Understanding the Bas Understanding the Basics Phillip Yenawine (Co-founder of VTS) The DIA images are not for publication. They may be used for educational purposes only.

Understanding the Bas Understanding the Basics “Visual Literacy is the ability to find meaning in imagery.” – Phillip Yenawine (Co-founder of VTS) The DIA images are not for publication. They may be used for educational purposes only.

1. All students must have ample opportunity to point out what they see in the art they examine and express their opinions about it. 2. Students must know that their thoughts are heard, understood and valued

3.Students must provide evidence to explain their interpretive comments. 4.Students must see that each comment contributes to the group process of mining the art for multiple meanings.

THE VTS PROCESS 3 carefully constructed questions, + paraphrasing. If response goes beyond identification

DIA A

What did you observe about this process?

Philip Yenawine, former education director of New York's Museum of Modern Art and co- creator of the VTS curriculum, writes engagingly about his years of experience with elementary school students in the classroom. He reveals how VTS was developed and demonstrates how teachers are using art--as well as poems, primary documents, and other visual artifacts--to increase a variety of skills, including writing, listening, and speaking, across a range of subjects. The book shows how VTS can be easily and effectively integrated into elementary classroom lessons in just ten hours of a school year to create learner-centered environments where students at all levels are involved in rich, absorbing discussions.

Visual Thinking Strategies Pre/Post Assessment Name-______________________________Grade-_____________ Teacher- ______________________________ Date-___________ Please list below everything you find in answer to this question—What’s happening in this picture? (There are no right or wrong answers. What you see happening is what I want you to share. You must work independently. Write on the back of this sheet as needed) _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________

Writing before VTS I think that they are running outside to pick flower for their mommy or daddy and playing race all the way to the backyard and back. I think that the big kids should compete each other big kids. Student 1

Writing after VTS I think that because I think they are playing a race holding hands and the two boys are losing so they are pulling the other little boy. I think that because I see two boys are pulling on the other boy so they could stop and boys run holding hands so both of them could win. I also see people having a party because I see people sitting down eating and I can see bolwens [ balloons?] I think they live out in a little county because I see just a little bit of houses and the way their clouds look alike. Student 1

Writing before VTS I think that painting looks kind of fun because the people are barefooted. The second thing I saw was that they are dancing with their feet and their shoes are off. Student 2

Writing after VTS Student 2 I think they are playing tug of war and two girls fell down and it looks like they hurt themselves from playing war. It looks like the live in the forest because the background looks bushy and the house looks like an old house because the door is broken and the children got old fancy clothes and hats. I feel like them when I play tug of war. I also like the sky because the way it looks. Ands the people look like people from London because the way they dress up fancy,

What’s happening in this picture?

What do you see that made you say that

What more can you find?