Karen

Karen Imbriale EDC448 – Diverse Text SetDiverse Text Set

Grade Level 3rd & 4th After School Art Enrichment
 * Optical Illusions**

__Overview:__

Integrating art and perception with Math concepts is a terrific way to engage students. This text set is intended for 3rd and 4th graders. However, a few of the books are much more complex and are to be used as teacher reference and for students who are reading above grade level. Although the overall result of the students learning will be artistic and creative in nature, many math skills can be reinforced. With the teachers using modeling and scaffolding techniques students will be able not only learn about the vast variety of optical illusions, they will also create a portfolio of their own work.

All of the books in this diverse text set are books that are part of my personal library. I only expect it to grow larger and my knowledge of the web-sites to increase.

__Print Resources:__

Simon, Seymour. (1998). //Now You See It, Now You Don’t.// New York: Scholastic. Text Summary: This book has been determined an NSTA outstanding science trade book for children. The readability level is appropriate for this age group and the diagrams are clear and logical. Rationale:
 * 1:

The book unlocks the secrets behind dozens of classic optical illusions and uncovers the reasons behind the illusions by including the following topics:
 * How You See
 * Why You See Optical Illusions
 * Lines and Spaces
 * Changeable Figures
 * Depth and Distance
 * Brightness and Contrast
 * Color
 * Optical Illusions in Art
 * More Optical Illusions to Try

Use of Text: I would use this book as a great reference and starting point for both myself and the students.


 * 2:**

//Amazing Optical Illusions.// (2004). Ontario, Canada: Firefly Books

Text Summary:

This 32 page book is packed with fascinating images guaranteed to dazzle your eyes and trick you brain. To get the most out of this book, students must first read the question at the tope of the page. Then look at the picture and do their best to “figure it out” before looking at the descriptions at the bottom of the page.

Rationale:

This book is a no-brainer. It is inexpensive ($5.95) thus allowing for multiple copies if the book were to be used for a guided reading activity.

Use of Text:

I would use this text to activate prior knowledge and kindle interest while observing current knowledge and interest. It is also a great book to have students read when the have finished a project but they still have time for learning.

Seckel, Al. (2005). //Action Optical Illusions//. New York: Sterling Publishing Co. Inc.
 * 3-8 (**For the sake of duplicity I am grouping all of Al Seckel’s Supervisions books together.) There are actually five different books in the series ($9.95 each) as well as a book that contains four of these books ($14.95). This book set enables all students to have a good selection to choose from.

The supervisions series gather both classic and previously unpublished optical illusions in beautifully illustrated volumes. Each colorful conundrum is a deviously delightful form of visual and mental trickery. Some of them can make you feel a bit sick.

Seckel, Al. (2005). //Ambiguous Optical Illusions.// New York: Sterling Publishing Co. Inc.

Ambiguous illusions are puzzling, flip-flopping images that are designed to confuse. I would have the students draw an image that can be seen as either a cat or a mouse as well as draw stairs that twist in a strange way. Some tessellations are also included in this edition as when you stare at the fish they reverse direction.

Seckel, Al. (2005). //Geometric Optical Illusions//. New York: Sterling Publishing Co. Inc.

In the geometric edition vertical lines appear to be bent but they are really straight. The tricks in this book can be so convincing that the students must get out their rulers to verify what their eyes are telling them. Terms such as spiral and concentric circles are introduced as well as classic illusion such as the Ponzo, Ebbinghouse and Ehrenstein. This book also includes misalignment. I have the students do a self-portrait that teaches them correct facial proportion and feature placement and then with the trick of a strip of paper with two circles cut at different levels their portraits become distorted.

Seckel, Al. (2005). //Impossible Optical Illusions//. New York: Sterling Publishing Co. Inc.

This edition would be used to introduce triad optical illusions as well as force the viewer to solve some baffling puzzles. Triad optical illusions utilize geometric angles and require following step by step instructions. I have prepared large step by step instructions to scaffold the students learning. It was necessary for me to trouble-shoot these same problems in order to be able to model and teach them.

Seckel, Al. (2005). //Topsy-Turvey Optical Illusions//. New York: Sterling Publishing Co. Inc.

