Detailed Dioramas: Pictures of Hollis Woods - Hallmark

Integrated Lesson Plan for Language Arts & Visual Arts
Detailed Dioramas:
Pictures of
Hollis Woods
Grades 3 to 6
Sunday,
December 2
on CBS

Detailed Dioramas: Pictures of Hollis Woods
Objectives
Students demonstrate their understanding of the relationships
between graphic art and written text by working cooperatively in
small groups to create detailed dioramas that show how Patricia
Reilly Giff integrated characters and setting to develop a theme in
Pictures of Hollis Woods.
Students demonstrate the ability to draw meaningful conclusions
about the connections between literature and life through discussions
with other readers.
Students (5-6) use elements of the writing process to describe and
interpret a meaningful event from their own lives.
Visual Arts Standard #6
Making connections between visual
arts and other disciplines
Background Information
Many folk artists draw inspiration from personal memories,
painting scenes from their own lives in great detail. Grandma
Moses (actually Anna Mary Robertson Moses 1860-1961) was
one such artist. Her detailed paintings, such as Sugaring Off
and Apple Pickers, recall bucolic New England activities. She
was “discovered” when well into her seventies by an art
collector who saw several of her paintings hanging in a
drugstore window in Hoosic Falls, New York, in 1939. The
Bennington Museum in Bennington, Vermont, houses a large
collection of her work.
In contrast to the personal scenes painted by Grandma
Moses, Faith Ringgold painted from the collective memory
of her African American roots. "Tar Beach," a painted story
quilt, is on exhibit in the Brooklyn Museum in New York. It is
also the basis for a children’s picture book by the same name
which was published in 1991.
Another art form artists use to preserve memories is the
diorama. This is a life-like scene in which sculptures are set
against a decorated background inside a box or concave shell.
Some people liken them to set designs for the theater. While
most dioramas are miniature, some are life size such as the
well-known animal dioramas at the Museum of Natural History
in New York and the vibrant street scenes by American pop
artist, Red Grooms.
2
My Family
Alison L., age 11
Detailed Dioramas: Pictures of Hollis Woods
National Standards
Multiple Intelligences
Bodily-kinesthetic Linguistic
Interpersonal Spatial
Intrapersonal
Linguistic
Spatial
Grades 3-6
Language Arts Standard #2
Students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build an
understanding of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human
experience.
Language Arts Standard #11
Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety
of literacy communities.
Grades 5-6
Language Arts Standard #5
Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process
elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
Resources
The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Patterson
Eleven-year-old, “tough as nails” foster child, Gilly Hopkins,
meets her match with foster mother Maime Trotter. In the
process she gains an understanding of herself as well as of the
very human characters who surround her.
Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold
The vibrant illustrations in this picture book are based on
images in a story quilt by the artist. They depict detailed scenes
from the life of a fictional Depression-era child enjoying family
times on the roof (tar beach) of her New York City apartment.
The Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff
A warm-hearted story about 12-year-old Hollis, who is a talented
artist in search of a family. Themes include creativity,
diversity, acceptance of individual differences, aging, character
development, the foster care system, and emotional maturity.
The Year With Grandma Moses by W. Nikola-Lisa
Elementary school students are fascinated by the details of
everyday life in these full-color reproductions of paintings
by the artist known as Grandma Moses. Also included is a
photograph of the artist at work and excerpts from her
memoirs detailing the routines, pleasures, and disappointments
of her life.
Windows on Nature: The Great Habitat Dioramas of
the American Museum of Natural History by Stephen
Christopher Quinn
Written by a member of the American Museum of Natural
History’s curatorial staff, this book introduces readers to more
than 40 of the museum’s dioramas and offers a detailed look at
how they were created. Intriguing for all ages.
Building fun and creativity into standards-based learning

Detailed Dioramas: Pictures of Hollis Woods
Vocabulary List
• Art terms
Armature
Charcoal
Composition
• Literary terms
Characterization
Mood
• Textual vocabulary
Adoption
Dollop
Family
Diorama
Form
Perspective
Plot
Forgetfulness
Foster child/family
Jetty
Proportion
Sculpt
Setting
Lingering
Pier
Runner
Texture
Whittle
Theme
Skittering
Waders
Building fun and creativity into standards-based learning
Detailed Dioramas: Pictures of Hollis Woods
3

