This is remixed from it's original author, Andrea Yarbough. I do an extensive Black History Month unit and project with my students, and this activity is a great introduction to that unit. The historical perspective of the image, as well as the racial references within the image help establish background knowledge and open communication. The instructional guidelines as written by the original author have not been changed, simply the artwork chosen and the Analysis Worksheet.

Visual literacy is a key component of ensuring our students are able to engage thoughtfully and meaningfully with the world around them. Incorporating visual art into literacy instruction not only broadens our students' understanding of art and what it means to "read," but it also has the added benefit of providing differentiated instruction by targeting students who are visual learners.

This lesson provides an interactive and movement-based introductory to close-reading skills and allows students to make connections across genres and mediums. Using this activity as an introductory to close-reading of literary texts will provide students with a foundational reference for understanding how and why even the smallest of details becomes important in shaping a larger narrative. Teachers can refer back to this activity when conducting close-reading of literary passages to activate their prior knowledge of the skill.