Building a Collection

“I discover stuff every time I look at them.”
—Cheech Marin

LESSON OVERVIEW

In this lesson, students view the Cheech Marin/Chicano Art segment of Craft in America: Collectors. They learn about The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art and Culture in Riverside, California named for collector and entertainer Cheech Marin that houses his extensive collection of Chicano art. After examining examples of Chicano art, students explore the world of collecting, considering what kinds of things are collected and why, what students themselves may currently collect, and what kind of collection they might imagine owning. To practice collecting, researching, and presenting, students work in small groups to make a “mini museum” of common items discovered and gathered in the classroom. They apply criteria to determine their choices, research facts about their collection, and decide on plans for presentation. Students carefully label and present their mini museums on a desktop or other designated space and visit each group’s museum. Next, students repeat the same steps to create a collection of their choice for a more deeply considered museum of objects, as represented by images found online. Their final mini-museums are presented and displayed during an opening event.

Estimated Time: five class periods

Grade Level: 9–12

Craft In America Theme/Episode: COLLECTORS