Visit to Ackland Art Museum (African Masks Exhibit)

This lesson will focus on the different African masks at the Ackland Art Museum. Students will discuss the different moods and facial expressions of the masks.

A lesson plan for grade 2 English Language Arts and Social Studies

By Debra Johnson-Morse

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Related topics

• Learn more about English language arts and social studies.

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Learning outcomes

The students will observe and describe the similarities and differences in the African Masks exhibit at the Ackland Art Museum. Students will use describing words to express the feelings of the masks. (sad, happy, mad etc.)

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

1 Days

Materials/resources

• Ackland Art Museum; Art Gallery Educator
• African Masks Exhibit
• Hands-on African mask (”Initiation Mask” from Zaire (Dem. Rep. of Congo), Africa)
• Handout for post-visit (attached to Post-visit lesson plan)

Technology resources

Computer

Pre-activities

Complete pre-visit activities (see lesson plan entitled “African Masks” )

Activities

1. Gallery educator will discuss masks and then facilitate student responses on emotions expressed by a particular mask(s).
2. Students will be given cultural and historical information about the masks.
3. Students will have an opportunity to touch an African mask (”Initiation Mask” from Zaire, Africa) in the museum study collection.
4. Students will look at one or more portraits for facial expressions and things in the picture that reveal the subjects personality or personal history. (Please see the oral assessment below for this activity.)

Assessment

Each student will give one oral similarity and one difference in two masks they saw at the museum (use pictures of masks found in the Web site listed below.)

Students will be given credit for oral communication and comparisons if responses are valid and make sense.…1=good response 2=ok response 3=no response

Supplemental information

• Handout (attached in post-visit)
• Photographs of 3 masks (attached in post-visit)
• Hands-on mask (This is an “Initiation Mask” worn by the Bayake people in Zaire, Africa. It is located in the museum study collection for students to touch.)

Related websites

http://www.si.edu/nmafa/exhibits/ipi/eastCart/93-4-1.htm

Comments

This lesson plan is part of a pre-visit entitled “African Masks” and post-visit entitled “Reflections on African Masks”.

Comments on Visit to museum:

I took a group of around 17 2nd graders to the museum. Around one half of the students were low-achievers and I work with them(or have worked with them) in Reading. Most of the students have never been to a art museum before. They enjoyed viewing all the different exhibits especially the African masks. They were full of questions and the other exhibits also. The museum educator commented about the good resposes from the students and how focused and knowledgeable the students were during the African masks lesson. (This was probably because of the pre-visit lesson.)

The students enjoyed recieving a pamphlet which had pictures of different exhibits at the museum.It would be nice for the students to be able to take a pamphlet or post card home from the museum. I also think students should be able to touch something at the museum.