Reciprocal Revision: Making Peer Feedback Meaningful

Materials and Technology

Printouts

Websites

Preparation

 

MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGY

• Computer lab (or a classroom computer connected to a projector and screen) with Internet access

• Notebook (for each student)

 

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PRINTOUTS

• Student Evaluation of Written Art Responses

• Student Reflections

 

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WEBSITES

• The Art Institute of Chicago
  

   

• Famous Paintings for Students
  

   

• WebMuseum, Paris: Famous Artworks Exhibition
  

   

• NCREL: Reciprocal Teaching
  

   

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PREPARATION

1.	If you are not familiar with reciprocal teaching strategies, read the NCREL: Reciprocal Teaching article to familiarize yourself with the basics behind the strategy.
2.	Access the following sites to preview and select images that you can use for modeling in Session 1 and the small-group and partner activities in Sessions 2 and 3. WebMuseum, Paris: Famous Artworks Exhibition Famous Paintings for Students The Art Institute of Chicago Try to focus on pieces that have more than one person or background activity that will invoke discussion and perhaps disagreement. Two paintings by Pieter Bruegel that work well for this lesson are The Peasant Dance and Peasant Wedding. These paintings include many animated figures in the foreground and background and very little landscape.
3.	Bookmark the URL addresses of specific paintings instead of general art sites, as even reputable sites may include subjects that some people may deem inappropriate for students (e.g., nudes). You may choose to bookmark only two or three paintings for the initial lesson; however, if students are more experienced with discussing art, you may bookmark several paintings on each computer and have students choose the ones they prefer to write about.
4.	It is helpful to have established discussion rules or boundaries regarding how students can question the opinions of others respectfully. Depending on the classroom environment, teachers will need to establish these rules differently.

Prerequisite

Although it is not necessary for students to be well versed in art appreciation, it is helpful for students to have had some previous experience discussing art. Students should not only be able to describe what they observe, but also respond to the artist's technique (e.g., choice of colors, brushstrokes), which contributes to the mood and overall effect of the painting on the viewer. Meet with the art teacher in your school to assess students' experience in this area.

If your students' experience is limited, you may wish to refer to the ReadWriteThink lesson "Artistic Elements: Exploring Art Through Descriptive Writing" by Kerrie L. Powell as a starting point.

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