized
that many of them were unknowledgeable about different occupations and
what the occupations involved. I embarked on a combined occupations/art
unit with them. What better way to get the students' creative juices
flowing?

On day one, I showed the students a series of slides showing people with
different careers. These careers included nontraditional as well as ordinary
choices. I included people from many cultures, as well as different genders
having nontraditional roles.

Students then looked through magazines to find at least two pictures showing
a person in an occupational setting. The students traded photos with other
students to decide: (a) what career was depicted; (b) what tools that person
would use in his or her career; and (c) whether they thought the career
would be interesting and how so. Students were given time to discuss this
in groups.

After much discussion, I asked the students to think about what career
they would like to pursue when they got older, or which career they thought
sounded most interesting.

On 12" x 18" white paper, each student drew a self-portrait in the
occupational
clothing an gear o choice. The students were to consider subject area and
background areas when drawing. What tools, clothing etc. were necessary
to convey this chosen occupation? I also emphasized that I wanted to be
able to tell the career choice just by looking at the drawing without any
verbal explanation.

With the drawings completed, the students painted their career
self-portraits
with tempera.

It took three, 45-minute periods to complete the painting portion of this
art study, but the results were fantastic! We had everything from a race
car driver to a chef. We displayed these in the hall and called it
"Occupation
Alley."