Little Girl in a Blue Arm Chair, by Mary Cassatt
Based on your growing knowledge and experience, was Image #2 an appropriate choice for your students, considering their age, stage, interests, and abilities?
· Yes. The image was accessible, open to interpretation, narratives were easily implied, the subject matter was a scene from everyday life, and the painting was realistic. The only thing missing was diversity. Even though the painting is from the 19th century, I don’ t think my students picked up on it.
Did this image motivate rigorous and engaging discussion for students?
· Yes, the students have moved past listing and matching recently, and make up a variety of narratives. They stayed seated for our 10-minute discussion.
Was Image #2 rich enough to encourage continued discussion &/or independent student investigation?
· For some, yes. For most, no. It may be their age. I did a drawing activity after the VTS session based on the artwork. One of their literacy standards is to have a beginning, middle, and end sequence in a story. I asked them to draw what happened after the story in the painting. I videotaped some of the students explaining their drawings. I will post stills of that soon.
Did Image #2 suggest opportunities to explore the big idea through art making or expand art making already in progress?
· If I knew what my big idea is……….. don’t know.