In this book pretty girls turn into bearded men and a mysterious portrait is revealed when looking at a bowl of fruit.

Seckel, Al. (2005). //The Ultimate Book of Optical Illusions.// New York: Sterling Publishing Co. Inc.

This book includes four titles: Action, Ambiguous, Geometric and Impossible.

Rational:

Al Seckel has to be one of the most informed humans on this planet about optical illusions and has consistently written a vast variety of books. All of them are worthy of my students time.

Use of Text:

I would use this text to inspire and intrigue my students.


 * 9**

Seckel, Al. (2006). //Optical Illusions: The Science of Visual Perception.// Ontario,

Canada: Firefly Books.

The book, also by the Al Seckel, is set up differently from his other books in that it is divided into 8 sections:

· Preface · Your Mind’s Eye · Illusions · What’s Going On? · Glossary · Further Reading · Illusion Category Index · Image Credits

This book is useful for a number of reasons. In “Your Mind’s Eye” Seckel offers Excellent information that is useful to both the instructor and students who are reading above grade level. Typically the captions throughout his book are at grade level with a few exceptions. This book offers a glossary that is excellent for vocabulary development. In the “What’s Going On?” section, students (and instructor) are able to read and learn more about their favorite illusions or find the answers to their unsolved puzzles. I think that this book is a “must-have” in enhancing Seckel’s other publications.

Seckel, Al. (2004). //Masters of Deception: Escher, Dali & the Artists of Optical Illusion.//

New York: Sterling Publishing Inc.

This book is much denser and although it includes illusions from the Supervisions Series above, it also includes background information about the artists’ lives and inspiration. It is a must-read for the instructor yet is also useful in the classroom. Originally I investigated book quality through inter-library loans. This was a book that some of the more advanced fourth graders enjoyed thus prompting me to buy it myself. Included in the book composite portraits, visual surprise (Dali), a change of perspective, paradoxical worlds, Escher (master of mind and soul), magic realism, optical constructivism, ambigrams illusion op art, mosaic portraits, transforming sculptures, metamorphic art, anamorphous, Trompe L’Oeil, impossible figures, inversions, mind sights, and spherical worlds. This book, also written by Al Seckel, is a bargain at $17.95.


 * __Media Resources:__**


 * 1**

Emmer, M., & Schattschneider, D. (2003) //M.C. Escher’s Legacy: A Centennial//

//Celebration//. New York: Springer Science+Business Media.

An international conference was held in June of 1998 to celebrate the centennial of the birth of Escher. The result was this volume of articles from 41 people covering an extremely wide range of Escher’s discipline. There is a strong connection to mathematical philosophy. It also includes a CD-ROM that complements the papers with strong color illustrations, movies and animations. The CD could easily be used with 3rd and 4th grade students but the text itself is more of a teacher reference.


 * 2**

Schattschneider, Doris, & Walker, Wallace. (1977). //M.C. Escher: Kaleidocyles.//

Petalum, California: Pomegranate Communications, Inc.

This is a book with over 80 reproductions and diagrams, assembly instructions and a discussion of the geometric and artistic principles and challenges that Escher faces. It includes 17 die-cut, scored three-dimensional models: 11 kaleidocyles and 6 geometric solids. The interlocking images wrap endlessly over the three-dimensional images. This book and hands-on activities would be an excellent tie in to the above CD that introduces Escher’s work.


 * __On-Line Interactive Resources__****:**


 * 1**

http://www.michaelbach.de/ot/

Text Summary:

74 Optical Illusions & Visual Phenomena by Michael Bach, a Professor at the Germany University in Frieburg. It is not paying for itself with advertisements.

These pages demonstrate visual phenomena, and optical or visual illusions«. The latter is more appropriate, because most effects have their basis in the visual pathway, not in the optics of the eye. Included are Motion and Time, Luminance and Contrast, Color, Geometric and Angle Illusions, Space, 3D and Size Constancy, Cognitive/Gestalt Effects, and Specialties with Faces. There is also a section for history and what’s new.

Rationale:

This is an excellent site that offers students’ a great variety of fun, interactive, educational opportunities.

