Integrating Art and Language Arts Through Children's Literature

Connecting art and language arts, this guide offers creative lessons for more than 140 favorite children's books, most of which have been published within the last 10 years. The lessons help teachers inspire young students to create art projects related to a book's story. In the first part of the book, the author explains more than 50 art techniques that can be used with almost any book, including batik, collage, decoupage, paste paper, and sponge painting. The second part of the book provides teachers with a wealth of illustrated lessons. Each lesson includes the book's title, the art project, a brief description of the story as it relates to the art project, supplies, instructions, bibliographic information, and a list of relevant Web sites. Children's Books include: BLAraminta's Paint Box BLArthur's Pet Business BLBirdsong BLCharlotte's Web BLDear Peter Rabbit BLHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire BLMilo and the Magical Stones BLRechenka's Eggs BLWhere the Sidewalk Ends BLAnd many more!

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The Principles of Art

I gave this 3 stars because he had some interesting points, but for the most part I didn't get a lot of what he was saying. I was annoyed by how he would sum up a point in Greek, or French - with no translation. Maybe I should know those languages, but I don't, so I missed out on much. I wanted there to be a more succinct explanation of what he was analyzing. I kept waiting for it to be stated as such, but it didn't occur. This book did not help me to solidify my definition of art, if anything, I am all the more confused. I am a visual artist and therefor I see the big picture. Analyzing is not my strength, so I will leave the analyzing to those of you for whom it is.
The theory of art or language -- he regards them as identical -- lies at the heart of Collingwood's philosophy. This book should become the "Bible" of language theorists, rather than the drivel of people like Chomsky, for it shows us how meaning is created. Thought is not the antithesis of emotion, but is built upon a foundation of emotion, and includes emotion within itself. This has enormous implications for the theory of art, or aesthetics, and Collingwood works them out, as well as the ramifications for civilization itself.

This is simply the best book in the field, and should be read not only by artists and philosophers, but by any one who wants to understand the place of art in his own life.

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