Pre-Visit Activity: Art Talk

Please view the two reproductions with your class and lead a discussion using the following questions as guidelines.  There are no “right” answers.  The questions are meant to guide the group discussion.
Students will revisit and discuss the original works at BAM.  The vocabulary in this packet will aid discussion.

Research and experience have shown that students feel more comfortable when they can connect with something familiar once they arrive at the Museum.  The students are excited to find “their” works of art while they are at BAM.  They enjoy sharing their insights from the classroom discussion with the docent and making valuable comparisons between the textbook-like reproductions and the original works of art.

Idaho Art

This tour focuses on the talents of artists living and/or working in Idaho.  Students will discuss the artworks on display in the 2007 Idaho Triennial, a statewide juried exhibition held every three years, as well as the Laura McPhee:  River of No Return exhibition, and create their own works of art in the studios.

Acclaimed photographer Laura McPhee bases each of her photographic series on a dilemma.  She highlights the importance of the balance between individualism versus community and development versus preservation in the American West.  McPhee spent two years in the Sawtooth Mountains photographing the cinematic and picturesque landscapes of Central Idaho and illustrating their coexistence with humanity.  McPhee sees these images as a microcosm of America and the dilemmas that communities and people face nationwide.

2007 Idaho Triennial artist, Jan Boles is the Archivist for Albertson College of Idaho.  He has lived and worked in Caldwell for more than 40 years.  Recently, the city of Caldwell undertook a renovation of its downtown area, during which Boles photographed many of the old buildings in various states of demolition.

Vocabulary

Environment: The natural world and all the external factors influencing the life of people, plants and animals; many times used to describe the risks of human activity on natural ecosystems.

Document: To furnish evidence through visual or written means.

Medium: A specific kind of artistic technique or means of expression as determined by the materials used or the creative methods involved:  the medium of lithography.  The materials used in a specific artistic technique:  oils as a medium.

Media: The plural of medium.

Respond: To say something in return, visually, verbally or in writing.

Curricular Connections
Discovering Environments Across the Curriculum

• Discuss definitions of environment.  As a class, make a list of all of the things that might be a part of the students’ different environments – home, school, community, nature, political, global.  Compare and contrast.  How is your environment at home different from your environment at school?  Is your room a different environment than the rest of your home?  How is the local community similar to your school or your classroom?
• Have students create a map of a state or a country that shows the major landmarks or ecosystems in the area.  Students can use photographs from magazines or postcards to add visual details to their selected areas.
• Students can write and share descriptions of their environments to help better understand their classmates and connections they have to each other.  This can also help start pen-pal or classroom exchanges with schools from other states or countries. 
• Research historical buildings in your area and document what is happening to them today through images or timelines.  Compare current images to historical photographs of the structures (Example: the Capitol Building, http://www.capitolcommission.idaho.gov/ )  http://www.idahoptv.org/buildingbig/index.html
• Learn about the history of photography in the West and how it has been used to document specific events.  Students can focus specifically on Idaho or on the westward development of the United States.   
• Have students select a specific landmark, area, or environment and write a brief history on its importance and why it has become an important symbol in the Idaho community.  (Examples: Sun Valley, Craters of the Moon, high desert, agricultural areas.)
• Investigate historical events through pictures.  Discuss how details in the photos can give clues about different time periods, lifestyles, and environments.

Technology

• Using a program like Adobe Photoshop, have students alter the light in landscape photos. Discuss how altering the photo changes the mood or the feel of the image.  Challenge students to try to recreate certain types of lighting – sunny, cloudy, morning, evening, etc.
• Research the process of high-speed and time-lapse photography/film.  How does this technology help us learn about and better understand our environments?
• Have students create PowerPoint presentations about specific types of environments.  Ask them to include facts, images, and graphs.

Reading and Writing

• Have students research the Idaho landscape and environment and then write a brief paper about a particular area and how it is unique to Idaho. 
• Students can write a fictional story based on a specific place.  Encourage students to use detailed language to describe the place and how the place affects the characters’ actions and dialog.
• Research an environmental issue and write a paper exploring possible solutions.
• Have students read about photography and photographic techniques.  Have them write an instructional paragraph about a particular technique and demonstrate it to their classmates. 
• Discuss current events.  Have students keep journals and respond to specific events in the community or in the country.
• Students can respond to particular memories they have about living in Idaho by writing a poem or short prose.
• Document a cultural activity, festival, or holiday through images and written works.  Have students share their family traditions with their classmates through special presentations.

