One’s Right To Vote!

"One's Right To Vote!" can be tailored for grades 6 to University. Adjustments need only be made in the amount of research, the level of the summary paper, artist statement, and final artwork to meet the IRP outcomes and grade requirements. For the final artwork for grades 6 to 8 the final product can be 8" x 10". Grades 9 to 10 the final product can be 16" x 24". For grades 11 and 12 a final artwork of 2' x 3' and for university a final artwork of 3' x 4'.

 

Although this assignment has been developed for the Visual Arts it can be incorporated across the curriculum - English, History, Social Studies, Social Justice, and Drama (with a mock trial production), by changing the "artist statement" to a "personal statement" or "vision statement". Essays become the final product or posters rather than pieces of art. For drama a production is written and either a video or play will be the final outcome of the assignment.

 

There is a vast wealth of information regarding this topic and parameters need to be established for research in order for the student to spend only an hour or two maximum on this task. The main focus of this assignment is to develop a strong personal philosophy on this topic in order to become a strong member of the "artists as activists" organization established in the classroom and ultimately to create a strong visual statement on one's right to vote.

 

I want to acknowledge the email that is being circulated regarding "Remember the Municipal and Provincial Elections are just around the corner" - subject: "Why Women Must Vote". It stirred me to action to develop this webquest as I was already into my research on a topic of "Artist's against Violence" when I received this email. It noted the violence that the women endured in 1917 in the US called the 'Night of Terror' when they picketed the White House asking for the right to vote and thirty-three women were arrested for "obstructing sidewalk traffic" - some women died for the cause that night. This brought me here, to do my own research on Canada's history and I have found that even though 90 years is being celebrated of women's triumph for equality through the right to vote in Canada this year, it was not until 1960 that all women in Canada were able to exercise their right to vote. Through discussions in class I have become aware that some Aboriginal women are still looking for what is right for them regarding this issue. That there are many Canadian women, of all heritages, that are searching for answers regarding their social responsibility. As an artist, as a woman, I am engaging in the dialogue. As a teacher, I am teaching what I have learned in order to continue the dialogue and provide an opportunity through this webquest for those who I have the great fortune to cross paths with, to further engage with them, and learn with them regarding this social justice and responsibility issue - one's right to vote.

 

I want to thank all those who have developed websites regarding this issue in order for me to complete my research and form my own statement regarding my right to vote. I also want to thank the artists for their images that support my words in this webquest. Their art provides the visual literacy that this project is designed to develop in classroom artists.  I also want to thank my colleague, Kim Petersen for his thoughtful and respectful evaluation of my webquest.  I have used his feedback to strengthen this webquest.  I have also included one of my images, my philosophy on life, a metaphor of the female form, on “about the author” page.

 

Note: the url's noted throughout this website will have to be cut and paste into a Google search as this site does not allow me to load these files. As well I have a large document of websites on this subject and would be happy to share them with you.

 

Image on Evaluation page from: National Archives of Canada/C000051 http://www.heroines.ca/gallery/inuit6.html

 

Image for this page from: http://www.heroines.ca/celebrate/historymonth.html