spine 8.5mm inspired english 1 inspired

INSPIREDENGLISH 1Creative writing andcritical thinking through art

www.macmillan.com.au


Inspired English Teacher Book 1 is an accessible resource that supports the

use of visual arts in enriching English teaching and learning in Years 7 and 8.

The book provides user-friendly historical and contextual backgrounds to

each work of art written by experts at the National Gallery of Victoria,

suggested linked texts to accompany each project, and comprehensive

teaching plans to help deliver the activities in the Student Book.

The book also features:

• a wealth of supporting material online, including the works of art and

curriculum mapping

• colour reproductions of the works of art for easy reference

• teaching tips for engaging students with art

• sample student writing inspired by the activities.

Book 1 includes projects on:

• descriptive writing (John Brack’s Collins St, 5p.m.)

• the language of popular culture (Howard Arkley’s Explosion)

• short forms of poetry (Kim Hoa Tram’s Pine with cranes dancing in the

snow, dance in motion)

• the art of storytelling (Rosemary Laing’s groundspeed (red piazza) #2)

• writing about identity (Andy Warhol’s Self-portrait no. 9 and Julie

Dowling’s Federation series, 1901–2001).

Inspired English 1978 1 4586 5096 2

Inspired English 2Teacher Book978 1 4586 5099 3

Inspired English 1Teacher Book978 1 4586 5098 6

Inspired English 2978 1 4586 5097 9

Susie May and Purnima Ruanglertbutr

Consultant: Emma Heyde

INSPIREDENGLISH 1Creative writing and

critical thinking through art

InspiredEnglish_Concepts_FINAL_Blk logo.indd 1

2/07/15 11:35 AM



INSPIREDENGLISH 2Creative Writing and

Critical Thinking Through Art

TEACHER BOOK



INSPIREDENGLISH 1Creative Writing and

Critical Thinking Through Art

TEACHER BOOKSusie May and Purnima Ruanglertbutr


INSPIREDENGLISH 2Creative writing and

critical thinking through art

InspiredEnglish_Concepts_FINAL_Blk logo.indd 2

2/07/15 11:35 AM

TEACHER BOOK

Susie May and Purnima RuanglertbutrConsultant: Emma Heyde

TEACHER BOOK

Inspired English comprises a series of projects which explore the English

curriculum using sensational works of art as inspiration. Based on popular

workshops developed by the National Gallery of Victoria, each project

centres on a particular writing focus and context, enabling teachers to use

them to support any existing English program. Inspired English is a rich,

unique way of engaging students with cultural, historical and social issues

while integrating literacy, literature and language skills.

Series titles

May and

Ruang

lertb

utrIN

SPIR

ED EN

GLISH

1TEACH

ER BOOK

spine 8.5mm

InspiredEnglish_Concepts_FINAL_Blk logo_F&B-2.indd 2 20/01/2016 3:37 pm

Susie May and Purnima RuanglertbutrConsultant: Emma Heyde


TEACHER BOOKSAMPLE PAGES

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6 iii

ContentsForeword ...................................................................................... iv

About the authors .................................................................. v

Acknowledgements .............................................................. vi

Inspired English rationale: Why learn and teach English through art? ............................................vii

How to use this book ........................................................... x

Introduction to working with art .................................xi

Engaging students with art: teaching tips ........ xiv

Inspired English outcomes ........................................... xvii

Web resources ....................................................................... xx

PROJECT 1: Descriptive writing ......................... 1

WORK OF ART 1: Collins St, 5p.m., John Brack, 1955

Objectives ...................................................................................... 1

Teaching plans overview ..................................................... 1

Artist and work of art ......................................................... 2

Teaching plans ........................................................................... 5

Inspire me! Creative tasks for Collins St, 5p.m....................................................................... 23

PROJECT 2: The language of popular culture ............................................................. 26

WORK OF ART 2:

Explosion, Howard Arkley, 1996

Objectives .................................................................................. 26

Teaching plans overview ................................................. 26

Artist and work of art ...................................................... 27

Teaching plans ........................................................................ 30

Inspire me! Creative tasks for Explosion ............. 51

PROJECT 3: Poetry: short forms .................54

WORK OF ART 3: Pine with cranes dancing in the snow, dance in motion, Kim Hoa Tram, 2000

Objectives ..................................................................................54

Teaching plans overview .................................................54


Teaching plans ........................................................................ 57

Inspire me! Creative tasks for Pine with cranes dancing in the snow, dance in motion ..................................................................................... 79

PROJECT 4: The art of storytelling: exploring contemporary issues .............. 82

WORK OF ART 4: groundspeed (red piazza) #2,

Rosemary Laing, 2001

Objectives .................................................................................. 82

Teaching plans overview ................................................. 83


Teaching plans ........................................................................ 86

Inspire me! Creative tasks for groundspeed (red piazza) #2 .................................... 113

PROJECT 5: Thinking and writing about identity ................................................................ 118

WORKS OF ART 5: Self-portrait no. 9, Andy Warhol, 1986Federation series: 1901–2001, Julie Dowling, 2001

Objectives ................................................................................. 118

Teaching plans overview ................................................ 119

A note on cultural context ............................................. 119

Self-portrait no. 9, Andy Warhol ............................... 119

Federation series: 1901–2001, Julie Dowling .......................................................................... 120

Teaching plans ...................................................................... 124

Inspire me! Creative tasks for Federation series: 1901–2001 and Self-portrait no. 9 .............................................................. 152

Works of art ................................................................... 159

SAMPLE PAGES

iv

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6

Inspired English 1

Foreword

The National Gallery of Victoria is delighted to collaborate with Macmillan Education, an educational-publishing world leader, in presenting the innovative series Inspired English.

Using art to fi re students’ enthusiasm for learning is central to the NGV’s Education program. We create educational experiences for students of all year levels, covering many subject areas. Experiencing visual arts at an early age encourages a lasting appreciation of how art enriches life. More than 100 000 students visit the NGV every year to learn in its inspiring environment. Visual art, through its exceptional ability to stimulate creative thinking, plays a major role in preparing students to confi dently meet future challenges.

Literature and art are united in their profound ability to engage the senses, foster curiosity and nurture the imagination. NGV Education’s suite of programs, designed to inspire creative writing and develop visual literacy, is unique. The Gallery has led the fi eld by pioneering numerous programs that enhance the English curriculum through art.

Activities in Inspired English are based on workshops trialled and evaluated in the Gallery over the past ten years. The groundbreaking series allows students and teachers everywhere to utilise works from the NGV’s collection in their study of English. The works have been carefully selected from a range of historical, cultural and contemporary contexts to maximise opportunities for enhancing the English curriculum in imaginative ways, and to allow students to engage with a broad range of global, environmental and ethical issues.

It gives us great pleasure to be involved with Macmillan Education in this project which enables creative teaching and learning through art.

Tony EllwoodDirector, National Gallery of Victoria

SAMPLE PAGES

v

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6

About the authors

About the authors

Susie May began her working life as a textile designer in London. Her passion for teaching emerged when she had children and, following relocation to Australia, she retrained as a teacher. On completion of her Bachelor of Education at Melbourne University as a mature-age student, she worked as an Art and English teacher for four years before joining the Education team at the NGV in 2001.

Over the last 10 years Susie has pioneered and developed a range of programs at the NGV for students and teachers aimed at enriching

the English curriculum through engagement with art. She coordinated the award-winning NGV Student Label Project which fostered excellence in creative writing and co-founded the annual Ekphrasis program whereby students, facilitated by a guest poet, create poetry inspired by art.

She has collaborated extensively with the Victorian Association for the Teaching of English (VATE) to create English programs at the NGV as well as an online VCE English resource. Susie regularly presents at VATE conferences and has contributed to their journal, Idiom. She has written articles on teaching English through art for mETAphor, the journal of the English Teachers Association NSW, and the Journal of Artistic and Creative Education, in collaboration with Purnima Ruanglertbutr. Most recently she contributed to a paper about engaging students with indigenous contemporary art as text for the UNESCO Observatory Multi-Disciplinary Journal in the Arts. Susie regularly provides professional learning programs for teachers focusing on cross-curricular teaching and has lectured on NGV Education practice in Australia, India and the United States.

Purnima Ruanglertbutr has taught Art, English and ESL at various secondary schools in Australia and is now working in the United Kingdom in arts and education roles. Purnima also worked as an independent curator, writer, university lecturer, museum educator and arts manager, notably for the Art Association of Australia and New Zealand and Nite Art festival, Melbourne. In her last role as Education offi cer at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne, Purnima delivered gallery workshops to secondary English and ESL students and professional learning programs to educators. Purnima

continues her role as co-researcher within the Melbourne Graduate School of Education’s Artistic and Creative Education department at the University of Melbourne, researching on museum education, teacher-artist issues and the relationship between visual art and literacy.

Purnima’s arts-related writing and research have been published in books, journals and magazines, including the Melbourne Review, Arts Hub Australia, IGI Global, Canadian Review of Art Education, Journal of Artistic and Creative Education, Indian Link, Australian Art Education and English Australia. Her prize-winning poetry and short fi ction has been published in Asia and Australia, and she is editor of the books Gallery and Museum Education: Purpose, Pedagogy and Practice, and Inspiration Wild: An artistic celebration of nature and the environment. She has presented on the topic of ‘the art of English’ at subject association conferences in Australia. Purnima holds a Bachelor of Creative Arts (Honours) with majors in creative writing and visual media, a Master of Teaching (Secondary) and a Master of Art Administration.

SAMPLE PAGES

vii

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6

Inspired English rationale

Inspired English rationale: Why learn and teach English through art?

One of the key questions that English teachers may ask is, why use art in the English classroom?

As Educators at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), teaching English through works of art in the collection, we have been amazed by the deep levels of interpretation, skill development and creative writing achieved by students from Years 7 to 10. Engaging students with art, as a class or in small groups, offers avenues for developing English skills to students of all abilities and learning styles. In particular, visual learners and students who struggle with writing often ‘come alive’ when discussing ideas and writing in response to visual imagery, surprising their teachers and peers. These benefi ts can also be experienced in the classroom.

The purpose of Inspired English is to translate the unique pedagogy we have developed in the Gallery into practical classroom lessons focusing on reproductions of works of art from the collection of the NGV.

Based on our observations of students enthusiastically responding to works of art, extensive research and evaluations, we are confi dent that the accessible activities within the Inspired English resource, which require no prior knowledge of art, will allow students to experience the benefi ts outlined below.

