The Project

Carole Whelan’s fifth grade curriculum connected The Migration Series to social studies, language arts, music and math. Students ultimately produced paintings that connected Jacob Lawrence’s masterpiece to students’ family histories and Harlem Renaissance jazz. They interviewed family members to learn how their ancestors arrived in America which became the subject of the students’ artwork.  Students appreciated Lawrence’s artistic choices and noted that he used many shades of brown to unify The Migration Series panels. Students voted to use tones of blue to unify their class “series”.