Lessons & Units :: Frida Kahlo: The Artist Who Painted Herself 3rd Grade Unit

Read-Aloud Lesson: Frida Kahlo: The Artist Who Painted Herself

Lesson Plan

Frida Kahlo: The Artist Who Painted Herself

Frida Kahlo: The Artist Who Painted Herself
Learning Goal
Identify major events in Frida Kahlo’s life and distinguishing characteristics of her art in order to discuss the relationship between her life and her art.
Necessary Materials
Provided:
  1. Detailed lesson plan
  2. Graphic organizer for guided practice
  3. Independent student worksheet

Not Provided:
Frida Kahlo: The Artist Who Painted Herself
 
  1. This lesson is a close reading of the entire text. So it’s important to engage students often, to enhance their learning. Here are two tips:

    •   When you ask the more complex questions from the lesson, ask students to “turn-and-talk” or “buddy-talk” before answering.

    •   Once you are deep into the lesson, instead of asking students every question provided, ask them to share with you what questions they should be asking themselves at that point in the text. This is also a great opportunity to use "turn-and-talk."
       
  2. Suggested teacher language is included in the lesson.

  3. We recommend you read the book once to your students, either the day or morning before teaching the lesson.

  4. This research-based, read-aloud lesson may seem long. Why do students need the lesson to be this way?
 

Part 1: Teacher Modeling and Questioning

 
Most of Frida Kahlo: The Artist Who Painted Herself is written as a book report. On some pages the main text is accompanied by supplementary text in a different font. We suggest that you read the main text before the supplementary text on pages where both appear.
 

Write the following student-friendly learning goal on the board, then read the learning goal out loud with the class:

We will identify important events in Frida Kahlo’s life. We will also describe her paintings. Then we will discuss connections between her life and her paintings.

 
Transition Students into the Text
 
Show students the photograph of Frida Kahlo on page 27. (Page 27 begins, “Frida was so brave.”)
 
Teacher says: The woman in this photo is Frida Kahlo. She was an artist, and in the photograph you can see many pictures hanging by her bed. This book is going to tell us more about Frida and the kind of art she made.
 
Read page 1 out loud. Page 1 is the note, “From the desk of Ms. Brandt.”
1.
Teacher asks: To whom is Ms. Brandt writing a note?
 
Students answer: Ms. Brandt is writing a note to her class.
2.
Teacher asks: What unit is almost over for Ms. Brandt’s class?
 
Students answer: The class’s unit on famous artists is almost over.
3.
Teacher asks: What is Ms. Brandt excited to read?
 
Students answer: Ms. Brandt is excited to read her class’s reports.
4.
Teacher says (models thinking): Let’s make sure we understand what’s going on in the book. We know that a woman named Ms. Brandt has written a note to her class stating that their unit on famous artists is almost over. Therefore, I am going to conclude that Ms. Brandt is a teacher. Ms. Brandt also writes that she is excited to read her class’s reports. This statement of hers makes me think that she has assigned her class reports on the famous artists they have been studying. Let’s read on to find out whether the conclusions I have come to are correct.
 
Read page 3 AND THEN page 2. Page 2 contains a single sentence: “This costume was one of Frida’s favorites.” Show students the accompanying illustrations. If possible, always show students the illustrations on the pages you read throughout the lesson.
5.
Teacher asks: The first page of the book was a note from Ms. Brandt to her class. Now the story is being told in a different voice, by a different narrator. Who is telling the story now?
 
Students answer: A girl named Frieda is telling the story now.
6.
Teacher asks: Which artist has the girl named Frieda chosen for her report?
 
Students answer: She has chosen Frida Kahlo.
7.
Teacher asks: What is the difference between the way Frieda the girl spells her name and the way Frida the artist spelled hers?
 
Students answer: Frieda the girl spells her name with an “ie,” and Frida the artist spelled hers with an “i.”
8.
Teacher says (models thinking): We read that Frieda the girl picked Frida Kahlo as an artist for her report. I remember from the first page of the book that Ms. Brandt was looking forward to reading her class’s reports on famous artists. Based on these two pieces of information, I am going to conclude that Frieda the girl is a student in Ms. Brandt’s class who is writing a report for Ms. Brandt. The report is about a famous artist named Frida Kahlo. Let’s keep reading to learn more about Frida Kahlo.
Read more
 
Read pages 4 and 5. Page 5 ends with, “...on her fingers.”
9.
Teacher asks: What are the paintings that Frida did of herself called?
 
