NATIVE AMERICAN

IDENTITY MASKS

By: Amy
Danaher

LESSON OVERVIEW
Whole class discussion over what they already know about Native
Americans.
Students will fi ll out a KWLQ chart.
We will look at two diff erent websites tha t expla in the importa nce
and signifi cance of Native America n masks.
Then we will take a trip to an art museum where they ca n tour a
Native American collection. During the tour students will ta ke
notes and pictures, sketch ima ges, ask questions, a nd take a ny
recordings with their iPads.
Students will then sta rt braining storming ideas for their identity
masks and once approved by me can sta rt on constructing their
identity masks.
Once their mask is completed, students will then write a
refl ective writing piece over their mask explaining the symbolism
and meaning behind the construction of it.
As a class we will then do a museum wa lk a nd play Pa ss the Ha
as our closing/debriefi ng pa rt of the activity.

KEY CONCEPTS
Visual art: Students will be able to think critically
about Native American history, specifi cally refl ecting
upon how tribal masks were created and what the
symbolism behind them was.
Literacy: Students will be able to learn how to think
about important aspects of their own lives and
represent this in the form of a writing piece.
Social studies: Students will be able to make
connections between themselves and the Native
Americans.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
How did Native Americans use symbolism to
represent aspects of their personality?
What are the most important parts of your life that
have helped shape your identity?
What similarities and diff erences do you see between
yourself and the Native Americans and how did you
visually show these similarities and diff erences in
your mask?

LESSON OBJECTIVES
Students will construct Native American inspired
masks depicting their own individual identities.
Students will write a refl ective piece on the
symbolism behind what their masks represent taking
into account what the diff erent shapes, colors and
dcor they used mean.
Students will be able to analyze and discuss the
signifi cance and value of various Native American
masks, as well as their own.

CONTENT AREAS INTEGRATED

S o c i a l s t u d i e s ( l e a rn i n g a b o u t N a t i v e A m e r i c a n s ) :
Students will be engaged in a whole class discussion over what they
a l re a d y k n o w a b o u t N a t i v e A m e r i c a n s . A s a c l a s s w e w i l l l o o k a t t w o
d i ff e re n t w e b s i t e s t h a t ex p l a i n t h e s i g n i fi c a n c e o f t h e m a s k . I w i l l a l s o
p ro v i d e i m a g e s f o r s t u d e n t s t o i n v e s t i g a t e f u r t h e r f o r m o re a u t h e n t i c
ex a m p l e s o f N a t i v e A m e r i c a n m a s k s i f d e s i re d .
Vi s u a l a r t s ( I d e n t i t y m a s k s ) :
S t u d e n t s w i l l c re a t e t h e i r o w n p e r s o n a l i d e n t i t y m a s k s d r a w i n g o n
q u a l i t i e s , c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s , o r t r a i t s t h e y p o s s e s s t h a t h a v e i n fl u e n c e d t h e i r
i d e n t i ty. S t u d e n t s s h o u l d t a ke i n t o a c c o u n t t h e d i ff e re n t c o l o r s , s h a p e s ,
a n d d c o r t h e y u s e a n d t h i n k a b o u t h o w t h e s e t h i n g s re fl e c t t h e i r i d e n t i t y.
L i t e r a c y ( Re fl e c t i o n s o n i d e n t i t y m a s k s ) :
Aft e r c o n s t r u c t i n g t h e i r m a s k s , s t u d e n t s w i l l w r i t e a s h o r t re fl e c t i o n
ex p l a i n i n g t h e s i g n i fi c a n c e b e h i n d t h e i r m a s k . T h e y w i l l a l s o b e a s ke d t o
w r i t e a b o u t w h a t s i m i l a r i t i e s a n d d i ff e re n c e s t h e y f o u n d b e t w e e n t h e i r
mask and Native American masks.

ANTICIPATORY SET
Students will conduct a series of VTS activities
introducing them to an array of diff erent Native
American masks. This will allow students to be preexposed to this type of artwork and get them
interested about Native American masks. Students
will then take a fi eld trip to a local art museum to
actually see some real Native American masks. The
VTS activity and fi eld trip are great ways to get the
students pumped up about this new topic and will
hopefully inspire a little wonder and curiosity.

SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
To assess what my students have learned after the
lesson, I will ask them to write a refl ective piece on
the symbolism behind their masks, and how they
artistically represented this to show parts of their
identity. I will also be conducting a museum walk to
allow my students the opportunity to learn about
their peers masks and create an environment for
students to ask questions.

EXAMPLES OF NATIVE AMERICAN

MASKS