Art, culture and Black history

two young boys hold it their artworkSchoharie Elementary students got creative in art class through a host of activities that integrated art, history, culture and creativity in observance of Black History Month. Art teacher Jean Scofield led her classes through a range of activities during the past few weeks.

Students recently finished a study of famous black author, illustrator and artist Faith Ringgold, and then they created their own artwork in Ringgold’s style.

First-grade students studied Martin Luther King, Jr.’s message of acceptance and tolerance by reading “The Crayon Box that Talked,” a book about harmony through diversity.

Second-grade students creating self-portraits wearing Kente cloth, a fabric from Ghana. They also drew backgrounds featuring a climate zone of Africa, such as desert, grasslands or rain forest

Second graders also studied Martin Luther King, Jr.’s words and speeches, then combined them with pop artist Jasper Johns’ style of painting.

Students in Scofield’s 3rd grade classes studied the African tradition of dying mudcloth. Fourth graders created African masks

Fifth-grade students studied African art and made a drawing with people wearing a kanga, a colorful African garment.