Development of visual literacy Students live in a world fl ooded with visual imagery and it is now acknowledged to be the main channel through which they learn. The importance of developing visual literacy skills that will enable students to look critically at the profusion of imagery in society cannot be overstated.

Describing, analysing and discussing works of art is an engaging and effective way of developing these key skills, which involve critical and creative thinking. Students are intrigued by the idea that art can be interpreted in multiple ways depending on their experience and cultural background. The idea that there is no ‘correct’ interpretation, provided it is justifi ed by reference to elements within the work, can be liberating for students and encourages divergent thinking. They enjoy the intellectual challenge of ‘deciphering’ works of art by taking on the role of a detective and identifying visual clues to support their interpretations. Guiding students initially through lower-order thinking questions related to what they can see leads naturally to students ‘unveiling’ personal associations and possible meanings, allowing them to move from the literal to the metaphoric, symbolic and perceptual.

Importantly, the interpretative skills fostered through this process are transferable to analysis of literature.

SAMPLE PAGES

viii

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6

Inspired English 1

Development of descriptive writingLooking intently at a work of art fosters the ability to notice and write about details, a key skill in descriptive writing.

Engagement with the strong visual elements in art, such as colour and form, provides students with something tangible to describe, which develops a rich and diverse vocabulary and encourages them to experiment with language to enhance their writing. The visual elements also provide a focus which teachers can harness to introduce literary devices such as simile, metaphor, alliteration and onomatopoeia, allowing students to practise using the devices inspired by the visual imagery they see.

Development of ideas for writing in a variety of text typesThe ideas expressed though works of art, which may communicate themes relating to culture, history, contemporary society and the human condition, can motivate students and provide a purpose to write in a variety of text types including narratives, feature articles, play scripts and persuasive writing.

An understanding of the connection between poetry and art, which both employ rich imagery and distil key ideas, allows students to realise that art provides an excellent vehicle for experimenting with poetry forms. Even hesitant poets, and those constricted by the idea that poetry must rhyme, are empowered to use their developing fi gurative language, inspired by works of art, as a starting point for writing poetry.

Development of an understanding of the relationship between art and literatureA comparison of the way in which writers and artists convey meaning is benefi cial to students who come to appreciate that both mediums fi re imagination through the power of imagery. A writer chooses words and literary devices that ‘paint’ a picture, an artist achieves a similar outcome with their tools, which include art and design elements and principles such as colour, line, form and composition.

Plutarch immortalised the special relationship between art and poetry with his now famous aphorism, painting is mute poetry and poetry is a speaking picture. The ekphrastic tradition, a poetic response to art dating back to the Ancient Greeks, has been practised throughout the centuries. John Keats is famous for his poem ‘Ode on a Grecian urn’, written in 1819 and, more recently, celebrated poets such as William Carlos Williams and Sylvia Plath have drawn on the visual image as inspiration for their writing.

By making explicit the parallels in the creative process involved in visual and written modes of expression, students recognise the value of engaging with different text types in order to gain multiple perspectives on both reading and writing.

Powerful and imaginative student responses can be elicited by engagement with works of art that express universal or cultural themes. These responses can provide a stimulating spring board for discussing particular pieces of related literature or cinematic texts studied in the English curriculum. Concepts in novels or fi lms, such as confl ict, love and loss, or notions of identity, can all be brought alive through analysis and discussion focusing on visual texts. The process leads students to a deeper understanding of the broad ideas and issues evoked in

SAMPLE PAGES

ix

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6

Inspired English rationale

the prescribed texts. They are also encouraged to enrich their critical writing by quoting from both written and visual texts in support of their arguments.

Development of interpersonal skillsAnalysing a work of art as a class or in smaller groups allows students to experience a previously unseen visual text as a community where they are all ‘reading’ the same work simultaneously. As ideas and interpretations are shared, students experience the value of learning from each other and come to respect others’ opinions.

Increased appreciation of art and cross-curriculum learningThe intense critical thinking involved in analysing works of art challenges students’ preconceptions, encouraging a newfound appreciation of the value and nature of art and its relevance to their lives.

Through engaging simultaneously with Art and English, students come to understand the benefi ts of a cross-curriculum approach to learning. This promotes innovative thinking about the meaningful connections between Art and other disciplines such as History, Philosophy and cultural studies related to the learning of languages.

Engaging students with works of art in the English classroom, in combination with other strategies, can enable teachers to fulfi l student learning outcomes across the Language, Literacy and Literature components of the English curriculum. It fosters increased awareness of the powerful relationship between word and image, the development of higher-order thinking skills and the enjoyment of writing.

SAMPLE PAGES

x

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6

Inspired English 1

How to use this book

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6 1

PROJECT 1

Descriptive writingWORK OF ART 1: Collins St, 5p.m., John Brack, 1955

ObjectivesThe focus of this project is to study, develop and practise descriptive writing with anemphasis on:R building vocabularyR using synonyms, nouns, adjectives and adverbsR developing imagery including the literary devices of alliteration, simile, metaphor and

onomatopoeia.

C R E A T I V E O U T C O M E S

Along with the ‘Clones clock off’ creative task suggested for assessment, the skillsacquired through this project can be applied to the following creative outcomes:

P poetry—creating a rhyming couplet, cinquain, list poem, onomatopoeic and/orfree verse poem

P writing an interview

P reportage—writing a feature article using real-life examples.

The activities are outlined in the ‘Inspire me!’ section at the end of the project.

Teaching plans1 Introduction to descriptive writing2 Close reading and creative thinking3 Building vocabulary4 Elaboration5 Alliteration and onomatopoeia 6 Painting and poetry links

5

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6

Project 1 Descriptive writing

Teaching plans

Introduction to descriptive writing

ObjectivesR To introduce students to descriptive writingR To encourage students to start looking closely at visual textsR To help students develop an initial vocabulary for describing the painting

What you needCollect several digital images of objects seen from a close-up and a distant view, such as a

StarterThis starter activity will introduce students to examples of the two main purposes for

a Write the following descriptive sentences on the whiteboard: R

R

R The stark, black silhouette of the skeleton peering out at me from the album cover

R

R

R

b

ACTIVITY 1.1 What is descriptive writing?The next questions are designed to prompt students’ thinking about both the contexts in

also provide an opportunity to gauge what students already know about descriptive writing

to refer to later in the project when they will be required to write their own descriptive

a What are some types of descriptive writing?b For what purposes do you think writers use descriptive writing?c What are some features of descriptive writing? d Where have you found examples of descriptive writing? e Have you ever written a piece of descriptive writing? If so, what was its purpose?

1

2

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6

Inspired English 1

Artist and work of artJohn Brack (1920–99) was one of Australia’s leading modern artists, and his iconic work, Collins St, 5p.m., offers a social commentary on everyday life in the 1950s. In 2011 it was voted the National Gallery of Victoria’s most popular work of art.

Collins St, 5p.m.that have taken place in the social and cultural life of Melbourne, and indeed any large city since 1955. It is immensely popular with students, who gravitate towards its strong, graphic ‘cartoon’ style. The bold use of colour and shape make the atmosphere and meaning easily accessible, enabling students to experience immediate success in visual literacy.

Experience with students taking part in the National Gallery of Victoria’s workshop program has shown that the painting is also an inspiring resource for developing students’ descriptive writing skills, which are the focus of this project.

The artistJohn Brack lived most of his life in or near the city of Melbourne. He attended evening art classes at the National Gallery School from 1938 to 1940. He served in the army from 1940 to 1946 and, following his discharge, he returned to the National Gallery School full-time until 1949. Brack became a respected teacher and art reviewer in addition to his painting career. He was an avid reader of literature throughout his life and in the 1930s he considered becoming a poet. Writers such as Rainer Maria Rilke, Jean-Paul Sartre, WH Auden, Henry

When Brack was working on Collins St, 5p.m., part of TS Eliot’s epic poem ‘The waste land’:

Unreal City,

Under the brown fog of the winter dawn,

A crowd flowed over London Bridge, so many.

I had not thought death had undone so many.

Sighs, short and infrequent, were exhaled,

And each man fixed his eyes before his feet.

TS Eliot, ‘The waste land’

Brack was interested in describing modern life and society and the subjects he chose to depict were grounded in ordinary, daily life. His paintings, often sombre in tone, reveal insights into the human condition.

The work of artCollins St, 5p.m. was painted at a time when memories of the Depression and wartime austerity were still lingering. However, there were also causes for celebration. Melbourne saw the development of new suburbs as home building soared, the economy thrived in Australia and it was a period of full employment.

Brack has depicted the people in Collins St, 5p.m. monochromatically as a device to express their similarity. At this period in Melbourne, most of the population was Anglo-Celtic in origin. As preparation for the painting, Brack stood in a doorway in Collins St between 4.45pm and 5.15pm over many weeks, sketching streams of workers on their way home after

6

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6

Inspired English 1

To ensure that students can identify the features of descriptive writing, guide the discussion toward these key points: a

b

descriptive writing is to create a sense of objectivity—to the extent that the reader doesn’t encounter emotive language or value-laden statements that convey personal judgements

Factual descriptive writing has many purposes—including the presentation of a detailed account of an event, the mapping out of a place, the identification of characteristics of a

the reader into the world of the text using lots of details that enable the reader to visualise

c

Composers use adjectives and adverbs to make the nouns and verbs in the piece specific

Literary techniques present in descriptive writing include similes and metaphors, and

Details that engage the senses may be present—including sights, sounds, smells, tastes

d

e

W E B R E S O U R C E : D E S C R I B I N G I M A G E S

This optional activity helps students think about the language they use to describe. In it, students describe an image to another student who is unable to see the image. Monitor students’ verbal descriptions during the activity and make notes of any interesting or specific language used. Refer to this language during feedback.

Looking closely: a focus on visual details

of images to separate groups of students and encourage them to discuss what they might

Ensure that students understand that in the following activities we are dealing with the

Each project supports different

writing skills

Objectives show how the project

supports key English skills

Carefully sequenced

teaching plans

Guidance on how to engage with the work of art for each activity

Background and context to support your teaching

Links to literature throughout

The alternative and extension options help you cater for a wide range of students

SAMPLE PAGES

xi

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6

Introduction to working with art


As some students may be unfamiliar with the idea of working with art, we recommend engaging with the following activities prior to commencing the projects in the book. They are designed to encourage students to feel comfortable and more confi dent with looking at, describing and interpreting art. In our experience, students are sometimes confused or intrigued as to why they are studying art as students of English. The following activities will make the benefi ts of working with art clear, encourage students to view art as visual text and build divergent and creative thinking skills. You may wish to focus on one or more of the additional works of art on the website resource as a basis for discussion:

The Rabbiters, Russel Drysdale, 1947

Anguish, August Friedrich Albrecht Schenck, 1878

Ulysses and the Sirens, John Waterhouse, 1891

The nature of artLead a short whole-class discussion about the nature of art and its function, prompted by the following questions: What is art? What can art communicate? What is the purpose of art?

