"Ecstatic Alphabets/Heaps of Language brings together historical and contemporary works of art that treat language not merely as a system of communication governed by grammatical rules and assigned meanings, but as a material that can be manipulated with creative freedom, like paint, clay, or any other artistic medium. The exhibition is divided into two sections. The first is a historical overview of 20th-century art that experiments with the graphic, sonic, and kinetic possibilities of letters and words. With a few notable exceptions, these works are confined to the two-dimensional parameters of a page. The second section presents an installation of contemporary works, most of which do away with the page; some do away with writing altogether.
The artist and poet Emmett Williams observed that "the poem as picture is as old as the hills," citing its beginnings in hieroglyphics,"
Blog from last year's 6th grade Language Arts class, includes descriptions of projects/activities and student reflection on activities. Lots of information about using Web 2.0 technology in the LA classroom.
Einstein said "an idea should be as simple as possible but not simpler." These NY ELA standards are the result of long deep thought by some of the best minds in the field, those who understand the complexity of a real classroom.