Morningstar Adventures: Notes on Vermeer

A few folks have ask for my notes on our first

artist Vermeer. This was the very first time

we had done any art studies. These are my notes

on what we were going to cover. I did not write

out lesson plans like I did for Van Gogh...as I

was not sharing them! My kids so loved this

study that when we finished the last painting

( #35) they were disappointed.

Read: Vermeer: The Complete Works
Do one work each day (This is a 35 day study) This

was a great time of observation. There were so many things

to look at in each painting. We spent a lot of time looking stuff

up to learn more.

These thumbnails are not clickable. Go here: http://www.ballandclaw.com/vermeer/thumb.html

Read: Chasing Vermeer ( we did all kinds of math

and what if's while reading this book)

Chasing Vermeer is a wonderful book

( 5^th grade level?) My kids loved it!

http://www.scholastic.com/titles/chasingvermeer/\

Pentomino Cool Math!!!

http://www.scholastic.com/titles/chasingvermeer/pentominoes.pdf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentomino

http://gamescene.com/Pentominoes.html

The topics below were covered as we read about

Vermeer. We really liked learning about daily

life in Delft and the style of period. It was awesome

to discover his painting secret.

Delft and life during the time of Vermeer

(four lessons )

http://www.historyofholland.com/dutch-paintings.html

Architecture of Vermeers Home ( 5 lessons)

http://www.johannesvermeer.info/verm/house/h-a-zantkuijl-ENG.htm

http://www.xs4all.nl/~kalden/

Vermeers signatures and different names

( one lesson)

http://www.essentialvermeer.com/signitures.html

http://www.uen.org/utahlink/tours/tourImage.cgiimage_id=29602&tour_

id=17720&element_id=34661&category_id=28131

Forger : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_van_Meegeren

http://www.tnunn.ndo.co.uk/vm-pics.htm

Vermeers Palette (Five lessons on the paint of the era
specifically on the colors Vermeer used. This is great science)

Compare and Contrast: Glass of Wine and

The Girl With the Wine Glass ( one lesson)

Observe and Take notes on

A Lady and the Virginal…. ( more english)

What is a Virginal? ( Had no idea what

one was! Great history and science)

http://www.twingroves.district96.k12.il.us/renaissance/Town/Music/Virginal.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginal

Camera Obscura ( awesome science, we spent

days on this topic. We made a model 5 Lessons )

Vermeer and Mirrors ( more great science 2 lessons)

Did Vermeer Use a Camera?

Great mystery with awesome clues

and a surprise answer.

http://www.vermeerscamera.co.uk/essayhome.htm

http://www.grand-illusions.com/vermeer/vermeer1.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camera_obscura

http://www.amazingcameraobscura.co.uk/howitworks.htm

Observe and take notes on:

The Lady in the Red Had ( english)

Compare and Contrast all

the paintings with the lady

wearing the yellow frock. ( english!)

Friendship with Van Leeuwenhoek?

( there are lots of relationships in his

life..we had just studied Leeuwenhoek so it fit in)

http://www.essentialvermeer.com/dutch-painters/dutch_art/leeuwenhoek.html

Great book on the

above topic.Giants of Delft :

Johannes Vermeer and the Natural Philosophers:

The Parallel Search for Knowledge During the

Age of Discovery by Robert

Vocabulary list: We had a lot of words.
I just take them from what we are reading.

The kids kept a journal on Vermeer.

They did all their assignments in the journal.

They also drew several of his paintings in

their journals.When I ask my kids to

compare and contrast they must do the following:

Take notes on each item to be compared and

contrast

do a venn diagram
write at least 3 paragraphs comparing and

contrasting ( they usually write more)

When we do anything with science the kids

must do:

a paragraph on what it is, who

discovered or made it

tell or write how it works and how it is or

was used

make a model ( if it applies)

When the kids read a book they are required to:

give a brief book report
write a book review ( very different from a report)

What I learned about my kids:

No two kids see a painting the same!

You learn what there favorite things are:

like color, styles so on.

I was able to keep their interest in the painting

by finding details to study about such as the Virginal,

the clothes, the furniture.

They did indeed learn something.....I overhead them

sharing with a friend what they were studying in Art.

Here are resources on Vermeer.

Girl With a Pearl Earring

Found this after the study. Goes

with a book by the title.

http://www.girlwithapearlearring.org/

Technique

http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/verm_5.shtm

Vermeer’s “Little Street” and Hometown

of Delft. I love this site for its view of

Vermeer’s world. Great lessons on architecture

http://www.xs4all.nl/~kalden/

Everything Vermeer This site is very in-depth

on all aspects of Vermeer.

http://www.essentialvermeer.com/

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/verm/hd_verm.htm

Coloring Pages

http://www.edupics.com/en-coloring-pictures-pages-photo-vermeer-i3124.html

Books by Vermeer

There are so many books out there

on Vermeer. Our library had three very good ones.

We found that to be good enough for our study.

We also went to Barnes and Noble and looked

at the books they had to offer. We just have a seat

on the floor and enjoy the books.

Very good book. I got it at the library

plates of all his works.

I also got this one at the library. Shows big

Morningstar Adventures

3/12/2008

Notes on Vermeer