Procedure:

1. Discussion: What is the difference between a taste and a bias?

Define what taste and bias mean.
Discuss the similarities and differences between tastes and biases.

Bias n. a. A preference or an inclination, especially one that inhibits impartial judgment. b. An unfair act or policy stemming from prejudice.

Taste n. A personal preference or liking.

2. Establish ground rules to build a safe environment for discussion. Use the handout Ground Rules for Taste and Bias Discussion.

3. Warm-up Word Association:
Create a list of words and phrases ahead of class time. Please keep students’ interests in mind as you create your list. We suggest using words from different categories such as, foods: broccoli, ice cream; hairstyles: ponytails, dreadlocks; accessories: Gucci purse, high-tops; cars: SUV, Ford Focus, Mustang; phrases like: someone wearing all black, someone wearing all white, etc.

Explain to students they should list the first things that come to mind as they hear each word. Call out the list of words you created quickly.

4. Students share their responses and discuss:
Reasons why they made their associations.
Whether their associations are personal tastes or biases.

5. Musical Tastes & Biases: In this step, students identify what they like and dislike, how they judge music to be good and bad, and why they have certain opinions. Students should choose two musicians or bands—one that they like and one that they dislike—and then make a Brainstorming Web for each. Instruct them to write out all of the things they know about the music—their likes, dislikes, and assumptions. Use the Musical Tastes and Biases Handout to identify, list, and clarify students’ thoughts.

6. Students present their Webs and explain their answers. Encourage them to explain ideas more fully when their answers are unclear.

7. Students examine their Webs and pick out which statements are tastes and which are biases, creating two lists on page three of the handout.

8. Use the Art Tastes and Biases Handout to repeat the Brainstorming Web activity from above for two visual artworks. Use Andy Warhol’s Brillo Boxes and another visual piece of your choice.

9. Students present their visual art Webs and discuss individual ideas.

10. Students use the Webs to create individual lists of art tastes and biases on the third page of the handout. It may be useful for them to keep this list and refer to it throughout the rest of the unit.

11. Discuss the similarities and differences between personal tastes and biases.
Have your students comment on how tastes and biases might affect a critic’s response.

Student Samples:
PDF of Student Work

Teacher Adaptations:
Barb Schurman adapted the Warhol’s original curriculum to give each student a printed version of the Ground Rules for Taste and Bias Discussion. Because of her feedback, we have created this handout on the site.