Family Pictures and Traditions: ARTS Lessons

Lesson Key Facts

• Grade(s): K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
• Subject(s): Dance, Drama, English Language Arts, Music, Social Studies, Visual Arts
• Duration of lesson: Varies
• Author(s): Yvette Ward May, Jen Purdy, Pauline Kacher, Cindy Clark, and Teresa Daley Love

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Note: Begin teaching this lesson, featuring the book Family Pictures: Cuadros de Familia by Carmen Lomas Garza. using the short introduction below. Then, continue with an arts-focused lesson, of your choice. (Links for these lessons, written by BTS Arts educators, are found after the introduction, and within the slideshow) Enjoy!

Upload Slideshow: Family Pictures Introduction  

Introduction:

This introduction will give your students an opportunity to become familiar with Carmen Lomas Garza and what inspired her to create her book, which was derived from her cherished memories growing up with Mexican-American heritage and culture.

Hold up your copy of the book, as you display Slide 1.

Slide 1: Front cover Family Pictures: Cuadros de Familia by Carmen Lomas Garza

Teacher: Have you ever shared memories about your life, your home, or your family by creating art? Well, that’s exactly what this author and artist, Carmen Lomas Garza did in preparing this beautiful book. Look closely at her book cover. What do you think her family is doing? What makes you think that? To really understand the meaning and learn about what’s happening in this picture, Carman Garza wrote a short story of this memory from her childhood. She’s made lots of pictures to go along with her favorite memories.

Look through and share the pages, briefly.

Slide 2: We all come from different cultures

Slide 3: Mexican American Culture, Carmen Lomas Garza, and making connections to our own heritage

Show a world globe, and set it slowly spinning.

Invite a child to come up and find North America, Central America, and South America.

Slide 4: World Map; North, Central, and South America

Teacher: In North, Central, and South America, many people share Latino culture and traditions.

Invite a child to find Mexico on the slide and/or on the globe.

Slide 5: Where Carmen grew up

Slide 6: About Carmen Lomas Garza

Slide 7: Mother’s drawings inspired her desire to draw

Slide 8: Childhood discrimination

Slide 9: Used Artistic talents to share her heritage

Select one or more images from the book to share with the children. Use Visual Thinking Strategy (As needed, scan or take a photo of your chosen illustration from the book. Make a slide, and display the image so it is easier for your full class to see)

Slide 10: Video of Carmen talking about her artwork. Play video from slide
or upload link here: Creative Arts Alumni: Carmen Lomas Garza (4:54)
  
Slide 11: Express our own culture through art

Select a lesson from the options below, and teach it.

Slide 12: Links to ARTS lessons (also shared below)

ARTS Lesson Options:

1. “Family Pictures”- Movement and Dance Activities 

   1. Grades: 2,3,4,5,6    

      Slides

   2. By: Pauline Kacher, Yvette W. May
   3. Description: Students will observe and participate in dance from Mexican American culture, while making personal connections, and creating their own choreography.
2. Family Pictures: Family Traditions: Visual Arts, Drama, and Language Arts
   1. Grades: 2,3,4,5,6     Slides 
   2. By: Cindy Clark
   3. Description: Students will create a detailed narrative and an artistic work portraying a family tradition, inspired by the book Family Pictures by Carmen Garza  
3. Family Pictures: Remember that One Time?... Drama
   1. Grades: 2,3,4,5,6
   2. By: Teresa Daley Love
   3. Description: Memories are full of sensory and emotional information. Students will play sound and gesture games, and create memory paintings with drama activities, using their own and others’ memories.
4. Family Pictures: 'Al Citron', Music
   1. Grades: K,1,2,3,4,5,6      Slides
   2. By: Jen Purdy, Yvette W. May
   3. Description: Using the book Family Pictures, by Carmen Lomas Garza, students will apply Visual Thinking Technique, explore Mexican American culture, and practice musical skills with the singing game, “Al Citrón”.
5. Family Pictures: "Bate Bate Chocolate" Mexican Folk Song, Music
   1. Grades: K,1,2,3,4,5,6       Slides
   2. By: Jen Purdy, Yvette W. May
   3. Description: Students will explore Mexican American culture as they learn the Mexican folk song/chant “Bate Bate Chocolate”, while using a variety of foundational music skills and activities inspired by Family Pictures by Carmen Lomas Garza.

• Read and explore Carmen Lomas Garza’s book, Family Pictures by Carmen Lomas Garza, using visual thinking strategies to inspire new collective and individual creative thinking and ideas.
• Understand how the arts can help us create, share, and honor our own stories, culture, and values.
• Gain appreciation for and understanding of cultures and traditions different from our own. (Specifically, Mexican-American)
• Explore the idea that our life experiences, even when very difficult, can guide us in how we choose to develop and contribute, using our own talents, voices, and abilities.

These lessons can be used to meet standards in many grades and subject areas. For specific standards covered, please see each art lesson.

• Book: Family Pictures: Cuadros de Familia by Carmen Lomas Garza
• Upload: Family Pictures Slide Presentation
• Additional equipment and materials will be listed in each individual Family Pictures, Arts, Lesson Plan:
  • Family Pictures: Movement and Dance Activities
  • Family Pictures: Family Traditions: Visual and Language Arts
  • Family Pictures: Remember that One Time?... Drama
  • Family Pictures: “Al Citron’”, Music
  • Family Pictures: "Bate Bate Chocolate" Mexican Folk Song, Music
     

This lesson is supported by the National Endowment of the Arts and the Utah Division of Arts & Museums

• More about Carmen Lomas Garza: Official site: https://carmenlomasgarza.com/ ; https://clgauthorstudy.weebly.com/biography.html 
• Additional background information on Carmen Lomas Garza (Information from the back cover of Family Pictures) “Carmen Lomas Garza is one of the most prominent Mexican American painters working today. She was born in 1948 and raised in Texas, although now she lives in San Francisco. Her artwork expresses things happening in Latino homes in south Texas. Through her artwork we can “revel in the community, customs, and Latino values of family closeness and respect for elderly and young alike.” She documents and salutes her community. When she was a young girl, she dreamed of becoming an artist. She practiced drawing every day; she studied art in school; and she finally did become an artist. Her family inspired and encouraged her. Her paintings use a combination of oil, acrylic, and gouache (tempera paint).”
• How to Teach Using Visual Thinking Strategy

Image 1: https://carmenlomasgarza.com/austin-2/ 
Image 2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmen_Lomas_Garza