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Deborah Stokes

As Curator for Education at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art, I bring a broad background in museum studies, art education, art history, and the visual arts of Africa to our educational programs.  I enjoy creating multidisciplinary, cross-unit collaborative programming and guides for integrating the arts and sciences, such as Artful Animals (2009-10) https://africa.si.edu/exhibits..., African Cosmos: Stellar Arts (2011-12) https://africa.si.edu/exhibits..., and Earth Matters: Land as Material and Metaphor in the Arts of Africa (2013-14) https://africa.si.edu/exhibits.... Take a look at the corresponding collections in Learning Lab!  I also direct the museum’s award-winning Distance Learning program through video-conferencing, The Arts Can Take Us Places! developed and launched in 2012 to advance the museum’s outreach potential through digital technologies. https://africa.si.edu/educatio...    Stokesd@si.edu

 

Deborah Stokes's collections

 

AFRICAN COSMOS

<p></p> <p>Put the ARTS in STEM - From Egypt to South Africa, take a brief tour of the <strong><em>African Cosmos </em></strong> and have your students discover the intersection of Art and Astronomy in the southern hemisphere.   Explore constellations only seen on the African continent.  See why the Goliath beetle became a symbol of rebirth for the Egyptian scarab.  Learn about celestial navigation by people and animals.  <br /></p> <p> Create Your Own Constellation!  Request Activity sheets for your classroom. <br /></p> <p> Submit your class constellations to our Student Gallery and be a part of your own school's online exhibition!</p> <p></p> <p><br /></p>
Deborah Stokes
73
 

The ART of AFRICAN TEXTILES

<p>African textiles have long served as communicative notations and expressions of identity.  An extraordinary array of weaving and dyeing fashioned into textiles  transforms into works of art.  Embedded in various textiles are symbolic patterns of rank and status, color codes, and embroidered symbols.  New forms are being added by the current digital generation through the vast fabric of data, information, and rapid communication systems.  We see contemporary cloth printed with cellphones, computers, and other devices making modern visual statements! </p>
Deborah Stokes
23
 

Black Panther Movie Collection

<p>The visual arts can be an entry point to literacy in the classroom.  Use these objects in the collection of the National Museum of African Art to aid students to explore authentic African art works that inspired the Academy Award winning costume design of Ruth Carter in the blockbuster movie<em> Black Panther.  </em>Students can develop visual vocabulary through close looking to describe mood, tone, atmosphere, and inference and explore cross-curricular and cross cultural connections.  It allows them to really be creative and critical thinkers!  </p><p>Learn more about distance learning opportunities from the National Museum of African Art by visiting the <a href="https://cilc.org/ContentProvider/ViewContentProvider.aspx?id=453" target="_blank">Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC)</a>.</p> <p>Keywords: NJPSA</p>
Deborah Stokes
89
 

Artful Animals: Elephant Conservation

<p>This student activity analyzes our relationship to African elephants by exploring their representation in African art, alongside the threats facing this vulnerable species. Includes art objects, photographs, articles (including one with an adjustable lexile-rating), reading comprehension questions, discussion questions, and opportunities to learn more.</p> <p>Tag: Africa</p> <p>This collection was created to support the 2016 CCSSO Teachers of the Year Day at the Smithsonian.</p>
Deborah Stokes
22
 

Artful Animals: Storytelling and Symbol

This student activity explores African animal symbolism through visual art and folktales. Twelve animals are profiled, including leopards, primates, spiders, chameleons, and the mythical chi wara. Includes objects, an audio folktale ('The Leopard’s Drum’), short answer questions, a creative writing exercise, and opportunities to learn more. Tag: Africa This collection was created to support the 2016 CCSSO Teachers of the Year Day at the Smithsonian.
Deborah Stokes
20
 

Slow Looking: Untitled, by El Anatsui

<p>In this collection, students will explore an artwork by El Anatsui, a contemporary artist whose recent work addresses global ideas about the environment, consumerism, and the social history and memory of the "stuff" of our lives. After looking closely and exploring the artwork using an adapted version of Project Zero's "Parts, Purposes, and Complexities" routine, students will create a "diamante" poem using their observations of the artwork and knowledge they gained about El Anatsui's artistic influences. Additional resources about El Anatsui, how to look at African Art, and Project Zero Thinking Routines are located at the end of the collection.</p> <p><em>This collection was created for the "Smithsonian Learning Lab, Focus on Global Arts and Humanities" session at the 2019 New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association (NJPSA) Arts Integration Leadership Institute. </em></p> <p>Keywords: nigeria, african art, textile, poetry, creative writing, analysis</p>
Deborah Stokes
20