Zoom in

• Art and design
• Primary Education
• Lower Secondary (Key Stage 3)

Introduction

Students discover a painting, starting with the details. During the class discussion, more and more of the painting is revealed. This is based on the Zoom In routine developed by Project Zero, Harvard.

Instructions

General learning objectives

- The class will be introduced to Vincent van Gogh's paintings.

- By looking closely at details, the students will try to find out what is shown in the painting. They will look for evidence to support their hypotheses about the painting and change their minds when they receive new information.

- The students will learn that there is sometimes more than one right answer.

Materials required

None.

Optional variations

This lesson can easily be divided into three blocks of about ten minutes each, which can be given at different times. Each block covers two paintings.

Background information

This lesson is based on the Zoom In routine developed by Project Zero at Harvard University. Within this project, a variety of Visible Thinking Routines have been developed, with the goal of making learners more aware of their own thought processes. For more information about Project Zero, see www.pz.harvard.edu.

You can literally zoom in on Van Gogh's paintings with the class on the website of the Van Gogh Museum.

Zoom in

Tell the class: We're going to look at a painting by Vincent van Gogh, adding one detail at a time – one little piece of the painting. Bit by bit, we'll see more of the picture. Try to figure out what you can see in the painting.

Questions:

- What do you see?

- What do you think we are looking at here?

Ask the students to motivate their answers. And of course, it's fine if they disagree. Before showing the next slide, you can ask whether there are other ideas that haven't yet been mentioned.

Questions:

- What else do you see now?

- Has anything changed your mind about what's in the painting?

- What do you see that makes you curious?

Questions:

- What else do you see now?

- Has anything changed your mind about what's in the painting?

- What do you see that makes you curious?

Questions:

- What else do you see now?

- Has anything changed your mind about what's in the painting?

- What do you see that makes you curious?

Questions:

- What else do you see now?

- Has anything changed your mind about what's in the painting?

- What do you see that makes you curious?

Questions: What else do you see now? Has anything changed your mind about what's in the painting?

Vincent made this painting in Paris. He had learned how to paint with small dots and stripes by looking at French art.

If students have other questions about this painting, they can save them for the end of the lesson. (Garden with Courting Couples, Square Saint-Pierre, 1887)

Questions:

- What do you see?

- What do you think we are looking at here?

Ask the students to motivate their answers. And of course, it's fine if they disagree. Before showing the next slide, you can ask whether there are other ideas that haven't yet been mentioned.

Questions:

- What else do you see now?

- Has anything changed your mind about what's in the painting?

- What do you see that makes you curious?

Questions:

- What else do you see now?

- Has anything changed your mind about what's in the painting?

- What do you see that makes you curious?

Questions:

- What else do you see now?

- Has anything changed your mind about what's in the painting?

- What do you see that makes you curious?

Questions:

- What else do you see now?

- Has anything changed your mind about what's in the painting?

- What do you see that makes you curious?

Questions: What else do you see now? Has anything changed your mind about what's in the painting? 

Vincent probably painted these cabbages and onions to practice combining colours.

If students have other questions about this painting, they can save them for the end of the lesson. (Red Cabbages and Onions, 1887) 

Questions:

- What do you see?

- What do you think we are looking at here?

Ask the students to motivate their answers. And of course, it's fine if they disagree, Before showing the next slide, you can ask whether there are other ideas that haven't yet been mentioned.

Questions:

- What else do you see now?

- Has anything changed your mind about what's in the painting?

- What do you see that makes you curious?

Questions:

- What else do you see now?

- Has anything changed your mind about what's in the painting?

- What do you see that makes you curious?

Questions:

- What else do you see now?

- Has anything changed your mind about what's in the painting?

- What do you see that makes you curious?

Questions:

- What else do you see now?

- Has anything changed your mind about what's in the painting?

- What do you see that makes you curious?

Questions:

- What else do you see now?

- Has anything changed your mind about what's in the painting?

- What do you see that makes you curious?

Questions: What else do you see now?  Has anything changed your mind about what's in the painting? 

Vincent spent some time in a hospital for people with mental illnesses. This was the hospital garden.

If students have other questions about this painting, they can save them for the end of the lesson. (Garden of the Asylum, 1889)

Questions:

- What do you see?

- What do you think we are looking at here?

Ask the students to motivate their answers. And of course, it's fine if they disagree. Before showing the next slide, you can ask whether there are other ideas that haven't yet been mentioned.

Questions:

- What else do you see now?

- Has anything changed your mind about what's in the painting?

- What do you see that makes you curious?

Questions:

- What else do you see now?

- Has anything changed your mind about what's in the painting?

- What do you see that makes you curious?

Questions:

- What else do you see now?

- Has anything changed your mind about what's in the painting?

- What do you see that makes you curious?

Questions:

- What else do you see now?

- Has anything changed your mind about what's in the painting?

- What do you see that makes you curious?

Questions:

- What else do you see now?

- Has anything changed your mind about what's in the painting?

- What do you see that makes you curious?

Questions: What else do you see now? Has anything changed your mind about what's in the painting?

Towards the end of his life, Vincent lived in the village of Auvers-sur-Oise, near Paris. A number of artists lived and worked there. Here we see the village with hills in the background.

If students have other questions about this painting, they can save them for the end of the lesson. (View of Auvers, 1890)

Questions:

- What do you see?

- What do you think we are looking at here?

Ask the students to motivate their answers. And of course, it's fine if they disagree. Before showing the next slide, you can ask whether there are other ideas that haven't yet been mentioned.

Questions:

- What else do you see now?

- Has anything changed your mind about what's in the painting?

- What do you see that makes you curious?

Questions:

- What else do you see now?

- Has anything changed your mind about what's in the painting?

- What do you see that makes you curious?

Questions:

- What else do you see now?

- Has anything changed your mind about what's in the painting?

- What do you see that makes you curious?

Questions:

- What else do you see now?

- Has anything changed your mind about what's in the painting?

- What do you see that makes you curious?

Questions:

- What else do you see now?

- Has anything changed your mind about what's in the painting?

- What do you see that makes you curious?

Questions:

- What else do you see now?

- Has anything changed your mind about what's in the painting?

- What do you see that makes you curious?

Questions:

- What else do you see now?  Has anything changed your mind about what's in the painting? 

This is a copy made by Vincent of a Japanese print from his own collection.

If students have other questions about this painting, they can save them for the end of the lesson. (Flowering Plum Orchard (after Hiroshige), 1887)

Questions:

- What do you see?

- What do you think we are looking at here?

Ask the students to motivate their answers. And of course, it's fine if they disagree. Before showing the next slide, you can ask whether there are other ideas that haven't yet been mentioned.

Questions:

- What else do you see now?

- Has anything changed your mind about what's in the painting?

- What do you see that makes you curious?

Questions:

- What else do you see now?

- Has anything changed your mind about what's in the painting?

- What do you see that makes you curious?

Questions: What else do you see now?  Has anything changed your mind about what's in the painting?

This is Vincent's last painting. It shows the side of a rock face covered with tree roots.

Now, are there any other questions about any of these paintings?

(Tree Roots, 1890)

www.vangoghmuseum.nl

You can find more information about Vincent van Gogh and his paintings on the Van Gogh Museum website. Enter the titles of the paintings to find more information about them and answers to students' questions, or make it a homework assignment.