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Time: Two 45-minute class periods
Level: Middle school
Learning Connections: Language Arts, Visual Arts
Objectives
Students will:
- examine Vincent van Gogh's self-portraits and letters (all primary
documents) to learn about the individual who created them
- consider how first-person art forms (self-portraits, diaries, letters) aid
the process of self-discovery
- look carefully at works of art to respond to questions and make comparisons
about art and writing
- produce a Van Gogh-style self-portrait and write a letter describing it
Resources and Materials
Student photograph, photocopier, scissors, backing paper or cardboard, glue,
tempera, poster, or oil paint or oil pastels.
Lesson Implementation
Tell students several days before the lesson begins that they will need to bring in a photo of themselves.
Class Period One
- Instruct students to read the biography of Van
Gogh.
- Have students read and respond to questions and comparisons in the Van Gogh
Student Activities: Vincent, Van
Gogh: A Closer Look, and Anatomy of
a Van Gogh.
- Discuss the Van Gogh self-portraits in class, emphasizing his use of color and distinctive brushwork to convey emotion.
- Remind students to bring a photo of themselves to the next class.
Class Period Two
Have students make a Van Gogh-style self-portrait using a photocopy of a student
photograph (see Make a Van Gogh-Style Self-Portrait printable
worksheet). Have them write a letter to a friend about their self-portrait
and why they included each element.
Assessment
To evaluate students' Van Gogh-style self-portraits, ask:
- Did the student use at least two sets of complementary colors?
- Did the student use several distinct marks or brushstrokes in the portrait?
- Does the self-portrait answer some aspect of the question, "Who am I?"
- If the student made two self-portraits, do the two works address the question, "How am I changing from day to day?"
The letter to a friend, attached to the self-portrait(s), should explain what the self-portrait communicates and should be supported by evidence in the work of art.
Background Information
Read a brief biography of Van Gogh.
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