Our purpose for writing this book is so that children can become better communicators by expressing their thoughts, feelings and ideas. The ability to communicate is a universal goal in society. If children can better communicate in their speaking and writing, clearer more precise messages will be received, and communication around the world will be strengthened. The writing traits are a way for teachers and children to discuss and analyze written pieces, for strengths and needs, in order communicate their thoughts and expresses their ideas through writing in a way that touches their audience. Adding art into this established process will allow children to learn about the writing traits in a text-free environment before applying the traits to their own writing. Children will learn how artists communicate their thoughts, feelings and ideas, and how the traits that writers use are similar to the traits that artists use in order to better communicate, express themselves, and process the world around them. In addition, we will discuss the revision and editing process. Art is an exciting and engaging subject for students. This book will allow children to transfer their knowledge of how artists use the traits, to how writers use the traits, and then to how they can utilize the traits in their own writing, to better communicate with their audience and process the world around them.

Art can be a critical tool in helping students develop and refine reading strategies. This book provides classroom and art teachers with an overview of six different reading strategies and integrated reading and art lessons that they can implement in their own classrooms and schools.

"Using a clear and well-organized structure, the authors apply the strategies and techniques originally presented in The New Art and Science of Teaching by Robert J. Marzano to the teaching and assessment of writing skills, as well as some associated reading skills. In total, the book shares more than 100 strategies across grade levels and subject areas"--

A study was conducted of Introductory Art students to find if the six traits of writing as written by Spandel/Stiggins (1997) would have influence over a narrative painting when combined with the six traits of painting. Inconclusive findings were reported. Data difference between the treated and untreated class was less than one point. More research needs to be conducted to study transfer of knowledge from verbal to visual as well as from one curriculum to another with both curriculums teaching same material.

In this book, you’ll find a wealth of mini lessons designed to improve the quality of students’ writing. Each lesson uses a key mentor text and spotlights one of the 6 + 1 Writing Traits to allow students to focus on the essential aspects of good writing – content, organization, word choice, voice, sentence fluency, conventions, and presentation. Inviting and practical, the lessons are concise and follow a consistent model for easy implementation. With seven lessons per chapter, each includes step-by-step guidance, open-ended prompts, and suggestions for additional suitable mentor texts. The chapters are organized by genre – including fiction, informational texts, and poetry – and feature graphic novels and graphic informational mentor texts to inspire and engage students. Aligned with the Common Core State Standards, this resource is essential for any K-8 or pre-service teacher who wants to instill in their students the skills to become independent, confident writers.

Drawing is not a talent, it's a skill anyone can learn. This is the philosophy of drawing instructor Brent Eviston based on his more than twenty years of teaching. He has tested numerous types of drawing instruction from centuries old classical techniques to contemporary practices and designed an approach that combines tried and true techniques with innovative methods of his own. Now, he shares his secrets with this book that provides the most accessible, streamlined, and effective methods for learning to draw.

Taking the reader through the entire process, beginning with the most basic skills to more advanced such as volumetric drawing, shading, and figure sketching, this book contains numerous projects and guidance on what and how to practice. It also features instructional images and diagrams as well as finished drawings. With this book and a dedication to practice, anyone can learn to draw!

2014 Outstanding Academic Title, Choice "What’s going on in this picture?" With this one question and a carefully chosen work of art, teachers can start their students down a path toward deeper learning and other skills now encouraged by the Common Core State Standards. The Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) teaching method has been successfully implemented in schools, districts, and cultural institutions nationwide, including bilingual schools in California, West Orange Public Schools in New Jersey, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. It provides for open-ended yet highly structured discussions of visual art, and significantly increases students’ critical thinking, language, and literacy skills along the way. Philip Yenawine, former education director of New York’s Museum of Modern Art and cocreator 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.