A5: Totem Pole
A5: Totem Pole OVERVIEW: AIMS: ● The aim of the project is to allow students to learn about a culture from another part of the world: The North West Native American Indians (NWNAI). ● During this assignment you will further explore the NWNAI through narrative, stories and understanding of the ‘Totem Pole’ which is seen as an iconic symbol of the NWNAI. DEVELOPMENT: ● After a series of learning activities learning about the NWNAI culture, you are tasked to write your own story similar to that of the NWNAI, and then design and paint a totem pole that will symbolise/ illustrate your own story. ● Creatures play a large part of the NWNAI culture, after writing your own story by using a selection of typical creatures the NWNAI would have used, a totem pole design that reflects your own story will form the main outcome for this assignment. ● Your totem pole painting should consider and use typical colours, shapes and design features that the NWNAI would have used for their totem poles. OUTCOME(s): Throughout the project the skills learnt and developed will help you create your 'Final Outcome' for this assignment, which is: ● A5: Totem Pole painting.
A5: Totem Pole Prior to starting this assignment you should have completed previous tasks and work which are:
1. Reading a traditional NWNAI story: How the Raven stole the sun. 2. Reading a story example which was written by a previous year 7/fauves student: Ravens Sun. 3. Writing your own NWNAI story that should include at least three typical creatures. 4. Drawings/illustrations of your chosen creatures which are featured in your own story.
The following tasks (listed below) will help you begin your assignment: ● TASK 1: Read a traditional story told by the NWNAI: How the Raven stole the sun. ● TASK 2: Read a previous students story. ● TASK 3: Write your own NWNAI story. ● TASK 4: Illustrate creatures that are used/featured within your own story. ● TASK 5: Design your own Totem Pole. ● TASK 6: Draw/Paint your final outcome.
A5: Totem Pole
Task 1: Read a traditional story told by the NWNAI: ‘How the Raven stole the sun’. How the Raven Stole the Sun:
Long, long ago the world was completely dark. Raven, a very clever bird, knew that a family had taken the sun. They hid it in their lodge, in a bentwood box. Raven had a plan to steal the sun back. He became a baby! When the family saw this cute little baby, they brought him into their home. But Raven began to cry all the time. He drove the family crazy with his strange wild screams. "What does he want?" they asked each other. Raven pointed to a beautifully carved cedar box in the corner of the lodge. Unable to bear his screaming, the family gave it to him. As soon as no one was watching, Raven turned himself back into a bird. With a loud "Ca-aw!" he snatched up the box and flew out through the smokehole of the lodge. As he flew, Raven opened the cedar sun-box, and sunlight flooded the world.
A5: Totem Pole
TASK 2: Read a previous students story: Ravens Sun. Raven’s Sun: Long ago, the Creator told Clever Raven that it was his job to lift the sun high in summer and to take the sun lower in winter. Clever Raven was proud of his new job and changed the Sun’s position throughout the seasons for many years. Wise Owl thought that Clever Raven should let someone else have a go at moving the sun. The Creator didn’t like this idea.‘No!’ he said, ‘You will do as I tell you or you shall be punished.’ All the other animals wanted their own jobs like Raven. The Creator decided that only the most trusted animals could be responsible for something. Sly Wolf was the guardian of the Forest, Swift Beaver was leader of the Rivers and Streams and Grizzly Bear was in charge of the land. It didn’t take long until the animals started fighting. Sly Wolf said that the rivers in the forest should belong to him and Bear claimed that because the land belonged to him the forest should be his. ‘No one owns anything Bear and Wolf!’ bellowed the Creator, ‘I made this world and you! Therefore everything belongs to me. You are only responsible for certain things!’ The creatures thought they were never going to be trusted by the Creator again (they weren’t in charge of anything now). The animals tried many things to impress the Creator, Wolf helped forest creatures, Bear protected the land and mountains and Beaver built more dams. None of these helpful actions impressed the Creator so the animals kept trying. As Beaver built more dams the rivers started going down. Then one morning, one of
A5: Totem Pole Beavers dams burst. The water started flooding the river banks and the forest. Wise Owl said that everyone should head up to the mountains. ‘No!’ said Beaver, ‘We shall build a dam to stop the water. Running away is cowardice.’ Beaver and the other animals (mostly Beavers) started to build a dam to stop the water. Beaver was almost finished when the water came rushing down the valley. The water crashed against the wooden dam and stopped. Beaver said that the dam couldn’t hold the water for much longer. Luckily, the Creator sent Clever Raven with the Sun. Clever Raven held the Sun over the water and left the Sun to suck up all the water. The animals were happy that the Creator had helped them by sending the Raven with the Sun. Moral: Follow instructions and always be responsible.
