Secondary students are asked to study and compare three reproductions--Van Gogh's "Grove of Cypresses," Da Vinci's "Study of a Tree," and Mondrian's "Tree II." The activity will help students develop their powers of observation and analysis, powers that can be applied to their own drawings. (RM)

Quilters have been practicing geometric principles for centuries. Since straight seams are easier to sew than curved ones, the grid naturally evolved as the basis for their designs. This book is a resource for experimenting with traditional patchwork quilt patterns. It provides students a hands-on understanding of geometric concepts. It contains…

The seven essays in this document celebrate the place of children in the nation's life. The catalogue contains reproductions and replications of portraits and posters that were brought together for the exhibit. The ways in which people understand their nationality influence how they raise their children and help determine the ideas and experiences…

Uses a photograph of Michael Heizer's earthwork sculpture "Double Negative" to encourage students in grades 4-6 to discuss ways in which an artist may communicate ideas by creating ultra-large "landscape sculptures." Provides student objectives, background information on the artwork, instructional strategies, and evaluation criteria. (GEA)

This lesson uses a full-color reproduction of Adolph Gottlieb's 1946 painting, "Forgotten Dream," to introduce students to the ideas of symbolic imagery in abstract expressionist art, and to help students discover reasons and ways artists communicate their memories, dreams, and fantasies. (JDH)

This guide prepares students for a visit to the Hemphill Folk Art Collection at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. The guide includes a map showing the six states from where the art works originated; questions and answers about the art; and activities for students. As students read the guide and look at the photographs of the art works, they are…

Children and adolescents, up to approximately age 20, are more susceptible than adults to potential health risks from chemicals and environmental hazards. Hazardous chemicals can interrupt or alter the normal development of a child's body, leading to lasting damage. Since children are smaller than adults, similar levels of exposure to toxic…

The uses and techniques of quilt making are presented in this book which focuses on the quilt patterns as allegory for pioneer history. Pioneer experiences are described and linked visually with appropriate quilt patterns. An activity accompanies each pattern presentation. The work is organized into 10 chapters: (1) "Quilts and History: A…

This book encourages art students to draw the entire human figure at once, rather than isolated portions of the body. The approach focuses on the energy that suffuses every part of the body and produces liverly, seamless figure drawings without construction lines. Examples from Master works and student works are used to demonstrate the approach…

Using Tony Berlant's 1982 collage entitled "I," this lesson introduces students in grades four through six to the variety of materials artists can use when making a collage. (BSR)

Based on a full-color reproduction of Henry Fuseli's 1781 painting, "The Nightmare," the purpose of this lesson is to introduce a painting that presents a pioneering idea about the nature of dreams, and to help students understand how a masterpiece often points to new directions in thought and beliefs. (JDH)

Provides a lesson plan for primary grade-level students based on William J. Glackens' oil painting, "The Cedar Walk." The goal of the lesson is to introduce students to landscape/seascape painting. (JDH)

Presents a lesson plan for introducing students in grades four through six to Thomas Moran's painting, "The Grand Canyon." The goal of the lesson is to illustrate the importance of the American West as a subject for artists in the nineteenth century. (JDH)

Presents four lesson plans designed to teach K-12 students about ceramics and the artists using the medium. Each lesson is centered around one ceramic piece: (1) "Wall Clock," by the Chantilly Porcelain Factory; (2) "Poppy Vase," by Adelaide Robineau; (3) "Laughing Eyes," by Pablo Picasso; and (4) "Ceramic Drum Jar," by Tsayutitsa. (GEA)

Presents background material, suggested teaching activities, and four color plates illustrating the folk art of the Oceania islands (Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia). The background material is incorporated into an interview with two Oceanic art specialists from Indiana University who discuss the culture of the islands. (MJP)