Labrador's IRA Newsletter Project: Effective Literacy Website 6: “Incredible Art Department”

                                                                                                                           

“Incredible Art Department” (www.incredibleart.org ) is my sixth literacy website article of the course. At first glance of the site, people would assume it is strictly for the arts. However, if intensively explored, you can find many literacy lessons for the classroom that connects greatly with art history. Often times, art history is neglected or not valued highly in secondary education. Even history and introduction to art classes do not cover its importance and impact in society—arts that define human culture, struggles, and ideas.  This website allows educators to nurture this knowledge and, hopefully, allow students to appreciate art history.

The website has divided its resources into several categories, allowing for easier navigation. The categories include; lessons starting from preschool to college, substitute lessons, lessons assimilating art and drama, art gallery, comic lessons, art activities, and art lesson links.  Educators of all levels can search for lessons so easily because of this categorization. The resources on this site is so vast that after clicking one of the categories, you will be sent to a page divided into subcategories; by grade, by artist, by medium, by art period, by subject, and by integration. After you have selected a subcategory the site brings to a very long list of lessons to choose from. Each lesson is detailed providing educators with a thorough explanation (i.e., the time intervals, objectives, procedures, reflection questions, material lists, etc.).  It has so much valuable resources that educators will spend hours searching for the right one.

One significant aspect of this website is it that all its resources are unrestricted. You will not stumble unto a page that will ask you to purchase a lesson. The extensive amount of resources listed is yours for the taking.  Probably the main reason to such accessibility is the fact that all the lessons are contributed by many art instructors or educators.  In fact, the website has a section asking educators to contribute a lesson plan.

The website has an interesting feature that illustrates steps in designing cartoons. It utilizes images to visualize step-by-step instruction allowing even the primary grades to engage in learning.  It has a total of fifteen (15) lessons all connected to a supplemental website called www.cartoobartclub.com .

In the “Art Lesson Links” category, the links are alphabetized in order and the list itself is colossal. The list ranges from free tutorials to online stores. It also consists of online magazine sites, lessons, and other teacher resources relating literacy and the common core standards.   Out of the websites I have explored thus far, the “Incredible Art Department” is the first to showcase such enormity of free resources for our disposal—no monthly fees attached.  I truly recommend this site for everyone as the resources not only focus on the arts, but among other subjects as well.