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PROFESSIONAL COMMENTARY

Created and reviewed by teams of educators, this writing activity describes a lesson in which students express their unique responses to art by writing stories inspired by paintings in an art museum. The lesson begins with a visit to a museum where students conduct a thorough observation of a painting and write a list of details and a description about that painting. Drawn from the curriculum guide, Collecting Their Thoughts: Using Museums as Resources for Student Writing, which was developed by the Smithsonian Institute, this resource encourages the use of museum artwork, exhibits, and artifacts as a basis for student writing. Information for obtaining a copy of this publication is offered at the website. Ideas for adapting the activity for classroom use and tips for tailoring it to integrate local community resources are also given. (author/ncl)

CAREER APPLICATION

While art is the motivator used to engage and involve the students, this lesson should not be limited only to art or design students. With a little preparation, students in various career-technical disciplines can be engaged through a selection of that art which illustrates the workplace or which deals with the development of local industry. In addition to art museums, such art can be found in any number of public buildings and theaters throughout the United States. Students can be encouraged to write about those topics which best relate to their career-technical fields. Teachers may wish to use pictures of artwork specific to students' career fields for a part of this lesson.

OHIO STANDARDS
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English Language Arts Standards
Writing Process Standard
NATIONAL STANDARDS
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Standards for the English Language Arts
Write, speak, and visually represent to create text
Purposes for using spoken, written, and visual language
RESOURCE TYPE
Instructional Resource
PRACTICE LEVEL
Promising Practice
STANDARDS ALIGNMENT
Grades 6–8
CAREER FIELDS
Human Services;
Marketing;
Arts & Communication;
Construction Technologies;
Government & Public Administration
TOPICS
English Language Arts --
Writing;
Grammar & Conventions;
Writing Applications;
Writing Process;
Writing Strategies;
OHIOWINS INSTRUCTIONAL TOPICS
Writing Process;
Writing Strategies
KEYWORDS
creative writing;
museum artifacts
Publisher: Smithsonian Institute
Author: Jody Marshall