Creative Writing

Ø Understanding Art

Ø Developing a Short Story

Ø Identity Rumble – Drama and Poetry

Creative Writing

Understanding Art: Class 1

Objective: To encourage students to extend their learning beyond the classroom and into New York City. The unit will consist of three visits to art exhibits; suggested venues include the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim, MOMA, or the Whitney, and a small gallery in SOHO or Chelsea. Students will write a reaction paper to one work of art in each venue, as well as a journal entry for each visit. Often students are not exposed to cultural venues, and the objective of this assignment is for students to become aware of themselves and their identities in cultural institutions in their environment.

Part 1

1. The teacher should choose a print of one or two works of art, which should be used to create a dialogue with students about various aspects of art. The print can be used to generate discussion about students’ comfort level discussing art, as well as a springboard to create a dialogue about art and vocabulary used when discussing art.

2. Post one work of art in the classroom for students to view. Ask students to write about the work of art – what do they see in the work of art? What is their reaction to the piece? What do the color choices of the artist say to them? How are the elements of the painting arranged in the painting? What does the arrangement convey to the viewer?

3. How did it feel to write about a work of art? What did you like about it? Was anything about the writing challenging?

4. Once students have had a few minutes to write their response, allow all of the students to share their responses.

5. Complete this discussion by asking students if they go to museums in the city and if they do, how often they go.

Creative Writing

Understanding Art: Class 2, 3, and 4

The process suggested here can be applied to all three cultural venues that students will visit.

Pre - museum visit:

1. Introduce the venue to students and briefly introduce the array of art that the museum holds. Ask students to choose a period or type of art they would like to view.
   
   
2. Distribute the worksheet for evaluating art as a guide for students to use when they are viewing the art.

View the art:

1. Ask students to write a response to the art based on the worksheet.
   
   
2. Ask students to share their responses.
   
   
3. Have students write a web blog or journal responding to their experience, comfort level at the museum.

Creative Writing Worksheet

Understanding Art
Critical Analysis Process: Responding to Visual Arts
By B. D’Amato

DESCRIBE: Discover as much as you can about the artwork.

Ø Think like a detective. Tell what you know about who made it. How? With what?

Ø Are there some things in the artwork that you recognize?

Ø Are people shown to you? Is a time, place, or event shown?

Ø What kinds of colors, shapes and lines has the artists used?

Ø Are these repeated? In what ways?

Ø What is the first thing you notice when you look at the artwork?

EVALUATE: Tell how the artwork is important or special. Give thoughtful reasons for your opinion.

Ø Is the artwork important or special because of what it does? Why?

Ø Would you like other to see this artwork? Who? Why?

INTERPRET: Explain what this artwork means. Give reasons for your interpretation.

Ø What mood or feeling is expressed in this artwork?

Ø Does it seem quiet? Happy? Frightening? Powerful? Friendly?

Ø Can you think of other words to describe the mood or feeling?

Ø How has the artist suggested the mood or feeling?

Ø Is there a message or deeper meaning in the artwork than is apparent at first viewing?

Ø What in the artwork leads you to interpret the artwork the way you do?

Creative Writing

Developing a Short Story: Class 1

Objective:

Part 1: Knowing Your Character

1. Either on a projection screen or simply by using a poster or postcard show students a famous portrait – Mona Lisa - and through questioning ask students to consider the person in the portrait. What is the person’s belief system? Is the person conservative? Liberal? Religious? A non-believer? Is the person educated? Uneducated? Independent? Dependent? Alone? A part of a family? What are the goals of this person? Who keeps them from the goal? Who aids them in attaining the goal? Is the person’s goal for themselves or for a group?

Part 2: Whole Group Share

1. After students have developed their characters, allow them to share the details of the characters with the class. This sharing reinforces the theme of finding your voice and reinforces that everyone has different reactions to the same stimulus, in this case, the portrait. Allow students to share all or part of the information; the necessary part of this activity is that all students share their ideas.

2. Once all of the students have shared their ideas, ask them to share what qualities about the portrait aided them in coming to their conclusions about the character. Responses might be the artists color choice, facial expressions, dress, posture, etc.

Part 3: Creating Dialogue

1. What does the character that you have created want to say? To whom does she want to say it? What is the character’s tone? Urgency? Allow students time to write and then have a whole group discussion.

Creative Writing

Developing a Short Story: Class 2

Characters and Relationships

1. Introduce a new group of photographs from advertising. Select three images and tape them to the blackboard. Encourage students to go up to the board and take a closer look at the pictures. Ask them to repeat the exercise that was conducted with the postcard for these three characters. In addition, ask students to choose a main character and minor character (protagonist / antagonist).

2. Once students have established the main character, ask them to establish the relationship between these three people. How are they connected? What do they want from each other? What is the length of their relationship? What conflict binds them? Is there a solution to their conflict?

3. Creating dialogue: what is each of the characters thinking at this moment?