If necessary, encourage students to understand art as a form of communication that goes beyond a pure aesthetic statement. For example, prompt them to understand that art can communicate history, culture, narratives, religious and spiritual beliefs, political ideas, human emotions and visions of the future.

The ensuing discussion will allow students to understand that engaging with art can be viewed as a means of both acquiring knowledge and appreciating the world from others’ perspectives, providing inspiration for writing and discussion.

The connection between art and writing Ask students to brainstorm and discuss the connection between art and writing using the following questions:a Where can we see words and images together?

For example: books, magazines, newspapers, advertisements, posters, diaries, blogs.b Why might people combine words and images?

For example: to give context to words by using visual symbols that may refl ect the key ideas in a written text; to create a more powerful impact on the viewer/reader; to infl uence the way people think and construct meaning.

c What do writers and artists have in common? For example: they both draw on their imagination and construct meaning to tell stories, communicate knowledge, ideas and emotions.

d What tools might writers and artists use to express their ideas? SAMPLE PAGES

xii

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6

Inspired English 1

You may like to prompt students using one of the examples in the table below.

Writing Art

Author’s words and word choices Artist’s colour, tone, shape, brushstrokes, lines

Author’s point of view Artist’s perspective

Author’s purpose Artist’s intention

Author’s main idea Work of art’s subject or theme

Author’s setting—time, place, context Artist’s setting—time, place, context

e What does ‘reading’ an image mean? It is important to encourage students to view art as a visual text. Students may suggest that ‘reading’ an image might mean interpreting stories and ideas from images, for example photographs, paintings, drawings and graphic art (comic books and illustrations), fi lms, advertising, street signs, maps and different kinds of graphs and charts. ‘Reading’ images requires a visually literate viewer to look at an image carefully, slowly, critically and with an eye for the intentions of the creator of the image. You could compare this process to reading a book.

f Why do you think it is important to be able to ‘read’ images? The proliferation of images in our culture—such as in newspapers and magazines, advertising, art, television and the internet—makes visual literacy (the ability to ‘read’ images) a critical skill. It is important to be able to make meaning from images of everything that we see in our media and digital-driven, image-saturated culture.

As an optional activity, you may wish to engage students in some of the visual thinking strategies detailed below.

Visual Thinking Strategies Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) is a method commonly used in teaching to develop critical thinking, communication and visual literacy skills using art. This technique facilitates student-centred discussions of art and encourages students to engage in a process of meaning making from images. VTS primarily fosters thinking processes based on the viewers’ knowledge and interests—it starts with questions that focus students’ attention on looking and describing before interpreting, comparing, analysing and hypothesising. This process builds an understanding and appreciation of the visual arts in a personal way.

How VTS worksR The teacher acts as a facilitator, asking students a set of open-ended questions while

looking at an image.R After each student offers a response, it is important that the teacher paraphrases what

the student has said. This ensures everyone in the class has heard the comments which have been validated by the teacher and allows other students to feel confi dent about contributing their ideas.

R The teacher points to parts of the image on the whiteboard that students mention as they talk about the image. This further focuses the students on the image.

The questions below are indicative of open-ended questions you could use to get students warmed up and at ease to think creatively and divergently about a work of art before commencing the projects. As you follow the steps above, your students will become familiar

SAMPLE PAGES

xiii

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6


with looking at and talking about art. They may even respond to the same questions with increasingly sophisticated observations and interpretations. Consider using the work of art Ulysses and the Sirens (1891) by John Waterhouse as an example for getting students to discuss the questions below.

Looking questions

These questions prolong the ‘looking’ process to engage students with small, sometimes unnoticed details, setting the stage for meaning making and forming a relationship with the work. They also draw upon students’ observational and interpretative skills.a Look at the image silently for up to three minutes.b What are your fi rst impressions? c What do you see?d What is going on in the picture? e What do you see that makes you say that? f What more can you fi nd? g How does it make you feel?

Interpretative questions

When students respond to the following questions, they should be encouraged to explain the visual evidence that has led them to the initial ideas about the work of art. This promotes the development of higher-order thinking and visual literacy skills. In addition, they should be reminded to listen to and consider the views of others and discuss multiple possible interpretations. a What do you think the work is about?b How does it remind you of an experience in your life? c Why do you think the work was created?

Hypothetical questions

These are ‘what if’ questions that encourage students to think imaginatively about particular situations from various perspectives. a If you stepped into this work of art: R What sounds would you hear?R How would you feel?R What smells would there be?R What might you taste?

b What if the faces of the birds were all men’s? How would this change the mood of the work?

c If you had the chance to ask the artist one question, what would it be?

To learn more about VTS and to see videos of VTS in action, visit www.vtshome.org.SAMPLE PAGES

xiv

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6

Inspired English 1

Engaging students with art: teaching tips

Each project (chapter) in Inspired English is structured sequentially so that students will:R form a relationship with the chosen work of art through close reading and analysisR use the creative ideas generated by the work of art to practise short pieces of writing

that develop particular skillsR engage with the ‘Inspire me!’ section of the project to write extended pieces of writing

in a range of text types that incorporate the skills they have developed. The collection of activities includes opportunities for students to work as a whole class, in small groups or individually.

The tips below are built on the authors’ experience and are aimed at facilitating deep engagement with the works of art and accompanying activities.

1 Explore the relationship between art and writing

Some students may initially be confused as to why they are studying art in an English classroom. If you decide not to engage students with the ‘Introduction to working with art’ lesson, it is valuable to ask students to consider what art and writing in various text types have in common. Through the responses generated, the students come to view art as a new resource for learning—a visual text which, like literature, can communicate knowledge and ‘windows’ on the world from others’ perspectives, providing inspiration for discussion of universal themes and writing.

2 Encourage students to look closely

In each of the projects in Inspired English, at least one lesson (‘Close reading and creative thinking’) is devoted entirely to encouraging students to look closely at a work of art for a prolonged period of time. This is followed by a discussion of what they see in the work, at which point students are often introduced to new vocabulary and are encouraged to inquire further into the work using a series of guided questions. Sustained looking can help students discover small, often unnoticed details—and to analyse how they convey meaning.

It is useful to encourage students to understand that many artists employ the technique of depicting details, in order to ‘show’ rather than ‘tell’ as a scientifi c diagram might do. If students observe and write about the details in works of art, it allows them to practise ‘showing’ rather than ‘telling’ in their own writing.

3 Encourage students to share their personal responses to a work of art

Questions in the ‘Close reading and creative thinking’ sections of the book encourage students to discuss personal feelings and experiences that may relate to the works of art. Sharing and validating these responses, however unusual, is crucial to deepening the whole class’s understanding of the work, keeping students focused and stimulating interest in the writing activities that will follow.

4 Emphasise there is no right or wrong answer to questions about the work of art, provided ideas are supported with reasons

Explaining to students that there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answer when interpreting works of art, provided they can justify their opinion with visual evidence in the works, stimulates confi dence in expressing multiple perspectives and viewpoints. You may wish to emphasise

SAMPLE PAGES

xv

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6

Engaging students with art: teaching tips

that we all see things differently depending on our experience, hence no two answers may be the same. This can alleviate students’ nervousness about ‘getting it right’ and allow them to experience and enjoy a more creative and risk-taking approach to both visual analysis and writing.

5 Allow time to answer questions and explore responses

All the questions in Inspired English support the process of inquiry-based learning and therefore do not encourage a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer. As a teacher, you are already attuned to providing students with time to respond to questions. However, when working with art, it is important to allow students to spend even more time thinking, so that they can prepare an answer that validates their idea with reference to visual elements in the work of art. Sometimes students will be asked to imagine what they see, feel, hear and taste in response to a work and in this case they will also require time to explore and explain their sensory responses.

6 Project the image on the whiteboard

It is highly recommended, where possible, to project the image of the work of art under discussion on the whiteboard. This allows the students to describe, analyse and discuss the work as a community where they can listen to and build on each other’s ideas. Additionally, it enables students to view a large reproduction of the work of art that is close to its appearance in the Gallery. To ensure that students are given the most accurate viewing experience of a work of art—particularly in terms of the richness of colour, details and texture—it is advised that the light in the classroom is minimised.

7 Weave in contextual information when appropriate

All the projects in Inspired English include contextual information, which contains material about the work of art, artist and historical context. We do recommend that this information is imparted after the students have had a chance to give their initial responses to the works of art, as this will encourage more divergent and creative thinking. In some cases, the stage at which the contextual information should be revealed has been specifi ed, otherwise it can be added by you at appropriate times during class discussions so that students build up a holistic understanding of each work of art.

8 Encourage students to perform their writing

Getting students to perform pieces of writing, inspired by the works of art, encourages them to value both their own work and that of their peers. In addition it provides an opportunity for them to practise oral presentation techniques, such as eye contact, hand gestures, bodily expression, tone, pace and pitch, as well as understand how these can enhance the meaning of their written pieces.

9 Use a variety of learning strategies when asking students to respond to art

Engaging students in activities that capitalise on their multiple intelligences and learning styles generates lively writing and discussion. The activities in Inspired English are designed to ensure a wider range of students have access to a way of learning which suits their individual style. They include, for example, developing soundscapes, engaging in role play, mime, music and producing multi-modal presentations, such as videos, picture books and PowerPoint. Students who take part in these activities, either individually or in small groups,

SAMPLE PAGES

xvi

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6

Inspired English 1

are encouraged to recognise the value of inter-disciplinary learning by drawing connections between other modes of expression and the visual and verbal arts.

10 Modify your approach as necessary

The lessons in Inspired English are comprehensive, providing step-by-step guidance for you to successfully conduct the lessons. Homework, assessment and extended productive writing tasks in the ‘Inspire me!’ sections are also provided. However, you may fi nd that you need to modify your approach based on your class size, students’ abilities and learning styles, and the time available. This might involve selecting activities from the projects that would best suit your requirements.

