Terrific Totems

Alex, Grade 3

Lily, Grade 3

Analiz, Grade 3

Melanie, Grade 3

In honor of Native American Heritage Month, our student artists in grades 3-5 have been learning about the artwork of the Pacific Northwest Tribes.  They located states in that region of the country on the map, and they studied some art from that region that is on display here in Chicago.  One example is the totem pole on Lake Shore Drive.  They learned why and how these carved designs were made, and they found common images and colors to use in their own work.  The students read about animal symbolism and chose an animal to represent themselves.  These animals were sketchen, and then revised to match the abstract and geometrical designs of totem art.  They added color to their final designs, and will combine all classroom totems to make totem poles.