Life Expressions: West African Art in the Collection of the Seattle Art Museum. Art for the Individual. Art for the Community. Art for Gods and Spirits. Curriculum Resource Unit.

This teacher resource packet, which includes 20 color slides with a descriptive script and comprehensive lesson guide, aims at engaging students in a study of the people, art, and culture of several West African nations, including the countries of Cameroon, Ghana, Liberia, Mali, and Nigeria. The packet, designed for use by general classroom teachers of K-12 students but adaptable for independent use, presents images of West African art objects in the Seattle (Washington) Art Museum permanent collection. The multidisciplinary unit is organized in 4 sections: (1) "Art for the Individual"; (2) "Art for the Community"; (3) "Art for Gods and Spirits"; and (4) a supplementary section of activities especially suitable for K-2 students. Fourteen individual lessons, given in the 3 major instructional units, focus on a slide image or on provided student handouts and worksheets. Each lesson is outlined with a summary, a goal, and objectives and begins with information for the teacher to study and present. Suggested discussion questions follow. Student activities are suggested and reproducible handouts, including photographs, are given. A concluding section contains a slide list and bibliography. (MM)