11 Record students’ ideas

The lessons in Inspired English aim to develop a rich and diverse vocabulary and experimentation with language. Often, a work of art will spark startling memories, personal associations, vocabulary and interpretations, which students should be encouraged to share with you. It is particularly useful to keep a record of their ideas, phrases and vocabulary so that a copy can be made available for each student to assist them with extended writing tasks. All the graphic organisers in the students’ workbook are provided electronically on the book’s accompanying website. If required, these can be projected on the whiteboard, allowing you to fi ll in the answers as a class.

12 Use the interactive whiteboard

Interactive whiteboard technology can enrich the learning and teaching experience. You may wish to use the board to develop interactive learning in the following ways:R Annotate an image of the work of art with students’ suggestions.R Highlight text.R Read aloud examples of student work or texts by professional writers.R Add notes to graphic organisers provided on the website and then save them to be

printed out and shared, or add to a virtual learning environment.R Show works of art and videos provided on the website to the whole class.R Model an activity from the student workbook or display a website resource worksheet

to explain the task.

13 Make use of peer review activities and worksheets

In some lessons, there is a strong focus on having students practise drafting, editing and publishing their writing. In these cases, we have provided peer review criteria and worksheets that you may encourage students to use.

14 Using the web resources

The resources on the book’s accompanying website are an important supplement to the students’ workbooks. They comprise printable worksheets that are integral to conducting several group and individual activities in each project. In some cases, resource images are provided to limit the need for you to source them.

You may also like to view a condensed version of these tips on the video available on the website: Inspired English: Top tips for teaching English through art.

SAMPLE PAGES

xvii

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6

Inspired English outcomes


Project Work of art Writing focuses and genres

Project objectives Themes and issues explored

Assessment

1 Collins St, 5p.m., John Brack, 1955

Descriptive writing: R Poetry R Rhyming couplet

with alliteration R Cinquain R List poem—colourR An onomatopoeic

poem R Free-verse poem R Characterisation R Monologue R Dialogue/fi lm

script R Interview R Feature article

To study, develop and practise descriptive writing with an emphasis on:R building

vocabularyR synonyms, nouns,

adjectives and adverbs

R imagery including the literary devices alliteration, simile, metaphor and onomatopoeia.

R Modern life and society

R The everydayR The human

conditionR Melbourne life in

the 1950sR Lack of

individuality and social cohesion among the masses

R Urbanisation R Immigration

R Students complete a chart of language and literary devices, referring to the painting, Collins St, 5p.m. Language and parts of speech—adjective, adverb, synonym and collective noun. Literary devices—simile and metaphor.

R Students write a free verse poem.

2 Explosion, Howard Arkley, 1996

The language of popular culture:R Persuasive

postcard/SMS/email

R Writing advertising copy

R Logo designR Creating a

persuasive soundtrack

R Creating advertisements to be displayed on public transport

R Advertising campaign

To study popular culture and the language of advertising with an emphasis on:R defi ning popular

culture and its effects on society

R the features of persuasive writing

R analysing and writing persuasive texts

R considering the ethics of advertising.

R Popular culture and its impact on people’s lives

R Demographics and marketing for a specifi c audience or cultural context

R Exaggeration in advertising

R Graffi ti: is it art? R The nature and

functions of artR Ethical advertising

Students apply persuasive language techniques they have learnt in this project convincingly to create an advertisement that encourages people not to buy a product. It will appear in a magazine that highlights global issues that could have detrimental effects in the future such as excessive consumerism and pollution caused by forms of transport and industrial plants.

Continued

SAMPLE PAGES

xviii

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6

Inspired English 1



Assessment

3 Pine with cranes dancing in the snow, dance in motion, 2000, Kim Hoa Tram

Poetry: short forms:R Animal poetry R Shi—a Chinese

poemR Haiku R SenryuR Writing a

poem using personifi cation

R Tanka

To foster enjoyment of reading and writing short forms of poetry with a focus on:R the nature of

poetryR writing poetry

individually and collaboratively

R the relationship between poetry and culture

R poetry from Asia R symbolism in

poetry and artR analysis of poetry.

R The cultural background of artists and writers as a signifi cant infl uence on their creative work

R Symbolism in traditional Chinese brush painting and poetry

R Zen Buddhism and Chinese art and culture

R The natural world and the beauty of nature

Students read and analyse poetry in various forms by completing a series of questions. They then use their imagination to create poems of their own. They can also invent their own poetry form and give a ‘lesson’ which teaches their invented form to a partner or small group of students.

4 groundspeed (red piazza) #2, Rosemary Laing, 2001

The art of storytelling: exploring contemporary issues: R Acrostic poetryR Creating a short

soundscape of the local environment

R Play script using the technique of personifi cation

R Writing short stories inspired by the work of art

R Monologue based on a character description

R Imaginative diary entry based on factual research

To develop the skills of story writing with an emphasis on:R engaging with the

nature, causes and effects of contemporary issues

R studying the language devices and features specifi c to a variety of storytelling genres

R planning, drafting, editing, publishing and presenting stories that communicate students’ imaginative responses to contemporary issues.

R Contemporary local and global political, social and environmental issues

R The relationship between people and landscapes

R The nature of juxtaposition

R Techniques of juxtaposition used in Surrealism

R Constructed realities

R Colonisation and the impact of Western culture on the environment

R Destructive effects of introduced plants and animals

Students apply their knowledge of the features of short stories to write a short story inspired by the work of art in response to prompts. They use plot and characterisation graphic organisers to plan the key features of their short story and use this to write their story.

ContinuedSAMPLE PAGES

xix

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6




Assessment

5 Self-portrait no. 9, Andy Warhol, 1986

Federation series: 1901–2001, Julie Dowling, 2001

Writing about identity:R Travel itineraryR Writing about

etiquette R Writing a celebrity

profi leR Creating a time

capsule—oral presentation

R Creating a short fi lm/play about teen lifestyles and identities

R Writing a biography on a signifi cant Australian

R Discovering your elders—interview profi le

R Cultural connections—oral presentation

R Poem about ‘Where I’m from’

To investigate the nature of identity with an emphasis on:R factors that shape

personal and cultural identity, investigated through Self-portrait no. 9 and Federation series

R the nature of visual and written portraits

R the impact of colonisation on Indigenous Australians.

R The nature of personal, cultural and national identity

R The Pop Art movement

R Celebrity portraitsR Self-portraits and

portraiture in communicating identity, history and politics

R Private and public aspects of identity

R EmpathyR Belonging and not

belonging R Aboriginal artists

and artR Australian history

from an Indigenous perspective

R Differences and similarities between identities and cultures

R Students write a short expository essay that defi nes the meaning of personal and cultural identity and what factors contribute to them. They are encouraged to provide examples by referring to the portraits and poems they have learnt about and the lives of the people who created them.

R Students read the full text of the speech made by Gough Whitlam at the Gurindji Land Ceremony on 16 August 1975. They imagine that the picture of Vincent Lingiari and Gough Whitlam is appearing in a museum overseas in an exhibition entitled MONUMENTAL MOMENTS—discover Australian 20th-century history. Based on their knowledge gained in this project and Gough Whitlam’s speech, they create:R a title or headline

for the photograph R an extended label

for the wall of the museum.

SAMPLE PAGES

xx

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6

Inspired English 1

Web resources

Throughout this book you will fi nd references to a wealth of supporting resources available online. These include digital versions of the works of art for you to display on an interactive whiteboard. Below is a full list of the available material.

To access the resources please follow these instructions:R Go to www.macmillaneducationenglish.com.au/register.R Follow the instructions to create an account.R Once logged in, use the code INSPIRED1 to unlock the digital resources for this book.

Project 1 Brack

WORK OF ART Collins St, 5p.m.Lesson 1 Optional activity: Describing images

Close-up and distant viewsActivity 1.2: Look closely

Lesson 2 Worksheet 1.1: Building vocabulary crosswordAnswers for Worksheet 1.1Activity 2.2: City lifeWorksheet 1.2: Context quizAnswers and instructions for Worksheet 1.2

Lesson 4 Worksheet 1.3: Word stringInstructions for Worksheet 1.3

Lesson 5 Optional activity: City soundscape Assessment task Suggested answers and sample poemInspire me! Sample poems

Extension: CharacterisationProject 2 Arkley

WORK OF ART ExplosionLesson 1 Activity 1.2 Worksheet 2.1: Defi ning popular culture

Popular culture in visual: Ulysses and the sirens by John WaterhouseLesson 2 Starter activity: Crazy connections

Activity 2.2: My interpretationLesson 3 Activity 3.2: Language of advertising

Spot the sloganLesson 4 Activity 4.2: Answers to cloze activity Lesson 5 Activity 5.3: Lichtenstein poem

Activity 5.4: Shape poem fruit outlinesLesson 6 Worksheet 2.2: Art quotes

Activity 6.1: Defi ning ‘art’, imagesProject 3 Tram

WORK OF ART Pine with cranes dancing in the snow, dance in motionCultural context Suggested linked poemsLesson 1 Web resource: Essence of Asia images Activity 1.3: Poem suggestions

Worksheet 3.1: Analysing a poem Activity 1.5: Prose suggestionsLesson 3 Activity 3.3: ‘The car’, Raymond Carver

Extension: Anguish by August Friedrich Albrecht SchenckLesson 4 Worksheet 3.2: Cultural comprehension quiz

Instructions and answers for Worksheet 3.2 Activity 4.4: Pictures to inspire a tanka

SAMPLE PAGES

xxi

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6

Inspired English outcomes Descriptive writing

Lesson 5 Starter activity: Symbols of Australia imagesLesson 6 Activity 6.1: Performing poetry checklistAssessment task Remembering snow

Answers to Task 2b Project 4 Laing

Lesson 1 Activity 1.1: Instructions and picture cardsLesson 3 Starter activity: Word list

Activity 3.1: Images of metamorphosis, juxtaposition and dislocationActivity 3.3: Feedback form Extension: Worksheet 4.1: Personal statement

Lesson 4 Activity 4.1: Sample question and answer poemActivity 4.5: Examples of found poemsActivity 4.6: Sample colour poem

Lesson 5 Inspired English YouTube playlistAssessment task Plot and characterisation graphic organisers

Worksheet 4.2: Peer review–short storyInspire me! Examples of acrostic poems

The hiking trek planning chartsProject 5 Warhol/Dowling

WORKS OF ART Self-portrait no. 9 / Federation series: 1901–2001Lesson 1 Starter activity Worksheet 5.1: Guess who?

