Monday: Black-and-white photography

Activities: Discuss black-and-white photography. Does it take color to make the image "better"? What are the drawbacks to black-and-white? What are the good points? Use websites to look at black-and-white pictures from the Dust Bowl. Use an art journal to record your thoughts on each picture. Follow this format:

1. How does the image make you feel?
2. How would you have taken this picture differently if you were the photographer?
3. What is the message the photo is trying to send?
4. What is the picture's meaning to you?
5. What are some questions you have about the photograph?
6. Do you see the picture's function? What is it trying to do?

Discuss the power that these photos hold. Also discuss the purpose of them; some were used to convince the government to step in and take action in the Dust Bowl. They were more than art ... they were powerful messages.

Useful websites:
http://www.weru.ksu.edu/pics/dust_storms/
http://www.weru.ksu.edu/new_weru/multimedia/dustbowl/dustbowlpics.html

Tuesday: Black-and-white art

Activities: Use construction paper to create your own black-and-white profile art. Use black paper to draw a profile of yourself. You can use the overhead to "project" your silhouette onto the overhead, and using butcher paper taped to the screen, trace it. Or you can have students use mirrors as a guide to create their profile onto black paper. Then have the students cut out their profile. Tape all of the profiles onto a long strip of white paper. Discuss the use of the "opposite" colors of black and white to create a contrast that makes up a picture. You can post the long, white paper with silhouettes on it in the hallway, or in your room, and title it "Heads of the Class."

Wednesday: Field trip to the Discovery Center

Thursday: Sand Art

Activities: Using the website on sand art, click and drag to create a computer graphic sand art design. Discuss the correlation between sand and the Dust Bowl and the way sand scatters on the website.

Useful website:
http://lovethosekids.com/playgrnd/sandart.htm

Friday: Sand Art

Activities: Make "real" sand art today. Mix sand with salt and food coloring. Have students trace a design or create their own design. Then use glue to fill in spaces and sprinkle with desired color of sand. Students will end up with a picture made of sand. Hint: larger areas are easier to fill with sand than smaller ones.