Lesson Plan #2: The Literary Palette: Connecting Art & Literature

Instructional Objectives:

 Students will:

1. continue “walking in the shoes of Monet and van Gogh” through literature.

2. appreciate how illustrations enhance the written word.

Time Required: Days 3 & 4 (see timeline) 40-minute periods

Advanced Preparation: 

Preview A Blue Butterfly by Bijou Le Tord  and Camille and the Sunflowers by Laurence Anholt  (See RESOURCE LIST)

      Day 4: picture book, author, illustration, reproduction, ochre, harvest gold

 Procedure:

Day 3: Teacher reads aloud to students, A Blue Butterfly, A Story about Claude Monet. Upon completion of the read-aloud, students will respond to the following during class discussion.

-          Why is this book called “A Blue Butterfly”?

-          What did the Impressionists try to capture in their paintings?

(the ever changing light hitting the water, flowers, and trees)

-          Can we tell why van Gogh painted “Sunflowers”?

(when van Gogh was in the South of France, the warm colors of the surrounding sunflowers in the countryside made him feel better)

-          Why is this book called “Camille and the Sunflowers”?

Homework/Evaluation: Students will be given a homework assignment to explore the following web sites: http://giverny.org, - Monet’s house and gardens, and www.vangoghmuseum.nl – the van Gogh museum in Amsterdam, to gather information and pictures to create sketches for their final project.