Activity 1.2: Sample portrait poem Lesson 2 Activity 2.1: Queen Esther by Edwin Long Lesson 6 Activity 6.1: Stereotype images

Homework task: Worksheet 5.2: Vincent Lingiari text and questionsSuggested answers for Worksheet 5.2

Inspire me! Worksheet 5.3: Peer review: Travel itineraryImages: Cultural festivals galleryImages: Portrait galleryPoem: Where I’m from

Permissions acknowledgements

The author and publisher are grateful to the following for permission to reproduce copyright material:

PhotographsHoward ARKLEY, Australian 1951–1999, Explosion, 1996 synthetic polymer paint on canvas 135.1 × 120.0 cm, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. Presented through The Art Foundation of Victoria by Robert Gould, Governor, 2000, 160; John BRACK, Australian 1920–1999, Collins St, 5p.m., 1955 oil on canvas 114.8 x 162.8 cm National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Purchased 1956, 159; Julie DOWLING, Badimaya born 1969, Federation series: 1901–2001, 2001 synthetic polymer paint, earth pigments, metallic paint and glitter on canvas (1–10) 60.6 × 555.0 cm (variable) (overall). National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. Purchased through the NGV Foundation with the assistance of Rupert Myer, Governor, 2001 © Julie Dowling/Licensed by Viscopy, 2015, 164; Fairfax/Merv Bishop, 150; iStockphoto/Jamie Farrant, 75; /willyseto, 75; Rosemary LAING, Australian

SAMPLE PAGES

xxii

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6

Inspired English 1

born 1959, groundspeed (red piazza) #2, type C photograph, ed. 11/15 110.8 × 205.1 cm (image) 125.9 × 225.2 cm (sheet). National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Purchased with funds from the Victorian Foundation for Living Australian Artists, 2004, reproduced with permission. © Rosemary Laing, courtesy Tolarno Galleries, Melbourne, 162; Edwin LONG, Queen Esther, 1878, oil on canvas 213.5 × 170.3 cm. National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, purchased, 1879, 144; Shutterstock/atiger, 75; /Ed Phillips, 75; Kim Hoa TRAM, Chinese born 1959, worked in Australia 1984–, Pine with cranes dancing in the snow, dance in motion, ink and pigments on paper 137.1 × 69.2 cm. National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. Purchased through the NGV Foundation with the assistance of The Marjory and Alexander Lynch Endowment, Governors, 2001, 161; Andy WARHOL, American 1928–1987, Self-portrait no. 9, 1986 synthetic polymer paint and screenprint on canvas 203.5 × 203.7 cm. National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. Purchased through The Art Foundation of Victoria with the assistance of the National Gallery Women’s Association, Governor, 1987 © The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc/ARS. Licensed by Viscopy, 2015, 163.

Other material‘Droplets of water’ by Anon, 81; ‘Japanese cranes’ from The Domesticity of Giraffes by Judith Beveridge, Black Lightning, 1987, 61; Quote from John Brack on Brack, CAE art notes, 1956, 3; Poems from The British Museum Haiku, David Cobb, The British Musem Press, 2002, 77; ‘The artist’ by Julie Dowling, reproduced by permission of Viscopy © 2015, 143; Extract from Meaning of land to Aboriginal people, Tom Dystra, 122; Extract from ‘The waste land’ by TS Eliot, Horace Liveright, 1922, 2, 29; Adapted from an activity by Kanela Giannakakis, 17; Quote from John Brack from Artists in C onversation by Janet Hawley, The Slattery Media Group, 2012, 10; ‘Haiga’ by Clive May, 73; ‘Gushi’ by Susie May, 75; ‘Haiku’ by Susie May, 71; ‘Japanese fan’ by Susie May, 64, ‘Metaphor poem’ by Susie May, 18; ‘A rainy day’ by Susie May, 61; ‘Rondelet’ by Susie May, 67; ‘Shi poem’ by Susie May, 81; ‘Tanka’ by Susie May, 72; ‘Windy days’ by Susie May, 62; Extract from The art of stillness, Moon in Refl ection, the Art of Kim Hoa Tram, DVD, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, 2000, 55; ‘We are going’ by Oodgeroo Noonuccall from We are going © 1964. Reproduced by permission of John Wiley & Sons Ltd, 141–2; Extract from An Album of Chinese Art by Dr Mae Anne Pang written in association with Judith Ryan, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, 1983, 56; ‘In a station of the Metro’ by Ezra Pound from Personae, The Collected Poems of Ezra Pound, Boni & Liveright, 1926, 65; ‘Wild weather warms Melbourne in winter’ by Purnima Ruanglertbutr, 19; Extracts from The Philosophy of Andy Warhol (From A to B & Back Again) by Andy Warhol, Harcourt, 1975, 135; Quote from Popism: The Warhol Sixties by Andy Warhol and Pat Hackett, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1980, 135; ‘Jenny’ by Willie Webb, 129; Extract from speech by the Prime Minister, Mr EG Whitlam, QC, MP, at the Gurindji Land Ceremony, 16th of August, 1975, 150.

The author and publisher would like to acknowledge the following:

‘Be specifi c’ by Mauree Applegate from Easy in English: An Imaginative Approach to the Teaching of the Language Arts, Literary Licensing, LLC, 2012, 11–12; ‘Squirrel’ by Ted Hughes from The Cat and the Cuckoo, Roaring Brook Press, 1987, 78; Extract from A Prayer for the twenty fi rst century by John Marsden, Lothian Books, 1997, 101–2; Quote from ‘Brack’s painting stands out from the crowd by Carolyn Webb, The Sydney Morning Herald, 2011, 15.

While every care has been taken to trace and acknowledge copyright, the publisher tenders their apologies for any accidental infringement where copyright has proved untraceable. They would be pleased to come to a suitable arrangement with the rightful owner in each case.

SAMPLE PAGES

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6 1

PROJECT 1

Descriptive writingWORK OF ART 1: Collins St, 5p.m., John Brack, 1955

ObjectivesThe focus of this project is to study, develop and practise descriptive writing with an emphasis on:R building vocabularyR using synonyms, nouns, adjectives and adverbsR developing imagery including the literary devices of alliteration, simile, metaphor and

onomatopoeia.

C R E A T I V E O U T C O M E S

Along with the ‘Clones clock off’ creative task suggested for assessment, the skills acquired through this project can be applied to the following creative outcomes:

P poetry—creating a rhyming couplet, cinquain, list poem, onomatopoeic and/or free verse poem

P writing an interview

P reportage—writing a feature article using real-life examples.

The activities are outlined in the ‘Inspire me!’ section at the end of the project.

Teaching plans1 Introduction to descriptive writing2 Close reading and creative thinking3 Building vocabulary4 Elaboration5 Alliteration and onomatopoeia 6 Painting and poetry linksSAMPLE

PAGES

2

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6

Inspired English 1

Artist and work of artJohn Brack (1920–99) was one of Australia’s leading modern artists, and his iconic work, Collins St, 5p.m., offers a social commentary on everyday life in the 1950s. In 2011 it was voted the National Gallery of Victoria’s most popular work of art.

Collins St, 5p.m. will challenge students to consider and refl ect on the dramatic changes that have taken place in the social and cultural life of Melbourne, and indeed any large city since 1955. It is immensely popular with students, who gravitate towards its strong, graphic ‘cartoon’ style. The bold use of colour and shape make the atmosphere and meaning easily accessible, enabling students to experience immediate success in visual literacy.

Experience with students taking part in the National Gallery of Victoria’s workshop program has shown that the painting is also an inspiring resource for developing students’ descriptive writing skills, which are the focus of this project.

The artistJohn Brack lived most of his life in or near the city of Melbourne. He attended evening art classes at the National Gallery School from 1938 to 1940. He served in the army from 1940 to 1946 and, following his discharge, he returned to the National Gallery School full-time until 1949. Brack became a respected teacher and art reviewer in addition to his painting career. He was an avid reader of literature throughout his life and in the 1930s he considered becoming a poet. Writers such as Rainer Maria Rilke, Jean-Paul Sartre, WH Auden, Henry James and TS Eliot infl uenced his thinking and personal philosophies about art and life. When Brack was working on Collins St, 5p.m., he has indicated that he was refl ecting on part of TS Eliot’s epic poem ‘The waste land’:

Unreal City,

Under the brown fog of the winter dawn,

A crowd flowed over London Bridge, so many.

I had not thought death had undone so many.

Sighs, short and infrequent, were exhaled,

And each man fixed his eyes before his feet.

TS Eliot, ‘The waste land’

Brack was interested in describing modern life and society and the subjects he chose to depict were grounded in ordinary, daily life. His paintings, often sombre in tone, reveal insights into the human condition.

The work of artCollins St, 5p.m. was painted at a time when memories of the Depression and wartime austerity were still lingering. However, there were also causes for celebration. Melbourne saw the development of new suburbs as home building soared, the economy thrived in Australia and it was a period of full employment.

Brack has depicted the people in Collins St, 5p.m. monochromatically as a device to express their similarity. At this period in Melbourne, most of the population was Anglo-Celtic in origin. As preparation for the painting, Brack stood in a doorway in Collins St between 4.45pm and 5.15pm over many weeks, sketching streams of workers on their way home after

SAMPLE PAGES

3

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6


a day’s work. He also referenced photographs of buildings in Collins St. The man wearing glasses on the left-hand side of the work was based on Brack’s friend, John Stephens.

The artist’s depiction of emotionally closed, robotic fi gures, seemingly unaware of each other and their surroundings, may be read as a loss of individuality and sense of alienation among the masses. Brack noted:

As a matter of fact it used to strike me as most eerie, to be sketching within 3 feet of so many people, none of whom took the slightest notice.

John Brack on Brack, CAE art notes, 1956

Brack’s work, The bar, 1954, is a companion to Collins St, 5p.m., and was considered radical for the time. It portrays the notorious ‘6 o’clock swill’, another bleak aspect of Melbourne life in the 1950s. Patrons, under the watchful eyes of a stern barmaid, are depicted hurriedly fi nishing their drinks before early closing time. As a pair, the two paintings offer an insight into city life during this decade in Australia’s history.

The companion painting The bar, 1954, can be accessed online. You can fi nd a link to the site with your web resources.

Historical contextIn 1955 Melburnians felt optimistic and proud of their city in the lead-up to the 1956 Olympic Games. Buildings such as the Melbourne Olympic Pool and Olympic Park were constructed and the fi rst skyscraper, ICI House, was approved. Modern architecture fl owered and, ironically, the cast-iron verandahs of shop fronts and houses, now preserved as heritage features, were demolished.

