We started the week off by reading a biography about Georges Seurat. Next, we sequenced the events of his life followed by writing a summary of the article. Finally, on Friday we painted a piece of A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. Everyone, including myself, found the week fulfilling. By ending the week with painting, the class took ownership in the lessons that preceded. Now we all now a little more about pointillism.
I love cross curricular lessons that incorporate the arts. I believe that students learn to look at the lessons differently when teachers expect them to apply the lesson’s content to an unusual assignment. Students learn more because they are using the ideas and concepts from the lesson, rather than just copying or repeating the content on a worksheet or in an essay. This lesson would appeal to those artistic students that find the typical lesson about a historical figure a little boring, and the painting engages the students in a way beyond reading Seurat’s biography. The lesson additionally teaches about pointillism. This is a great way to end a week, especially towards the end of the school year!
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