Grow Up Great
The focus work of art for this lesson is Laundry (Le Linge) by Édouard Manet. It is housed in the art collection of the late Dr. Albert Barnes at The Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dr. Barnes believed that observation was a key component in understanding works of art. Careful observation can be encouraged by asking children to respond to what they see and to think about the story that is suggested by an artist’s work. When exploring art with young children, linking everyday objects and activities to artwork can help them make sense of the artwork.
Dr. Barnes believed that appreciation of art was deeply rooted in line, light, color, and space and their relationships to each other. His view was that art was created when elements of art combined to become an expression of everyday experiences. Artwork can be further enjoyed through the viewer’s ability to live through the experience depicted. Édouard Manet was a French painter and one of the first artists to paint modern life and everyday activities.
The focus work of art for this lesson is Laundry (Le Linge) by Édouard Manet. It is housed in the art collection of the late Dr. Albert Barnes at The Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dr. Barnes believed that observation was a key component in understanding works of art. Careful observation can be encouraged by asking children to respond to what they see and to think about the story that is suggested by an artist’s work. When exploring art with young children, linking everyday objects and activities to artwork can help them make sense of the artwork.
You could introduce this lesson with the book The Three Little Kittens by Jerry Pinkney. The kittens in the story soil their mittens, and then the mittens need laundering. The children could share their observations of the illustrations, relate them to the painting, and recount the story in their own words.
These lessons are aligned with the Common Core State Standards ("CCSS"). The CCSS provide a consistent, clear understanding of the concepts and skills children are expected to learn and guide teachers to provide their students with opportunities to gain these important skills and foundational knowledge.[2]
While we believe that the books and resources recommended may be of value to you, keep in mind that these are suggestions only and you must do your own due diligence to determine whether the materials are appropriate and suitable for your use. PNC has no sponsorship or endorsement agreement with the authors or publishers of the materials listed.
There are currently no Common Core Standards for pre-k, but these lessons are aligned as closely as possible to capture the requirements and meet the goals of Common Core Standards. However, these lessons were neither reviewed or approved by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices or the Council of Chief State School Officers, which together are the owners and developers of the Common Core State Standards.
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