The fi rst television licences were issued before the Olympics were broadcast. People without television sets sometimes gathered in front of department store windows to watch what became known as ‘the friendly Games’.

Immigration The White Australia Policy (1901–73) accounted for the lack of cultural diversity in Melbourne during the 1950s. Based on fears that there would be problems with assimilation and a threat of cheap labour, the policy restricted immigration of non-white people on racial grounds. Australia at this time was deeply linked to its colonial heritage and the aim of the policy was to uphold the British traditions and way of life. Citizens from mainland Europe and Britain, however, were encouraged to settle in Australia and this new wave of immigration transformed the country. SAMPLE

PAGES

4

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6

Inspired English 1

Suggested linked textsThe following texts are excellent for study in Years 7 and 8. The topics and themes would link neatly with the Brack image and the focus of this project.

Year 7

The Giver Lois Lowry Written in the speculative fi ction genre, The Giver is the story of Jonas, whose future is determined by the elders of society, as is the case for all 12-year-olds. He is assigned the honoured position of ‘Receiver’, and as he learns more in this role, he begins to question the values and practices of his society. An absorbing story that raises interesting issues to do with socialisation, conformity, genetic engineering and relationships. Students might create a short piece comparing the image of 1950s city life, as depicted in Collins St, 5 p.m., with the image of a future society, which is depicted in Lowry’s novel.

The Red Shoe Ursula Dubosarsky

Set in 1950s Sydney, The Red Shoe focuses on three sisters: Elizabeth, who is suffering from a nervous breakdown; Frances, whose friend contracts polio; and the slightly eccentric Matilda. We mostly get Matilda’s perspective, but sometimes the omniscient narrator draws our attention to one of the other girls and the story follows her trajectory for a while—a strange, yet interesting narrative style. The novel raises interesting issues connected with 1950s Australian politics, such as the fear of communism, the post-traumatic stress suffered by returned WWII servicemen and -women, the development of nuclear weapons, and immunisation against polio. Students might design their own work of art to accompany a scene from the novel, perhaps working in groups to create a picture book for younger students. The issues raised by the text might provide stimulus for the interview and feature article tasks, which are ‘Inspire me!’ activities.

Year 8

Wolf on the Fold

Judith Clarke Wolf on the Fold is a collection of short stories. The six stories are all linked to various members of the Sinclair family tree, tracing the family through the decades from 1935 to 2002. The stories have both urban and rural Australian settings and they explore issues connected with family life and relationships. The motif of the threatening ‘wolf’ runs through all the stories, and Clarke’s writing is rich in fi gurative language, which the students could emulate in their own stories. In the foreword, Clarke writes about looking at her aunt’s collection of old photos as a child and being fascinated by ‘these strangers in their unfamiliar landscapes, wondering who they were, where they lived, who were their friends and families, what were their lives …’. Students might draw on characters from the Brack painting, or use a photograph as inspiration for their stories or interviews.

Runner Robert Newton

Runner is set in 1919 in Richmond, Victoria. It is the story of Charlie, a teenager who gets a job as a runner for crime boss, Squizzy Taylor. The text is an interesting exploration of the struggles faced by the working class in post-WWI Melbourne and it raises issues to do with moral choices, family and friendship, and belonging to a community. Students might compare the messages of the Brack painting with the picture of Melbourne life in an earlier period, as portrayed in Newton’s novel, thinking about the diffi culties faced by ordinary people living in early- to mid-20th-century Australian cities.

SAMPLE PAGES

5

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6


Teaching plans

Introduction to descriptive writing

ObjectivesR To introduce students to descriptive writingR To encourage students to start looking closely at visual textsR To help students develop an initial vocabulary for describing the painting

What you needCollect several digital images of objects seen from a close-up and a distant view, such as a single fl ower and a fi eld of fl owers. Alternatively, use the images provided online.

StarterThis starter activity will introduce students to examples of the two main purposes for descriptive writing—to convey factual details (such as you might fi nd in non-literary texts) and to create a literary description (which may or may not be fi gurative).a Write the following descriptive sentences on the whiteboard: R Spontaneous, scribbled lines on fi elds of fl uorescent hot pink and acidic green are

characteristic of his style of graffi ti.R My brothers, all older and taller than me, are Tom, Bryan and Sam.R The stark, black silhouette of the skeleton peering out at me from the album cover

hinted at the ghostly songs within.R The sun painted the sky with a wash of marigold, setting the clouds ablaze.R Tonight, the moon was crescent-shaped and tinged with more yellow than usual.R The ginger cat walked across the wooden fence to the bird house.

b Ask students to suggest which sentences are designed to convey factual descriptions, and which are more fi gurative.

ACTIVITY 1.1 What is descriptive writing?The next questions are designed to prompt students’ thinking about both the contexts in which descriptive writing is used and the purpose and features of descriptive writing. They also provide an opportunity to gauge what students already know about descriptive writing and to introduce the focus of this project. Explain to students that the answers will be useful to refer to later in the project when they will be required to write their own descriptive pieces in response to a work of art, so they should record their ideas in their Student Book. a What are some types of descriptive writing? b For what purposes do you think writers use descriptive writing? c What are some features of descriptive writing? d Where have you found examples of descriptive writing? e Have you ever written a piece of descriptive writing? If so, what was its purpose?

1

SAMPLE PAGES

6

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6

Inspired English 1

To ensure that students can identify the features of descriptive writing, guide the discussion toward these key points: a There are two main types of descriptive writing—factual and fi ctitious. It is important to

distinguish between the two, since they are created for distinctly separate purposes. b The purpose of descriptive writing is to convey facts (in non-fi ction) and details (in

both fi ction and non-fi ction) in as complete a manner as possible. Being given from one person’s point of view, it will always be subjective. However, the writer’s aim in descriptive writing is to create a sense of objectivity—to the extent that the reader doesn’t encounter emotive language or value-laden statements that convey personal judgements or ideas.Factual descriptive writing has many purposes—including the presentation of a detailed account of an event, the mapping out of a place, the identification of characteristics of a person or thing and the reporting of eyewitness testimony.Fictitious descriptions are most often written for creative purposes. They may be given in a work of literature to help convey specific themes. This type of writing may be highly imaginative and not necessarily believable in its content. The writer may aim to transport the reader into the world of the text using lots of details that enable the reader to visualise the scene or action.

c The composer aims to reveal information in a logical order to ensure clarity. Consequently, the facts or details will often be presented chronologically.Composers use adjectives and adverbs to make the nouns and verbs in the piece specific and precise.Literary techniques present in descriptive writing include similes and metaphors, and sound devices such as alliteration and onomatopoeia, which create imagery.Details that engage the senses may be present—including sights, sounds, smells, tastes and textures.

d You may fi nd descriptive writing in poetry, drama, novels, short stories or journals. In the factual realm, descriptions occur in non-fi ction books specialising in a particular topic, in documentaries, news reports, travel blogs, product information and advertising.

e Answers will be individual.

W E B R E S O U R C E : D E S C R I B I N G I M A G E S

This optional activity helps students think about the language they use to describe. In it, students describe an image to another student who is unable to see the image. Monitor students’ verbal descriptions during the activity and make notes of any interesting or specifi c language used. Refer to this language during feedback.

Looking closely: a focus on visual detailsThe next part of the lesson asks students to consider the benefi ts of looking closely.

Project the images of the close-up and distant views on the whiteboard. Designate one pair of images to separate groups of students and encourage them to discuss what they might appreciate or discover about one of the images.

Ensure that students understand that in the following activities we are dealing with the fi ctitious realm of descriptive writing to convey Brack’s perception of the state of things in the real world. They should recognise that his intention was to use the technique of

SAMPLE PAGES

7

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6


exaggeration to comment upon the real. His exaggerated caricature symbolises some important truths about the experiences of workers in the city.

ACTIVITY 1.2 Look closelya Project the image of Collins St, 5p.m. on the whiteboard. Ask students to look intently at

the image for 30 seconds without writing. Remove the image. Ask students to list from memory some specifi c nouns and verbs to identify the items and actions featured in the image. They should make this list using the table on page 3 of the Student Book. Allow about fi ve minutes for this step.

b Project the image on the board again for fi ve minutes. This time, have the students focus on listing adjectives and adverbs to describe the nouns and verbs they listed. Instruct them to record the adjectives and adverbs in the table. Use these adjectives for the facial expressions to get them started—gloomy, strained, intense, serious, glum, depressed, determined.

Draw or project the table (available on the website) on the whiteboard. Ask students to share their adjectives and adverbs and add students’ ideas to the table to create a class list. Discuss the various nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs in the list with the class.

OutcomesStudents have gained an understanding of the purpose, features and contexts of descriptive writing. By looking intently at a visual text, students come to appreciate that this process stimulates the production of adjectives and adverbs. Students have recorded their initial vocabulary for describing particular aspects of the painting.

Close reading and creative thinking

ObjectivesR To develop students’ visual literacy and creative thinking skills through ‘reading’ and

describing visual textsR To encourage students to consider works of art in a broader historical and social contextR To facilitate students’ consideration of the techniques the artist uses to communicate ideas

What you needA current image of a busy city that can be projected on the whiteboard. One is available online.

StarterThe starter for this lesson is a word association game getting students looking closely at the painting.

Give each student a word from the following list, and ask them to consider how it relates to a particular aspect of the painting. Ask students to share their fi ndings with a partner or the class. Remind students that there is no right or wrong answer.

strange powerful pleased hauntingfrightened curious dignifi ed important

2

SAMPLE PAGES

8

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6

Inspired English 1

puzzling mysterious tense elegantlonely self-confi dent funny angrysad melancholy swift uniformeager symbolism death isolationwooden fashion

ACTIVITY 2.1 Impressions of Collins St, 5p.m.Before engaging students in this activity, explore the following sentence from the ‘Artist and work of art’ section on page 2: ‘Collins St, 5p.m. offers a social commentary on everyday life in the 1950s.’ Discuss with students the meaning of the term ‘social commentary’ and similar terms such as ‘critique’, ‘criticism’ or ‘comment’.

Draw on information from the ‘Historical context’ section on this painting to expand students’ responses. Encourage students to record their own ideas and some of those suggested by their peers in the graphic organisers in the Student Book.Display the Brack image on the whiteboard and encourage students to have it open in their Student Books (page viii). Lead a whole-class discussion around the following questions, or put students into pairs to discuss the questions before reporting back to the class. The bank of ideas generated can be used as inspiration for writing tasks later in the project so it is useful for students to record these in their workbook.

