Susan Riley | March 2012

Stepping into the Painting: Arts Integration Technique

Sometimes, a painting is just begging to come to life.  That’s where the inspiration for this Arts Integration Technique came from.  I call this technique “Stepping into the Painting”, and in essence, that’s what the students are doing.  Using a piece of art, they become a character or object that they see.  This in and of itself is not a new idea…the next part is what makes this technique go from good to great.

After students choose a character or object from the painting to become, they must begin to verbally tell a story.  One character begins by giving some background into what they character is seeing, thinking, feeling, etc.  That character then chooses another character in the painting who must fit the previous story into their own character’s story and so on until everyone gets a turn.

 

Stepping into the Painting Technique, Education Closet

DOWNLOAD THIS CARD HERE

 

This technique leads to rich theme, plot and character development, as well as building fabulous observational art skills and even works on the skills of speaking and listening, which are central to Common Core Language Arts.  And today…it’s YOURS!  Just download the step-by-step technique poster above and give this a try in your classroom in the upcoming weeks.  

About the Author

Susan Riley is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM. This is the world’s largest online resource for educators interested in integrating the arts. She has presented at events and authored articles for many educational organizations including The US Department of Education, Palmetto State Arts Education, Edutopia, Education Week, Americans for the Arts, ASCD, and NPR. She regularly presents at national and international events each year. She is the author of three books and is a sought-after collaborator for innovative educational projects around the globe. Susan brings creativity, practicality, dedication and passion to the education landscape. She is well-respected for her pioneering work in the fields of Arts Integration and STEAM education with a standards-based approach. As an educator who taught for 10 years in public schools, as well as served in central office leadership, she understands the fast-paced change, challenges and promise of 21st century schools. As an entrepreneur, she has successfully taken what was once a simple education blog and developed it into a rapidly-growing and highly-respected educational institution. Her team of 15+ teachers, leaders and coaches support over over 500,000 educators each month worldwide. Susan holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from the prestigious Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ and a Master of Science in Education Administration from McDaniel College in Westminster, MD. She lives in Westminster, MD with her husband and daughter. Email Susan