Dear Body,
Dear Body is an eight week art-based workshop series integrating the ideas of positive self image as well as the therapeutic nature of crafting. We understand the complications of beginning conversations about body image with young children as it can be a difficult topic to talk about. Using crafting as the gateway to these conversations has been proven to us, a useful and exciting tool to use for talking about these ideas. Clay is our medium. Positive self-image is our message.
Instructional Design, Graphics and Presentation by Julie Vantrease, Instructional Design and curriculum written in collaboration with Laiqa Mannan and Ana Holschuh
Dear Body,
Throughout our workshop series, we were joined by Suna and Paloma, two sisters in middle and elementary school. As we were trying to open up conversations about body positivity from a young age, we felt that it was essential to collaborate with school-aged children from the inception of the project. Each workshop built on the previous one, and led to the final creation of a claymation with our 3D self-portraits.
Workshop Structure
We designed the Dear Body, workshop series to take place within a 8-week period supplying teaching artists and students with a set of 90 minute lesson plans, mindfulness exercises, and reflection activities. Dear Body, is an arts-based workshop focused on using clay as a method to communicate feelings regarding body image. Each week of the workshop series has a theme as designated below.
We developed Lesson Plans outlining each 90 minute workshop.
Workshop 1 - Intro to Project
Workshop 2 - What is Body Positivity?
Workshop 3 - My Personal Shield
Workshop 4 - Give a Compliment
Workshop 5 - Self-Care Wheel
Workshop 6 - Personal Affirmations
Workshop 7 - Storyboarding
Workshop 8 - Telling a Story
Worksheet Design
We designed a series of worksheets and learning materials to be used as part of the Dear Body, workshop series. One designated themed activity for each week of the workshop as well as a personal reflection page acting as a free writing space.
A Mindfulness exercise worksheets were created as a precursor to the main clay sculpting activity.
Personal reflection sheets were created specifically themed to that week’s workshop topic.
My Personal Shield
Dear Body, in Practice
We took the Dear Body, workshop series to the WIN (Women in Need) shelter in Brooklyn, New York to a group of students aged 5-16. We led the group through an icebreaker, mindfulness activity, and various art supplies in order to lead a lesson focused on body image.
