The dramatic voice of the mask.

The "Power of the Mask" was a thematic unit for a class of sixth grade students. By integrating language arts, in the form of poetry, with art, in the form of a mask, we hoped to accomplish four goals:

1. To make poetry "three-dimensional" through the technique of "the mask."

2. To provide students with a vehicle for self-discovery.

3. To encourage students to respect and value individual differences.

4. To provide opportunities for teamwork and cooperative activity and create a sense of community within the classroom.

The project began in the classroom with the theme of "self-discovery." The classroom teacher led the students in a discussion of personality types and the need to be sensitive to the characteristics of each in order to work cooperatively. We asked the students to identify which personality best fit themselves. We introduced the "masking" project and asked the students to begin collecting objects and decorative items that reflected their interests and personalities. These were called "Treasures." We also encouraged students to bring in additional "treasures" to share with their peers in order to build a sense of community and cooperation within the class.

We combined the art and classroom activities and assisted each other's endeavors, providing an additional model of cooperation and teamwork for the students.

Preparing for the Masking

Making a mold of your face with plastercraft can be an intimidating activity. It involves cooperation, respect, and a great deal of trust. This can be uncomfortable for the average middle school student who is very focused on personal appearance. Consequently, it was important that a good deal of mental preparation, discussion, and explanation take place in the classroom before the actual masking activity.

Poetry and Personality

In the classroom, the students also began to work on the language arts component of the project--poetry. Days of reading poetry set the stage for the creative writing to follow. The students immersed themselves in poetry, reading, listening to, and exploring a variety of voices (lyrical, narrative, and dramatic) with a special focus on the dramatic voice of "the mask." Students were asked to select the type of poetry they enjoyed the most and then compare or contrast this with their chosen personality type.

Pairing off in teams, each student took turns both masking and being masked. Two art classes were provided for this segment of the project--half of the class was masked each day.

Applying the Mask

First, each model's face was covered with vaseline, paying particular attention to the eyebrows, eyes, eyelashes and the hairline around the face. Then short strips of plaster-impregnated gauze were dipped in bowls of water and laid across the model's face. Care was taken to smooth each piece as it was applied to the face and to mold the strips to the shape of the mouth, nose, and face. The nose holes were left open to allow the models to breathe. However, each model could choose whether they wanted the eye and mouth holes opened or closed. Covered eyes were done last to make the process more comfortable.

The students' concern for each other and spirit of teamwork during this stage of the masking made the activity a very positive experience for everyone.

Developing a Character

The masks were transported back to the classroom and allowed to dry. Students began to think about the personality of their mask. Through the transformation of the mask, they could: pretend to be someone else, give a voice to their own inner thoughts and feelings, and animate an inanimate object

Once the character of the mask was determined, students began to simultaneously think about presenting their idea visually through shape, color, pattern, and decoration and giving a voice to their mask through the dynamics of poetry. The students returned to the artroom for two more sessions to paint and decorate their masks.

Unmasking Creativity

There is a form of poetry called the Mask in which the speaker takes on the persona of a person, place, or thing and gives it a "dramatic voice." The students used this as a starting point for their creative writing. They experienced the stages of creative activity--exploration, rough draft, fine-tuning, and final copy in both the visual and language arts.

The culminating event was a classroom display of masks and poetry for the evening of Open House. Parents were invited to visit the classroom, meet the teachers, learn about the curriculum, and enjoy the students' work.

NATIONAL STANDARD

Students describe ways in which the principles and subject matter of other disciplines taught in the school are interrelated with the visual arts.

Joan M. Cassidy is an art teacher and Sheila Miller is a sixth grade classroom teacher at Main Dunstable School in Nashua, New Hampshire.