Suggested
Preparation
and
Discussion
Crayola ®
Supplies
Other
Materials
Set-up/Tips
Detailed Dioramas: Pictures of Hollis Woods
Introduce the book Pictures of Hollis Woods. Read the story together or independently. Encourage students to
visualize the richly detailed scenes.
Ask students and their families to watch Pictures of Hollis Woods on the Hallmark Hall of Fame, Sunday
December 2 at 9 p.m. EST on CBS television. The movie can also be purchased for screening in classrooms for
later viewing or review.
Display art work that focuses on details of everyday life, such as reproductions of paintings by Grandma Moses
and Faith Ringgold, as well as sample dioramas.
Discuss ways to preserve memories. How do we hold onto memories that are important to us?
Discuss wishes and how they inspire us to seek fulfillment. What was Hollis’s wish? How did that wish affect
her relationships with others? What was there about her experiences with the Reagans and Josie that changed
her attitude?
What did Beatrice mean in chapter four when she told Hollis, “You have to keep looking to see the truth”? What
did Hollis later discover about the true relationship between Steven and his father when she looked back at some
of the details in a picture she had drawn of them?
Explain that students will be working together to create dioramas of various scenes from the book. Ask them to
reread those portions of the book that they recall most vividly, noting the details provided by the author.
• Colored Pencils • Crayons • Markers • Model Magic ® or Model Magic Fusion or Air-Dry Clay
• School Glue
• Chenille stems • Construction paper • Modeling tools such as plastic dinner knives, craft sticks, and toothpicks
• Natural, found materials such as feathers, twigs, raffia, stones, leaves • Recycled items
• Recycled cardboard boxes • Rulers • White paper
Review the resources and use them as a springboard to find connections
with student interests and experiences.
Make a small-scale diorama to inspire children’s creativity. Collaborate
with local writers, social workers, and artists in residence to add to the
richness of the literacy and visual arts experience.
Select boxes large enough to accommodate the work of several
students. Boxes that contained 10 reams of paper are ideal.
Collect small boxes, cardboard tubing, and clean, recycled
plastic containers to use as armatures for the sculptures.
Choose the modeling compound that is most suitable
for the project. Model Magic is soft, easy to manipulate,
and light weight. Model Magic Fusion is ideal for
projects with lots of detail and texture. Air-Dry
Clay lends itself well to solid forms and can be
painted when dry.
Try working with the compound you plan
to use. Show students how to knead Model
Magic. Mix it a little for a marbled effect.
Knead longer to create new colors.
Demonstrate how to use armatures
to support a figure covered with a
thin layer of modeling compound.
Use bold colors and a variety
of craft materials for the most
dramatic effects. Painting is
another possibility.
Detailed Dioramas: Pictures of Hollis Woods
Grades 3- Grades 5-6
Family Fishing Tradition
Mixed Media
Artist: Julia Sefton
Private Collection.
Building fun and creativity into standards-based learning

