Showing posts with label art. Show all posts
Showing posts with label art. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge


Alyson Beecher over at Kid Lit Frenzy hosts a Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge and has a roundup every Wednesday. I love the encouragement to explore more non-fiction. I am thankful that she has this challenge because I know I have read more nonfiction texts as a result.

This will be a combination post with two books I've read recently and a few that are on my pile to be read soon. First for my vacation finds.


Astounding ABC produced by the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto

Goodreads Summary: From an arch and a lantern to an owl and a zoo, this ABC spelling book illustrates letters from the Latin alphabet with details from the Aga Khan Museum's superb collection of paintings, illuminated manuscripts, ceramics, metalwork, coins, and tiles from the 12th to 19th centuries. The board book offers an accessible introduction for very young children to the Museum's collection, showcasing a rich diversity of works from around the world, including Egypt, Sicily, India, Turkey, and Iran. Proving that learning can be fun, colourful, and exciting, Astounding ABC encourages children to explore the Museum's collection through animals, nature, historical figures, and a variety of artifacts.

My Thoughts: I loved this look at art from Muslim civilizations around the world. This book would be perfect to share before or after a visit to the Aga Khan Museum, but it is also a beautiful ABC book for children without physical access to the museum collection. The words used in the text are simple and the images that accompany them are vivid and interesting. I find it especially intriguing to see a king portrayed not with a crown, but a turban. It provides a look at artistic patterns and styles of dress that most of my students would not normally see in their daily lives.
 
The Aga Khan Museum

The Little RijksMuseum produced by the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam

Goodreads Summary: More than 120 works of art or details from them can be seen in this Little Rijksmuseum. Their creators are Rembrandt, Vermeer, Steen, Breitner, Van Gogh and other famous artists. From angel to windmill and beetle to zebra, these and many more... allow a fascinating glimpse into the national treasure-house of the Rijksmuseum.

My Thoughts:  Again, this would be a wonderful book to share with children before or after a visit to the museum. It is so fun to visit a museum and then watch for specific works of art. It's also nice to look at the images and remember the ones that you saw on your trip. That's what I like about this book. It makes a great reminder. There are works by Rembrandt, Van Gogh, and Vermeer along with many others that are less familiar. Even without the visit though, anyone interested in art would love this bookish walk through the museum.

Books to Read Soon

 The Blue Whale by Jenni Desmond

 
The Call of the Osprey by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent with Photographs by William Muñoz




Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Friendship and Hope for A Changing World

I love this video from D-PAN (Deaf Professional Arts Network).  I hadn't ever heard this song, but it would be great to show at school when discussing friendship or at the beginning of the year.



I had completely forgotten about D-PAN though I have seen some of their work in the past.  Obviously a lot of their work focuses on the deaf like the video Waiting on the World to Change, but beyond that, the material  speaks to respect for others regardless of our differences.  You can see that in the powerful  video Beautiful with the music of Christina Aguilara.

I can't help but think of the book The Deaf Musicians by Pete Seeger and Paul DuBois Jacobs when I watch the combination of music and signing.  It would be a great text to pair with the videos.  Many hearing people don't associate music with the deaf or hard-of-hearing, so this book and the videos can be quite an eye opener.  In 2007, Tony Evans wrote a review of the book on the blog Deaf Echo, and closed with this, 
"I do hope that many of his admirers and fans see this book, read it, and reconsider deafness and what being deaf means today. At the very least, I hope they’ll understand that the interpreter standing on stage at any concert or artistic function isn’t there to distract, or to be annoying, but to help those of us who want to attend to share in the arts."
I am fortunate that my aunt thought to post one of D-PAN's videos because it was a great reminder of the wonderful work that they are doing and the positive message that they provide for us all.  I hope you take some time and experience the art of D-PAN.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Dot Week

We had a great time celebrating the book The Dot by Peter Reynolds.  Around 300 students used their creativity to design dots.  We had little dots, big dots, and all different colors of dots.  You can see some of the fun in the slideshow below.


I will post a few pictures tomorrow. I had some great fifth grade students give up their recess and come paint huge dots to put up around the school.  On the official Dot Day we all took home a "dot" that looked suspiciously like a pompon to remind us to use our creativity and make our mark.

I am so glad that I found out about Dot Day because it is a wonderful way to encourage creativity and reaches out to the artist in all of us.  I send out a huge thank you to Peter Reynolds.  He knows that a lot of us get caught up in that thinking that tells us we just can't draw or we just can't ... (fill in the blank with whatever you might be afraid to try). He reminds us to go ahead and make that first mark and see where it takes us.  Be bold!  Be brave!  And above all - have some fun!  We did.