Stress that there is no wrong answer. Explain that viewers of works of art will form different interpretations, which are infl uenced by their particular personality, experience and culture.

Class discussiona What are your fi rst impressions of the painting? What thoughts or words come

immediately to mind? Be sure to include some adjectives and adverbs.Students may suggest things like: depressing, glum or uniform.

b What does the painting make you think or wonder about? Suggestion: encourage students to come up with some questions that they wonder about in relation to the painting. E.g. Why are the people all wearing the same type of clothes?

c We call the emotional atmosphere of the text ‘mood’. What mood might be conveyed? What do you see that makes you think so? What emotions might you associate with the mood?

d What clues do you see in the painting that tell you what actions might be happening in the scene?

Some examples might be: workers fl ooding out of their offi ces at peak hour, eager to get home. Clues might be: people wearing work attire, crowds typical of peak-hour rush. Sense of misery clues might be: drab colours, depressed expressions on workers’ faces.

e What clues are there that suggest the time of day and season the artist has depicted? For example: time: 5pm (from the title of the painting); season: winter (the people are wearing coats, the sky is cloudy and the weather seems gloomy).

SAMPLE PAGES

9

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6


W E B R E S O U R C E : B U I L D I N G V O C A B U L A R Y

Download Worksheet 1.1 from the website. This crossword puzzle task consolidates students’ understanding of new vocabulary and encourages them to apply the words in descriptive sentences related to the painting.Encourage students to use the clues to fi nd the appropriate words and to write them in the crossword. Suggest that they use a dictionary if required. After students have completed the puzzle, check answers as a class. You might like to project the crossword puzzle on the whiteboard, and have individual students come up to the board and write their answer.

Then and now

ACTIVITY 2.2 City lifea Project an image of a busy city today next to Collins St, 5p.m. (either your own or

the one provided on the website). Ask the students to look at both images and discuss what aspects of city life remain the same and what aspects have changed. Draw a Venn diagram and record the students’ responses in the diagram. Encourage students to record their answers in the Venn diagram provided in the Student Book. If the students have trouble getting started, prompt them to consider aspects such as gender issues, fashion, architecture, transport and demographics. As a follow-up discussion, ask students to discuss in pairs what elements of city life were not in existence in the 1950s, and why. You could also ask them to think about what valuable aspects of city life in the 1950s may be lost to us now.Then they can answer the following questions in the Student Book.

b In what ways does the painting remind you of something in your life? Answers will vary depending on the city and photograph for comparison. Encourage students to make observations regarding the built environment, people, work culture, etc.

c What aspects of the picture do you fi nd puzzling?d What questions would you like to ask the artist if he was in the classroom?

Before addressing the next question, explain to students that both writers and artists use hyperbole (exaggeration), caricature and symbolism to convey meaning. e How many aspects of the painting can you fi nd that are ‘unrealistic’, in your opinion?

Things that are unrealistic: the elongated and cartoon style of the faces of the workers; the monochromatic colours in the scene, the similarities among clothing styles, the direction of the people’s fi xed gazes.

Homework task: unrealistic images

Why might the artist John Brack have used exaggeration and ‘unrealistic’ looking images in his painting? Students write a short paragraph explaining what they think the artist is trying to communicate about people who lived in Melbourne (or in any busy city) in 1955.

Suggested answers: Brack used exaggeration and unrealistic images to attract the attention of the viewer and to convey a particular meaning. The artist is communicating the idea that the offi ce workers are self-absorbed and locked into an everyday routine from which they cannot escape.

SAMPLE PAGES

10

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6

Inspired English 1

ExtensionThis is an optional extension activity that can be used to delve further into the painting’s historical and social context. It does not appear in the Student Book. The following questions focus on human psychology.

In an interview in The Age in 1991, Brack described his thoughts as he was painting Collins St, 5p.m. in 1955.

‘I was thinking … I used to be a clerk in an insurance company 200 metres up the street, and it was a deadly, cowardly, too-secure life. Now I’m an artist, with the courage to take risks, and superior to these feeble people who cannot control their boring lives.’ He went on to explain: ‘A few years later, I felt pretty ashamed of that painting. It was too one-dimensional. I realised those people were as worthy as me, and their lives as complex as mine … I could use irony, but not superiority. I began to put many levels of meaning into each painting.’

Interview with Janet Hawley, The Age Good Weekend, 24 August 1991

a Discuss with the students the meanings of ‘irony’ and ‘superiority’ by modelling sentences that highlight their meaning.

b Discuss why people may change their viewpoint over time. Ask students to suggest instances where public fi gures and/or family and friends have changed their ideas and opinions over time.

c Explain what might have caused them to change their opinion and whether or not it was a good thing.

d Discuss the possible repercussions when people are unable to modify their opinions.

W E B R E S O U R C E : C O N T E X T Q U I Z

This activity (Worksheet 1.2) tests students’ comprehension of the contextual information related to the painting Collins St, 5p.m. It is important that students have already been provided with the contextual information in previous lessons. If you feel that students might benefi t from a revision exercise before the quiz, read the contextual notes aloud fi rst and have students listen. Instructions and student worksheets are available online.

OutcomesAt the end of this lesson, students have developed confi dence in their visual analysis skills and in expressing their opinions. They will come to appreciate the value of learning from their peers’ ideas and begin to view works of art as visual texts that can communicate historical, social and psychological ideas.SAMPLE

PAGES

11

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6


Building vocabulary

ObjectivesR Students work with sensory language.R Students explore descriptive devices used in both poetry and art.R Students compile lists of synonyms, adjectives, adverbs, nouns and verbs with which to

practise improving their descriptive language skills.

What you needCollect images of places that will stimulate students to respond to them imaginatively through their senses. These could include postcards of landscapes from around the world, advertising material from magazines, pages from pictorial calendars.

Painting pictures with wordsExplore the idea that descriptive writing involves ‘painting pictures with words’. The task of creative writers, particularly poets, is to show us what they are talking about through creating specifi c images with words.

Prior to the activities, revise the following terms with students: synonyms, nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs.

ACTIVITY 3.1 Sensory languageGive each pair of students one of the images you have collected. Ask them to list what they might hear, see, smell and touch if they ‘stepped inside’ the image.

Pairs can share their ideas with the class. Point out the different descriptive words they have come up with.

ACTIVITY 3.2 Be specifi cRead the following poem aloud.

Be specificDon’t say you saw a bird: you saw a swallow,

Or a great horned owl, a hawk, or oriole.

Don’t just tell me that he flew;

That’s what any bird can do;

Say he darted, circled, swooped or lifted in the blue.

Don’t say the sky behind the bird was pretty;

It was watermelon pink streaked through with gold;

Gold bubbled like a fountain

From a pepperminted mountain

And shone like Persian rugs when they are old.

Don’t tell me that the air was sweet with fragrance;

Say it smelled of minted grass and lilac bloom;

Don’t say your heart was swinging;

Name the tune that it was singing,

And how the moonlight’s neon filled the room.

3

SAMPLE PAGES

12

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6

Inspired English 1

Don’t say the evening creatures all were playing;

Mention tree toad’s twanging, screeching fiddle notes,

Picture cricket’s constant strumming

To the mass mosquitoes humming

While the frogs are singing bass deep in their throats.

Don’t use a word that’s good for all the senses

There’s a word for every feeling one can feel.

If you want your lines to be terrific;

Then do make your words specific,

For words can paint a picture that’s real.

Mauree Applegate

Ask students to:a Identify words where the poet has appealed to the senses of sight, hearing and smell to

create vivid ‘pictures’ in the reader’s mind. b They should also annotate the poem to identify parts of speech: nouns, adjectives,

verbs and adverbs. For example: mountain=noun, minted=adjective, shone=verb, swinging=adverb.

ACTIVITY 3.3 Build your vocabularyRevise the meaning of ‘synonym’ with the class. a On the board, draw this table. It features words associated with Collins St, 5p.m.

Encourage students to think of as many synonyms as they can for each word and record them in their Student Books. Encourage students to exchange their ideas in pairs and add their partners’ ideas to the table.

Word Synonyms

black

gang

depressed

trudging

clothes

faces

b Students then choose verbs, nouns, collective nouns, adjectives and adverbs from the list to complete the cloze activity in the Student Book.

Possible response:John Brack’s Collins St, 5p.m. is considered to be both an iconic painting of peak-hour Melbourne and a social commentary on city life in the 1950s. The bleak palette of murky browns suggests a mood of depression. A jaded mass of offi ce workers are depicted trudging gloomily homewards. They seem locked in a rigid daily routine from which they cannot escape.

Describing peopleBefore the next activity, write the following sentences on the whiteboard and read them aloud. They refer to Collins St, 5p.m. Ask students to have the image open in their Student Books as they work through this exercise.

SAMPLE PAGES

13

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6


This is an example of a ‘bald’ sentence. The man looks sad and wears a hat.

This is an example of a descriptive sentence.The gaunt, bowler-hatted man with sharply chiselled features and sallow skin draped in folds over hollow cheeks squints through stark, black-rimmed glasses in the winter gloom as he marches steadfastly home.

Ask students to explain the differences between the sentences and to identify which descriptors they like and why.

ACTIVITY 3.4 Adding descriptionsa Students consider the following ‘bald’ sentence, based on a person in the painting. They

add intense description to the original sentence using appropriate nouns, adjectives, verbs and adverbs:

The woman stares ahead.

b Ask students to choose a person in the painting and write a detailed description of them on a separate piece of paper. Collect the descriptions and distribute them to students in the class. Ask each student to read the description aloud, and encourage others to guess which character in the painting it represents. After students have guessed the character, ask the class to suggest some strengths of the piece of writing and areas for improvement. You may like to provide some ideas for constructive feedback, for example, removal of unnecessary repetition, reordering sentences, adding or substituting words for clarity, elaborating certain parts. Return the descriptions to the students who wrote them.

Based on peer feedback, ask students to consider how they might improve their description of the person in the painting and encourage them to rewrite it.

OutcomesStudents will appreciate the value of describing sensory experience to create vivid imagery. They have revised the parts of speech: nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs. In addition, they are able to use strategies for expanding their existing vocabulary, which can be applied to their own descriptive writing.

Homework task: synonyms

This cloze task can be set as homework or assessment.

