Art
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There
are many possible art activities and projects that students could
perform. The following list contains just a few ideas.
- Indian
beadwork. Individual beading kits are available from the Whitman
Mission site at a small cost. Beading may be a difficult project
for some (suggested for intermediate-level aged children)
but could be used as an optional art project or an ongoing
activity with a parent/teacher helper. **This project requires
much patience and time.
- Have
students construct a replica of the mission using a mixture
of flour, salt and water. Use tempera paint to whitewash the
outside walls and green paint for trim (colors used on the
original mission). The roof was made from sod--various shades
of brown could be used. Models could be made to scale, thus
incorporating math skills. In addition, wagons and other wooden
articles could be constructed out of balsa wood, toothpicks,
popsicle sticks, etc.
- Indian
Cornhusk Bag. These bags would be very difficult to accurately
replicate, however, a mock cornhusk bag could be easily made
by drawing patterns on colored construction paper and piecing
together to make a paper "cornhusk bag." The Cayuse always
used geometric shapes in their designs. Geometric designs
could be used by students when designing patterns. Tempera
paint, small beads, colored yarn, etc. could additionally
be used to compliment this art project.
- Have
everyone learn the steps of some basic hand sewing/stitching.
This could be accomplished by darning old socks, mending old
clothes, making a simple pot holder, or making small quilt
blocks by hand. This project would give the students an idea
of what it was like to be a pioneer, who had no electric sewing
machines or much access to ready-made clothing.
- Natural
Dying. Some natural dyes could be produced by using plants
native to this area. Students could experiment with various
plants that produce different colors and could learn steps
necessary to extract the dye from these natural substances.
Pieces of cotton fabric could then be dyed. Various books
on dying may be obtained through your local library or inter-library
loan.
- Have
the kids make some rag dolls, similar to those that the children
at the mission played with.
- Have
the students make a construction paper weaving of an Indian
bag or garment. Different colored strips of construction paper
can be "woven" together, creating various designs and patterns.
- Make
pencil sketches or paintings of Narcissa and Marcus Whitman.
There are no known drawings of the Whitmans themselves, except
possibly two sketches by Paul Kane. All other drawings are
based on written descriptions or using people who may possibly
resemble the Whitmans.
- Make
pencil sketches or paintings of Indian villages, the mission
site, or of pioneers/Indians involved in activities.
- The interior
of the Mission house is unknown as is the interior of the
Cayuse lodges. Students could design possible interior plans
and compare various designs.
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PAUL
KANE SKETCHES
From 1845 to 1848,
Paul Kane traveled throughout the western United States. His trip
from Toronto to the Pacific Coast was one of the longest and most
adventurous sketching trips in the history of painting. Kane recorded
the Native Americans in detail, including their customs, homes, and
ceremonies. His book Wanderings of an Artist is a collection
of these sketches and of this romantic land. Since art is not only
the creating of individual art projects but also the appreciation
by others, the Paul Kane sketches should enhance your students' knowledge
of the art world as well as the Indian life along the Oregon Trail.
Some activities which involve the Paul Kane sketches include the following:
- Have students
study various sketches and determine if the sketches are realistic
or not. What insights into Native American culture do these sketches
give us?
- Have students
think of captions or small stories to go along with each sketch.
Have them explain their reasoning behind their words.
- Sketching
is another from of art altogether different from painting portraits,
landscapes, still lifes, etc. Have students copy these sketches,
showing them how to hold and draw with a pencil.
- As you talk
about the Oregon Trail and the Native American tribes the pioneers
encountered along the way, have students sketch their impressions
of what these tribes may have been like. (For example, houses,
daily life, attire, and living conditions.)
- Have students
sketch various scenes from their schoolyard. This would be an
excellent way to teach detail, shadow, and depth perception. You
might want everyone to sketch the same scene and turn it into
a class project.
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of Page
Crafts
Indian Moccasins
How
to Build a Fort
Making Adobe Bricks
Building a Covered Wagon #1
Building a Covered Wagon #2
Constructing a Raft Diorama
Making a Patchwork Quilt
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Last modified on:
January 31, 2004
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