Students answer: They are called self-portraits.
10.
Teacher asks (displaying picture on page 4): Describe what Frida looked like in her self-portraits. Think about the details stated in the book as well as what you see in this picture.
 
Students answer: Responses may vary, as long as they reflect the text and picture. For example:
  • Frida wore bright-colored ribbons and flowers in hair hair.
  • Frida’s hair was in braids.
  • Frida wore rings on her fingers.
  • Frida never smiled.
11.
Teacher asks: Frida Kahlo never smiled in her paintings. According to the book, why might Frida never have smiled in her paintings?
 
Students answer: Frida might not have smiled in her paintings because she had bad teeth.
 
Read pages 6 and 7. Page 7 ends with, “...have a beard!”
12.
Teacher asks: Where was Frida Kahlo born?
 
Students answer: Frida was born in Mexico.
13.
Teacher asks: Frida Kahlo’s family lived in a house called the Casa Azul. What does Casa Azul mean?
 
Students answer: Casa Azul means “Blue House.”
 
Read pages 8-10. Page 10 ends with, “...pictures of herself.”
14.
Teacher asks: Why did Frida Kahlo have to stay in bed for a long time when she was eighteen?
 
Students answer: Frida got hurt in a bus accident.
15.
Teacher asks: What did Frida’s mother give her one day?
 
Students answer: Responses should include both of the following:
  • Frida’s mother gave her paints.
  • Frida’s mother gave her brushes.
16.
Teacher says: Frida’s mother put a big mirror in the canopy over Frida’s bed. Some beds have posts at their corners and a cloth that stretches across the top. The cloth on top is called a canopy. With a mirror placed in the canopy, Frida could look up from where she was lying and see her face.
17.
Teacher asks: What did Frida start doing in bed?
 
Students answer: Frida started painting pictures of herself.
18.
Teacher asks: Had Frida ever thought about painting before?
 
Students answer: No, Frida had never thought about painting before.
19.
Teacher asks: If Frida had never thought about painting before, why might she have started painting when she was eighteen? Support your answer with evidence from the book.
 
Students answer: Responses may vary, as long as they are supported by the book. For example:
  • Frida might have started painting when she was eighteen because she was stuck in bed and needed a way to pass the time.
  • Frida might have started painting when she was eighteen because her mother brought her paints and brushes, and put a mirror in the canopy over her bed.
 
Read pages 11-13. Page 13 ends with, “...in her painting.”
20.
Teacher asks: Frida spent two years at home recovering from the bus accident. After she got better, she took her paintings to someone. Whom did she take her paintings to?
 
Students answer (responses may vary but should resemble the following):
  • Frida took her paintings to Diego Rivera.
  • Frida took her paintings to the man who painted the big picture at her school.
21.
Teacher asks: What did Diego Rivera say when he saw Frida’s painting of herself in a velvet dress?
 
Students answer: He said, “It’s original.”
22.
Teacher asks (displaying illustration on page 12): Here is the painting that Diego was talking about. What did he mean when he said it was original?
 
Students answer: He meant that Frida hadn’t copied another artist’s way of doing a painting.
23.
Teacher asks: What did Frida and Diego do two years after Frida first showed him her paintings?
 
Students answer: Frida and Diego got married.
 
Read pages 14 and 15. Page 15 ends with, “...coming out of a tree.”
24.
Teacher asks: According to the narrator, what do Frida’s paintings sometimes look like?
 
Students answer: Frida’s paintings sometimes look like weird dreams.
25.
Teacher asks: What did Frida say she painted?
 
Students answer: Frida said she painted what she saw.
26.
Teacher asks (displaying painting on page 15): Look at this painting by Frida. Does it look like a weird dream or like something a person might have actually seen? Explain your answer.
 
Students answer: Responses may vary, as long as students explain their answers. For example, students may respond that the painting looks like a weird dream because it shows a man growing out of tree, which is something strange that you might see in a dream but not in real life. Conversely, students may respond that the painting looks like something a person might have seen in his or her imagination while awake.
 
Read page 16. Page 16 ends with, “...took a boat home.”
27.
Teacher asks: Where did Frida and Diego go after leaving San Francisco?
 
