Center Focus

Columbus Portraits

  1. For this center, you will need pictures of many different portraits of Columbus. These can be found in almost any book or Web article about Columbus. They will also need some art supplies for drawing a portrait of Columbus.
  2. There are no known portraits of Columbus--pictures that are found are just depictions based on recorded descriptions. Have your students consider the different pictures you provide and the different characteristics / features they represent. They should notice how show him in a good light and others depict the opposite.
  3. Have your students create their own "portrait" of Columbus based on what they glean from the ones they have seen and the information they have about his personality, attitude, and seafaring practices. They should be able to express the way they feel about him through their portrait.
  4. When the center activity has been completed by all students, have the class look at each other's paintings and decide what each portrait shows.