From the Page to Paintings at Park Avenue
Park Avenue Elementary School sixth graders got creative after reading “Starry River of the Sky” by Grace Lin. Students learned about mood in literature on how specific language is used to illustrate the mood of the text. Just as artists use paintbrushes and pencils to show mood in their work, authors use words.
Each student selected a scene from the story and analyzed the language used to establish mood. They wrote about their respective scenes, then created watercolor paintings to connect to the section of “Starry River of the Sky.” They had their choice of basing their paintings on an illustration in the book, or coming up with original artwork that they imagined from the text.
Guided by teachers Amanda DiMonda, Nicole Giusto and Kristen Ruddy, students were able to showcase their talents and their understanding of literature in a less traditional way. The project connected to the North Bellmore core value, “Communities and individuals thrive when the talents and abilities of all are valued and fostered.”
