Roz Chast, Cartoonist

Drawing From Life (Season One)

Overview

“I think it is really important to figure out what you love." - Roz Chast, The Thread

Roz Chast reflects on growing up as an anxious child of immigrants with overprotective parents and weird sense of humor influenced by cartoonist Charles Addams. Chast discusses the challenges of aging, the importance of pursuing what you love, and examines how storytelling emerges as away to make sense of life, connect with others, and express empathy.

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Lesson Objectives

Social Studies

*Explore the freedom of expression and of the press

*Discuss the role of art, and cartooning specifically, as social commentary

English Language Arts

*Inspire students to tell their own stories through cartooning

*Examine perspective taking from the point of view of one artist

*Explore the idea of purposeful work and a meaningful life

*Use Roz Chast’s episode as evidence to write a rhetorical argument, commentary, or synthesis essay

Social Emotional Learning: By offering engaging personal narratives, students can discuss and strengthen the five SEL competencies - self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.

Media Literacy: Students will practice media literacy skills by analyzing information, points of view, and claims made in The Thread and be able to translate these strategies with all forms of media to make more informed decisions.

First Take >

The "First Take" activity is a warm-up writing or conversation exercise created uniquely for The Thread to strengthen media literacy skills. Like an opening song in a musical, the first stanza of a poem, or even the first impression one person makes on another, the "First Take" asks students to reflect and share their initial thoughts and feelings about the episode’s opening and why the filmmaker and editor made these choicess.

Download Roz Chast's lesson to access the complete "First Take" activity.

The Thread Up Close >

After watching the interview, students will debrief and discuss the life story and engage in a close read and analysis of her interview using the "Drawing From Life" episode and transcript.

In the lesson, students will explore Chast's point of view as a coming-of-age story that is often not discussed.

Download the lesson to access "The Thread Up Close" activity.

"Drawing From Life" >

In this lesson students will analyze the title of this lesson as an entry point to explore their own choices of creative expression and perspective. Students are also invited to create their own cartoons.

Download the lesson to access the complete "Drawing From Life" activity.

Resources

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