SOCIAL ISSUE PLATES INSPIRED BY JUDY CHICAGO’S THE DINNER PARTYBy Shelby Fraher

INSPIRATION FOR THIS LESSON

School Arts Magazine ArticleA Davis Publication

April 2008 Issue: InvestigationSocially Concerned Plates

by Marlanda BirnsHigh School LevelNo Words

HELPFUL RESOURCES Brooklyn Museum’s Website

Museum where The Dinner Party is on permanent display

Museum's Website Through the Flower: The Dinner Party

Curriculum ProjectCreated by Judy ChicagoWebsite

Topics in FeminismStandford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyWebsite

GOALS OF THE LESSON Introduce students to the artist Judy

Chicago and her piece The Dinner Party Define and discuss social issues, feminism,

sexism, and gender stereotyping. Create a ceramic plate using several

decorative techniques that promotes awareness about a chosen social issue.

Hold aesthetic discussions about works of art that are intended to inform and/or persuade a viewer.

DAY 1As a class define the term “Social

Issue”Break down the word

What are some societies/groups you belong to?

In a brainstorming activity list as many Social Issues as you can on the dry erase boardIt’s helpful to have a prepared list

Explain that students will be creating a ceramic work of art about one of these chosen issues.

FEMINISM After listing various social issues ask the

students if they know what it means to be a feminist.

Relate the topic to other disciplines U.S. Constitution Exam and Social Studies 19th Amendment – What is it? What inequalities have women experienced

throughout history? What is sexism?

Introduce students to Judy Chicago who is known as a feminist artist. What do you think that might mean? Use a PowerPoint presentation to introduce her

piece The Dinner Party slide examples

The Dinner Party by Judy Chicago

View of Heritage Floor with Virginia Woolf and Georgia O'Keeffe place settings in foreground. © Judy Chicago. (Photo: © Donald Woodman)

Wing I: From Prehistory to the Roman Empire

1. Primordial Goddess 2. Fertility goddess 3. Ishtar 4. Kali 5. Snake Goddess 6. Sophia 7. Amazon 8. Hatshepsut 9. Judith 10. Sappho 11. Aspasia 12. Boudica 13. Hypatia   Wing II: From the Beginnings of

Christianity to the Reformation 14. Marcella 15. Saint Bridget 16. Theodora of Byzantium 17. Hrosvitha 18. Trotula of Salerno 19. Eleanor of Aquitaine

20. Hildegard of Bingen 21. Petronilla de Meath 22. Christine de Pisan 23. Isabella d'Este 24. Elizabeth I of England 25. Artemisia Gentileschi 26. Anna van Schurman   Wing III: From the American to the

Women's Revolution 27. Anne Hutchinson 28. Sacajawea 29. Caroline Herschel 30. Mary Wollstonecraft 31. Sojourner Truth 32. Susan B. Anthony 33. Elizabeth Blackwell 34. Emily Dickinson 35. Ethel Smyth 36. Margaret Sanger 37. Natalie Barney 38. Virginia Woolf 39. Georgia O'Keeffe

Women at the Dinner Party: Do you recognize any of them?

How are each of these place settings different? How are they the same?

HERITAGE FLOOR: LISTS 999 WOMEN INFLUENTIAL TO THE FEMINIST MOVEMENT

POWERPOINT PROJECT

Develop a list of Women from The Dinner Party and Heritage Floor (Edit the list)

Have the students draw the names The students will conduct research on the

woman and provide reasons for why she was influential to the feminist movement

This aspect of the project Increase Student Experience with technology Deeper understanding of the content of Judy

Chicago’s work PowerPoint Template Example

Click to add the name of influential woman you researched

Click to add your name

Click to add the name of influential woman you researched

• Date of birth (if known)• Date of death (if known)• Where was she born• Where she lived (if

different than where she was born)

Above: Add Image of your historical figure

Click to add the name of influential woman you researched

• Click to add bullet points of reasons why this woman is a historical figure and influential to the feminist movement. Why would Judy Chicago included this person at The Dinner Party?

• You must give at least three reasons• #3

Created by (Your name)

ResourcesClick to Add resourcesAuthor (if known). (Date). Title of the article.

Retrieved from (URL)

DAY 2 & 3Lab Time

Students should be conducting research on the women their PowerPoint Project is based.

Research the social issue they will depict

Print any helpful imageryEarly finishers can begin sketches

Sketching TemplateImportance of symbolism

GENDER STEREOTYPING ACTIVITY FROM DPCP Review terminology covered so far: social

issues, feminism, sexism. Activity: give one example of your favorite

childhood toy As a class sort the toys as Boy, Girl, or

Neutral What clues lead you to make your decision? What do you think that these toys lead us to

believe about the type of behaviors expected of boys and girls?

Define stereotype and give an example for boys and girls.

Why are stereotypes bad? Do you think inequalities between men and

women still exist?

GENDER STEREOTYPING ACTIVITY FROM DPCP (CONT.)

The Paper Bag Princess Journal Prompt

Have you ever been stereotyped or witnessed a friend being stereotyped?

What was the situation? How did it make you feel?

Additional/Optional Activity Interview an older woman; grandmother, aunt,

mom, etc. and ask them what differences exist between a woman’s life then vs. a woman’s life today.

Social Issues Inequalities/Sexism Gender Stereotypes

DAY 4 DEMONSTRATION DAY Minimum standard: AT LEAST ONE of EACH

type of decorative technique Appliqué Incisingsgraffito

Use a Dixie Paper plates or a sturdier paper plate for a template Roll out a slab, press into paper plate, trim

excess Paper sticking not as issue 25lb bag = 10-11 slabs

Underglazes and clear glaze True to colors Can be applied to leather hard and bisque ware Early finisher and slower worker solution

Teacher Made ExamplesDays 5,6,&7 Building/Decorating

AESTHETICS Pose the following questions for students to

discuss/debate Is a work of art more artistic if it conveys and idea, like

the ceramic plate you created that conveys a social issue, or does it not matter?

If an artist uses several other people to create their work should it be credited to those individuals in addition to the artist?

Or should the sole credit should be given to the artist? Closure

What is The Dinner Party about? What does it mean to be a feminist? Can men be

feminists? What is a stereotype? Define social issue and give an example. What did you like about this unit? What did you

dislike?

ENRICHMENT Idea from DPCP

Nominate a woman from your community to be included in The Dinner Party.

Pick a contemporary woman who you believe deserves an invitation to The Dinner Party and give 3 reasons why.

Offer extra credit to students throughout the unit for bringing in articles or statistics that pertain to feminism or social issues.

Interview an older woman; neighbor, grandmother, aunt, mom, etc. and ask them what differences exist between a woman’s life then vs. a woman’s life today.

GRADING• Constants:

• Craftsmanship• Creativity• Participation &

Effort• Studio Practice

• Project Specific:• Appliqué• Incising• Sgraffito• Communication of

issue• Follow Instructions• Sketches

FINISHED CERAMIC PLATESTHEME: ANIMAL POACHING

THEME: PEACE

THEME: GO GREEN

THEME: RECYCLE

THEME: FREEDOM/MILITARY SUPPORT

THEME: DRUG ABUSE

THEME: NATURAL DISASTERS

THEME: HARMFUL EFFECTS OF SMOKING

THEME: BULLYING

THE END

Thank you!

Are there any questions?