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Hello,

 

My name is Tessa Garver-Daniels, and I serve as President of the West Virginia Art Education Association (WVAEA). I’m excited to share my Fasnacht lesson plan with you. I truly hope you enjoy using it with your students as much as I have—this lesson has been a joyful experience and a wonderful memory-maker in the classroom.

 

Before I discuss the lesson-sharing process, I’d like to provide some background on WVAEA’s Lesson Sharing Initiative.

 

Two years ago, during a WVAEA brainstorming session, we reflected on what we wanted our website to offer our members. Many excellent ideas emerged that day, and since then, we’ve been steadily bringing those ideas to life. You may have noticed our Book Club and our continued focus on advocacy and member support. However, one initiative that I am especially proud of is our lesson plan sharing project.

 

In reviewing art education journals, I’ve often noticed a lack of research and lesson plans that highlight our state or its cultural richness. West Virginia has a vibrant, active art scene, yet it is rarely represented in national conversations. Through this initiative—called the “Soot and Soil” Initiative—WVAEA aims to shine a spotlight on West Virginia’s artists, crafts, and cultural traditions.

 

The initiative has several components, including advocacy, and now, our lesson plan sharing platform is officially live.

 

We invite you to participate! This is an opportunity to share the creative, West Virginia–focused lessons you’ve developed that celebrate our state’s arts, crafts, and artists. By contributing, you’ll help us build a lesson plan collection that fosters cultural pride and highlights the artistic heritage of our region.

 

To help launch the initiative, I volunteered to be the first to submit a lesson and go through the full process—just as any member would. Using the WVAEA lesson plan template, I created my lesson and submitted it to Ellen for review. She provided thoughtful feedback and recommendations, which I incorporated before resubmitting for final approval.

 

I found the entire process to be straightforward, efficient, and even enjoyable. Writing the lesson plan took a few hours, and the review and revision process was completed within about two weeks. Taking the time to write out a detailed lesson reminded me how valuable it is to slow down and reflect on our teaching practices—it was a refreshing experience.

 

I encourage you to join me in this effort. Let’s continue to celebrate and elevate art education in West Virginia together.

 

Warm regards,

Tessa Garver-Daniels

President, West Virginia Art Education Association

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