By critiquing the Lincoln Memorial by Daniel French, students can learn a bit about U.S. history.
Introducing children to the fine arts is a great way to promote a well-rounded education. Promote shared time in the classroom through "Art of the Day." By showing fine art photos to students on a daily basis, they learn share their opinions and to value the opinions of others, critique in a positive way and become receptive to new subjects.
M.C. Escher
Children love seeing art by M.C. Escher. "Hand With Reflecting Sphere" can be used to teach the ideas of concave and convex. "Waterfall" deals with illusions and perception of distance, inviting children to figure out 3-D ideas on a 2-D surface. "Day and Night" can teach symmetry, positive and negative space and mathematical properties of tessellations.
Michelangelo Buonarroti
Michelangelo's art is known throughout the world. Michelangelo believed his sculptures were trapped inside the stone, begging him to free them. He slowly chipped away at "David," taking him three years to complete. "David" can teach that persistence leads to successful results. It took Michelangelo more than four years to paint the Sistine Chapel and through viewing the images in the large scale painting, it can be used to teach storytelling through art.
Andy Warhol
Children love seeing art by Andy Warhol. Warhol was a Pop Artist, creating images from pop culture ideas. Children connect with Warhol's art because many of his works are recognizable to them. Kids love "Mickey Mouse" by Andy Warhol. With Mickey Mouse recognized worldwide, kids can talk about their connections to him through the work of art. The King of Pop is depicted in Warhol's "Michael Jackson" painting. Children recognize him instantly. They can discuss music history and appreciation while viewing it.
Pablo Picasso
Many of Pablo Picasso's works of art are great writing prompts. "The Old Guitarist" was created in Picasso's Blue Period. In the work of art, he creates a feeling of sadness by using blue overtones. Children can use the art to write stories about what they think the guitarist is thinking and feeling. In "Bust of Woman," the influence of African art on Picasso can be seen. Through learning about Picasso's travels to Africa, students can learn about geography and cultural influences in art.
