Norman Rockwell - End Notes

This is part of the Norman Rockwell integration blog series. To gain access to all the blogs in this series, click the tag “Norman Rockwell”.

Doing this blog series, showed me the possibilities of Norman Rockwell’s paintings. The expanse of Rockwell’s works seem limitless – what an amazing collection of masterpieces. They always entertain and always bring emotion to me. I smile, I smirk, I swell up with tears. Each painting has its own story and everyone can find their own collection of Rockwells that truly speak to them.

It is my hope that other teachers will continue to try some of these ideas out and also share their experiences and ideas. For the complete blog series, click the "Norman Rockwell" tab.

So, look out for old calendars, prints and resources online and create displays so that students can enjoy a piece of Americana while learning!

Norman Rockwell - Activity 7 Cause and Effect

This is part of the Norman Rockwell integration blog series. To gain access to all the blogs in this series, click the tag “Norman Rockwell” when accessing the Magazine on this site.

You are encouraged to try out these activities and to comment on the blogs, activities and ideas. You might even find that you can share other ways to integrate Rockwell into what you do! Your voice and ideas matter!

Muse Away!

ACTIVITY – Cause and Effect

We see cause and effect everywhere around us and it can also be seen in a snapshot moment of a Norman Rockwell painting. An effect is what happens. A cause is why it happens. With a little prompting, students will be able to identify these within the situation of the painting.

Procedure:

1. Have students look closely at the painting and allow for some time for first impressions and conversations about the characters and the situation.

2. Ask students to take a closer look at the painting and state the prompt that allows them to find details that lend themselves to cause or effect. For example:

• What is happening in the painting?
• What do you think caused that to happen?
• What will happen next as a result of that action?

3. Assist students in completing a t-chart that has cause and effect as the titles of the two columns. Sometimes you will fill out the left side first and other times you will fill out the right side first.

4. After a short introduction to the activity, invite students to work in small groups or on their own with a new painting. You may want students to complete the WORKSHEET.

Worksheet link: http://theinspiredclassroom.com/Rockwell%20cause%20effect.pdf

Implementation Ideas: (review)

• Have a copy of a painting for each student. (They do not have to be the same.)
• Give students a copy to use in small groups.
• Place copies of paintings around the room and have students do the activity while traveling from piece to piece in an “around the world” format.
• Do a shared lesson or activity with your whole class or with a small group.
• Create a center in your room where students can visit and complete the activity.

Extensions and Variations:

• Ask students to change the situation of the painting. A student states a cause and then says how that will effect the situation. For example, a student may state, “I will throw a ball at the boy.” The effect may be, “The boy will try and catch the ball and will drop the bottle in his hand.”
• Do the reverse of the above extension. Have a student state an effect and then state what could cause that effect to happen. For example, if the effect is, “The girl hits that boy,” the cause may be, “The boy pinched the girl.”

Final Blog in this Series (due out on Saturday January 30, 2010) – Wrapping it All Up

Make a Comment - We want to hear from you. What do you think of this activity? Any extension or variation ideas? Comments are welcomed and encouraged.

Norman Rockwell - Activity 6 - Character Studies

This is part of the Norman Rockwell integration blog series. To gain access to all the blogs in this series, click the tag “Norman Rockwell”.
You are encouraged to try out these activities and to comment on the blogs, activities and ideas. You might even find that you can share other ways to integrate Rockwell into what you do! Your voice and ideas matter!

Muse Away!

ACTIVITY – Character Studies
Norman Rockwell paintings are perfect for character studies. Each painting has at least one character that draws you into their story with their position, expression and action. With the right prompts, you can talk about one character for quite some time.

Procedure:

1. Have students look closely at the painting and allow for some time for first impressions and conversations about the characters and the situation.

2. Ask students to take a closer look at the painting and state the prompt that allows them to find details in the character. For example:
• What do you know about this situation by looking at the painting?
• What can you conclude from the expression on this character’s face?
• What can you tell about the character by his/her body language?
• What might this character be saying?
• What might this character be thinking?
• What would be a good name for this character? Why?

3. Ask students to complete the sentence starters from the worksheet to deepen their ideas of
the characters

4. After a short introduction to the activity, invite students to work in small groups or on their own with a new painting. You may want students to complete the WORKSHEET.
Worksheet link:
http://theinspiredclassroom.com/Rockwell%20character%20studies.pdf

Implementation Ideas: (review)
• Have a copy of a painting for each student. (They do not have to be the same.)
• Give students a copy to use in small groups.
• Place copies of paintings around the room and have students do the activity while traveling from piece to piece in an “around the world” format.
• Do a shared lesson or activity with your whole class or with a small group.
• Create a center in your room where students can visit and complete the activity.

Extensions and Variations:
• Ask students to practice their quote writing skills by having students write a monologue of what the character is saying or a dialogue between characters in the painting.
• Practice point of view by asking students to write a short story about the situation in the painting from the character’s point of view.
• After students have completed the worksheet, ask them to put the character into a new situation or story. You could put the character into another NR painting. Ask students to elaborate on the new situation or story with the character they are studying.

