Following is a list of arts resources that teachers may find helpful.
Great Paintings.
National Gallery of Art: Great Paintings Coloring Book. Painter Sheila Susskind has reproduced 19 masterworks in this 40-page coloring book to illustrate how the great painters used style, composition, and artistic technique. The artists include Picasso, Botticelli, and Monet. Brief commentaries and captions identify the artists, subjects, and dates. Cost: $12.95. Contact: Abrams, 100 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10011; (212) 2067715, ext. 558.
Art History.
Reading Pictures: Self-Teaching Activities in Art. This 153-page workbook offers 50 activities based on 100 black and white photos of artworks from various periods and cultures. As a study guide, it contains questions designed to help secondary students recognize dif- ferent styles and approaches to art. A 111-page teacher’s guide provides background information and suggested answers to the workbook questions. Cost: $7.95 for the workbook; $11.95 for the teacher’s guide. Contact: J. Weston Walch, 321 Valley St., P.O. Box 658, Portland, ME 04104-0658; (800) 3416094.
Sculpture and Painting.
First Impressions: Michelangelo. The life and work of Renaissance artist Michelangelo are examined in this book through photographs, color illustrations, and text written by Richard McLanathan, an art historian and National Gallery of Art consultant. The 92page biography is crafted especially for secondary students with a developing interest in the arts. Cost: $19.95. Contact: Abrams, 100 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10011; (212) 206-7715, ext. 558.
Art Museum.
Inside the Museum. This 72-page paperback is designed to give students both an upfront and behindthe-scenes view of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In addition to showing some of the museum’s artwork and artifacts, it focuses on the museum’s staff members and their responsibilities. The book also outlines hands-on activities for elementary students. Cost: $12.95. Contact: Abrams, 100 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10011; (212) 206-7715, ext. 558.
Teacher Resource.
Visual Arts: Teacher Resource Handbook. Kraus International offers this 417-page paperback, designed to give teachers basic information on curricula, standards, and materials for K-12 visual arts. A resource listing includes names and addresses of programs that may provide funding for art education and special projects. Cost: $19.95. Contact: Kraus, 358 Saw Mill River Road., Millwood, NY 10546-1035; (800) 223-8323.
Art Magazine.
Stone Soup. Filled entirely with the creative work of children, this bimonthly magazine published September through June includes poetry, short fiction and nonfiction, drawings, and paintings done by students ages 8-13. A two-page insert discusses and suggests projects related to the writing and art in each issue. Cost: $23 for a oneyear subscription. Contact: Stone Soup, P.O. Box 83, Santa Cruz, CA 95063; (800) 447-4569.
Poetry.
The Kingfisher Book of Children’s Poetry. This 256-page paperback includes more than 250 poems-- including limericks, riddles, ballads, and classic formal poetry-- ppropriate for elementary through junior high school students. Editor Michael Rosen culls poems from many countries and places the poetry of T.S. Eliot and Emily Dickinson with new works by children. Cost: $10.95. Contact: Kingfisher Books, 95 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016; (212) 686-1060.
American Poetry.
Voices and Visions: Robert Frost. Produced by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, this onehour video, appropriate for high school students, examines the writings of Robert Frost through interviews and recorded readings with the poet. Additional commentary by contemporary poets and literary scholars provides a critical look at the poet and his works. Cost: $29.95, plus $2.40 shipping and handling. Contact: The Annenberg/CPB Collection, Department CA93, P.O. Box 2345, South Burlington, VT 05407-2345; (800) 532-7637.
Drama.
Creative Drama in the Classroom. Written by Nellie McCaslin, a professor of educational theater at New York University, this 520page hardback outlines dramatic structure, improvisation, and other techniques designed to help teachers bring creative drama into their classrooms. The book also addresses creative drama for children with special needs and provides advice on theater education for gifted, mentally retarded, and physically handicapped students. Cost: $31.95. (10 percent discount available for teachers.) Contact: Addison Wesley/Longman, Order Department, 1 Jacob Way, Reading, MA 01867; (800) 447-2226.
Plays.
The Big Book of Dramatized Classics. This 388-page hardback contains 25 adaptations of classic novels and stories into one-act plays. Among the authors represented are Charles Dickens, Emily Bront, and Mark Twain. Five classics, including The Count of Monte Cristo and Treasure Island, have been adapted especially for roundthe-table classroom reading. Cost: $18.95, plus $1.75 shipping and handling. Contact: Plays Inc., 120 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02116.
Orchestra.
Leonard Bernstein: America’s Maestro. Written for middle school students, this paperback traces the musical training and career of conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein. The 48-page volume includes illustrations, a message from Isaac Stern, and a suggested reading list. Cost: $7.95. Contact: Discovery Enterprises, 134 Middle St., Suite 210, Lowell, MA 01852; (800) 729-1720.
Opera.
Operantics with Mozart. Designed to introduce elementary students to the world of opera, this 32-page paperback offers opera-based mazes, crosswords, and other games. Facts about Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, illustrations of the orchestra’s arrangement, and explanations about the opera singer’s craft accompany plot outlines of Mozart’s more accessible operas. Cost: $4.95. Contact: Sunstone Press, P.O. Box 2321, Santa Fe, NM 87504-2321; (800) 2435644.
