One fourth grade class studied Van Gogh by investigating his art and life on the computer, painting still lifes, then learning to draw in perspective, creating colorful images of their own bedrooms using Van Gogh's bedroom as a model. Students extended their learning by examining relevant literature and completing timelines, biographical reports,…

Describes how four teachers used a pilot program of incorporating art into a writing workshop, as described in several related articles in this issue. Notes the experiences with its development, the integration of teaching and learning, the challenges faced, and a presentation to the National Council of Teachers of English convention. (SG)

This paper deals with the main theses of Gombrich's theory of pictorial representation as they pertain to the understanding of representational artworks and children's drawing. It is argued that the current linguistic-cognitive model of representation adopted from Goodman's theory provides an understanding of images and children's drawing in art…

Ninety 4- to 13-year-old alleged victims of sexual abuse were interviewed by police officers using the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) investigative interview protocol, following which they were shown a human figure drawing and asked a series of questions. The drawing and associated questions elicited an average of…

It has been claimed that children's drawings following brief mood induction procedures differ in size depending on positive or negative mood. However there are conflicting findings in the field regarding the existence and direction of scaling changes. Such inconsistencies may be the result of methodological differences or may indicate that this…

From cave paintings to children's books, imaginative drawings accompanied by compelling narratives are a part of human history. Even the most fidgety children will sit still for a good story. Learner-generated illustrations serve as an instructional strategy promoting conceptual change and a viable way for students to learn scientific concepts. In…

Kinder-artists at Oakhurst Elementary love rodeo time, which is an annual event in Fort Worth, Texas. The spirit of the Old West pervades as children don jeans, hats, boots, and bandannas to be a cowboy or cowgirl for the day. Furthermore, Fort Worth is a city that celebrates not only its history as "Cowtown" but also the fine arts! An…

Despite voluminous literature on trauma, studies on specific trauma and art expression remain sparse. Recurring graphic forms produced by sexual abuse victims have appeared in art therapy publications dating back to Naumburg (1958), but links between sexual abuse-assault and recurring graphic forms were not considered. In 1973, this author began a…

In 3 experiments the authors investigate how errors in perception produce errors in drawings. In Experiment 1, when Shepard stimuli were shown as a pair of tables, participants made severe errors in trying to adjust 1 part of the stimulus to match the other. When the table legs were removed, revealing a pair of parallelograms with minimal…

The reliability of scores for the "Draw-A-Person Intellectual Ability Test for Children, Adolescents, and Adults" is examined with a sample of 110 college students from two universities in the southeast. The alpha coefficient for the total sample and the interscorer and intrascorer reliability for a subset of 31 students are analyzed.…

A study uses a thought-provoking, pencil-and-paper activity to aid students in writing organic reaction mechanisms. Organic and functional groups that constitute the formulas of organic and inorganic reactants, ionic intermediates, and products are presented as building blocks, which must be placed correctly in a given puzzle so that they bind…

This article reports on two experiments of exposure to music and cognitive performance. In Experiment 1, Canadian undergraduates performed better on an IQ subtest (Symbol Search) after listening to an up-tempo piece of music composed by Mozart in comparison to a slow piece by Albinoni. The effect was evident, however, only when the two pieces also…

In this article I will present case study research of an elementary school art teacher who provided both verbal and visual means for students to respond to art while on a museum field trip. I will focus on how the students' drawings from memory and artwork in their sketchbooks present compelling articulations of their understandings of certain…

Chris Altman stresses the importance of helping English language learners ascertain the medium they best work with in interpreting information presented in class. Altman reminds us that meaning does not come directly from teachers giving students information, but from students productively making meaning and clarifying understanding through a…

This book encourages art students to draw the entire human figure at once, rather than isolated portions of the body. The approach focuses on the energy that suffuses every part of the body and produces liverly, seamless figure drawings without construction lines. Examples from Master works and student works are used to demonstrate the approach…