LEARN NC

1.5 Make your own monument

Commemorating an important person in your life

By Kate Allman

Provided by UNC Libraries / Documenting the American South.

This lesson will encourage students to think about the role of commemorative objects in North Carolina as they reflect, share, and honor an important individual, event, or idea in their life. Students will begin by describing a person, event, or idea that is important to them. Then students will design and create a monument to this person using what they have learned about commemorative landscapes in North Carolina. At the end of the lesson, students will select a place for the monument in their town.

Learning outcomes

Students will:

  • identify and describe important people and events in their lives.
  • illustrate their understanding of commemoration through artistic choices.

Teacher planning

Time required

Two 45-minute classes

Materials/Resources

  • Pencil/pens
  • Paper
  • Drawing paper
  • Crayons and markers

Technology Resources

  • Access to an online map of your area
  • Computer lab or individual student computers (optional)

Activities

  1. Remind the students that monuments have been erected throughout North Carolina to honor people, events, and ideas important to specific groups of people in North Carolina. Students will have the opportunity to design their own monument to honor a person, event, or idea that is important to them.
  2. Ask students to journal about a person, event, or idea that they believe deserves to be honored as a monument. Encourage students to describe the qualities of this person, event, or idea and why they selected them to be honored.
  3. Provide students with art materials so that they can create drafts and drawings of their monument. Encourage them to think carefully about how their choices represent what they respect about this person, event, or idea.
  4. After students have finished designing their monument, encourage them to create a name for their monument to be displayed on its placard. Using a local map, ask your students to select a space for their monument.
  5. Finally, students should write a short essay or create a PowerPoint explaining the choices that they made in their design and title selection.
  6. Celebrate the products that your students create by allowing students time to share and talk about their monuments. Following this celebration, display your students’ drawings and two writing samples around your room.

Assessment

  • Evaluate student writing against the information provided through class activities.
  • Gauge student participation in class discussions.

  • North Carolina Essential Standards

    • Visual Arts Education (2010)

      • Grade 3

        • 3.CX.1 Understand the global, historical, societal, and cultural contexts of the visual arts. 3.CX.1.1 Exemplify how visual arts are used by various groups for artistic expression within the local community. 3.CX.1.2 Understand how art documents the history...

      • Grade 4

        • 4.CX.1 Understand the global, historical, societal, and cultural contexts of the visual arts. 4.CX.1.1 Understand how the visual arts have affected, and are reflected in, the culture, traditions, and history of North Carolina. 4.CX.1.2 Recognize key contributions...

      • Grade 5

        • 5.CX.1 Understand the global, historical, societal, and cultural contexts of the visual arts. 5.CX.1.1 Understand how the visual arts have affected, and are reflected in, the culture, traditions, and history of the United States. 5.CX.1.2 Recognize key contributions...