Students answer: Both of the following responses are acceptable. Make sure at least the first is given before moving on.
  • Frida and Diego went to New York.
  • Frida and Diego went to Detroit.
28.
Teacher asks: What did Frida miss while she was living in New York and Detroit?
 
Students answer: Frida missed home.
29.
Teacher asks (displaying picture on page 16): Here is a picture of a painting Frida completed while living in New York. The name of the painting is My Dress Hangs Here. Describe what you see in the painting.
 
Students answer: Responses may vary, as long as they reflect the painting. For example:
  • There is a red and green dress hanging from a blue string in the painting.
  • There is a toilet on top of a column in the painting.
  • There are big buildings with lots of windows in the painting.
30.
Teacher asks: In many of the paintings we have seen by Frida, she includes herself in the picture. However, she is not in this painting, even though her dress is. Why might Frida not have included herself in this painting? Support your answer with evidence from the book.
 
Students answer: Responses may vary, as long as they are supported by the book. For example, students may respond that Frida might not have included herself in this painting to show that she did not feel at home in New York. The book states that Frida missed her home while she was living in New York and Detroit.
31.
Teacher says: Remember that part of our lesson goal is to discuss the connections between Frida’s life and her art. This painting is an example of one of those connections. Frida was living in New York in real life, and this painting gives us an idea of how she felt about being there.
 
Read page 17. Page 17 ends with, “...Paris, France."
32.
Teacher asks: Frida visited Paris and met a famous painter named Pablo Picasso. What did Pablo Picasso give her?
 
Students answer: Pablo Picasso gave her clay earrings in the shape of hands.
33.
Teacher asks (displaying painting on page 17): Where might the hand earring in this painting have come from? Support your answer with evidence from the book.
 
Students answer: The hand earring might have come from Pablo Picasso. He gave Frida clay earrings in the shape of hands.
34.
Teacher says: The hand earring in this painting is another example of a connection between Frida’s art and her life. Frida was given a pair of hand earrings in real life, and she seems to have included one of the earrings in this painting.
 
Read pages 18 and 19. Page 19 ends with, “...visit it.”
35.
Teacher asks: Where did Frida and Diego move in 1941?
 
Students answer: Frida and Diego moved to the Blue House.
36.
Teacher asks: What did we learn about the Blue House, or Casa Azul, at the beginning of the story?
 
Students answer: Responses may vary, as long as they reflect the text. At minimum, students should be able to recall that the Blue House was where Frida’s family lived when she was young.
 
Read pages 20-24. Page 24 ends with, “...a real heart.”
37.
Teacher says: Frida had to wear a brace or corset for most her life. A corset is a piece of clothing that fits tightly around a woman’s middle and helps support her body.
38.
Teacher asks: What else did Frida keep wearing?
 
Students answer: Frida kept wearing long skirts.
39.
Teacher asks: What is Frida wearing in this portrait of herself?
 
Students answer: Responses may vary but should recognize that Frida is wearing a long skirt.
40.
Teacher says: The skirt in Frida’s painting is another reminder of how events in her life may have affected her art. The bus accident led to Frida wearing a brace or a corset most of her life. She probably chose to wear long skirts as a way of covering up the brace or corset. As a result, we see her wearing these skirts in her self-portraits.
 
Read pages 25-27. Page 27 ends with, “...just like a painting.”
41.
Teacher asks (displaying photo on page 27): The narrator states that Frida Kahlo “always looked just like a painting.” Examine this photo of Frida as you think about that statement. Does Frida look like a painting here? Why or why not?
 
Students answer: Responses may vary, as long as they are explained. For example, students may respond that Frida does look like a painting. She has flowers in her hair and is wearing an interesting dress, as she does in many of her self-portraits. Conversely, students may respond that Frida looks like a real person, not a painting. She is holding a cigarette, which she does not do in her paintings (at least those shown in this book), and her body parts are in proportion to each other. In a painting like the self-portrait of her in a velvet dress, some of Frida’s body parts are disproportionately large or long.
 
Read pages 28-29. Page 29 ends with, “VIVA LA FRIDA!”
42.
Teacher asks: How does the narrator describe Frida’s paintings?
 
Students answer: Responses may vary, as long as they reflect the text. For example:
  • The narrator notes that Frida’s paintings are all different.
  • The narrator describes some of Frida’s paintings as strange.
43.
Teacher asks: How would you describe Frida’s paintings? Think about the examples you have seen in this book and be sure to explain your answer.
 
