Best Practices for Art Education
Resources to help integrate reading and art-making
Creating Meaning Through Literature and the Arts: Art integration for classroom teachers By Claudia E. Cornett
Degas and the Little Dancer: A story about Edgar Degas By Laurence Anholt
There are many more books in this series to be utilized. This particular one teaches about Edgar Degas as an artist, his love of ballerinas for subject matter, and one of his most renown sculptures. The illustrations and text of this book is dynamic and interesting, best suited for elementary grades, however could possibly be incorporated into higher grade levels. This book could be used as a introduction to a sculpture in motion assignment.
The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming By Henri J. M. Nouwen
Henri Nouwen, a Dutch Catholic priest, tells of his chance encounter with a reproduction of Rembrandt's painting "The Return of the Prodigal Son" and how this experience led him on the road to reconciliation. Not only is this book a great analysis of the painting, it is also a very theologically deep piece of literature. Realize that the Christian emphasis of the book limits what situation it can be used in. It would be a great book for high school grade level, facilitating critical thinking and deep thought process, while learning about a key piece of artwork.
Miss Etta and Dr. Claribel: Bring Matisse to America By Susan Fillion
This book, about the Cone sisters, and their journey of art collecting. They created a now famous collection of Matisse, Picasso, Vuillard, Cezanne, and Gauguin. This book is written primarily scholarly, yet in a very fun and creative way, making the information readily available to the young reader. It includes many great images of artwork from their collection. This book could readily be used to beef-up a lesson about either an artist, a piece of artwork, or the Cone sister's themselves.