Spring SAVY 2019, Day 3 – Autobiographies and the Story of You (3rd/4th)
Ms. Adrienne and I cannot believe that we’re already halfway through Spring SAVY! It’s been so rewarding to learn about our students’ lives and memories.
This week, debated the following question: Do self-portraits or photographs more likely to show a person’s change?
We began by examining photographs of me, one from when I was 14 and one from when I was 35. We then examined two photographs of Ms. Adrienne, one from her elementary school days, and the other from February 9, 2019. We noted the changes between each photo, and discussed candid shots (the one of me), posed shots (the one of Ms. Adrienne), and selfies. Which is more influential: the subject or the photographer?
From there, we examined self-portraits by famous painters: Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, and Frida Kahlo. Each self-portrait was painted at different times in the artist’s life. We discussed color choices, poses, techniques, and even media and how each element depicts a different change or mood evident in the painter’s life.
After our break (and we all need those snacks to get through a long morning), we began work on our final project.
Reflect on the different pieces of text we’ve examined these past few weeks. How does each piece reflect a person’s change? How does each piece connect to our generalizations about change (Change is necessary for growth; change can be positive and/or negative; change creates more change; and change can be natural or constructed)? Using inspiration from one of the self-reflective pieces, depict a story from your own life. You may choose to write a short story (like Malala’s Magic Pencil) a book of poetry (like Each Kindness), a memoir (like Jacqueline Woodson’s About Me section), a comic strip, and/or a self-portrait.
Next week, we’ll look at how change is depicted in popular culture, and we’ll continue to work on our final projects. Please find attached the ppt we used. We missed our colleagues who couldn’t be with us this weekend!
Ms. Patti
Some of Our Autobiographers