• Practice statistics related to different environments.  Students can research environmental statistics and then create graphs depicting environmental changes over the years. (Example: decrease in rainforest over the last 10 years)
• Have students look at images of buildings.  Challenge them to recreate an image three-dimensionally by making cylinders, cubes, pyramids etc. to create the structures in the pictures.
  Learn about ratios and scale by enlarging an image.  Students can measure the objects in still life pictures and then determine what the size of those objects would be in a larger version of the image.  For example, in a picture of a teapot and a teacup the teapot is 4” tall and the teacup is ½ the size of the teapot.  So, if the teapot is 6” in a larger version of the same picture, how tall is the teacup?  (Answer: 3”)

Science

• Students can learn the importance of documenting animals and plants in nature. Discuss how drawings and photographs of animals and plants have lead to a better understanding of the many different species.  Consider artists like John James Audubon or extinct species.

• Select a specific region of North America and list possible environmental hazards that could be of threat to that area. Have students draw before and after pictures of these hazards affecting the environment. 
• Teach students about the chemical process of photography and how a camera actually works. Students can learn how to create a real-life camera using mirror images, projectors, etc. Discuss the evolution of the camera and how the camera has changed over the years. 
• Have students list the many different environments found in the state, both natural and manmade.  Students can discuss the differences between these areas and the characteristics of each.
• Research the factors that make the light change during the day, from season to season, or during certain types of weather.  Why does the sun change the color of the mountains when it sets? 
• Discuss the properties of different kinds of light – natural, florescent, etc.
• Many landscapes and environments change due to erosion, either quickly or over long periods of time.  Explore and experiment with the affects of weather (the elements) on objects.  (Examples: sun-bleached wood or rounded river rocks.)
• Many artists use simple objects as their subject matter.  As a group, identify common objects that they may overlook or take for granted, like a toothbrush or a light bulb.  Ask each student to select an object and research the invention and the history of the item.  By doing this, students can learn to see these commonplace items in a new way.

Visual Arts

• Have students collect pictures of themselves and their families doing their favorite activities. (Skiing, camping, playing baseball, traveling, etc.)  In the classroom, make a large collage so students can see their connections with other classmates in their environments.
• Many artists respond to memories of a place.  Have students think about a place they have visited.  Have them make lists of the things they remember about that place.  Was it inside or outside?  Was there a lot of light or was it dark?  What kinds of things made it special or different from other places you have been?  After students have made their lists, have them begin to recreate the spaces from memory using a variety of materials. (Similar to a diorama.)

Related Web Sites

For Teachers

www.idahohistory.net – Offers historical expertise for county and local histories.  Also includes helpful information about additional resources and landmarks around Idaho. 

www.state.id.us.aboutidaho/history.html - Lists the museums found in Idaho and links to information and their websites. 

www.archaeolink.com/idaho_lesson_plans.htm - Teaches younger students about their state flag and simple history. 

www.idahoptv.org/nttilessons2001/wells.html - Site provides feature programs from Idaho Public Television, information, links, and other web content designed for educators.    

www.proteacher.com/090114.shtml - A lesson plan that guides students in exploring the regions of Idaho and identifying the characteristics of the regions source. 

www.idahoforests.org/plans.htm - Lesson by other teachers.  Collection of activities and lesson plans developed to promote awareness of the environment, particularly to Idaho. 

http://www.usgs.gov/ - Official site for U.S. Geological Survey.  Provides extensive information and resources about global environments.

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/climate.htm - Detailed information about world climates and ecosystems.

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ - Images, lesson plans, and information about the world.

