Image #3

  Fantasy Art by Patrick Woodroffe

Critically reflect on Image #1. Reflecting on Yenawine, was this image an appropriate choice for the students?
This image gave the students the opportunity to develop a narrative.  They were able to relate with the image and recognize the animals and fairy like girl.  The students knew it was not from reality but enjoyed developing stories about what was going on in the image. 


Did this image motivate rigorous and engaging discussion for students?
The students seemed to continue to develop a variety of interpretations for the image.  They continued to debate why the cow in the background was flying away and why and what the fairy was trying to feed the cow in the foreground.  They had many ideas and developed many different narratives about the piece.

Was the image rich enough to encourage continued discussion and or independent students investigation?  If so how might you provide for continued inquiry?
One students was discussing why the artist would create a piece like this.  He has continued to do this with all the images we have viewed and discussed and I am beginning to see him moving to Stage II at times.

Did this image invite opportunities to explore the big idea through artmaking?
Yes.  We are still working on our surreal/fantasy magazine collage and the students began putting their objects together to turn it into an environment.  They combined objects/parts of animals together to make the parts of their picture.  The flying cow was a perfect introduction to the lesson for the day because they saw how two animals can be combined together to make a new invented animal. 


Would you use this image again to introduce the big idea?  If so why?
Yes.  This image really had the students thinking about a fantasy world.  They were questioning the background along with the different subjects in the photo.  They had a great time trying to figure out the animals and some of them had to put concrete reasons on why the cows had wings...exactly why the fairy was feeding the cow.  It was interesting to hear the different interpretations of the flying animals.  The animal in the background was a dragon like creature.  I found it really interesting that none of the students mentioned the person riding the creature in the background.  I see a leg and arm...but none of them mentioned it.  I was surprised.  This was a fun image.

If Image #1 did not elicit what you were expecting, what image might you use in its place? 
This image worked really well.  I would love to find more like it....Does anyone have any suggestions?  I can not find much information on this artist.