Use of text:

I would have the web-site available on classroom computers as well as my lap-top. A listing of web-sites would be provided for the students to visit at home with parental permission.


 * 2**

http://www.moillusions.com/

Text Summary:

This web-site, called Mighty Optical Illusions has a vast amount of information. Initially I found it to be a bit confusing to navigate as it seemed like there were too many links to advertisers. However, it does have a vast assortment of illusions of every type imaginable.

Rationale:

There are so many interesting activities, images and information about optical illusions that it can not go ignored.

Use of Text:

I think that because of what I felt were excessive ads (all related, such as faux wall paper or reproductions), I would need to direct the students to particular links and categories. There are a huge number of people that spend literally hours interacting with this site.


 * 3**

http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/illusion/illusions.htm

Text Summary:

This is the kid’s page for the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences National Institute of Health (NIH) Department of Health and Human Services (NHHS). There premise is as state on their web-site is **“**Research scientists must be sure that the results of their work are not "illusory" in nature. They need to accurately report what "is", rather than their general "impression" of "what is". So many times a scientist will repeat an experiment many times, or in different laboratories, to ensure that their results were valid. Science is only "good science" when anyone can repeat the experiment and get the same results.”

Rationale:

The fact that this web-site is youth oriented makes it a site that can be used more freely and with less for monitoring activities. It is brightly colorful, fun and funny. I highly recommend it.

Use of Text:

I would have students interact with the web-site and then present what they felt were the most interesting aspects of this site. Upon further exploration of this site I feel that it is a tremendously fun and educational site and definitely encourages brain activity.


 * Instructional Resources:**


 * 1**

Willson, John. (1983). //Mosaic and Tessellated Patterns: How to Create Them.//

New York: Dover Publications.

Text Summary:

This text is part of the incredible collection of Dover Publications art books. This book defines a tessellation, provides the history of tessellated designs dating back to their origin in Rome, discusses the basic types of tessellations and how they are formed, and gives detailed instructions for creating your own unique designed from common geometrical shapes.

Rationale:

Due to the incredible variety of optical illusions, they will always be some students who prefer one type of avenue of exploration than another. This book has a full 179 figures that illustrate a clearly written text.

Use of Text:

The book has a good descriptive list of plates with easy to follow instructions. I would use this book to prepare examples for class activities by actually making them myself and providing step-by-step illustrations that students could use for both modeling and scaffolding.


 * 2**

Stephens, Pam. (2001). //Tessellations: The History and Making of Symmetrical Designs.//

Aspen, Colorado: Crystal Productions

Text Summary:

This book is collaboration between an artist and author. It is intended to be fun. For example, some of the tessellations are football players or goofy cowboys on horses. It is only 40 pages and doesn’t go into much depth. However, it is written from a perspective that is child-friendly while still offering good information in a straight-forward manner that includes many well designed charts.

Rationale:

The diagrams are fun and engaging while presenting some strong concepts.

Use of Text:

I would use this text to introduce such vocabulary as congruent and the types of tessellations such as reflection, rotation and translation. It also tries to be clever with some inclusion of French through out the text.


 * Fostering Learning**

I’m not even sure that I could read all of these books and certainly don’t expect my students to. However, I feel that I have developed a rich and diverse group of texts that I will continue to expand. I will also cont8inue to work on my portfolio of hands-on projects that students can construct. I think that the use of the internet web sites gives students an opportunity to pursue their own individual interests without having to ask their parents to buy them books…even though I love books, this just isn’t always possible. There are so many interesting paths to go down on this topics, both artistically and creatively that I feel that it is never ending. This can be frustrating for learners when they feel that the field of knowledge is so vast they could never learn it all. However, as in scientific knowledge, it is just the beginning and each individual can find their own niche.


 * Objectives**

RI Art Standards:

I believe that my diverse text addresses Art/Content Standard 2. //__Perception:__// All students will observe and experience objects and ideas through a multitude of senses and form a sophisticated, informed response. It also addresses Art/Content 5. //__Integration:__// All students relate arts knowledge and skills within and across the arts and other content areas.

From a reading strategy objective this diverse book set addresses R-3-7: Demonstrating initial understanding of informational texts (expository and practical texts).