Arthur Ashe Elementary School 2nd Grade, Visual Art & English Language Arts Ms. Erin / Mr. Mercadel In Mr. Mercadel’s class we read the book The Buffalo Are Back and discussed how the book is a blend of fiction and nonfiction. The Native Americans were in a symbiotic relationship with the landscape including tall grasses that protected the earth and the buffalo who were essential to the life cycle of this prairie landscape. We explored America’s real past of new settlers nearly decimating the population of free roaming buffalo and therefore the grasses that protected the terrain.
Students learned the difference between a portrait and a landscape by examining the gorgeous illustrations by American landscape artist Wendell Minor. They then learned the concept of perspective and a horizon line to show depth in their own drawings.
The students created their own imagined landscapes, some of which, included grasses and buffalo like those from the story. They wrote about their landscapes in terms of their senses as if they were transported into their own pictures. Students wrote about what they saw, felt, heard, smelled, and tasted within their landscapes.
Creative Learning at Arthur Ashe is supported by Baptist Community Ministries
