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Visual Arts Integration

Let's face it, kids love to be creative! They love to draw pictures, construct projects, and let their imaginations run wild, even if it is during your language lesson. So, why not let them do what they love as a part of your literacy instruction? Incorporating visual arts into your curriculum is an easy way to get your students motivated, thinking outside of the box, and excited for learning!

Why should I incorporate visual arts in my classrroom?

How can I incorporate?

Visual Thinking Strategies
 
This is an approach to allowing your students to discuss art as a whole class or small group. First, you present the students with some form of visual. Then, you initiate discussion using these questions:
  1. What's going on in this picture?
  2. What do you see that makes you say that?
  3. What more can we find?
This approach helps students see more than the literal and opens the door for multiple ideas and meanings. Check out an example lesson from New York Times for more ideas. 
http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/02/10/whats-going-on-in-this-picture-feb-10-2014/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_php=true&_type=blogs&_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=3
Five Card Story
 
Provide students with your choice of various pictures. They may be pictures of anything. In fact, the more random the pictures are, the more fun the results. Students may choose five pictures on their own, or you may select certain ones from the pile. From there, you have two options for activities:
First Activity:
  1. Jot down one word that they associate with each image.
  2. Identify a song that comes to mind for one or more of the images.
  3. Describe what all the images have in common.
  4. Compare answers with classmates
Second Activity:
  1. Allow students to study the images for a few minutes.
  2. Come up with a short story that uses all five of the pictures.
  3. Share their story with the class.
 
Both activities allow students to practice comprehension as well as make comparisons and put their thoughts into writing!
Image Analysis
 
Allow your students to analyze multiple forms of visuals and discuss them with their peers. This will foster communication as well as critical thinking skills. Some forms of visuals to provide to your students include:
  • photos
  • cartoons
  • motion pictures
  • maps
  • posters
Check out the National Archives page for free resource worksheets to help your students analyze any of these visuals. 
http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets/photo.html 
Words to Visuals
 
One of the simpliest ways to integrate visual arts into literacy is by allowing the students to create their own visuals! 
  • Read a story to the students and allow them to illustrate as you read.
  • Give students a set of words that have something in common and let them show how they are related with a picture.
  • Assign each student in the class with a vocabulary/spelling word and allow them to construct a craft project that explains the definition. Share with the class.

Visual arts integration has a positive impact on student achievement by promoting and encouraging:

 

  • writing skills through critical thinking and creativity

  • comprehension through use of illustrations

  • multiple intellegences/ learning styles

  • motivation

  • self-awareness

  • communication

  • observational skills

 

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