Native American Totem Poles

At the beginning of the year my class of PYP 5 students began by discussing the elements of art and reviewing art terms like "symmetry" while listing them in their classroom sketchbooks. While talking about the importance of the art elements, I intrdoduced the students to Native American totem poles and Native American culture.

The students had many questions about the different figures and symbols they saw on the totem poles that we were viewing, so we took these inquiries and researched them in the library. During our next class session we reviewed their discoveries and discussed how the different figures carved into the totem poles are part of an important story.

After research and review the students drew four different totem designs in their sketchbooks. They chose their favorite design and developed it further by adding more details and color. The students also labeled how they used the elements of art in their final design.

  I love how this student used simple geometric shapes and how giant the teeth are! The students were encouraged to draw LARGE. 

Once their final designs were complete the students began constructing a three dimensional box out of sturdy packing paper. They measured and cut their boxes themselves and then decorated them according to their sketchbook design. 

 Before we stacked our class totem poles together and put them on display, the students wrote a story about their totem pole figure and why it was an important piece to our art class totem pole. The students shared their stories as a group and everyone had come up with something unique!

Here are our finished totem poles on display!