This brief history of the development of alphabet books includes a list of alphabet books for elementary and middle school children. A strategy for the use of these books in class involves these steps: choose books; set a purpose; introduce books; read them; describe them; compare and contrast them; evaluate them; and compose your own books. (DG)

Line, shape, color and texture have always been the universal components of visual expression. Together these elements form a visual language. This packet is designed to be used as part of the Thematic Tour "First Look" offered by the Georgia Department of Education. The material explores some of the ways people use pictorial language;…

Based on Joshua Johnson's 1897 oil-on-canvas painting called "The Westwood Children," this article offers a full-color reproduction and lesson plan designed to introduce students in the primary grades to early American portraiture. (JDH)

The first step in learning to appreciate art is learning to classify a work according to its primary purpose. The artist creates art for one of three reasons: to recreate the physical world (Imitationalism); to express an idea or feeling (Emotionalism); or to create an interesting design (Formalism). A classified work may then be critiqued by: (1)…

Presents a lesson plan based on John Singleton Copley's 1795 oil painting, "Portrait of Nathaniel Hurd." The goal of the lesson is to give students in grades four through six an awareness of portraiture and how portraits record not only character but historical times and customs. (JDH)

"At the Piano," an oil-on-canvas painting completed in 1859 by James Abbot McNeill Whistler, is used as the basis of a lesson designed to help junior high school students analyze the painting's mood, subject matter, and composition. (JDH)

This guide accompanies "Special Effects," a 40-minute IMAX film and "Special Effects II", a multimedia, interactive traveling exhibit designed by the California Museum of Science and Industry. The exhibit focuses on the underlying scientific and technical processes of special effects from the earliest motion picture to state-of-the-art digital…

This student workbook provides information about mass media and invites students to consider and respond to that information. Students are encouraged to use reading, writing, researching, critical thinking, interpreting, and debating skills in their responses. The book is organized into 8 chapters: (1) "The World of Media"; (2) "Television: Is…

Art reflects the ideas, experiences, spirit, and hopes of those who create it. It is through art works that students can see a visual record of how men and women lived and thought throughout history and across cultures. This instructional resource includes 52 transparencies, accompanying teaching strategies, and student worksheets which are…

Recognizing that community growth and change are inevitable, Viewfinders' goals are as follows: to introduce students and teachers to the concept of the visual environment; enhance an understanding of the interrelationship between the built and natural environment; create an awareness that the visual environment affects the economy and quality of…

Ivan Albright's 1929 oil-on-canvas painting called "Into the World There Came a Soul Called Ida" is used as the vehicle for a senior high school art lesson designed to introduce students to symbolism, aesthetic issues, and the formal elements of painting. (JDH)

This guide aims to help students sharpen powers of observation, develop the skills and habits of perceptive watching, and discover complex aspects of film art. Organized in 16 chapters, the text, which focuses on narrative film, discusses film analysis in chapter 1 and establishes a foundation for understanding theme and story in chapters 2 and 3.…

Developed for intermediate and low intermediate adult and young adult English language readers, this book describes selected aspects of art and paintings. Topics covered include how to: (1) understand art as part of the environment that can be seen and felt; (2) recognize illusions; (3) comprehend the language of paintings; (4) read a picture; and…

Provides a rationale and lesson plan for incorporating geography and art at the K-4 level. The lesson plan features a landscape painting by George Innes, a simplified chronology of his life, as well as a template of questions about the artist and the spatial significance of the painting. (MJP)

Contemporary society is an "information society" where much of the information has a visual nature. This text uses semiotic and psychological concepts to help students gain understanding of how meaning is found in visual phenomena and how minds process images. Focus is upon mass media and popular culture. Theoretical discussions are…