approvedAdirondack Curriculum Project tested
NYS Content Area Standard

The Arts 3. Respond critically to  a variety of works in the arts, connecting individual works to other works...
 Title: Adirondack Artist's Books

Grade Level: 9-12th Grade

Author: Cheryl MacFadden, Keene CSD

Email: cmacfadd@kcs.neric.org
 Adirondack Curriculum Content Area
___ Natural History
___ Human History
__X_ Culture & the Arts
___ Government & Civics
___ Economy
___ Health, Recreation & Life Skills

Investigative Question or Issue: How can a passage of Adirondack writing be used as the overarching theme of an artist's book?

Challenge:
 
Context of this challenge: Prior to engaging in this challenge, students should explore a variety of prose passages, songs, and poems about the Adirondacks (see resources cited below under Comments. Each student should select a specific passage from one of these works as the basis for responding to the challenge.

The Challenge: Please create an artist's book that is based on your personal, creative interpretation of a short writing by an Adirondack writer. Your book will be a stand-alone work of art. Your book should have a front and back cover and be at least 4 pages in length. It should be unified in appearance. Your work should exhibit an attention to neatness and detail including correct spelling if text is used.

You may use as many mediums as you feel necessary in the creation of the book, but one of them must be a print from natural botanical materials that you have collected. Your book may contain all, some, or none of the actual text from your chosen passage. No matter how you choose to use the text, the theme of the writing and how it affects you should be evident throughout the finished product.  Please be sure to give proper credit to the author of the writing that inspired your work whether or not you use direct quotes from the writing.

Your finished books will be displayed in the public library.

Quality Standards:  

- The artist's book stands alone as a work of art
- The book reflects a creative approach
- The book clearly reflects the influence of the original written passage that was chosen for inspiration.
- One of the mediums used is a botanical print is made from a plant collected by the artist.
- The book has a front and back cover and is at least 4 pages in length.
- The book is unified in appearance.
- The book is neat and shows attention to detail (including correct spelling if text is used) and is suitable for display.
- Credit is given to the author of the writing, regardless of whether actual text is used.

Examples of Student Work
Adapted for the Adirondack Curriculum Project from the work of Education By Design TM and Leading EDGE, LLC ©ACP 2002

   Product Quality
Checklist
Date: ________                                                                     Class Period: ________
Product Author(s):

 
 Product Title/Name:
Adirondack Artist's Books
Evaluator Name(s)
 
 Observed Standard/Criteria
Possible
Points
Rating
  The artist's book stands alone as a work of art    
  The book reflects a creative approach    
  The book clearly reflects the influence of the original written passage that was chosen for inspiration    
  One of the mediums used in the book is a botanical print  made from a plant collected by the artist.
   
  The book has a front and back cover and is at least 4 pages in length.    
  The book is unified in appearance.    
   The book is neat and shows attention to detail (including correct spelling if text is used) and is suitable for display.    


Credit is given to the author of the writing, regardless of whether actual text is used.

 
TOTALS
    

Comments: Support Materials

Handouts
Elements and Principles of Art, the Color Wheel and Color Schemes
Used as review and the basis of discussion of the principle of unity, and its implementation ina multi-facitted work
Books
Banister, Manly. The Craft of Bookbinding. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 1975.
Diehn, Gwen.  Making Books That Fly, Fold, Wrap, Hide, Pop Up, Twist, and Turn.  North Carolina: Lark Books, 1998.
Ikegami, Kojioro.  Japanese Bookbinding, Instructions from a Master Craftsman.  New York: Weatherhill, Inc., 1979.
LaPlantz, Shereen.  Cover to Cover.  North Carolina: Lark Books, 1995.
Johnson, Pauline.  Creative Bookbinding.  New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1963.
Richards, Constance E.  Making Books and Journals.  North Carolina: Lark Books, 2000.
Thomson, Jason.  Making Journals By Hand.  Massachusetts: Rockport Publishers, Inc., 2000.

Poetry, Prose and Song Lyrics
Bruchac, Joseph.  Flow.  New York: Cold Mountain Press, 1975.
Coffey, Michael.  87 North.   New York: Coffee House Press, 1998.
Foster, Jeanne Robert.  Adirondack Portraits  A Piece of Time.  New York: Syracuse University Press, 1986.
Goodwin, James.  And Gladly Guide.  No publisher or copyright datelisted.
Jamieson, Paul, editor.  The Adirondack Reader.  New York: Adirondack Mountain Club, 1983.
Kenny, Maurice.  Backward To Forward. Fredonia: White Pine Press, 1997.
Kenny, Maurice.  Common Days: A Place Record  Moving Toward The Mountains.  Saranac Lake: Many Mountains Press, 1998.
Kenny, Maurice.  Tekonwatonti  Molly Brandt.  Fredonia:White Pine Press, 1992.
Twichell, Chase.  Northern Spy. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1986.
Twichell, Chase.  The Odds.  Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1986.
Teall, Edna West.  Adirondack Tales  A Girl Grows Up in the Adirondacks in the 1880’s.  New York: Adirondack Life, Inc., 1970.
Winter, Kate, editor.  The Woman in the Mountains: Reconstructions of Self and Land by Adirondack Women Writers.  New York: State University of New York Press, 1989   

Miscellaneous
Bethmann, Laura Donnelly.  Nature Printing.  Vermont: Storey Books, 2001.
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