• Black Widow with Brothers Fighting

    Noah Davis, Black Widow with Brothers Fighting. Oil on canvas, 52 x 60 inches. Collection of the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University.

  • Demolition (Ping’an Avenue Beijing)

    Zhang Dali, Demolition (Ping’an Avenue Beijing). C-Print, 35 3/8 x 23 5/8 inches. Collection of the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University.

  • The Wolf in Tempelhof

    Eve Sussman, The Wolf in Tempelhof. Chromogenic print, 39 1/2 x 49 inches. Collection of the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University.

  • The Next Step

    Joseph Raffael, The Next Step. Oil on canvas, 50 x 32 inches. Collection of the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University.

  • View of the Shimmering Sea from Woods Hole, Massachusetts

    Feodor Zakharov, View of the Shimmering Sea from Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Oil on canvas, 32 x 45 inches. Collection of the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University.

  • Over Here, Over There

    Odili Donald Odita, Over Here, Over There. Acrylic on canvas, 84 x 104 inches. Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University.

Tell Me How You Really Feel!

English Language Arts

Grade 1

4: Winds of Change

3 30-minute lessons

narrative writing


What feelings do works of art inspire?
How can I strengthen my writing by including subjective details?


I can write a story using feeling words.

Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University

Day 1

Note: Throughout this lesson, it may be helpful for students to refer to a list of feeling words. If you do not already have a list to use, you may want to begin the lesson by generating one as a class.

Direct Instruction

Display the art images. Discuss each art image individually by asking,

  • What’s going on in this picture?
  • What do you see that makes you say that?
  • What more can we find?

Throughout the discussion, record adjectives mentioned by the students on chart paper. Repeat the process for all four pieces of art.

After discussing the artworks, read the students a poem that includes descriptions about feelings. Discus the words used by the author that represent feelings. Add those words to the list of adjectives on the chart paper.

Day 2

Direct Instruction

Review the artworks and poem previously discussed. Focus on the feeling words identified by the class.

As a class, select a single artwork. Using the artwork as inspiration, help the class write a story that focuses on feeling words.

Instruct students to select their favorite image and use it for their own story. Emphasize that students should use feeling words in their stories.

Guided Practice / Application

Have students begin their stories and circulate through the room giving assistance.

Day 3

Guided Practice/Application

Have students meet with a peer, read their stories, and share strategies to clarify and add details. Meet with students after they have met with their peers.

Have students add illustrations for their work and continue writing until they meet with you.

Have students write a final copy of their story.

Differentiation and Modifications:

Beyond Grade Level: Students write 3 or more sequenced events on one topic.

At Grade Level: Students write 2 to 3 sequenced events on one topic.

Below Grade Level: Students write 2 sequenced events on one topic.

Modification: Rather than discussing each image one by one on day 1, hang the images around the room like an art museum and have students rotate and record their thoughts/feelings at each picture. Then, come back as a whole group and create a list of feeling words.

Assessment

4 3 2 1
Sequenced events Student included 3 or more sequenced events. Included 2 sequenced events. Included 1 sequenced event. Included no sequenced events.
Time words Student used 4 or more time words. Used 3 time words. Used 2 time words. Used 1 time word.
Details Student provided more than 3 details. Provided 3 details. Provided 2 details. Provided 1 detail.
Closure Student provided a well written closure. Provided a closure. Provided no closure.

Materials Needed

paper/journals, pencil, chart paper

Vocabulary

revise, revision, verbs, details, author

Artwork in this Lesson

  • Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University
    • Eve Sussman | The Wolf in Tempelhof
    • Joseph Raffael | The Next Step
    • Odili Donald Odita | Over Here, Over There