Our 5th grade students have been learning about the research process in library through our Famous Artist biography Project.
In their art class with Mrs. Lustgarten, they learned about a variety of artists. Then in library, they chose an artist as the focus for their research. We got the idea for this project from Mr. Avery in Massachusetts. You can see some of his student videos here.
Students used books and websites to find out out the answers to these questions:
When and where was the artist born?
What interesting event happened during the artist’s childhood?
Did the person ever get married or have children?
Where did the artist live for most of his or her life?
What kind of art is the person known best for?
What other interesting story happened during the artist’s adult life?
What painting did the researcher like the most?
The last step of the project was to create something about the artist. The 6th grade classes made biography videos. Ms. Breier’s class wrote biography comments. We got that idea from a post Mrs. Yollis had on her blog. However, we did something different in Mrs. Coffey’s class. They wrote poems about their artist using the website Instant Poem Maker. You can make your own poem here:
I chose this particular assignment to correlate with National Poetry Month. Inaugurated by the Academy of American Poets in 1996, National Poetry Month is now held every April, when publishers, booksellers, literary organizations, libraries, schools and poets around the country band together to celebrate poetry and its vital place in American culture.
Many students find writing poetry to be nerve-wrecking. They worry about syllables and accents and proper this and proper that. The rules get in the way of creativity. However, when you use Instant Poem Maker, the stress is gone, and the creativity can come shining through. All you do is select a type of poem. In this case, I selected a Biography Poem. Then these blanks come up for you to fill in as you can see below.
After you fill in the blank, you press And voila, you have a poem! Anyone can be a poet! You just have to try.
Claude Monet
Born in France
Child of Claude and Louise
Lived in Paris and Giverney
Studied how to paint outside using sunlight
Overcame father’s wish to become a grocer
Worked as an artist
Challenged by criticism of his work
Personal traits perseverance and creativity
Always stayed true to his artform
Never bowed under pressure to conform
Best known for Impressionist Art
We hope you will enjoy our student poems! You will find them by clicking on the comment button. Each student has logged on as their artist and written a poem. We welcome comments from our readers!
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What famous person could you write a poem about?
Who is your favorite poet?
What is your favorite kind of poetry to read or write?
Born in Paris, France 1840
Child of Claude and Louise Monet
Lived in Paris, France
Studied Impressionism
Overcame poorness
Worked as a cashier at his dad’s store
Challenged by not selling any paintings
Personal traits he liked to paint outside
Always painted outside
Never did pop art
Best known for the painting panel of lilies
From Lindsay T.
Roy Lichtenstein
Born in New York
Child of Mr. and Mrs. Lichtenstein
Lived in New York
Studied pop art
Overcame adding cartoon people
Worked as an artist
Challenged by his fear
Personal traits of pop art
Always added cartoon people
Never showed cartoon people
Best known for pop art
From Yulia
Dear Mrs. Hembre,
I can’t wait until monday hope to see you then and i think my mom will be able to come i have never comented on this page this is pretty cool!
Dear Lindsay,
I am very excited too! I spent a lot of time making sure the library is picked up and looking really nice! Katherine told me that her daughter is coming as well as her book agent.
I hope your mom can come! I am looking forward to hearing her speak about her life as a writer!
Sure glad you commented! Well done!
