RESOURCES STUDENTS WILL USE
Laminated copies of Dollhouse and close-up shots of each room (see SM1_Dollhouse)
Selections from Neil Gaiman’s Coraline copies (enough for each student)
· p. 8 "Can I go into the drawing room...It was only for the best."
· p. 18 "Yes please...theatre programs in frames."
· p.27 "The carpet beneath...what exactly was different."
· p.30 "It was different...This is more like it, said Coraline."
· p.108 "There was no furniture...tugged upward as hard as she could."
Podcast of Dollhouse description (See script SM2_Dollhouse)
Direct link to Dollhouse image @ http://americanart.si.edu/collections/search/artwork/?id=35885
Diorama Checklist (see SM3_Dollhouse)
LCD projector
Laptop with Internet connections, speakers, and microphone
OTHER MATERIALS REQUIRED
Magnifying glasses, pencils
Post-it notes, several for each student
SOURCES/CREDITS
Art Image: Dollhouse by Miriam Shapiro and Sherry Brody accessed from: http://americanart.si.edu/collections/search/artwork/?id=35885
Literature Selection: Gaiman, Neil. Coraline. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 2002.
Day 1 – Library Lesson
Direct Instruction:
· TL warms class up by handing out Post-its and pencils. Instruct students to close their eyes and visualize a dollhouse. After about 30 seconds, ask students to draw the dollhouse that they saw and write one word or phrase to describe it. Allow 3 minutes for this activity. Have students share their images and words with each other.
· TL explains that the class will look at a piece of art called Dollhouse while listening to a podcast; they should listen for some directed questions and take notes of observations on their post-its.
· Together the class will listen to the podcast and view images of the artwork on screen or whiteboard.
Modeling and guided practice:
· TL leads a discussion by asking students to share their observations.
· TL passes out copies of a paragraph from Coraline and discusses the visual connections between Dollhouse and the text.
Independent practice:
· Students receive: additional passages from text, copies of Dollhouse rooms, post-its, pencils, and magnifying glasses.
· Students read the passages and identify three connections that they find between the text and an image. Notes are made on the post-its identifying connections.
· Students hang up their copies of artwork with notes attached.
Sharing and reflecting:
Day 2 – Art Connection
(This part of lesson could be done in collaboration with an art teacher, or it can be completed as a take-home assignment.)
Direct Instruction:
· TL reviews the previous lesson by highlighting some of the notes students took and connections they made between Coraline and Dollhouse.
· Art teacher introduces the concept of making a diorama and hands out planning worksheet (diorama template)
Modeling and guided practice:
· Art teacher reviews template, shows example and gives directions.
· For diorama, students need to bring in:
1. Shoe box
2. Small found items like game pieces, mini toys, old broken costume jewelry, or things that will fit inside a shoe box
3. Bring something that:
a. Scares
b. Comforts
c. Represents family heritage
d. A living thing
e. Something that could represent a mini piece of furniture
Independent practice
· Students complete planning template for dioramas with rooms labeled and materials planned.
Day 3
Independent practice
· Students construct dioramas using planning template and materials brought from home.
Sharing and reflecting:
· Students share dioramas with class.
· Students must post a blog to a specified web location that represents a personal reflection about the room they created. Written reflections will be reviewed by TL and shared with classroom teachers.