Literacy and the Visual Arts

STUDENTS:

• Discuss and interpret art and various forms of architecture using higher level thinking skills
• “Read” the surrounding visual arts and physical structures
• Go beyond what is seen by using group discussion information and individual prior knowledge to construct knowledge
• Relate to stimuli on student terms using life experiences and ultimately
• Draw conclusions based on visual evidence gathered
• Draw conclusions based on text evidence read and interpreted
• Pay attention to style, in the arts and in text, in relation to the distinguishable cultural and historical similarities present
• Describe, analyze, and interpret a variety of art pieces and physical structures by using an expanded series of questioning techniques
• Ask what is the painting or story about (What is the main idea? )
• Use “Think Aloud”, a metacognitive strategy, that allows students to verbally express thoughts about the artwork and the artist
• Learn to respond to text and learn not to take the printed word for granted but to explore all aspects of the information
• Question the choice of color/word choice, the brush stroke/text format used in the painting or the text, and the credibility of the artist/author