Process:
Session 1
0-50 min.
Process:
Session 2
0-50 min.
(may be
repeated)
Process:
Session 3
0-50 min.
Process:
Session
30- 0 min.
Process:
Session 5
Grades 3-
30- 0 min.
Grades 5-6
50-60 min.
Detailed Dioramas: Pictures of Hollis Woods
Grades 3- Grades 5-6
Plan the project
1. Students form groups of 3 or 4 to discuss key scenes and select one to illustrate for their project.
2. Work together to sketch the scene with colored pencils, much like Hollis created her pictures. Note specific
details. What figures (both humans and objects) will be sculpted? Who will make each one?
3. Choose large boxes for the dioramas. Discuss
proportion as it relates to the figures and
objects each student will make.
3. Choose large boxes for the dioramas. Measure and
calculate proportions and sizes of all figures and
objects to be represented.
Create figures
. Students experiment briefly with the modeling compound and then create their sculptures as planned. Use
modeling tools to add details and texture. Embed small beads, twigs, and other textural objects for added interest.
Encourage students to strive for realism and accuracy in their creations.
5. Store unfinished pieces and remaining modeling compound in plastic containers with lids. Fusion dries to the
touch overnight and dries completely in 2 to 3 days.
Design diorama setting
6. Students collaborate to create backgrounds inside the box with paper, colored pencils, additional modeling compound,
and other craft materials. Glue them to the inside walls of the box.
7. Cover the outside of the box to create a polished
presentation.
7. Encourage students to think about the outside walls
of the box, too, if appropriate. For example, students
who create an interior house scene may wish to
decorate the front panel of the box to look like the
front porch.
Assemble diorama
8. Students work together to assemble their dioramas, paying attention to how various characters interact with
each other and their positions in the environment. Consider overall composition. How can students make the
scene aesthetically pleasing by looking at the effects of line, form, balance, unity, and movement?
9. When groups are satisfied with the overall composition, glue figures securely in place. Air-dry the glue.
Write explanatory text
10. Groups determine titles for their dioramas.
11. Prepare display cards with the title of the work,
the names of the artists, and a brief explanation
of the importance of the scene to the overall
theme of the book.
Write personal narratives
10. Each group determines a title for their work and
attaches a title card to the diorama that includes
the names of the artists.
11. Ask each student to envision a key scene from his
or her own life. Write a short personal narrative
including as many visual details as possible. Why
is the memory of this scene important? Does the
student have any new insights looking back on it
now? Encourage those who want to display their
writing to do so.
12. Students share and explain their dioramas with the class. Arrange dioramas in chapter order. Discuss how well the
dioramas portray the book’s settings and characters.
Family Fresco
Watercolors and Tempera Mixing Mediums
Artist: Betsy Moerder
Private Collection.
Building fun and creativity into standards-based learning
Detailed Dioramas: Pictures of Hollis Woods
5

Assessment
Other Ideas
and
Extensions
6
Detailed Dioramas: Pictures of Hollis Woods
Did students work cooperatively to plan and create a diorama based on a scene from Pictures of Hollis Woods?
Are the dioramas rich in details that accurately reflect descriptions in the book?
Does each diorama reveal a sense of story and reflect relationships between characters? Are dioramas aesthetically
pleasing?
Ask students to reflect on this lesson and write a DREAM statement to summarize the most important things they
learned and reflect on how they will use their knowledge. Suggest that they dream about exploring more ideas in
the book and embellishing on the art techniques they learned.
Detailed Dioramas: Pictures of Hollis Woods
Grades 3- Grades 5-6
Do explanations clearly relate the scene to the theme
of the book?
Does student writing reflect an understanding of
the connections between life and literature?
• After reading the book, fold paper in half. On the left side, sketch a favorite scene from the book. THEN watch
the movie. Sketch that scene as it appeared in film. Discuss with students: How are the two settings alike? How
are they different? Which intrigued your imaginations more—the book or the movie?
• On maps of New York state, children locate geographic landmarks referred to in the story such as Long Island,
Palisades Parkway, Route 17, Exit 90 (What town is there?), the town of Hancock, and the Delaware River.
• Draw wishing pictures or make collages of wishes like those that introduce the story. Write essays describing why
the wishes were chosen. What can students do to make their wishes come true?
• Make tree figures much like those Josie carved, by shaping Model Magic ® Fusion around tree branches or other
armatures. Create characters in the story (perhaps even one that shows how Hollis might have depicted Josie),
self-portrait sculptures, or a representation of a family member. Encourage children to use the natural contours of
the branches for inspiration.
• After watching the program, encourage families to read the book together. Compare and contrast the experiences
in the two media.
• Suggest that families do related art projects at home, such as working together on scrapbooks, making a diorama of
a memorable event in their lives, or sketching/sculpting a family portrait. See the following page for a handout.
Adapt it to suit your classroom and homework assignments, sign it, and distribute it to families.
• Explore Crayola.com for related activities such as Family Food Favorites, Here’s My Family, Intergenerational
Interviews, Family Fireplace Fun, Family Fishing Tradition, and Family Fresco.
Family Reunion
Keith I., age 12
• Encourage students who enjoyed recalling a special
memory from their own lives to create an illustration
similar to those Hollis drew in her sketchbook.
• Draw pictures that depict predictions about Hollis
Woods’ future. Where will she be? What will she be
doing? How did she get there?
• Interview someone who works in the foster care system
or who has been a foster family. How does Hollis’s story
reflect real-life experience? How do families and social
workers collaborate to resolve issues?
Family Food Favorites
Mixed media
Artist: Susan Dobias
Private Collection.
Building fun and creativity into standards-based learning

