African
Masks

7th Grade
GPS Social Studies
 

1.  TASK

You are the new museum curator at the Jefferson Museum of African Art.  Your first mission is to organize the Masks of Africa exhibit that will open early next week.  Before opening day, all the masks must be placed on the walls AND identified with informational plaques.  Your employees have identified most of the masks, but they are stumped about one special mask.  As the museum curator, you must: (1) present your special mask, (2) write the informational plaque, and (3) give a short lecture about the mask for the museum visitors.

The informational plaque must include:

  1. WHO made the mask? (Tribe?)
  2. WHAT does the mask represent?
  3. WHEN was the mask made?
  4. WHERE did the mask come from? (country? climate? landscape?)
  5. WHY did your tribe make the mask?
  6. HOW did your tribe make the mask?

2.  FIND INFORMATION

Museum curators often use research to identify and understand pieces of art and history.  Use the following websites to help you create a history for your mask!

Advice: Create a note-taking organizer--list all six questions with enough room to write notes!

National Museum of African Art (Washington)

African Masks and Headdresses at the Bayly Art Museum

Sub-Saharan African Art at Emory

Hamill Gallery

Peoples of Africa (Ethnic tribes)

University of Iowa African Art Database

Encyclopedia Britannica Online (to search your country)

3.  USE INFORMATION

  1. Use your notes to create an African mask.  Your mask MUST represent  the answers to your questions!
  2. Create the informational plaque.  You should have AT LEAST one handwritten (or 1/2 typed) page about your mask.  More importantly, make sure all six questions are fully answered.  Remember to use transitions to make your writing flow. 
  3. Prepare the short museum lecture (you should be able to discuss the answers to the six questions in 1-2 minutes).  Tell the story of your mask, but remember--it must be based on your research!  Also remember that you want to "entertain" your museum visitors.  If your lecture is interesting, they will support your museum!

4.  EVALUATE

African Mask Rubric

Dimensions of
Performance
 		 Better stick to the gift shop:
1-2		 Curator Jr.
3-4		 Curator extraordinaire!
5
Mask Demonstrates little research, has little or no story, and has no detail Demonstrates some research, has basic story, and mask has some detail Demonstrates careful research, mask has an interesting story, and mask is detailed and looks "professional"
Informational Plaque Answers only a few of the six questions.  The writing has more than 5 spelling and grammatical errors.  The writing isn't readable to the museum visitors. Answers some of the six questions.  The writing has 3-5 spelling and grammatical errors.  The writing is readable to the museum visitors. Thoroughly answers all six questions based on research.  The writing is free of spelling and grammatical errors.  The writing is readable and interesting to museum visitors. 
Lecture The museum visitors leave confused about your mask!  Most visitors fell asleep! The visitors still have several questions after your lecture.  Some visitors look bored. The visitors are fully informed about the six questions concerning the mask.  Your lecture is informative and exciting. 
Participation Student needs constant focusing from teachers.  Student does not make good use of class time.  Distracts other students. Student participates on project.  Mostly stays on task. Student participates fully on project.  Stays on task and does not distract other students.  If extra time is available, student stays focused on improving project or assisting teacher with the class exhibit.