Next Blog (due out on Thursday, January 28, 2010) – Activity 8 - Cause and Effect

Make a Comment - We want to hear from you. What do you think of this activity? Any extension or variation ideas? Comments are welcomed and encouraged.

Our Own Interpretations

It is fortunate that the blog series this month has been centered around the visual art of Norman Rockwell since it has coincided with our teacher field trip to a most wonderful museum in Boston – the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Though none of his works are in this museum, the ideas of viewing, appreciating and enjoying art seems to be the main focus within the museum as well as the basis for all the Rockwell activities in this series. Another thing to point out is that all the activities found in the series can be adapted to ANY piece of work – for it is in looking closely at and studying visual pieces, be they paintings, sculptures or pictures, you can become more observant, more thoughtful and more gratified in your experience.

The trip to the museum was wonderful, but this blog is not about that, instead it is meant to be about our own interpretations of art. Quite frankly, the best part about Gardner’s museum is that the emphasis is not on art history or the artists, it is on us – the public, the viewers and appreciators of art. We are there to enjoy, experience and interpret in our own ways. This is the most unique part about art, all art. There is an artist and there is the receiver of the art. We all bring to art our own experiences and interpret what we see and hear in different ways than those around us.

And that is OKAY!

Yes, there is a story behind every piece of artwork, but that story is not the same for all those who experience the art. And the story the artist envisions is simply not exactly or consistently what we receive. It is in these personal interpretations that we can deepen our own thinking and, if experienced with others, can create a new community among people as we share a piece of art. There is a story in the piece, but it’s ok if you don’t get it. Just the experience itself, if you give yourself the chance to have it, is enough. It is much more about looking, observing and making connections.

So, how can this be applied to us in our teaching? Allow yourself to be a receiver of art and share that with your children and students. Encourage searching in a piece, encourage observations and questions. Through these observations, allow students to draw conclusions and make predictions, and question some more. These are real life strategies and they can be practiced and refined through the arts!

Norman Rockwell - Activity 5 – Making Predictions

This is part of the Norman Rockwell integration blog series. To gain access to all the blogs in this series, click the tag “Norman Rockwell”.

You are encouraged to try out these activities and to comment on the blogs, activities and ideas. You might even find that you can share other ways to integrate Rockwell into what you do! Your voice and ideas matter!

Muse Away!

ACTIVITY – Making Predictions

Another skill students can practice while enjoying, studying and appreciating works by Norman Rockwell is making predictions. When examining the stories within the paintings, we not only figure out what the painting means to us in that moment, we continue the story. If we give ourselves time to do this, we find ourselves using the same skills as in making predictions in reading.

Procedure:

1. Have students look closely at the painting and allow for some time for first impressions and conversations about the characters and the situation.

2. Ask students to take a closer look at the painting and state the prompt that allows them to find the details and facts that will help them make a prediction. For example:

• What do you know about this situation by looking at the painting?
• What are your observations?
• Let’s list some facts found in this painting.
• What are some details you notice in this picture?
• Out of our list/brainstorm of observations, what facts can we group together to help us form a valid prediction of what will happen next?

3. Write three facts and/or details in a graphic organizer like the one on the worksheet and discuss what prediction you might make about the painting.

4. After a short introduction to the activity, invite students to work in small groups or on their own with a new painting. You may want students to complete the WORKSHEET.

Worksheet link: http://theinspiredclassroom.com/Rockwell%20make%20prediction.pdf

Implementation Ideas: (review)

• Have a copy of a painting for each student. (They do not have to be the same.)
• Give students a copy to use in small groups.
• Place copies of paintings around the room and have students do the activity while traveling from piece to piece in an “around the world” format.
• Do a shared lesson or activity with your whole class or with a small group.
• Create a center in your room where students can visit and complete the activity.

Extensions and Variations:

• Arrange the paintings around the room and ask students to find two paintings to use to make predictions. Students will roam the room, locating two paintings they enjoy. Once they do, they write down the title of the piece and complete one half of the worksheet. Then they continue to the next painting.
• If students are using different paintings, have them write their prediction on a strip of paper. Display all the paintings, have the student or group state their prediction and ask the other students to match the prediction to the painting.
• Have students use their predictions to make the title of the painting that would be the next scene. For an additional challenge, ask them to draw the next scene that they predicted.

Painting suggestions for kids: Lion and His Keeper, Prom Dress, Swatter’s Rights, Missing Tooth, The Graduate, The Babysitter, Tough One, The Gift

Next Blog (due out on Saturday, January 23, 2010) – Our Own Interpretations

Make a Comment - We want to hear from you. What do you think of this activity? Any extension or variation ideas? Comments are welcomed and encouraged.

Norman Rockwell - Activity 4 Drawing Conclusions

This is part of the Norman Rockwell integration blog series. To gain access to all the blogs in this series, click the tag “Norman Rockwell”.

