Activity Introduction
Put on your best beret and white coat as you become a serious art critic, analysing how the illustrator of Where Happiness Hides has put together two images to create different moods in the audience. Then pick up your brush and create your own pictures which communicate important messages to the reader.
Some kids will be able to work on this activity with minimal support.
Ideal for: Middle Primary Ages 7 – 9
Themes:
- be creative
- think and connect
Time required: 40 minutes
Curriculum connections: English, Visual Arts, Literacy, Critical and Creative Thinking, Personal and Social Capability
This activity may be a challenge for kids, especially if they have not been exposed to much analytical language in art class at school. They may require parent/carer help to refine their work. Don’t push for perfection, but do keep in mind the following tips.
- Statements like “I do/don’t like this” with no additional information are not helpful. This is an opinion, not an explanation of the work. Instead, “The artist has done a good/bad job at…” is a judgement based more on fact than personal preference.
- Don’t just describe the artwork. You can see the artwork. Focus more on the ideas, and evaluating the artwork, as above.
- Cover a range of different art elements in your analysis: colours, shapes, textures, mediums used, style.
- Art supplies: coloured pencils, textas, paint, glue, scissors
- Dictionary
- White paper
- Writing pen or pencil
- Where Happiness Hides ebook
[email protected] from Cool Australia
[email protected] resources are designed for parents and teachers to use with children in the home environment. They can be used as stand-alone activities or built into existing curriculum-aligned learning programs. Our [email protected] series includes two types of resources. The first are fun and challenging real-world activities for all ages, the second are self-directed lessons for upper primary and secondary students. These lessons support independent learning in remote or school settings.
About the book.
Where Happiness Hides, a picture book by Anthony Bertini, with illustrations by Jennifer Goldsmith. This is a story that shows there is a silver lining in every dark cloud. Anthony Bertini himself explains the project beautifully:
“This book will offer hope. It will be free to everyone in the world to read and enjoy as many times as they want. Yes, it is a children’s picture-book, and the story reflects what we tell our children every day: happiness can be found in simple things. But it is more than that. It is something we tell ourselves in times of hardship and worry. It is a story that helps all of us remember what is important.
“Right now, COVID-19 is forcing us to look for joy and happiness in the least obvious places. We know in our hearts that it is found in the small things. It is always there, hidden in plain sight.”
Where Happiness Hides offers us, through simple and succinct storytelling, a reminder of how these moments of happiness can be found.
Thanks to the publisher, Dirt Lane Press, you can now receive free shipping (normally $12) by ordering the book directly through the Dirt Lane Press book shop by clicking here and entering the coupon code 8BQF7MD during the checkout process.
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Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.