For Teachers and Kids

www.lauramcphee.com – Artist’s personal webpage.  Shows all her exhibitions, bio, and additional links. 

 www.theus50.com/Idaho. - Reviews everything about Idaho, state facts, history, important people, and is very easy to use.

www.shgresources.com/id/history/ - Presents an historical overview of Idaho’s progression from a territory to statehood and its emergence into the 20th century as well as official symbols of the state. 

www.kidskonnect.com/Idaho/IdahoHome.html - Special collection archive, almanac, list of museums, economy, and other statistics. 

www.atozkidsstuff.com/Idaho.html - Fun things to do in Idaho, art projects, places to see, fact sheets, games and color pages. 

www.accessidaho.org/education/kids.html - Information about the state of Idaho, focusing on education, health, and the government. 

http://www.epa.gov/kids/ - Environmental Protection Agency’s website for kids.

http://www.niehs.nih.gov/kids/ - National Institute of Environment Health Sciences website for kids.

http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/earth/ecosystems.html&edu=elem – Information and games about ecosystems.

http://www.mbgnet.net/ - Missouri Botanical Gardens website with information about biomes and ecosystems.

Post-Visit Activity: MAKE IT!

To extend the museum experience and connect the tour to your curriculum, please consider using or adapting this suggested lesson

Artful Environments:  From Ordinary to Extraordinary

In the two exhibitions at the Boise Art Museum, the 2007 Idaho Triennial and Laura McPhee:  River of No Return, the artists used photography as one of the media to communicate their ideas.  Laura McPhee and others have been drawn to specific environments in Idaho to tell their stories and portray varying perspectives of the role of humans in using and changing the area.  Idaho has many unique environments and this activity offers students the opportunity to take a closer look or possibly to see their everyday environments in new ways or from fresh perspectives.

Materials

Digital or Disposable Camera

Instructions

1. Review with students the reproductions of photographs from the two BAM exhibitions.  Discuss the images and the ideas/messages the artists might be communicating. 
2. Have students learn how to use the camera (digital or disposable) so they can communicate their ideas. 
3. Have each student go either through the school, classroom, or their neighborhood and select one place that is important in his/her life.  (Example: a building, tree, the playground, road they ride bikes on, favorite spot to watch the sunset.)  Emphasize to students the importance of technique (such as cropping, lighting, point of view or perspective, holding the camera still, etc.) in portraying a specific idea.  Have students photograph this site several times throughout the day, month, or school year to document how the environment changes and whether or not those changes are man-made or caused by nature.
4. Develop pictures and have students select their individual favorites. Have students mount their selected photographs on illustration board or mat board and write brief paragraphs describing the object or place and how and why it changed over time.
5. Create an in-class exhibition of the photographs and the descriptions.
6. Discuss with students the idea that everyday sites may initially appear mundane but through fresh eyes, and a camera lens, they can make powerful art statements.

Bibliography

Teachers

• Barnes & Blew (eds.). Circle of Women:  An Anthology of Contemporary Western Women Writers. 1994.
• Harthorn, Sandy.  One Hundred Years of Idaho Art, 1850-1950: Boise Art Museum, June 23-August 19, 1990.  Pocatello, ID: Idaho State University Press, 1988. 
• Idaho Wheat Commission.  Wheat for Kids: A Teacher’s Guide.  Boise, ID: Idaho Wheat Commission, 1995. 
• The Historic Ketchum Calendar.  (All photographs courtesy of Environment West, Ketchum, ID)

Pre-K

• Braun, Muzzie, and the Boys.  Muzzie Braun & the Boys: Ballads, Yodels & New Western Music.  Clayton, ID: Idaho Cassettes, 1990. 
• Curtis, Jamie Lee and Laura Cornell.  Is There Really a Human Race? Joanna Cotler, 2006.
• Emberly, Rebecca.  My House/Mi Casa.  Little, Brown Young Readers. 1993.
• Emberly, Rebecca.  Talking a Walk/Caminando.  Little, Brown Young Readers, 1994.
• Hutchins, Pat.  Changes, Changes.  Aladdin, 1987.
• Lied, Kate. Potato:  A Tale from the Great Depression. 1997.
• Marsh, Carole.  Idaho’s Kid’s Cookbook: Recipes, How-to, History, Lore, and More.  Atlanta, GA: Gallopade Publishing Group, 1995. 
• Quasha, Jennifer.  How to Draw Idaho’s Sights and Symbols.  New York: Powerkids Press, 2002. 
• Rothstein, Nancy.  My Daddy Snores.  Cartwheel Books, 2007.
• Scarry, Richard.  What Do People Do All Day?  Random House Books for Young Readers, 1968.

