Unit 1: Identity

21st Century Art Education Approaches: Meaning Making & Big Ideas
Melissa A. Maccini
Sacramento State
Unit 1: Identity

Identity

Becoming personally connected to a big idea is highly important for art making (Walker,

2001). Individual identity is an example of a big idea that involves characteristics both physical

and emotional. Expressing identity through art allows one to link themselves to certain people,

places, and things. Identity expresses who we are to others, what makes us, us. We show signs

that allow others to get a feel of our personality, to get a read on who we are. Others impose

judgements, or assumptions based on who we are. Constructivism is a learning theory that

views students as active builders of their own understandings (Franco, Ward, and Unrath, 2015).

Constructivism can be expressed and communicated through art. Therefore, students can

demonstrate their own identity and support their own self-worth through art making.

The adaption of the big idea of individual identity could be brought to all students at the

elementary level through a lesson plan creating self-celebration boxes. The lesson would begin

with introduction to the American artist Joseph Cornwell. Cornwell works were shadow boxes

that he decorated and arranged with objects that he found and were reflections of his interests.

The boxes were meant to be touched and studied. Each student could have a box they decorated

with items and pictures that they identified with and expressed who they are. The small boxes

would be kept in the classroom. As the year progressed and the students knowledge increased

they may choose to add or modify their self-celebration boxes with items or art that incorporated

the other core areas like English Language Arts and Math. The self-celebration boxes would be a

gift to themselves at the end of the year as a reflection of their identity.

Unit 1: Identity

References

Franco, M. J., Ward, A., & Unrath, K. (2015). Artmaking as meaning-making: A new model for

preservice elementary generalists. Art Education, 68(5), 28-33.

Walker, S. (2001). Teaching meaning in artmaking. Worchester, MA: Davis.