And the winner is...(The Caldecott Award)

Subject Area(s):

• Visual Arts
• Art Connections

Grade Level(s):

• 3rd-4th Grade

Description:

This lesson will be a collaborative lesson with the art teacher. She will have introduced to the students, different techniques of art, pointing out differences among them and any historical significance.

Goals & Objectives:

Instructional Goals: Students will learn what the Caldecott Award is, why it is awarded and how it is selected.

Learning Objectives:

• Students will know who Randolph Caldecott was.
• Students will be able to verbally relate the criteria used in the selection of a Caldecott winner.
• Students will be able to locate needed information in print and online sources.

Motivational Goals:

• Generate student interest in Caldecott books in the school library.
• Students will value the importance of the Caldecott medal on the front cover of a book.
  
• Students will become interested in illustrations in the books they read. 

Materials:

Materials:

• "Puzzle" pieces, consisting of arms, heads, legs, torsos, ears, etc., drawn by LMS or art teacher or both.
• Glue
• Construction paper.
  
• Markers, crayons, other embellishments
• "Creature Feature" Evaluation handout, consisting of a numbered sheet of paper with 2 questions typed at the top: "What do you like about this picture?" and "What makes it different from the others?" (See supporting files)
  
• White board
  

Procedures:

Introduction: "Creature Feature"

1) Students will be given "puzzle" pieces and asked to make a "creature", by gluing body parts to a sheet of construction paper. They may use any combination of parts they wish. They may embellish their picture with crayons, markers, etc.

2) Post finished works in the library.  Number each.  Ask students to look at each and list features or qualities that make it stand out on the "Creature Feature" evaluation handout. Discussion about findings.

Body:

1)Students will be shown examples of Caldecott winners and told that they were given the medal for a special reason.  Students are asked to think about the introductory activity and brainstorm why they think the Caldecott was awarded  Answers are recorded on the white board.

2) In pairs, students are asked to research any information on the Caldecott Award or on Randolph Caldecott, either online or in a print resource.  They are to print out the information or bring the print resource back to the group.

3) Students are asked to share knowledge they found to see if it matches what was brainstormed.  A handout about Randolph Caldecott and the criteria used to choose winners will be given to the students to reinforce this discussion.

4) A selection of books, nominated for the Caldecott award from one particular year will be available for students to look at.  They will be asked to choose the book they thought won the award for that year.  Students will "vote" for the book they thought won. 

Conclusion:

After the "vote", the winner will be revealed. The LMS will ask students to verbally relate the criteria they thought was best illustrated by the art on the book cover as well as facts about the life of Randolph Caldecott.

Assessment:

LMS will orally question students on criteria for choosing a Caldecott winner.



LMS will orally question students on the life of Randolph Caldecott.

Supporting Files:

• A_few_words_about_Randolph_Caldecott_and_his_illustrations.doc
  Handout on Randolph Caldecott and criteria used to award Caldecott Medal.
• Creature_Feature_Evaluation.doc
  

Standards:

National Information Literacy Standards (K-12)

Evaluates information critically and competently.

• Selects information appropriate to the problem or question at hand.

Appreciates literature and other creative expressions of information.

• Develops creative products in a variety of formats.

Participates effectively in groups to pursue and generate information.

• Shares knowledge and information with others.
• Respects others' ideas and backgrounds and acknowledges their contributions.
• Collaborates with others, both in person and through technologies, to identify information problems and to seek their solutions.
• Subject: Visual Arts

National Content Standards (K-12)

• Understands the characteristics and merits of one's own artwork and the artwork of others