Labor and Expression invites students to explore how creative expression emerges from lived experience, labor, and community history. Grounded in Ethnic Studies and culturally sustaining pedagogy, this lesson helps students understand expression not only as art, but as a core human need shaped by power, privilege, and resistance.
Designed for grades 7–10, this 90-minute lesson blends media literacy, visual analysis, research, and reflective writing. The lesson begins with music by a Washington State Latine artist and a collective discussion defining expression as the act of making thoughts, desires, and experiences visible (see pages 1–2). Students brainstorm forms of expression and examine how culture, labor, and environment influence artistic production.
Educators guide students through a rhythmanalysis of visual art, analyzing space, time, energy, and power to uncover the rhythms shaping an artist’s work (pages 3–4). Students then conduct independent research on a Washington State Latina/o/e artist of their choice, using guided online research strategies and a graphic organizer to deepen understanding of local cultural production.
The lesson concludes with reflective journaling and small-group sharing, encouraging students to consider how they express themselves, what forms of expression resonate with them, and how art can function as both personal storytelling and collective resistance.
What’s Included
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Full lesson plan with pacing and educator guidance
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Slide deck featuring Washington State Latine artists
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Guided rhythmanalysis framework (space, time, energy, power)
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Research activity with graphic organizer
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Reflection and discussion prompts
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Alignment with WAESN Elements of Liberation, WA State Social Studies Standards, and C3 Framework
Why Educators Use This Lesson
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Centers local Washington State Latine artists and histories
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Connects labor, identity, and expression in meaningful ways
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Builds research, media literacy, and analytical skills
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Encourages student voice without requiring disclosure
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High engagement with flexible implementation options
This lesson is ideal for educators seeking secondary Ethnic Studies curriculum that meaningfully integrates labor history, artistic expression, and Washington State Latinx perspectives while honoring students’ creativity and lived experiences.