Submitted by Michele Campbell
Objectives:
Content:
Students will:
* identify Nigeria, Cameroon, Togo, and Niger West Africa on a map.
Students will become familiar with the native people of these countries.
They will learn to identify Adire Eleko cloth.
They will create a set of ideographic and pictographic symbols and establish meaning for these symbols.
They will learn a paste-resist textile decoration process and use it to create their own piece of Adire Eleko.Cultural:
Students will:
analyze different ideographic and pictographic symbols on pictures of Adire Eleko cloth and guess at their meanings.Language: Content Obligatory
Students will:
experiment with textile design terms, dye terms,
accurately use artistic narrative terms (description of own piece and critique of other works)
labeling of symbolic meaningsLanguage: Content Compatible
Comparison and contrast of designs,
designating preferences,
possible meaning of symbol choiceLearning Strategies / Social and Skills Development:
Create a linear design,
manipulate dye and paste-resist processes
Group critique participation
Time Frame:
6 - 55 minute class periods
1. Introductory handout (adirecolorexample.doc) discussion and Trackstar investigation of Adire and the Yoruba, discussion of findings - 90 to 120 minutes
2. Powerpoint presentation of Adire examples with discussion of symbols - 40 to 55 minutes
3. Draw an adire pattern - 50 minutes
4. Manipulate paste resist - 50 minutes
5. Dye fabric - 50 minutes 6. Personal narrative and group critique - 50 minutes and homework
Materials Needed:
White cotton fabric
potato starch paste resist
cardboard pieces and plastic sheeting (plastic wrap or cut up garbage bags) that are slightly larger than fabric pieces
plastic squeeze bottles
plastic cups
foam paint brushes
Navy blue fiber reactive dye
soda ash dye fixative
paper and pencils
drying rack
rubber gloves
**Use adirerecipes.doc handout for mixing information**
Description of Assessment (Performance Project):
1. Introductory handout (adirecolorexample.doc) discussion &endash; give students copies of the handout, in color if possible. Talk about what symbols they might see present in the design, and talk about ideographs and pictographs. Proceed to the Trackstar investigation of Adire (and these countries: Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, Togo) located at http://trackstar.hprtec.org/main/display.php3?track_id=109095. Use the handout adiresearch.doc to guide their search and conduct an in class discussion of findings
2. Using a multimedia projector or overhead transparencies of the slides show the adire.ppt powerpoint presentation of Adire examples with discussion of symbols. Remind students that the symbols that they see on adire cloth is harder to identify and is open to a broader interpretation than adinkra.
3. Distribute paper. Ask students to try to develop a design for their adire eleko cloth. Ask them to keep in mind that their ideographs or pictographs may represent the following ideas or objects: A favorite pet, a government, good vs. evil, the ocean, being kind to others, nature, difficulties in life, education, or family. Have them first draw the symbols and label them on paper
4. Distribute divided fabric pieces to students so they can draw their adire pattern on it. Draw lightly with a pencil.
5. Fill 8 oz plastic squeeze bottles with potato starch resist paste. Distribute cardboard sections and plastic sheeting to each student. The fabric goes on top of both of these pieces in a layer. Demonstrate how to apply the paste to the fabric. The trick is to squeeze the paste out gently over the drawing on your fabric. Give one filled squeeze bottle to each student. Remind them to try not to rub the tip of the spout on the fabric, it will make the lines very messy. Have the drying rack ready for damp fabric. Let dry overnight. The paste will shrivel and crackle. This gives texture to the final product, and is not considered a flaw.
6. Prepare foam brushes and mix cups of dye for students. Demonstrate dye application, keeping in mind that the fabric doesn't need to be dripping in order to get good color. Keeping pieces on their layers of cardboard and plastic, re-distribute pasted fabric to its rightful owner and let students apply dye to their fabric. Place pieces back onto the drying rack and allow to sit. (If you dye in the morning, the fabric can be taken home that evening and washed. If you dye in the late afternoon, leave it for an extra day!)
7. Wash and re-distribute fabric to students
8. Give students time with their finished piece to write/prepare their personal narrative (narrative.doc) and allow them to present their work in small or large groups. After the narrative presentation, students trade their work with another student and write and present a partner critique (critique.doc)
Assessment:
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the Adire Eleko tradition by
1: successfully completing an Adire Eleko cloth that has evident patterning and explainable symbols
2: successfully completing and presenting a narrative of their process in French and
3: successfully completing and presenting a partner critique of another student's work in French.
References and Resources:
www.adire.clara.net is an incredibly informative site -- read it thoroughly!
Attachments:
NOTE: some attachments are in PDF form (get Acrobat Reader)adirecolorexample.doc
adire.ppt
adiresearch.doc
adiresteps.doc
adirerecipes.doc