Dear Families,
Still Life in the Kitchen
Vito Antoine M., age 10
As part of our literacy and fine arts curriculum, our class is reading Pictures of Hollis Woods by
Patricia Reilly Giff. A movie based on this award-winning book will be shown on the Hallmark Hall
of Fame on Sunday December 2 at 9 p.m. EST on CBS television. We encourage you to watch
the movie with your children—and read the book along with them, too!
Small groups of children in our class are making dioramas of memorable scenes from the book.
Ask your student which scene the group chose and talk about why it was picked. You might
inquire about progress on the project in a day or two.
After you see the show, we suggest that you follow up with some family activities like these to
enhance your children’s language and visual arts skills. Everyone will enjoy the opportunity to
reflect on this delightful and thought-provoking book!
• Each family member could choose a picture described in the book. Sketch it the way Hollis
might have drawn it. Compare and contrast your sketches.
• Make a 3-D diorama in a recycled box showing an unforgettable scene from the book/movie
or from your own lives.
• Draw, paint, sculpt, or photograph a family portrait. What will each of you wear? What will be
in the background? Who will sit? Who will stand? How will the group be arranged?
• Interview a family member or neighbor who is about the age of Josie. What is it like to be
retired? To forget things sometimes? What hobbies keep the person active and interested in life?
• Take a few minutes for each family member to remember a person who has been a life-long
influence. What was that person like? Why did she or he make such a difference?
• Start a family scrapbook, on paper or on line, to capture some of your favorite times together.
Fill it with pictures, mementoes, and lively captions!
• What dreams does your family share? What dreams does each person have? How will you make
your dreams come true?
We hope you enjoy sharing the book and movie with each other. We’ll let you know when our
dioramas are finished so you can visit our classroom to see the projects!
© 2007 Crayola, LLC
Easton, PA 18044-0431
Sincerely,
Detailed Dioramas: Pictures of Hollis Woods 7

8
Detailed Dioramas: Pictures of Hollis Woods
Find out how much fun—and how creative—standards-based learning can be! These six Crayola
Dream-Makers guides are meant for classroom teachers and art specialists K-6.
Language Arts
Students soar creatively with
classroom-tested lessons that
encourage reading, writing,
storytelling, wordplay, and
vocabulary learning. Based on
the IRA/NCTE Standards for
the English Language Arts.
24 lessons, 104 pages,
spiral-bound softcover
Mathematics
Exciting, real-world applications
for mathematical concepts
engage students in patterning,
counting, estimating, collecting
and organizing data, measuring,
and scaling. Based on the
NCTM Standards for School
Mathematics.
24 lessons, 104 pages,
spiral-bound softcover
Social Studies
Students explore social studies
topics in depth as they study
advanced technologies, reflect
on cultural differences, compare
behavioral changes, and examine
positive character traits. Based
on NCSS Standards for Social
Studies.
24 lessons, 104 pages,
spiral-bound softcover
To learn more about how the Crayola Dream-Makers library can help you build fun and creativity
into learning, and to receive a free lesson plan, visit www.Crayola.com/DreamMakers
For more free arts-integrated lesson plan ideas, go to Crayola.com
Principles of Art and Design
Practical lessons in the basic
principles of art and design help
students learn more than creative
expression—they provide essential
communication skills in our visual
world. Based on the NAEA
National Visual Arts Standards.
24 lessons, 104 pages,
spiral-bound softcover
After-School Programs
Link learning to school curriculum
with lessons that improve critical
thinking, problem posing, problem
solving, and decision making—all
with focused activities that make
the best use of time and the after-
or before-school environment.
24 lessons, 104 pages,
spiral-bound softcover
Science
Explore science with engaging
lessons in which children
creatively measure, classify,
identify, and observe. Based
on the National Academy of
Sciences National Science
Education Standards.
24 lessons, 104 pages,
spiral-bound softcover