DESCRIPTION: Students review the critical process of description, analysis and interpretation through a question and answer excercise.

OBJECTIVES: While encouraging the practice of writing a report, this activity emphasizes the skills of description, analysis, and interpretation, that the students have learned throughout the tour.

PROCEDURE: Prepare by explaining the critical process. Divide into groups of 4. I'm going to assign each group a work of art to look at. I would like one person in the group to write down three questions that you want to know about the work of art. After the first person has written their three questions, the second person, then the third, and finally the fourth person should each add three different questions until you have a list of twelve questions. (Note: No two questions can be the same.) Let's read your questions out loud. Which questions pertain to description? Analysis? Interpretation? Which questions can you answer jsut by looking and which need more information? Now I will provide each group with information about the artwork. After reading the information, I'd like your group to write a short report about the artwork, first describing it, then analyzing it, and finally interpreting it. (Read reports out loud.) After hearing the various reports, what question that you still feel is unanswered would you most like to know?

MINNESOTA GRADUATION STANDARDS:
(1) Read, View, Listen
(2) Write and Speak
(3) Literature and the Arts

Age level: Grades 9 and up.
Artworks used: Works of art that have fact sheets.
Props needed: Paper and pencils.
Related to Minneapolis Sculpture Garden: Yes
Notes: Will take over half of a tour.


© 1998 WALKER ART CENTER