Identity and Artistic Voice

Overview

In the first lesson of Many Voices, Shared Respect, students investigate how artists communicate identity through visual symbols, colour, line, sound, movement, and storytelling. They respond to a short Saskatchewan-based artist profile or artwork, build a personal identity word bank, and practise respectful expression through a drama warm-up.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• investigate how identity can be communicated through different art forms;
• identify how artists use symbols, colour, line, sound, movement, and stories to express ideas;
• generate words and images connected to aspects of their own identity;
• participate safely and respectfully in a collaborative drama activity.

Success criteria

• I can identify at least two artistic choices that communicate identity.
• I can explain what a symbol, colour, line, sound, or movement might represent.
• I can create a word bank that includes meaningful aspects of my identity.
• I can listen, respond, and participate without judging or guessing about another person’s identity.

Curriculum links

• Visual art: create and interpret artworks that express ideas about personal, cultural, or regional identity.
• Visual art: investigate symbols, images, art forms, elements of art, and principles of design to convey meaning.
• Visual art: use decision-making and problem-solving in selecting methods and media for visual expression.
• Drama and responding: use role, focus, symbol, and respectful collaboration to communicate ideas about identity.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–7 min · Welcome and hook. Open with the identity and artistic voice introduction slides and display a striking image of a layered portrait made from symbols, colour, and text. Ask, “How could someone communicate who they are without saying their name?” Students silently notice details, then share one possible meaning with a partner. Establish that identity is complex and personal; nobody must disclose private information or explain another person’s identity.

2. 7–18 min · Artist response. Show a short Saskatchewan-based artist profile or artwork through the Saskatchewan artist response slides. Choose an age-appropriate example in which the artist’s personal, cultural, or regional identity is visible through imagery, materials, colour, pattern, sound, movement, or storytelling. Students use a notice–wonder–interpret routine: first record one detail they notice, then one question, then a possible meaning. Invite several responses and model evidence-based language: “I notice… This may suggest… because…”

3. 18–28 min · Mini-lesson: artistic choices. Use the elements and symbols teaching slides to introduce symbol, colour, line, sound, movement, and storytelling as ways artists communicate. Model a neutral example, such as a winding line suggesting a journey or a repeated shape suggesting connection, while emphasizing that meanings depend on context and the artist’s intention. Students match three artistic choices with possible meanings in their notebooks and explain that a symbol should not be assumed to have one universal meaning.

4. 28–40 min · Identity word bank. Distribute the identity word bank and artwork response sheet. Students create a word bank of 10–15 words, phrases, or small sketches connected to interests, strengths, languages, relationships, places, experiences, hopes, values, or communities. They may choose private, general, fictional, or imagined ideas instead of sharing personal details. Students circle three words they might later express through art and add a possible colour, line, symbol, sound, movement, or story for each. Circulate and ask, “What choice could make that idea visible or audible?”

5. 40–53 min · Respectful drama warm-up. Revisit the participation expectations on the respectful drama warm-up slides. In a circle, students choose a comfortable level of participation. Lead “Name, Gesture, Echo” without requiring real names: one student offers a word, sound, or simple gesture representing an idea such as curiosity, belonging, energy, or calm; the group echoes it respectfully. Then pairs create a three-second silent tableau showing one shared concept from a teacher-provided list. Partners may pass, adapt the prompt, or observe. After each tableau, classmates describe only what they noticed, not what they think the performers “are.” Ask, “How did focus, movement, or stillness communicate an idea?”

6. 53–60 min · Share and exit reflection. Display the closing prompts in the reflection and next-steps slides. Students complete the final section of the worksheet: one artistic choice that can communicate identity, one respectful discussion behaviour they used, and one idea they may develop in a later artwork. Invite volunteers to share an observation or learning—not a private identity detail. Collect worksheets to inform Lesson 2.

Resources

• the identity and artistic voice introduction slides
• the identity word bank and artwork response sheet
• Short Saskatchewan-based artist profile or artwork, selected by the teacher
• Projector or interactive display
• Pencils, erasers, and optional coloured pencils
• Board or chart paper for class-generated examples
• Open floor or cleared space for the drama circle
• Timer

Assessment

• Listen during the artwork response for students who identify specific artistic evidence rather than making unsupported assumptions.
• Review word banks for a range of identity-related ideas and proposed artistic choices; conference with students who need help developing meaning.
• Use the closing reflection to assess understanding of how artistic elements and respectful participation communicate ideas.

Differentiation

• Provide sentence starters such as “I notice…”, “I wonder…”, “This could represent…”, and “I could show this using…”.
• Allow students to write, draw, use keywords, dictate responses, or choose fictional/general examples; do not require disclosure of culture, family, gender, religion, disability, or other personal information.
• Offer a prepared word bank and visual element cards for students who need language, executive-function, or fine-motor support. Give advance notice and an observer or seated role during drama for students who need reduced movement or sensory choice.
• Extend confident students by asking them to combine two contrasting elements, such as bold line and subtle colour, or to explain how the same symbol might carry different meanings in different contexts.
• For multilingual learners, invite home-language words where comfortable and pair them with sketches, gestures, or English translations.