CHILDREN's STORIES
ABOUT
IMPORTANCE OF ART

IMMERSING IN THE STILL LIFE PAINTING

The creative task "Look attentively"

Within ten seconds the teacher shows to the children a STILL LIFE PAINTING, then asks to describe it from memory. Then children consider the same STILL LIFE PAINTING for another five minutes. During the second viewing the teacher includes music and asks children to imagine, that they take in their hands this and that object represented on this STILL LIFE PAINTING, talk to them and use them.

After the second viewing the teacher and children should together discuss, how they perceived this STILL LIFE PAINTING during the first and during the second viewings.

Conversation

Questions and tasks for conversation:

- What can the STILL LIFE PAINTING tell about character of the artist?

- If you should draw a STILL LIFE PAINTING for mum (the daddy, the grandmother, the grandfather), what would your represent?

- Can be a STILL LIFE PAINTING more interesting than a portrait or a picture of landscape? What should be represented on a STILL LIFE PAINTING that it won't be forgotten?

- What would you draw for the person who is seriously ill

Read the story:

HEALING STILL-LIFE PAINTING

A.Lopatina

The old bus, slipping on snowed road, finally entered the city. On the bus were brought many children rescued from blockade. These children did not run, did not play and did not laugh. Many of them were in such bad health condition that they could hardly walk, like old men. Even part of the hospital was given for the needs of these new children's home as the rescued children needed an urgent medical help.

In this small town one almost could not feel war. Certainly, bread was not sufficient, but everybody grew potato and cabbage. Therefore after the news about rescued children spread, people started to bring to the hospital whatever was possible. One carried a small bag of a potato, another brought a bucket with salty mushrooms, other - bunches of a healing herbs. Gradually children started to recover .

Once the old man, director of a local museum come to the hospital, and said:

- I wish to help your children too.

The nurse started to laugh:

- How? You even don't have your own garden so you don't grow anything. You starve yourself, how can you help our children?

Its true, I live half-starving life, - answered the old man, - I didn't have a time to start my own garden as all my time I spent in museum, collecting pictures. But you know, pictures sometimes can be more necessary than bread.

I do not think so, - the nurse hemmed, answering. However the head doctor of hospital had a different opinion, and soon the queue of the wrapped up children was pulled after the old man toward the museum. Only the smallest child, five years old girl Anna remained in hospital because she was so weak that she could not walk yet.

It was so cold in the museum that children did not take off their coats and warm caps. The old director brought them to a portrait of the well-known scientist and with enthusiasm began to explain, how this world renowned person presented the portrait to this museum. Suddenly the director noticed, how one boy whispered something to another, and both of them disappeared. Then another child also very quietly went out from the room. And another… By the time when director finished the story, there were only few children left standing by the portrait.

- Hmm, perhaps the nurse was right. Children can't be interested in paintings while they are so weak and unhealthy, - sighed the director.

One can imagine his surprise when he found out where, that in the next hall all children have crowded before a big still-life picture on which the vase with fruit has been presented. Children could not tear off their eyes from this still-life painting.

- Why green berries are shining? – softly asked the little boy.

- These are grapes, and its berries are shining on the sun. Because these berries grew up under the sun they became sweeter than sugar, - whispered the older girl.

- If we only could get some of these berries for our Anna, she, surely, at once would rise from a bed, - pensively exclaimed one of the children. 

- Please keep silent, don't disturb us to look at this beauty, - said other children. 

-  For another ten minutes children looked at this still-life painting, then they said goodbye to the director and went back to the hospital.

- In an hour director of a museum with a huge package in hands came to the hospital. He went straight to the children's big room and saw that all of them crowded near Anna's bed and excitedly were explaining her what they saw in the museum:

  - And grapes are more sweet than honey!

- Those berries were shining!

- You know, pears are yellow. I tried them before the war. They are very sweet.

The doctor, having seen the old director, said with gratitude:

- Thank you so much, we just can't recognize our children today. Their cheeks are so red, they are so excited, they speaking with such interest! Dear director, you are a real wizard!

- Thank you for your kind words, - modestly replied the director. I have brought one painting, can you please help me to hang it up. Certainly, I understand that probably it is not according to the hospital regulations – to have paintings. But children can't live without fruit, - he added.

This huge still-life painting was hung up on the most visible place. Next morning the doctor came to the children's room and saw, that Anna, together with the little boy, standing and looking at the picture. The doctor almost could not believe his eyes – how is it possible, for so many weeks she was lying flat in the bad, she never ever stand up in the hospital yet. Then the doctor heard her saying:

- I again choose this lemon.

- Rather choose this delicious plum, you can't imagine how sweet is the plum, while a lemon is very sour. You already yesterday tasted it, - persuaded the kid.

- Well, so what if it is sour. But the lemon is very good for health. He full of vitamins especially of vitamin C, my mum always was telling me about it. Look at me, I did eat it yesterday, and see, my legs are now stronger than steel. I now can walk. Therefore I'm again choosing lemon...

The doctor quietly closed the door. and has thought:

"It would be great if in all hospitals pictures were hanging," thought he to himself.

Questions and tasks to the story:

Imagine, that to you have been ordered to draw a still-life painting for children's hospital. What would you represent?

Describe a still-life painting from the story: how does the vase look like, where it stood, what fruit were in it.

Do you have at home any such painting which helps you in difficult minute? Tell about it.

Play "The Picture and a reality"

Divide children into pairs and present them with the cards. On each of the cards should be written name of different objects. One person in a pair represents the object drawn on a still-life painting, another - the same object, but real. In a play-dialogue children on behalf of the drawn and real objects tell about their life.

Game "Guess a still-life painting"

Divide children on small groups. The teacher takes a reproduction of a still-life painting where represented more than five subjects. Not showing this reproduction to children, he names three objects. Children should write down on sheets of paper, what other objects, in their opinion, are represented on this still-life painting. The teacher collects the papers with replies and read it aloud. For each guessed rightly object, the group receives an extra mark. Repeat this game few more times. Win the group who received the maximum amount of marks.

Written work

Suggest children to describe a composition of a still-life painting where represented objects from the world of minerals, plants, animals and people. Then children should write how these objects are logically connected with each other.

Game “The Alive still-life painting"

Hang up on a board couple of reproductions of still-life painting. Divide children into groups. Each group chooses any one of these still-life paintings and represents it mimicry and by help of gestures.

Tell children, that they even can exchange clothes, to take something so that to have more similarities with represented objects. The others guess, what still-life painting is represented by this or that group.

Figure "Let us compose a still-life picture"

Ask children to bring from home any unusual things: a compass, a bowl, an ancient mug, etc. Divide children into groups on four-five persons in each group. Display the brought from home stuff. Children should spread out these things on the table and think, which of them is better combined with each other according to the form, color scale and character. Then children should make up stories about what their subjects can tell to people. Then ask children to draw a still-life painting from these objects.

The home task

At home children should draw a still-life paintings from the favourite objects, but not sign their works.

Task on homework

Make an exhibition from works of children. Children by looking at still-life paintings of each other should tell about character of the author of this or that drawing; and then authors name themselves.

page 2 of 3