How We Adapt By Mary Erickson, Ph.D., with Susanna Yazzie, art teacher and Alena Almendarez, 5th grade teacher

When we adapt, we make changes to fit new situations. We can adapt ourselves to new situations. We can adapt objects for new uses. We can adapt an idea in one art form to another art form, for example, from a poem to a song or from a book into a movie.

Living things adapt themselves when they change to get along in new situations. Reindeer, pronghorns and lots of other animals adapt to the warm days of summer by shedding their heavy winter coats.

When attacked by predators, some lizards adapt by dropping their tails and growing new ones. Where does the new tail start on each lizard? Which lizard has had time enough to grow back most of its tail? Look carefully at the difference in scales.

Some desert trees have very small leaves to adapt to summer heat. With less leaf surface, less water evaporates in the sun. The palo verde tree has green bark. So even if it drops its leaves, the bark can still use the sun to change carbon dioxide into sugar and release oxygen into the air, through photosynthesis.

People are very good at adapting themselves. If a family moves to a new neighborhood or even a new country, The family adapts to the new place. Children adapt by making new school friends. Adults adapt to new jobs. Young people adapt to ever-changing situations by learning new skills in school, in college or on the job. When have you adapted to a new situation (such as joining a group, loosing a friend or family member, getting a new teacher, taking on a new responsibility, etc.)? How did you adapt?

In addition to adapting themselves, people also adapt objects for different purposes. Someone adapted this old water tower into a place to live.

This old kerosene lamp was adapted to use electricity.

Spaces in an old shopping mall were adapted to become this elementary school and middle school. Bret R. Tarver Elementary School, Phoenix Marc T. Atkinson Middle School, Phoenix

An artist adapted horse shoes for decoration. pair of bookends candleholder model chair

People sometimes adapt things from one art form to another. This office building was adapted as a pop-up book. Pop-Up Book: Lain Thomson,,2002 Dimensions of Frank Lloyd Wright: Six of his Greatest Buildings Paper Engineered, London: PRC Publishing Ltd. Frank Lloyd Wright, 1936 Johnson Wax Building Racine, WI

Samples: Poem: Twas the Night before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore Song:Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer by Johnny Marks Movie: Elf by David Berenbaum Artists adapt stories into other art forms. For example the story of Santa Claus has been adapted in many art forms. Name examples of art forms that you have seen that include a Santa Claus image. 2D Picture: Can you name a 2D example? (Hint: Think about something you can mail at the holidays.) 3D Figure:Can you name a 3D example? (Hint: Think child’s gift they can play with.)

The modern story of Santa Claus has been adapted in many ways through the centuries. It was first adapted from the story of the Christian bishop, Saint Nickolas, who lived in Greece 16 centuries ago. Saint Nikolas is said to have given gifts to people in secret.

The Dutch celebrate the night before Saint Nicholas Day (December 5) by giving gifts. The Dutch call Saint Nickolas, Sinterklaas, the root of the name Santa Claus. In the Dutch adaptation of the story, Sinterklaas arrives on a ship from Spain and rides a white horse.

The ancient people of Sweden believed that little gnome-like people, called tomptes (tum tehs) were the spirits of their ancestors. Tomptes were usually helpful and generous, but if they were offended, they made trouble. Courtesy ELIASSON, Sweden

Over time, the traditional Swedish story of the tompte changed into a story about a goat bringing gifts at Christmas. In this image, the artist made a clever adaptation to combine the tompte and goat stories.

The tompte shown in this modern holiday decoration looks a lot like a U.S. version of Santa Claus bringing gifts. Can you find the goat- shaped cookie he carries? Courtesy Gerhards, Sweden

In cultures across the globe and throughout time, people have adapted stories into different forms to suit their own lives and times. How are these Santa figures alike? How are they different?

A Buddhist story tells of Quan Yin, a woman who lived 1,000 years before she was ready to leave the earth. When she heard the cries of the people of the world, she changed her mind and decided to stay to help. The artist of this sculpture adapted the story of Quan Yin’s compassion for others into a peaceful image. Her raised, open left hand symbolizes peace, because it holds no weapon. Her open right hand symbolizes giving.

Do you decorate with pictures or figurines on special events or holidays? If so, are any of your family’s decorations adapted from traditional stories? family stories cultural stories religious stories favorite myths or fairytales Traditional Day of the Dead images from Mexico and the southwest.

What story was this drawing adapted from? Snow White? Peter Pan? Cinderella? The Wizard of Oz? What makes you think so? What other art forms has the same story been adapted to: Dance? Movie? Toys? Other?

In a follow-up project, you will be challenged to adapt a scene from a short story into a computer image. You will: Read a short story, Analyze the main character, paying attention to how the character adapts as circumstances change, Adapt a character from the story into a computer image, Give the character a background that helps tell the story, And insert text from the story into your computer image.

You are invited to visit Page to Screen at the Tempe Center for the Arts. The exhibition showcases movies and TV shows adapted from books, stories and other print sources. Sample display from the exhibition Horton Hears a Who! Book: Random House Books, 1954, By Dr. Seuss Animated film,1970 Directors: Chuck Jones and Ben Washam and produced by The Cat in the Hat Productions and MGM Television Animated film, 2008 Directors: Jimmy Hayward and Steve Martino and produced by Blue Sky Studios, Twentieth Century Fox Animation, Twentieth Century Fox