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Lesson Plans


Re: time travel and visualization

[ Thread ][ Subject ][ Author ][ Date ]
MPBC90
Sat, 20 Mar 1999 20:46:11 EST

Dear Betty,
Just this week, with Kindergarten thru 2nd, I tried this "visualization"
lesson. I had the children close their eyes, and listen to this poem by Shel
Silverstein. I instructed them beforehand to LISTEN to key words or phrases,
SEE in their "mind's eye" what the poem was about, and then DRAW a Yippiyuck.
Reinforced the concept of No Mistake in ARt, copying ideas and turning them
into your own with a twist is ALL RIGHT in Art, and it was fun. Here is the
poem. Have fun reading this aloud and varying the emotions from scarey or
spooky...to light and humorous. I read it a few times as the children were
working, too.

The Yipiyuck

In the swamplands long ago, Where the weeds and the mudglumps grow,
A Yipiyuck bit on my toe...Exactly why I do not know.
I kicked and cried And hollered "OH"--The Yipiyuck would not let go.
I whispered to him soft and low--The Yipiyuck would not let go.
I shouted "Stop," "Desist" and "Whoa"--
The Yipiyuck would not let go. Yes, that was sixteen years ago,
And the Yipiyuck still won't let go.
The snow may fall, the winds may blow--
The Yipiyuck will not let go.
The snow may melt, The grass may grow--
The Yipiyuck will not let go.
I drag him 'round each place I go, This Yipiyuck that won't let go.
And now my child, at last you know,
Exactly why I walk so slow.

By Shel Silverstein

I actually scared some Kindergarteners at first, and had to lighten up quick.
The older kids learned about a "picture" that is drawn vs. "taking a picture"
by expressing the passage of time in art...snow melting, grass growing, wind
blowing, etc. when encouraged to use collage-like drawing techniques. Many
versions of the Yipiyuck will soon adorn the walls, from birdlike creatures
with beaks attached to feet to lizardlike dragons with sharp teeth and spikes!
This is one version of "visualizing" and I hope this lessons helps.
MP

<< getting
>them to imagine themselves into other times and other places in the >course
of making sense of art. Anybody want to share experiences of >this kind
with us?

I think the classroom itself would make that very hard. >>