You are encouraged to try out these activities and to comment on the blogs, activities and ideas. You might even find that you can share other ways to integrate Rockwell into what you do! Your voice and ideas matter!

Muse Away!

ACTIVITY – Drawing Conclusions

Drawing conclusions, making inference, these are difficult skills for students. Here is one way to approach the learning and practicing of it with the paintings of Norman Rockwell.

Procedure:

1. Have students look closely at the painting and allow for some time for first impressions and conversations about the characters and the situation.

2. Ask students to take a closer look at the painting and state the prompt that allows them to find the details and facts that will help them make an inference. For example:

• What do you know about this situation by looking at the painting?
• What are your observations?
• Let’s list some facts found in this painting.
• What are some details you notice in this picture?
• Out of our list/brainstorm of observations, what facts can we group together to help us form a valid opinion about this painting?

3. Write three facts and/or details in a graphic organizer like the one on the worksheet and discuss what conclusion you might draw about the painting. Then explain that this opinion you have formed is your conclusion. It is not something that was found directly in the painting, but is your own opinion that can be supported by the details in the painting.

4. After a short introduction to the activity, invite students to work in small groups or on their own with a new painting. You may want students to complete the WORKSHEET.

Worksheet link: http://theinspiredclassroom.com/worksheets/Rockwell%20draw%20conclusion.pdf

Implementation Ideas: (review)

• Have a copy of a painting for each student. (They do not have to be the same.)
• Give students a copy to use in small groups.
• Place copies of paintings around the room and have students do the activity while traveling from piece to piece in an “around the world” format.
• Do a shared lesson or activity with your whole class or with a small group.
• Create a center in your room where students can visit and complete the activity.

Extensions and Variations:

• Arrange the paintings around the room and ask students to find two paintings to use to draw conclusions. Students will roam the room, locating two paintings they enjoy. Once they do, they write down the title of the piece and complete one half of the worksheet. Then they continue to the next painting.
• If students are using different paintings, have them write their conclusion on a strip of paper. Display all the paintings, have the student or group state their conclusion and ask the other students to match the conclusion to the painting.
• Don’t reveal the title of the pieces beforehand. Instead, number the pictures and have the students do the activity. Then, ask students to use their conclusions to help them come up with a title for the painting. Share and then compare their titles to the ones Rockwell gave. Ask: How did your conclusions help you to come up with a title? How does your title compare to the one Rockwell gave?
  

Painting suggestions for kids: The Diary, After the Prom, Four Sporting Boys Oh Yeah, Sheer Agony, Clown, Moving In, Losing the Game, Child Psychology, Tough One

Next Blog (due out on Thursday, January 21, 2010) – Activity 6 Making Predictions

Make a Comment - We want to hear from you. What do you think of this activity? Any extension or variation ideas? Comments are welcomed and encouraged.

Why Practice Reading Skills Away from Reading?

This is part of the Norman Rockwell integration blog series. To gain access to all the blogs in this series, click the tag “Norman Rockwell”.

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There are many reasons to bring Norman Rockwell and other artists into your classroom. Here are a three to consider:


1. Reading Skills are Really Real Life Skills

Many of these activities are based on the skills my students are learning through their reading series which includes reading, writing and grammar. They get plenty of traditional instruction in these areas through the use of the prescribed materials. However, I believe it is important for students to learn these skills outside of the normal paper and pencil assignments. That is real life!

For example, we all form facts and opinions about the world around us, not just as we read a non-fiction text; we draw conclusions each time we take in the situation around us; we tell stories about events in our life. Many times we don’t even realize that we are using these skills, but we are! And these are skills that need practice. After all, our job is to teach our students the skill itself as well as how to apply it to their reading and writing.

2. A New Opportunity to Practice

By taking the time to present an arts-inspired activity that is based on these reading skills, we are allowing students a new opportunity to practice them. We are giving them new experiences to build on and a chance to share their understanding of the skills they are trying to master. It may be easier for a child to explain what is in a painting than what is inferred in words they find hard to read.


3. Taking Time to See the Details

One of the most beneficial outcomes of doing an activity where students study and respond to a piece of artwork is that they start to learn the importance of taking the time to look carefully at something. There is much more to be seen than what we see in only the first glance. This can be carried over into the importance of reading and rereading; looking back in the text for answers and support. Giving students the opportunity to look and look again is only reinforcing the idea that it is ok to stay with something for more than a moment.

Connecting the Activity Back to Reading

Once your students have practiced these skills it is important to connect it back to their literacy. Explain to them that when they look back in the text, they are simply looking for more details - just like when you take the time to look at a painting; when you take what you know from the text and make your own judgements, you are drawing conclusions about a story - just like when you formed opinions about the situation in the painting. This is the final step and what makes these activities a source of true integration.

Next Blog (due out on Tuesday, January 19, 2010) – Drawing Conclusions – Activity and Worksheet.

Make a Comment - We want to hear from you. What do you think of these ideas? Comments are welcomed and encouraged.