9.3 CRITICAL PROCESS DEMONSTRATION

These are samples of the critical process in responding to a work of art using questions included in this web site.

ELEMENTARY

In this example for the primary grades, the teacher shares various Ezra Jack Keats books, such as The Snowy Day, Peter’s Chair and Whistle for Willie. Focusing on collage, the teacher chooses one image in which to lead a critical discussion. The students have access to their art portfolios in order to facilitate the process.

Teacher: What do you see? What is this? (I)

Student Response

Teacher: Tell me about the ________ ( shapes, colors, other elements). (F)

Student Response

Teacher: When you think about ________ ( shapes, colors, other elements), how do they make you feel? (I,F)

Student Response

Teacher: What would you name this? (I)

Student Response

Teacher: What would you have to do to make one? (F)

Student Response

Teacher: How did the artist show action? (F)

Student Response

Teacher: How is your artwork like this one? How is it different? (F)

Student Response

Teacher: Does this picture look like it was from a long time ago or from now? What clues in the picture helped you to make this decsion? (C)

Student Response

Teacher: What materials would you choose if you made a collage? Why? (F)

Student Response

SECONDARY

This example is appropriate for a variety of disciplines at the secondary level showing prompts in sequential order.

Teacher: What do you think of when you see/hear this piece? (I)

Student Response

Teacher: What can you tell me about this piece? (I)

Student Response

Teacher: What statement (mood, story) does the artist create in the work? (F)

Student Response

Teacher: What choices in composition and technique did the artist make to convey this idea?

(More prompting may be necessary here.) (F)

Student Response

Teacher: In what context was this work created? (C)

Student Response

Teacher: How might it be perceived from another viewpoint (era, culture, age group)? (C)

Student Response