The Finer Things in Life

Ah, a nice stroll through an art gallery. Can you see the framed beauty before you? Are you at your leisure? Now imagine your child’s art hanging on that wall for all to see. What happened to your image? Did it remain peaceful, or did it sound like a record scratching to a halt? Whether they are accomplished artists or not, Brenda Ellis’ Art Techniques course can help their skills improve. Brenda models her own photos and drawings that build on each other in various mediums such as watercolor, colored pencils, tempera paint, pencil, chalk pastels, oil pastels, charcoal, and more. There are over a dozen units that discuss art history and art appreciation, and there is ample time for hands-on experience for students in elementary through high school. If walking through an art gallery isn’t your idea of fun, perhaps you enjoy going to see a live performance. Now what if that play could take place in your backyard? How to Write and Produce a Play with Marci Hanks is a 29-week course for middle school and high school students during which they will learn organizational and memorization skills, along with how to speak in front of an audience. The first semester will be spent writing the play and covering topics such as the type of play, the characters, problems, plot, setting, etc. The second semester covers the actual play production, including rehearsals, props, costumes, set design and building, and so on. This class is worth academic credit for those who complete all of the assignments. Marci provides worksheets, slide shows, and examples to guide students throughout the course.

Tammie Bairen
Editorial Assistant
The Old Schoolhouse’s^® SchoolhouseTeachers.com
The Old Schoolhouse^® Magazine, LLC