Kara Walker: Exploring Silhouettes & Stories

In this ARTicle, second-grade students used materials provided by Artmosphere to create their own personal or imaginary stories in the style of Kara Walker’s iconic silhouettes. This lesson plan, designed as part of Artmosphere’s educational resource initiative, includes guided instructions, discussion prompts, and a corresponding PowerPoint presentation to support educators in facilitating the activity. The ARTicle encourages creativity, critical thinking, and an exploration of contemporary art in a way that’s both accessible and engaging for young learners. By studying Kara Walker’s work, students learn how the artist uses stark silhouettes to address powerful themes of race, identity, and social justice, while also experimenting with technique and storytelling to communicate complex ideas through visual art.