Chicago Artists in the 1960s and ’70s used design to create powerful slogans, symbols, and imagery to amplify their visions for social change. This learning guide encourages deeper exploration into the exhibition themes of racism, war, gender inequality, and LGBTQIA+ discrimination and encourages students to use their own art and ideas to uphold the city’s rich legacy of protest art to fight for social change.
The learning guide contains field trip supports, student articles related to the main section of the exhibition, and art making activities. The image packet is available as a separate download. To make printing easier, options to download specific student handouts are available below. All student handouts are in English and Spanish.
Download the full Learning Guide (PDF). This PDF includes all teacher information and instructions and all student readings and activities.
Field Trip
If you are able to visit the Chicago History Museum on a field trip, incorporate one of the following activities to help your students engage with the exhibition. All activities are in both English and Spanish.
3-1-2 Graphic Organizer. Encourage your students to explore the entire exhibition, and respond to the artworks, topics, and artists along the way with this graphic organizer. Download 3-1-2 Graphic Organizer (PDF)
Historical Head. Consider the thoughts, motivations, and goals of the organizations and people in the Designing for Change: Chicago Protest Art of the 1960s-70s exhibition by filling a head with their ideas! Back in the classroom use the completed heads to have a classroom discussion. Download Historical Head (PDF)
Gallery Explorer. The Designing for Change and Facing Freedom exhibitions both examine social justice issues in the United States. Use this graphic organizer to help students explore both spaces and consider the how people advocate for themselves and others. Download Gallery Explorer (PDF)
Student Articles
Based on the exhibition, labels and catalog, these five articles provide context and introduce the movements, ideas, and artists featured in the exhibition. Articles are available in both English and Spanish. If you are unable to visit the exhibition in person, these articles can serve as the entry point to the content and to the arts making activities featured in the Learning Guide.
- The Chicago Freedom Movement and Art for Fair Housing: English (PDF) / Spanish (PDF)
- Say it Loud: Black Art for Black Power: English (PDF) / Spanish (PDF)
- Stop the War: Chicagoans Protests the Vietnam War with Art: English (PDF) / Spanish (PDF)
- Women Organize for Change: English (PDF) / Spanish (PDF)
- Creating a Community: Chicago’s LGBTQIA+ Rights Organizations: English (PDF) / Spanish (PDF)
Image Packet
Explore some of the photographs and images featured in the student articles and exhibition and use them to further develop and support your classroom instruction. Download Image Packet (PDF)
Art Making
Students can be artivists too! Engage your students in making buttons, zines, or prints to express their ideas for social change. Kick off their art making with this student planner, in both English and Spanish. Download Art Making planner (PDF)