Art Through the Ages

HOW IT WORKS
Art Through the Ages is a multimedia study of poetry and art. In this  program, children are introduced to various artists from the Renaissance through Modern Art periods. Visiting related websites and online museums enable the children to research the biographies of these artists and their works. In addition to standard art books and other library materials, CD-ROM encyclopedias provide the students with useful information.

A cooperative learning setting is the focus of this program. The work of a particular artist is introduced with the reading of a book highlighting his/her life. Using laptop computers, the children visit sites where they are able to further study the details of the featured work. After analyzing the painting, the use of different media helps students to develop an original work in the style of the artist being studied. Searches are then made in anthologies and on the Internet for an appropriate poem that highlights the theme of the artwork. For example, an intensive study is done using Vincent van Gogh’s series of paintings of sunflowers and  rises. After the children analyze each  piece, they paint their own versions. The cooperative groups then search for topical poems on www.google.com and compose their own poems expressing their feelings about the flowers. The poems are then published using a word-processing program. 

THE STUDENTS
There were ninety children involved in this yearlong study. The children were from third, fourth, and fifth grade classes. They come from a variety of socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. The program can be adapted for other grades. 

THE STAFF
Judith Golden and Catherine Dede have both taught in New York City Public Schools for thirty years. They have been the recipients of several District 20 Mini-Grants. Their third and fourth grade classes work together as “Partners in Rhyme.” Both Judith and Catherine have been staff writers for District 20 working on the “Reading Counts” and “Making Connections” programs that connect children’s literature to the mathematics and social studies curriculum s . They have made presentations at staff development meetings. This curriculum has been successfully implemented in their classrooms for the past two years.

WHAT YOU NEED
Required materials for this program include a computer with Internet access and word-processing programs. It would be ideal to have a scanner and an overhead projector. Poetry anthologies, rhyming dictionaries, Meet the Artist books, and painting supplies are a necessity.

OVERALL VALUE
By participating in Art Through the Ages, students develop an appreciation for the various styles and techniques of several artists and poets. They also become skilled at researching and locating artwork and background information using books and the Internet.