Van Gogh Museum
Bring Vincent van Gogh into your classroom

True or false? The Bedroom

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Slide 1: Slide
Art and designPrimary Education

This lesson contains 23 slides, with text slides.

time-iconLesson duration is: 15 min

Introduction

The class will first look at the painting 'The Bedroom' and then decide whether some statements about it are true or false.

Instructions

General learning objectives
- The lesson will introduce children to Vincent van Gogh and one of his most famous paintings.
- The children will decide whether some statements about the painting are true or false. When they answer 'false', they will say why.

You can use this short lesson at the start of an art class or as a fun break in the middle of class.

Preparing
Decide whether you want the children to answer by raising their hands for 'true' and leaving them down for 'false', or by holding up coloured strips of paper: green for 'true' and red for 'false'.

Materials required
- Optional: one red and one green strip of paper for each student 

Variations
1.  Before you read the statements aloud, you can discuss some striking features of the painting with the students.
2. You can discuss the meaning of challenging words with the students.
3. After reading a few statements aloud, you can have the students make up their own true-or-false statements.

Background information
This painting from 1888 shows Vincent's bedroom in the yellow house that he rented in the southern French city of Arles. The paintings over his bed are a landscape and portraits of two of Vincent's friends.

Items in this lesson

Slide 1 - Slide

Story: This is a self-portrait by a very famous artist, Vincent van Gogh. He made lots and lots of paintings. (How can you tell he's an artist?) We're going to look at a different painting by Vincent and play a game. But first I'll show you how it works. First, take a very good look at this picture, without saying anything. Now I'll count to 10 and then take away the picture. (Or use a different number or time limit.)
true or false?
vincent is wearing a blue coat.

Slide 2 - Slide

Tell the class: Now I'll read a sentence. Listen carefully and tell me if the sentence is true or false.
Tell the children how to indicate their choice. Then read the first statement. After you read the statement and the children respond, you can look at the next slide and discuss the answer before going on to the next one.

Slide 3 - Slide

True.

Slide 4 - Slide

Story: This is a painting that Vincent made of his bedroom. Take a good look, and then I'll count to...When their time is up, go on to the next slide.


The Bedroom, 1888
true or false?
there is one pillow on vincent's bed.

Slide 5 - Slide

This item has no instructions

Slide 6 - Slide

False, there are two.
true or false?
the blanket on the bed is green.

Slide 7 - Slide

This item has no instructions

Slide 8 - Slide

The blanket on the bed is green.
true or false?
there's a yellow hat hanging on the wall.

Slide 9 - Slide

This item has no instructions

Slide 10 - Slide

True. Now the whole painting is shown again, so that the class can take another look before the next statement. Point out the hat or use the pencil in the menu to circle it on the board.
true or false?
there are three chairs in the bedroom.

Slide 11 - Slide

This item has no instructions

Slide 12 - Slide

False. There are two.
true or false?
there's a cat on the bed.

Slide 13 - Slide

This item has no instructions

Slide 14 - Slide

False.
true or false?

the window is ajar. 

Slide 15 - Slide

You could explain that 'ajar' means just a little bit open.

Slide 16 - Slide

True, but you have to look very closely to see it.
true or false?
there's a mirror on the wall.

Slide 17 - Slide

This item has no instructions

Slide 18 - Slide

True. The mirror is to the left of the window. Now the whole painting is shown again, so that the class can take another look before the next statement. You can point out the mirror or use the pencil in the menu to circle it on the board.
true or false?
vincent's shoes are under the little table. 

Slide 19 - Slide

This item has no instructions

Slide 20 - Slide

False.
true or false?
there's a drawer in the little table.

Slide 21 - Slide

This item has no instructions

Slide 22 - Slide

True. (What could be in there?)

Slide 23 - Link

On the website of the Van Gogh Museum, you can zoom in on details of Vincent's painting The Bedroom.
Finish the lesson by asking the class what they think of the painting (and why).