The White Stuff, Winter in Canada
Developed By
Gweneth Branch-Rice
Suggested Length
Lesson 1: Two 80 minute classes
Lesson 2: Three 80 minute classes
Lesson 3: Three 80 minute classes
Lesson 4: Three 80 minute classes
Suggested Grade Level(s)
10, 11
Subject Areas
Social studies, visual arts, language arts
Overview
Students will create art works that deal with their perception of winter. They will
reflect on how their view compares and contrasts with other cultural and
geographic experiences of winter.
Links to Curriculum Outcomes
Students will (be expected to)
 evaluate how physical and human systems shape the features, uses, and
perceptions of place (social studies)
 identify and use primary and secondary sources to evaluate questions
(social studies)
 create art work that communicates intentions (visual arts)
 use writing and other forms of representing to extend, explore, and reflect
on the basis of their feelings, values, and attitudes (language arts)
Links to Telling Stories: Themes / Key Words
 Winter in Canada
 Group of Seven
 Inuit Life, Arctic Life
Art Works
 Maligne Lake, Jasper Park, Lawren Harris, collection of the National
Gallery
 Winter Woods, Algonquin Park, Lawren Harris, CAG 74.11
 Arctic Scene with Hunter in Background, Pudlo Pudlat, CAG 78.10.2
 Putting the Questions, Robert Harris, CAG H-2228
 Untitled, Robert Harris, CAG H-2227
 Pressing for the Answer, Robert Harris, CAG H-222
Lesson #1: The Sounds of Winter
Objective
Students will write a sound poem that is inspired by one of the
listed art works.
Materials
 paper
 writing tools
Activities
Listening to Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, students could write down words that evoke
the different seasons, paying particular attention to winter. Listening to the sound
clip at the opening of Atanarjuat, The Fast Runner will give the students more
inspiration.
1. In small groups students could share their descriptive sound words
(e.g., creaking ice, crunching snow, raging winds). Some ideas to
think about:
 Does the sound transport you to a dream, a memory, a
particular place?
 What does the sound call to mind?
 What does the sound seem to be saying?
 What mood does the sound conjure?
2. Read aloud one or two examples of famous sound poems, such as
“The Daffodils”, by William Wordsworth and “Sound Asleep”, by
Christina Rosetti.
3. Explain that students will now choose their favourite of the winter
art works listed, try to imagine walking into the painting, and create
a sound poem about their experience. Have them consider:
 What is the first thing you hear?
 What is behind that snow bank?
 Are you afraid or excited to be exploring?
 Are you alone or with a friend?
 What time of day is it?
 How do you feel about winter?
 Would you rather be hibernating or are you embracing the
experience?
4. It would be wonderful for students to create a tape of sounds to
play as they read their poem.
Computer Option
 Students could find out more about the artist or art work they have chosen
by researching online.
Ideas for Assessment
Students could read their poem aloud and their peers could write down which art
work they think their classmate used for inspiration and why.
Lesson #2: The Many Colours of White
Objective
Students will create a painting with snow as the subject. They will
improve their perception of detail in nature.
Materials
 digital camera
 imaging software
 printer
 paint
 brushes
 palettes
 containers for water
 paper or canvas
Activities
1. With students, view and discuss the art works by Lawren Harris,
Pudlo Pudlac, and Robert Harris, paying attention to the way the
artist has depicted snow. Have students close their eyes and
imagine a specific experience of winter in Canada. When they have
opened their eyes, have students consider individually:





List ten words describing snow.
What descriptive words generated could you use to describe
each artist’s work?
What colour words were used?
What words were used to describe mood?
Do some of the words describe place?
2. In small groups of two or three, students could go walking outside
and record images of snow, using cameras (e.g., drifts, banks,
sweeping expanses). Students will want to look for and capture
interesting textures, colours and light sources as perceived on the
snow.
3. Printing their most interesting image will lead to a rich source of
visual information to be transformed into a painting. These
paintings will open people’s eyes to the wonders of winter.
Challenge students to be expressive and creative but, most
importantly, to have fun seeing things in a new way.
Computer Option
 The digital photos that the students have taken could be altered and
transformed on the computer to create an associated technological art
work.
Ideas for Assessment
Have another class respond to the paintings and save the responses in the
student’s portfolio.
Lesson #3: Ranting About the White Stuff
Objective
Students will create a zine about their perceptions of winter.
Materials
 paper
 writing tools
Activities
1. Introduce the lesson with the following:
 Zines ( pronounced zeens) are very personal, self published,
expressions in various media.
 They can consist of drawings, collages, typed passages,
photographs, a hand written essay, photocopies, prints, etc.
They are only limited by your imagination.
 Your zine could be any size or shape or bound in any way you
want.
2. Use the art works listed to kick start your imagination. Art works
have the potential to make people see, think, and consider things in
new and unexpected ways.
3. Have students view and discuss the art works. Talk about:
 the mood of the piece
 the colours and how they might affect the mood
 the composition (how the artist directs our eyes around the
piece)
 Which painting is most inviting? Can you identify why?
4. Thinking about their zines, students brainstorm a proliferation of
ideas about winter. Challenge them to:
 be inspired by the art work of their choice
 rant about storms
 photograph your friends making snow angels
 sketch your shivering family when the power goes out


write about your mom’s hand knit socks and mitts
describe your favourite winter sports
5. For students:
 Make your zine unique and meaningful for you.
 Explore the wonder of winter – its curiosities and peculiarities.
 One part of your zine should relate directly to one of the art
works you viewed.
Computer Option
 Students could publish their zines online, in effect making them e-zines.
Ideas for Assessment
The zines could be distributed to peers along with a peer assessment sheet.
Lesson #4: Recycled Pop Bottles or How Do I Paint the Texture
of Polar Fleece?
Objective
Students will update one of Robert Harris’ winter sports illustrations,
comparing subject matter and printing methods of the late 1880s
with the full colour printing that can be seen in today’s popular
magazines and newspapers.
Activities
1. Students examine Robert Harris’ three illustrations for the Quebec
Winter Carnival, paying particular attention to:
 the style and method of illustration
 type of clothing worn
 type of equipment used
 type of sports represented in these illustrations from the 1800s
2. Keeping the same compositional elements and arrangement,
students will create illustrations for a winter carnival in the 21st
century.
3. Guidelines for students:
Have your classmates model for you in the poses that Robert
Harris’ models adopted. Sketch them with modern clothing,
hairstyles, and sports equipment. You could think about:
 the background (does it need to change?)
 the proportions of the human figure
 the mood you want, and
 ways to portray a sense of movement, if necessary
Finish your illustration in black and white, or in a limited palette like
the prints (if it helps to create the mood you want).
Computer Option
 Students take digital photos of their models with their winter sports gear in
the appropriate poses, and print these photos to use as a visual resource.
Ideas for Assessment
Look for the correct proportions in the drawing of the figures and the use of
creativity and imagination in the completion of the illustration.
These illustrations could be used in a winter newsletter for your school or
perhaps in your school yearbook.
Bringing it all Together / Wrapping up the Learning
Host an art exhibition during your school or community’s winter carnival. Perhaps
you could make snow candles or snow sculptures as part of the festivities.
Suggested Resources
 Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons
 The National Film Board of Canada film, Atanarjuat ,The Fast Runner
 Robert Service’s poem, “The Cremation of Sam MacGee”
 Robert Frost’s poems, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” and “An
Old Man’s Winter Night”
 Winter by Morley Callaghan
 online photos of Quebec’s winter carnival