Not all technology is digital. Teach learners about the low-tech maker movement with a photo essay about six artisans from California and two articles about the local creator movement. After tackling the photo essay in small groups, middle or high schoolers reflect through discussion and writing.

Concepts

creativity, producers, consumers, artists, sustainability

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Join forces with an art teacher to add a hands-on element
• Expand by sharing resources about the high-tech maker movement (3D printing, hacking, etc)
• Take the lesson outside the classroom; have scholars find and document the work of local artisans
• Have the class explore online artistan marketplaces (e.g. Etsy) to get a sense of the wide variety of craftsmanship still happening around the world
• Lesson plan suggests either distributing the articles linked at the bottom of the resource or giving your own summary of the maker movement - do both

Classroom Considerations

• Those that aren't artistic may not be drawn to this topic; show them that creating isn't just about being artistic, but can also be about making or engineering useful tools

Pros

• Thoughtful discussion questions show the relationship between local craftsmanship, broader economic forces, and cultural sustainability

Cons

• None

Common Core

SL.9-10.1.a SL.11-12.1.a