HSD2 Language Arts Curriculum Guide: Grades 3 - 5

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER:

1. What kinds of materials do artists use to create their work?
2. What can artists teach us about the ocean through their work?
3. Listen to some music written about the sea. Can you use it to inspire some of your own art?   (Listening activity below)

VIDEOS: ART AND THE OCEAN

WEBSITES ABOUT OCEAN ART AND OCEAN CRAFTS

CHILDREN'S BOOKS ABOUT OCEAN ARTS & CRAFTS AT PPLD

Questions to consider:

1. What kinds of tools do scientists use to explore the sea?  Are they large?  Are they small?
2. What kinds of things do ocean scientists have to do in order to explore? 
3. Do scientists have to learn special skills?

CHILDREN'S BOOKS ABOUT OCEAN EXPLORATION AT PPLD:

OTHER RESOURCES, INCLUDING MAGAZINE ARTICLES USING PPLD'S EXPLORA FOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS (USE YOUR LIBRARY CARD # OR POWERPASS TO ACCESS):

CHILDREN'S BOOKS AT PPLD:

PPLD DATABASES AVAILABLE WITH LIBRARY CARD OR POWER PASS:

OTHER RESOURCE ABOUT THE OCEAN:

Live Aquarium Cams:

THE FOLLOWING VIDEO IS APOLLO 11 ASTRONAUT TRAINING ORIGINAL FILM CLIPS: This video is a compilation of various silent films converted to tape by NASA in 1989. A copy was made for AFSMM in 1994. The films document various aspects of Apollo 11 crew training in 1968.

ART INSPIRED BY SPACE:

BOOKS AVAILABLE AT PPLD. SEARCH  "SPACE" IN OVERDRIVE AND FREADING ALSO USING YOUR POWERPASS OR OTHER PPLD LIBRARY CARD.

RESEARCH AT PPLD:

WEBSITES TO EXPLORE:

RESOURCES AVAILABLE AT PPLD

TUMBLEBOOKS: Heller, Linda.  The Castle on Hester Street, 2007.  Digital-TumbleBooks (library card number required, search by title) Grandfather tells the story of how he and his wife came to America, he likes to fib, but Grandmother sets the story straight. (RL 3.6)

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:

• Did your grandparents or your family immigrate? Do you know someone who did?
• Why would someone want to leave their country?
• What talents did they bring with them? What would you bring with you and why?
• How do you think the people mentioned in the book feel about coming to the US?
• What kinds of things did the immigrants accomplish or do for their new country?
• Do you have any special keepsakes in your family? Where did they come from?
• Do you have a diary?  How can you make one for yourself?

PPLD DATABASE:

OTHER RESOURCES:

Yang, Belle.  Hannah is My Name, (RL4.2) Digital-Tumble Books (library card number required, search by title) Hannah and her family work hard while they wait for permission to stay in the US and work.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

• What is different about our culture the culture of the character in the book?
• How do you think the character felt when they came to this country?
• What do you think was hard for the character in the book? What was easy? What was exciting?
• How would you feel if you moved to their country? What would be hard?  What would be easy?
• How do you get to know someone better? What can you do to help someone new?

PPLD DATABASE:

OTHER RESOURCES:

EXTRA BOOK RESOURCES FOR CHOOSING DIVERSE BOOKS:

OTHER GREAT DIVERSE BOOKS AT PPLD:

WHERE DOES INSPIRATION COME FROM?

EXPLORATION EXERCISE: Poetry/Painting

Don’t reveal the title of the painting in the link below. Look at the painting together carefully. Start the discussion in the bottom left of the painting and work your way around clockwise. Have children describe what is happening in the picture. Does anyone mention the two legs sticking out of the water (Icarus drowning) at the bottom right of the painting? If not, guide them to that section, through questions like “Does anyone see anything unusual happening in this painting?” Once they discover it, ask “What do you think happened here?” Listen to plausible answers, there might be a lot of creative stories! Then reveal the title of the painting. You might briefly tell the story of Icarus to the children. Then read the poem together and discuss how the poem and painting connect, how the poem describes the painting, etc. Have children write their own poems about the painting.

PPLD J-EASY AND J-BIOGRAPHY BOOKS:

EXPLORATION EXERCISE: How was this made?

Revered children’s musician, Jim Gill, collaborates with the Chicago Orchestra and others to create and share music with children in the video below.

Questions: (There are no wrong answers)

What kinds of art was used in this video? 

How many artists do you think it took to create this?

What do you think everyone had to do to create this together?

PPLD J-BIOGRAPHY BOOKS:

EXPLORATION EXERCISE:  Video comparison

Watch at least two of the videos below and list some character traits of artists.

How are the artists alike?

How are they different?

PPLD J-BIOGRAPHY AND J-EASY BOOKS:

VIDEO EXAMPLE: ELLA FITZGERALD PERFORMANCE

Additional PPLD materials about artists for the curious, the voracious readers, and the rebels:

VIDEO: WHY KIDS LOVE ART