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Lesson Plans


difficult subject matter with ele students.

From: Nnaell
Date: Sat Jul 22 2000 - 14:34:19 PDT

  • Next message: Michelle H. Harrell: "nudity- interpreting themes in art"

    The teaching of controversial subjects should be introduced as early as
    possible. Ok..before the list gets in an uproar... For example, nudity. I
    know of several instances where elementary students (my own included) have
    gone to an exhibit and there was a classic (or not so classic) nude on
    display. I knew this in advance (having previewed the exhibit and had been
    working with my students on the material) I talked to them in advance about
    why the nude is an important subject for study in art. Also, my kindergarten
    students were looking through a book I had and came across Titian's "The
    Birth of Venus" to much tittiling...I explained that the painting was about
    a legend (an imaginary story) and the woman was supposed to be the goddess of
    love. Of course...from the mouths of babes...they said "But why does she
    have to be naked!!!??" I told them she was covered all over by her
    hair...<g> and that the artist was trying to show how beautiful she was. I
    relayed all this to the kindergarten teacher, and she told me not only had
    this come up in class (she had responded similarly) but she used the book to
    talk about it again.

    I find the more art, students are exposed to and the more they talk and write
    about it, the more comfortable they will be decoding difficult works. It is
    progressive and must begin early! I hit vocabulary very very hard, even in K!
     I used Kelly and Albers to study color with my fifth grade students. Some
    got it, some did not, but it is there..buzzing in their brains. This year my
    fifth grade students are going to do a painting where the subject is PEACE.
    i will be using Guernica, and some other works (I have not decided which
    yet) to show how other artists protested violence and made a visual statement
    for peace.

    Good luck, hope this gives everyone a little food for thought.

    Le Ann 

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