Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Escher Instructions
Enclosed are the materials for the Escher. I hope you are able to open everything and once you've read through it feel that you are able to understand what needs to be accomplished.
Keep in mind the format of the lessons you'll be given. Here are some reminders:
- This is a project to teach students about an artist
- This is a project to teach a student about a technique you can use in art
Here is a recommendation on your lesson plans:
-Spend 10 minutes explaining Eschers background and works. (Handout the background and 'Day and Night' explanation sheet to each student before you explain who the artist is.)
-Spend 10 minutes accomplishing the students worksheets.
-Spend 30 minutes on the craft project. (If you have more time or feel you need more time budget this with your teacher prior to the project.)
Enclosed you'll see three documents:
-Escher Group Project: In this you will find all of the information to do the craft project for your age group(s). The materials will be present in the classroom for you on the day your will teach. It is likely that we will end up using crayons instead of tempura paints on the project for ease and also because they are expensive. I am sorry it this is a disappointment to you.
-Escher Day and Night- This is a background summary for you and a copy of Escher's most famous work 'Day and Night'. The school is copying one of these for sheets for each student to view while you give a background summary on Escher. Additionally, it speaks about the piece of art.
Coming your way to help you teach:
-I have 7 prints of Eschers work. (Unless the school wants to buy them.) I have 'Day and Night', 'Repetiles', 'Waterfall', 'Concave and Convex', 'Belvedere', 'Puddle', and one that has ants on it. These are my personal Escher posters. Please be careful of how you present them in the classroom. Please don't pass them around to the children. However, please allow them to view all of them. Try and explain the stories one can see from the work Escher did. I would certainly appreciate it. We will have these so you can check them out at the school from the library. Please don't tape them, please don't use tacky stuff.
- Worksheets: Each student will have a worksheet. I would have sent them tonight yet they are at the school being copied. When I receive them tomorrow I will forward them onto you. It is a front/back worksheet.
All I hope this has been helpful. I hope that you are feeling better about this NEW project. We appreciate you. We have had bumps on the road with this project. Next month's artist lessons and materials will come more quickly and easily. Please don't hesitate to call with questions.
Best regards,
Doug Minnick
Escher Documents
http://www.scribd.com/share/upload/8656999/2hvpv4m0gnjlkl3i51vq
Monday, February 2, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Dear Meet the Master Volunteers and Teachers
Dear Meet the Master Volunteers and Teachers,
Peruvian Park Elementary students have been afforded a wonderful program called Meet the Masters. This over the next several years will develop our students’ knowledge base and skill sets in art. We are excited for this program to begin to be taught. I’d like to set an agenda and give some expectations between MTM Volunteers and the teachers.
This is a huge program to administer. This year we are consolidating it and will expand on it in the 2009-2010 school year. For February – May 2009 it will function as follows:
Volunteers will instruct one artist once per month in each class, each session lasting 30 – 45 minutes. The whole school will be on the schedule that follows:
February – Escher
March - Picasso
April – Homer
May - Cassatt
Each MTM Volunteer/ Teacher will need to coordinate a date and time for the class instruction. Once the date/time are coordinated please email doug@minnickfamily.com with the date of your instruction. (Please send the date/time to me at least two weeks in advance.) I will, in turn:
Send the MTM Volunteer:
-A suggested lesson plan for the artist via email
-Artist study materials to have better knowledge of the artist via email
-Any necessary props/helps provided by MTM Program for the volunteer’s use during his/her lesson
Deliver to the Techer:
-All needed materials for the classroom activity
-Any requested supplemental materials for the activity (scissors, glue, et cetera)
MTM Volunteers
Once you have received the suggested lesson plan and study materials please review and plan your lesson one week in advance. This will allow time for questions to be asked of me or the teacher about the plan.
Additionally, I’ve set up a blog http://meetthemasters.blogspot.com/ where I’ll post all of the lesson materials for each level—beginner, intermediate, and advanced. I’d recommend visiting this site and see what ideas others are commenting about. Or just grab the materials from there.
Please email any ideas that you have to me and I’ll post them. Collaborating about ideas will help grow our other volunteers and our program for this year and future years.
Below you’ll see what classes have been assigned. Some classes still need volunteers. If you know of someone that would be willing to participate in Meet the Masters please email me. Teachers, if you do not have a volunteer listed on the attached sheet, please email me as soon as possible with the names of 3 possible volunteers. I will call and ask for them to participate.
Teachers, I understand that dates have been requested and we are changing those expectations. I apologize.
Thank you for your patience, attention, and willingness! It is tremendously appreciated.
Best regards,
Doug Minnick