Quick Pics: Sledding
Winter: Sledding (1959)
GRADE
K-6
THEME
Quick Pics
LENGTH
Each Quick Pic activity is about 5-10 minutes in duration, with each being taught one image per day over a week.
DISCIPLINE
Social Studies, Language Arts: Speaking and Listening, Art
VOCABULARY
Election, Vote, Sequence, Decision, Conscience
Big Ideas:
Norman Rockwell created this image for the Brown and Bigelow 1959 calendar. Rockwell lived in a snowy climate in Arlington, Vermont, USA. Sledding was a common winter pastime which children looked forward to all year. Townspeople knew where the best sledding hills were and they looked forward to the perfect snow for thrilling and fast trips downhill.
Notice and Wonder:
- Who are the people in this image? Who is sledding, who is observing? Who is helping others?
- Who are the dogs paying attention to and why? Did you know falling off one’s sled is part of sledding?
- Notice the sleds. What are they made of? Do sleds look the same or different today?
- What do you notice about the characters? What are they wearing?
- What do you notice about the home? Is it warm and cozy inside? How can you tell?
- Would you like to be in this picture as one of the people sledding? Which person would you choose to be and why?
- How did Norman Rockwell use the color red to encourage you to look at all the details in the picture?
- What colors did Norman Rockwell use in the sky to convey a feeling of coldness?
Fun Facts:
Rockwell and his neighbors posed for the images. A photographer took pictures and Rockwell constructed the images from the photographs.
Norman Rockwell began working with Brown & Bigelow in 1923 when he created an image for the first Boy Scout calendar. Rockwell painted more illustrations for Brown & Bigelow calendars than for any other publication except the Saturday Evening Post. Beginning in 1948, his series of “Four Seasons” illustrations featured four images each year following characters through a complete year of changing seasons.
What to do:
If you live in a snowy area and haven’t tried sledding yet, try it! What outside adventures are exciting and fun for you? Do you and your friends have the same favorite activities outside? Are there outdoor activities which require little equipment that you would like to try?
Standards:
This curriculum meets the standards listed below. Look for more details on these standards please visit: ELA and Math Standards, Social Studies Standards, Visual Arts Standards.