Wall Voices Lesson Plan Wall Voices
Lesson Plan
Community Muralism & Social Justice
Grades 9-12
Est. Time: 90-120 Min
Objectives
Analyze murals as visual rhetoric and advocacy tools.
Connect Camden's history and identity to public art.
Design a mural that addresses a social justice issue.
Materials
• Wall Voices Slides
• Camden Canvas Worksheet
• Mural Blueprint Activity
• Art/Sketching supplies
Key Concepts
Visual Rhetoric, Community Advocacy, Symbolism, Reclamation, Site-Specificity.
Procedure
01
Introduction (15 min)
Show Slides. Discuss the purpose of public art. Ask: How can a mural reclaim a forgotten space?
02
Context (25 min)
Use Camden Canvas Worksheet . Analyze Camden's industrial past and present resilience through local art examples.
03
Rhetoric Workshop (20 min)
Deep dive into symbolism. How do scale and color transform a message? Discuss "visual volume."
04
Mural Design (40-60 min)
Students complete Mural Blueprint . They sketch a design and write an Artist Statement explaining their advocacy goal.
Teacher Background: The Camden Scene
Camden’s industrial history (RCA, Campbell’s) is mirrored in its murals. Educators should focus on "grassroots" murals—often found in neighborhoods rather than the waterfront—as they often contain the most direct social justice messaging.
Key Tip: Many Camden murals address environmental justice, reflecting the city's struggle with industrial sites and the push for cleaner neighborhood parks.
Differentiation
Support
Provide pre-selected symbols for students who struggle with abstraction.
Extension
Students research city ordinances for public art permits.
Assessment
Evaluate the final blueprint on:
Clarity of social justice message.
Intentional use of color/scale.
Connection to Camden's local identity.
Depth of advocacy plan.
Unit: Urban Art Advocacy Page 2 of 2
Wall Voices Slides Wall Voices
Public Art & Social Justice in Camden
What is Public Art?
"Public art is not just art in public places. It is art that responds to its environment and its community."
Accessible to everyone.
Reflects collective memory.
Art for the
History
Muralism as Activism
Amplification
Making private struggles public and impossible to ignore.
Reclamation
Taking back spaces from disinvestment or neglect.
Pride
Honoring local heroes and everyday resilience.
Case Study: Camden
NJ Roots
Industrial Legacy
RCA Victor, Campbell’s Soup, New York Ship. Symbols of global power.
The Struggle
Loss of jobs and population led to physical and visual decay.
The Rebirth
Art projects reclaiming vacant lots and gray walls with color.
Visual Rhetoric
1
Symbolism
A fist, a flower, a factory: icons for complex ideas.
2
Color Theory
Warm vs. cool tones to shift the viewer's mood.
3
Scale
Making the small massive is an act of empowerment.
"Art is not a mirror held up to reality, but a hammer with which to shape it."
— Bertolt Brecht
Your Turn
Design a mural concept that honors Camden's roots while demanding a better future.
Design. Advocate. Create.
Camden Canvas Worksheet Camden Canvas
Public Art Analysis
Name:
Date:
Part 1: Camden's Identity
Landmark / Moment
Symbolic Representation (Why?)
Part 2: Visual Rhetoric
1. Scale & Size
How does massive scale change the rhetorical power of a subject?
2. Juxtaposition
How does art transform the meaning of an industrial or abandoned space?
3. Site Specificity
How does a neighborhood's context change the message of its public art?
Part 3: Advocacy Brainstorm
Identify a social justice issue in Camden and explain one symbol you would use to represent it.
Project Milestone
Your response in Part 3 will serve as the foundation for your Mural Blueprint project. Choose an issue you are passionate about!
Camden Mural Project
Worksheet 1.1
Mural Blueprint Activity Mural Blueprint
Artist Name
Advocacy Theme
Camden Location
Project Specs
• Use at least 2 symbols from Camden's local history.
• Justify your color palette (Warm vs. Cool).
• Consider site-specific details (windows, textures).
Visual Design Area
Ground / Public Walkway
Artist Statement
The Mission
Identify the social justice issue and explain how your mural acts as a community microphone for this cause.
Visual Logic
How do your choices in color, scale, and placement influence your target audience?
Public Advocacy Goal
What specific change do you want to see in Camden as a result of this artwork?
Document ID: CAM-MRL-FINAL-V2
City Advocacy Project Template