Mrs. Hembree
Vincent Van Gogh
Born in Holland
Child of loving parents
Lived in Parris
Studied Art
Overcame my painting
Worked as an Impressionist
Challenged by cut off his ear
Personal traits cooperative
Always paint
Never gave up
Best known for Impressionist
From:
Phuoc
Roy Lichtenstein
Born in New York
Child of my Loving Parents
Lived in New York City
Studied art
Overcame by Painting
Worked as an artist
Challenged by wanting to be a good cartoon painter
Personal traits cheerful
Always helped people that needs help
Never gave up on painting
Best known for the painting of the Drowning
From,
Melanny
Salvador Dali
Born in Figueres, Spain, on May 11, 1904
Child of Salvador Dalí i Cusí and Felipa Domenech Ferrés
Lived in Figueres, Spain
Studied many types of Art which he became interested in
Overcame many diseases and obstacles in his life, but kept on painting no matter what happens
Worked as surrealist painter
Challenged by mental illness, which made it harder for him paint
Personal traits was being talented, but also a hard worker
Always painted many objects and events from his dreams
Never gave up on painting, even if no one liked them
Best known for his Surrealist paintings
From,
Jake
Claude Monet
Born in 1840
Child of Claude and Louise Monet
Lived in Paris, France
Studied Impressionism
Overcame money problems
Worked as an Impressionism artist
Challenged by art critics
Personal traits were determination and creativity
Always painted how he wanted
Never gave up Impressionism
Best known for his painting The Water Lilies
From, Sofia
Andy Warhol
Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Child of Mr. and Mrs. Warhol
Lived in Pittsburgh
Studied Technology
Overcame sickness
Worked as an artist
Challenged by wanting to be a tap dancer
Personal traits determined, sickly
Always was determined
Never gave up
Best known for Pop art
from
Carly
Henri Mattise
Born in 1869
Child of Mr. and Ms.Mattise
Lived in Paris France
Studied Art in a school
Overcame His sickness
Worked as A painter at home
Challenged by Appendicitis
Personal traits Hard worker
Always Tried new things
Never Got a consistent job
Best known for Fauvism
M.c. Escher
Born in Netherlands
Child of Mr. and Mrs. Escher
Lived in Baarn, Netherlands
Studied Architecture
Overcame School
Worked as Engineer
Challenged by Grades
Personal traits Was A Civil Engeneer
Always Made more kinds of art
Never Gave Up
Best known for Including Math In His Art
From Bridget
Andy Warhol
Born in Pittsburgh August 6,1928
Child of Mr. and Mrs. Warhol
Lived in New York
Studied at Carnegie Institute of Technology
Overcame how my family was always poor
Worked as a film maker and a artist
Challenged by wanting to be a tap dancer
Personal traits creative and likes excitement
Always tried hard in my life
Never gave up
Best known for my Campbell’s soup painting
From: Kyra
Andy Warhol
Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Child of Mr. and Mrs. Warhol
Lived in Pittsburgh
Studied Technology
Overcame Sickness
Worked as An Artist
Challenged by wanting to be a tap dancer
Personal traits sickly, determined
Always was determined
Never gave up
Best known for pop art
Roy Lichenstien
Born in New York
Child of loving parents
Lived in New York city
Studied cubism
Overcame challenge of soldier life
Worked as army soldier in world war 2
Challenged by world war 2
Personal traits good at pop art
Always made pop art
Never made art exept pop art
Best known for pop art
Andy warhol
Born in PITTSBURGH pennsylvaniain
Child of Ms.and Mrs. warhol
Lived in New york
Studied arties
Overcame sickness
Worked as a reporter
Challenged by nothing
Personal traits he loved movies stars
Always painted
Never got married
Best known for painting tomato soup can
From:
Axel
Roy Lichteinstien
Born in 1923
Child of mrs lictenstien
Lived in new york
Studied pop art
Overcame army
Worked as soldier
Challenged by WW2
Personal traits honesty
Always painted
Never lied
Best known for popart
from orion
Roy Lichtenstien
Born in 1923
Child of Mr. and Mrs. Lichtenstien
Lived in New York
Studied in school
Overcame the army
Worked as a solier
Challenged by WW2
Personal traits honesty and comedy
Always painted
Never lied
Best known for pop art
From, Ty
Roy Lithenstine
Born in 1923
Child of Mr. and Mrs. lithenstine
Lived in New York
Studied Pop Art
Overcame The army
Worked as A soldier
Challenged by WW2
Personal traits Kind and funny
Always Pained
Never Told a lie
Best known for Pop art
from, Austin
Vincent VanGogh
Born in Groot Zurdert,Holland
Child of
Lived in Paris and Arle
Studied how to be a good artist
Overcame people telling him what he was and was not good at
Worked as in impreshinest
Challenged by His parents told him he was not going to be an artist
Personal traits never gave up only sold one panting
Always if someone told him to do somthing he did not listen to them but got very annoyed
Never dressed like his parents wanted him to look like and so his parents never gave him support
Best known for Stary night
To:Mrs.Hembree
By:Hunter
Dear Mrs.Hembree,
So the poem is nice I like everyone’s poem. This this a great post you did.
From Alex.