TASK 3: Write your own NWNAI story. ● Before you beginning writing your own NWNAI story, consider including a ‘moral’ or a reason for your story similar to the example. ● Your own story should make sense, and use good structure and grammar. For example, use ‘paragraphs’ and ‘chunks’ of text rather than one continuous list of words, sentences. ● Choose/select at least 3 traditional NWNAI creatures (from the list on the next pages). ● Have a friend or teacher check your story by reading it for advice and suggestions. ● Read your story to yourself. If it doesn’t make sense to you, then it probably won’t make much sense to others either.
A5: Totem Pole ● Word count: 100 words (minimum) 500 words (maximum) ● Write your story by hand directly into your sketchbook using a new (full page), and after you have had your story checked, type your story up using a word processor, print out and then glue/stick into your book alongside your hand written ‘draft’ version.
TASK 4: Illustrate creatures that are used/featured within your own story. Using your ‘featured’ creatures, draw these separately on a new (full) page in your sketchbook. Add colour using pencil crayon for effect but be ‘mindful’ of using only typical colours used by the NWNAI. Creatures: Typical creatures used by the NWNAI within their story telling are shown on the following pages.
A5: Totem Pole
A5: Totem Pole
A5: Totem Pole
A5: Totem Pole TASK 5: Design your own Totem Pole. To design your own Totem Pole, begin by setting up a new page in your sketchbook using the model/guidance below:
After setting up your sketchbook page, add your creatures by drawing one on top of the other working from the largest at the bottom to the smallest at the top! Take a look at the example below:
A5: Totem Pole
TASK 6: Draw/Paint your final outcome. After completing all of the previous tasks successfully, you should be in a very confident position to begin work on your main/ final outcome for this assignment, which is to be a large (A3 in size) painting of your own Totem Pole. ○ Step 1: Collect a sheet of A3 (sized) drawing paper and add a 1cm border around the edge. This will act as a nice/neat frame for your work and also allow you to write your name, class name and title within the border/frame. ○ Step 2: Sketch your totem pole working directly from your previous design (task 5). Use the column method to help you draw your work in the centre of the paper and to act as a guide, helping you place each creature accurately. ○ Step 3: Directly on top of your sketch add stronger line to develop your work into a line drawing. When done, carefully remove any old/ previous sketchy line. ○ Step 4: Consider adding a background for effect. This could be something realistic like a location typical of NWNAI geography, or it
A5: Totem Pole could simply be a pattern or other creative/thoughtful addition. ○ Step 5: Your ready to paint after completing the previous steps.... Begin by painting the BACKGROUND first and work towards the front in LAYERS. Also work from DARK to LIGHT using one colour at a time. ○ Step 6: Mix/make some tones and shades and paint these onto your work to give your work a 3D effect. Also consider adding other effects such as a shadow. ○ Step 7: Using a THIN paint brush, and a dark/strong tone, bring out details and line in your work by carefully adding very thin paint lines in certain places. TASK 7: If possible take a photograph of your finished Totem Pole picture (perhaps use your mobile phone, if you have one with a camera, or ask your teacher to help), and add a copy of your work to your blog. Include comments that explains your work, possibly even include a copy of story too!
Do you have a smart phone? If so you can use the camera on your phone to access online resources to help you with this assignment. All you need is a QR code reader app, point your phone web browser to one of readers below: ● ● ● ● ●
http://reader.kaywa.com http://get.beetagg.com http://www.quickmark.com.tw/En/basic/download.asp http://europe.nokia.com/support/product-support/nokia-n80/phone-software/smartphone For iPhone users. Go to iTunes and search for: QR Code reader
Once you have a reader/ app on your smart phone. Simply take a quick snap of the code(s) below, and you will be redirected to the required resource, directly on your phone.
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