Students answer: Responses may vary, as long as students support their answers. For example, students may describe Frida’s paintings as creative. They sometimes show things you would never see in real life, like a person growing out of a tree.
 
Finish reading the book.
 

Part 2: Guided Practice and Discussion

 
For this oral lesson, it is suggested to have the completed graphic organizer on the board with the answers concealed. After students provide a correct answer, reveal the corresponding answer on the graphic organizer. In many of the fields more than one correct answer is possible. Most of the answers provided on the completed graphic organizer are meant to serve as examples, not definitive responses.
1.
Teacher asks: What major event happened to Frida Kahlo when she was eighteen?
 
Students answer: Frida got hurt in a bus accident when she was eighteen.
2.
Teacher asks: After Frida got better, she showed her paintings to a man she would later marry. Whom did she show her paintings to?
 
Students answer: She showed her paintings to Diego Rivera.
3.
Teacher asks: Frida and Diego eventually moved to New York. What did Frida miss while she was living in New York?
 
Students answer: Frida missed home.
4.
Teacher asks: Frida went to Paris, where she met a famous painter. Who was the famous painter she met in Paris?
 
Students answer: Pablo Picasso was the famous painter Frida met in Paris.
5.
Teacher asks: What is the name of the house where Frida and Diego moved in 1941?
 
Students answer: Frida and Diego moved to the Blue House in 1941.
Read more
6.
Teacher asks: The characteristics of something are the qualities or features that make it recognizable. For example, some characteristics of fire are that it is orange, hot, and can spread quickly. What are some characteristics of Frida’s paintings? What qualities or details do you see in them again and again?
 
Students answer: Responses may vary but should have a basis in the book and its images. Students may identify such characteristics as self-portraiture, an unsmiling expression, long skirts, jewelry, a strange or dreamlike quality, and so on.
7.
Teacher asks: What are some connections between Frida’s life and her art?
 
Students answer: Responses may vary but should have a basis in the book. Students may identify such connections as the bus accident that led to Frida taking up painting, the homesickness in New York that may have prompted her to leave herself out of My Dress Hangs Here, the gift of hand earrings from Picasso that made its way into a painting, bad teeth that may explain Frida’s unsmiling expressions in her self-portraits, the bus accident that may explain the many long skirts in Frida’s self-portraits, and so on.
 
After the answers for the graphic organizer have been completed and discussed with the class, ask the following two extension questions.
 
Teacher asks: Imagine that someone who did not know anything about Frida Kahlo’s life saw her paintings. Would that person still be able to enjoy those paintings? Why or why not?
 
Students answer: Responses may vary, as long as they are explained. For example, students may respond that a person who did not know anything about Frida Kahlo’s life could still enjoy her paintings. They are beautiful, strange, and fascinating, whether a person knows their backstory or not. On the other hand, students may respond that a person who did not know anything about Frida Kahlo’s life might not be able enjoy her paintings. That person might be confused by how weird they are and get frustrated by not being able to understand them.
 
Teacher asks: Is it important to know about an artist’s life before looking at his or her art? Explain why or why not, supporting your answer with evidence from the book.
 
Students answer: Responses may vary, as long as they are supported by the book. For instance, students may respond that knowing about an artist’s life before looking at his or her art is not important. The art itself should include everything a person needs to understand and enjoy it. Students may cite Frida’s Viva la Vida painting of watermelons as an example of a picture that a person can look at and enjoy without knowing anything about the artist. Conversely, students may respond that knowing about an artist’s life before looking at his or her art is important because it helps a person understand the art itself. For example, knowing that Frida missed home while living in New York could help a person understand why Frida did not include herself in My Dress Hangs Here.
 

Part 3: Student Independent Practice

 
Both the student question set and teacher answer sheet are provided in the 'Text & Materials' section.

Texts & Materials

Standards Alignment

(To see all of the ReadWorks lessons aligned to your standards, click here.)

User Comments

Looks great! I love this artist and it gives me one more additional resource to use while engaging in students to the work of important artists. It also does so in a way which allows students to learn and master the standards associated with their grade level.

Submitted by monarca136_2644235 on 2/16/17

Thanks for culturing our students!

Submitted by zaragozase on 11/2/16

Great resource...I'm going to pick up the copy of the book this afternoon at my local library.

Submitted by sarah.miller_1459621 on 10/31/16

enjoy the lessons.

Submitted by lhatton on 3/5/15