• Bash, Barbara.  Desert Giant: The World of the Saguaro Cactus.  Sierra Club Books for Children, 2002.
• Bertram, Debbie.  The Best Place to Read.  Dragonfly Books, 2007.
• Davis, Wendy.  Habitats: City Park. Children’s Press, 1998. (From the Habitats series)
• Idaho Kids: A Celebration of Diversity.  Pocatello, ID: Idaho State University, 1994. 
• Marsh, Carole.  Idaho Indians!: A Kid’s Look at Our State’s Chiefs, Tribes, Reservations, Powwows, Lore & More from the Past to the Present.  Atlanta, GA: Gallopade, 1996
• McNeil, Jean.  Boise with Kids: 101 Adventures in Treasure Valley and Beyond.  Boise, ID: Alturas Press, 1985. 
• Our 50 States & Other US Lands.  New York: Collins, 2007. 
• Stevens, Janet.  The Great Fuzz Frenzy. Harcourt Children’s Books, 2005.

• Baker, Lucy.  Life in the Rainforests: Animals, People, Plants.  Two-Can Publishers, 2001. (From the Life in the… series)
• Bauer, Marion.  Dear America: Land of the Buffalo Bones.  Scholastic Inc., 2003. (From the Dear America series.)
• Conrad, Pam.  Our House.  Scholastic Press, 2005.
• Disalvo-Ryan, Dyanne.  City Green.  HarperCollins, 1994.
• How to Photograph your Art using Natural Light.  (video) Boise, ID: Idaho Commission of the Arts, 1994. 
• Idaho Kid’s Count State Data Book: Idaho Community Count State Data Book.  Boise, ID: Annie E. Casey foundation: United Way of Treasure Valley, 2003. 
• McKissack, Patricia.  A Friendship for Today.  Scholastic Press, 2007.
• Vogel, Carole G.  Ocean Wildlife.  Franklin Watts, 2003.

• Foote, Mary Hallock.  The Idaho Stories and Far West Illustrations of Mary Hallock Foote.  Pocatello, ID: Idaho State University Press, 1988
• Growing Up Poor in Idaho.  Boise, ID: Idaho Kids Count, 2001. 
• Humphreys, William.  Life on a Homestead, or 160 acres and a passel of Kids.  Lewiston, ID: Printed by Steely Print and Binding, 1983. 
• Idaho’s Endowment Forest Lands: Unique and Uniquely Managed.  Boise, ID.  Idaho Forest Products Commission,1993. 
• McNeil Libby, Megan. Postcards from France. 1997 (a book about a teenager’s experiences while studying abroad)
• Myers, Walter Dean.  Harlem Summer.  Scholastic Press, 2007.
• Nosanow, Barbara Shissler.  Sawtooths and Other Ranges of Imagination: Contemporary Art for Idaho.  Washington, DC: Published for the National Museum of American Art by the Smithsonian Institution Press, 1983. 
• Payesic, Max G.  Backtracking: Ancient Art of Southern Idaho.  Pocatello, ID: Idaho Museum of Natural History, 1993. 
• Senior, Kathryn.  Fast Forward: Planet Earth.  Franklin Watts, 2000.
• The Contemporary Idaho Artist: A Selected Survey.  Boise, ID: Idaho Commission of the Arts, 1991.

Young Adult/Adult

• Cleary, Beverly.  A Girl From Yamhill.  Harper Trophy, 1996.
• Folk Art of Idaho: “We Came to Where We Were Supposed to Be.”  Boise, ID: Idaho Commission of the Arts, 1984.
• Hite, Sid. A Hole in the World.  Scholastic Paperbacks, March 2004.
• Idaho and the American West.  Boise, ID: The Council, 1994.    
• Rea, Lori.  Living Treasures: Hispanic Artisans and Traditionalist of the Snake River Valley.  Nampa,ID: Hispanic Folkarts Survey Committee, 1991. 
• Soto, Gary. Baseball in April and Other Stories. 2000. (stories about childhood memories and growing up)