Possible responseOn a dreary winter evening in the city of Melbourne, people have fi nished work for the day. It is 5pm. Grim-faced offi ce-workers trudge past the miserable brown facades of the offi ce buildings they have just escaped. They march in the same direction along Collins St. They huddle together looking united but yet alone. The Bank of New South Wales towers over them, menacingly. They appear distressed and thoughtless, yet calm and collected. Their eyes are fi rmly attached to their destination. The screeching calls could be coming from trains, trams and buses. They fl ock towards the calling like magnets. They don’t turn or look back. They are oblivious of their surroundings and co-workers, perhaps too entrapped by their 9-to-5 jobs. The crowd in the background is faceless and nameless. The drab colours suggest that all the workers are carbon copies of one another, lacking individuality.

SAMPLE PAGES

14

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6

Inspired English 1

Elaboration

ObjectivesR Students develop a rich, diverse bank of descriptive words and phrases using the ‘word

string’ approach.R Students learn about collective nouns, metaphors and similes.R Students learn how to organise individual lines of poetry created collaboratively and write

metaphor poems.

What you needCollect some examples of paint colour charts from paint shops, hardware stores or the internet.

StarterProject Collins St, 5p.m. on the whiteboard or ask students to look at it in the Student Book.

This exercise introduces the idea of a ‘word string’ and foreshadows the string poem work in the activities. Nominate one student to choose an item from the painting (for example, the tree or the people in the foreground). Ask the student to describe the item with an adjective or simple descriptive phrase. The next student adds detail to the description offered by the fi rst. A third and fourth student further elaborate. If the description starts to peter out, ask a student to choose another item in the painting, and begin the process again until all the students in the class have had a chance to describe an item.

Confi dent students could develop word strings for describing the metaphysical aspects of the painting including atmosphere, location, historical period and technique.

W E B R E S O U R C E : W O R D S T R I N G

This activity extends the word string work and encourages students to think of a number of ways to describe an item or aspect of the painting. Download Worksheet 1.3 and the instructions from the website.

Observing Collins St, 5p.m.Explain to students that in a poll conducted by the National Gallery of Victoria in 2011, Collins St, 5p.m. was voted the Gallery’s most popular work of art. Ask students to explain why they like or dislike the painting, and to suggest three reasons why the painting is so popular.

Share the following quotations by three people interviewed about the painting:

‘Even more than half a century later this incredible painting still depicts peak hour on Collins as thousands of workers head to the trains as ants crawl to sugar in a fl urry.’

‘After working in Collins St for years I realised how accurately 5p.m. was captured and … how much better the people were dressed!’

4

SAMPLE PAGES

15

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6


‘This picture makes me laugh—it’s everything I DON’T want to become in my working life!’

Sydney Morning Herald, 2011

Before engaging in the next part of the lesson, discuss the implications of this suggestion by the famous poet, Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

prose = words in their best order

poetry = the best words in the best order.

ACTIVITY 4.1 Collins St, 5p.m. as poetrya Ask each student to write a short phrase of no more than four words (for instance a string

of four verbs) that describes their thoughts and observations about the painting. b Select some students to share their lines with the class. Write these on the whiteboard.

Ensure that students understand there are many forms of poetry and that lines in a poem do not necessarily have to rhyme. As a class, reorder the lines to make a class poem, which can be saved and displayed in the classroom. It might look something like this:

Title: ‘Crush on Collins’

Line 1: Sombre souls creeping forwards

Line 2: Shadows of humanity

Line 3: Trudging, pushing, crushing, clawing

Line 4: So crowded yet alone

Line 5: What’s waiting at home?

A L T E R N A T I V E S U G G E S T I O N

Depending on the number of students in your class, their range of learning styles and time available you may prefer to allow students to collaborate on their poems in small groups.If there is time, open up a class discussion that encourages students to compare the different ideas emanating from the poems. Lead the discussion by asking what is similar and different about the poems in terms of the students’ thoughts or observations and words chosen. At this point, it may be worth drawing attention to the diversity of responses to one work of art, and reiterating the point that all considered responses can be ‘right’ and none is ‘wrong’.

Collective nounsExplain to students that the terms ‘a lot of’ or ‘lots of’ can become tedious if used too often in writing and speaking. Encourage them to suggest imaginative alternatives to these phrases.

Discuss imaginative collective nouns such as ‘a huddle of walruses’, ‘a parliament of owls’, ‘a hush of librarians’, ‘a pizzazz of pop stars’.

Write a range of interesting plural nouns—such as politicians, explorers, artists, poets, racing cars—on the whiteboard and ask students to volunteer interesting collective nouns.

SAMPLE PAGES

16

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6

Inspired English 1

ACTIVITY 4.2 Collective nounsAsk students to look at the image of Collins St, 5p.m. in the Student Book and fi nd examples of where there is more than one of an item, for example the people or the buildings. Students should select collective nouns for each of their examples. Encourage the students to be imaginative in their responses. Students can record their ideas on page 13 of the Student Book and refer back to them when writing their own creative work.

Writing with colour

ACTIVITY 4.3 Kaleidoscope of coloursShare examples of imaginative names created to describe paint colours. Write some of the names on the whiteboard and ask students to suggest alternatives that are equally descriptive.a Ask students to look at the painting in the Student Book and make a list of the key

colours they can see. Discuss how many different and unusual ways they can be described.

You might get responses to ‘brown’ such as bronze, cedar, sandstone, caramel, tea-stained, a palette of sepia, shades like an antique photograph.

b Students use adjectives and similes to complete the kaleidoscope of colours table in the Student Book.

SimilePrior to the following activities, explain or revise the meanings and usage of simile and metaphor, and relate to examples of simile and metaphor in the poetry or other literature you are studying in class. Discuss how some metaphors have the effect of personifying the feature they describe and that personifi cation is a type of metaphor.

ACTIVITY 4.4 Writing similesa List the following features of the painting on the whiteboard: tree, lamp post, window,

hat, spectacles, face, nose, coat, door, woman, man, overhead wires, road, crowd.b Assign one of these features to each pair of students. Give the students fi ve minutes to

discuss what the noun reminds them of and then on a strip of paper, ask them to write a simile beginning with:

The … is like …

or:The … is as … as a …

For example: The people are like an army of robots. The tree is as lifeless as a skeleton.

c Collect the similes and place them in an interesting bag, box or container that the students will enjoy looking at. Ask the pairs of students to pick out one simile from the container and then share with the class which object in the painting they think it refers to. For example if a pair of students picks out the phrase ‘like the bony fingers of an evil witch’ or ‘like a stern sergeant major keeping his soldiers in order’ the class might guess that these similes refer to the tree in the painting.

SAMPLE PAGES

17

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6


Ask students to record the similes they think are most effective in their Student Book on page 14. Students can refer to them for inspiration and application when they engage in extended creative writing tasks later on.

Metaphor Engage the students as a class in the following activity to practise creating the more complex device of metaphor prior to Activity 4.5.

Give students an object (e.g. ‘the sun’). Give them one minute to list as many adjectives as possible to describe the sun. Each student writes one adjective from their list (e.g. yellow, hot) on the whiteboard.

Give the class one adjective. Allow them three minutes to list as many things as they can which that adjective applies to (e.g. yellow—corn, banana, light globe, fi re, tiger).

Choose one adjective and one noun to write a simile (e.g. ‘the sun is like a yellow tiger’). Use the simile to demonstrate metaphor (e.g. ‘the sun IS a yellow tiger’).

Use the metaphor you have created as the fi rst line of a class metaphor poem.

The sun is a yellow tiger

Teacher prompt—what do tigers do? (e.g. ‘hunt’).


Hunting through the midday sky.

Teacher prompt—what could the sun hunt? What does a tiger do when it catches its prey?


Hunting through the midday sky.

Devouring the clouds

With its ferocious teeth.

ACTIVITY 4.5 Writing metaphorsRepeat the activity above but this time with a focus on Collins St, 5p.m. Ask students to look at the image of the painting in the Student Book and select an item from it (for example the face of a man or woman in the crowd, the crowd itself, the tree or the lamp post).

Individually or in pairs the students list adjectives that describe their item and follow the prompts in the Student Book (page 14) to create a metaphor poem.

You may like to model a metaphor poem based on the painting using the following example:

Her face is an empty house,

A stone sculpture on stiff shoulders.

Staring blindly at the path ahead,

Lost in the peak-hour crush.

Outcomes Students have expanded their vocabulary for description with word string techniques, collective nouns and colours. They have learnt how to organise lines of poetry and experiment with writing poems collaboratively. In addition they have expanded their knowledge of collective nouns in order to enrich their descriptive writing.

SAMPLE PAGES

18

ISBN: 978 1 4586 5098 6

Inspired English 1

They have deepened their understanding of the terms simile and metaphor, and learnt how to write a poem incorporating metaphor. Students should have better understanding of how writing poetry involves the careful selection of words, and now have strategies for writing their own poems.

Alliteration and onomatopoeia

ObjectivesR Students understand the purpose and effects of onomatopoeia and alliteration.R Students apply the terms to their writing to create desired effects and meaning.R Students acquire a vocabulary with which to describe sounds.

What you needCollect a range of titles such as newspaper headlines or the names of books, fi lms or albums.

StarterDisplay and discuss the range of headlines and titles you have collected. Ask the students to comment on their specifi c features. If they need some support, suggest and model examples of titles with the following characteristics: brevity, word play, metaphor, humour, rhetorical question and quotation.

Distribute the titles you have collected to small groups of students. Challenge them to create alternative titles and then share them with the class.

Optional activity: City soundscape

See the website for an activity that will enrich the work on onomatopoeia in this lesson.

AlliterationBefore students try Activity 5.1, revise the meaning of alliteration with the following whole-class exercise:a Read the following sentences aloud:R A mass of Melburnians migrate miserably from the metropolis. R A ribbon of regimented robots, rarely retreating from their rigorous routine.

b Ask students to listen for repeated sounds as a student volunteer reads aloud the sentences above. Write the sentences on the board after students have identifi ed the initial sounds, underlining the initial sound of each sentence:R A mass of Melburnians migrate miserably from the metropolis. R A ribbon of regimented robots, rarely retreating from their rigorous routine.

c Ask students what is captivating and unique about the sentences. At this stage, students might recognise the sentences as being alliterative. If not, explain that alliteration is the use of repeated consonant sounds in words that occur close together. These may be at the start of words or within them.

5

SAMPLE PAGES

spine 8.5mm inspired english 1 inspired

Documents