Charles Dickens Birthday!

I think in art it is important for several cross-curriculum topics within each art lesson. Many schools are now requiring integration and collaboration between art teachers and the fellow subject teachers, so with this while I am in school I try to integrate other subjects into my art lessons. So today I decided to brainstorm some on the fact that it is Charles Dicken's birthday!!

Everyone has heard of A Christmas Carol and even other stories like Oliver Twist by the infamous writer. So after a quick google search I came across an interesting integration that a ballet company has done for the schools that come see their A Christmas Carol shows.

The Ulster Ballet Company has a simple lesson plan for schools.

After skimming the lesson plan I thought of a simple way to bring literature, performance and art together. The lesson plan discusses the idea of performance with the piece but not only could students group up and perform a part of the book, they can create the costumes with it. With some brown paper bags, masks, yarn, and anything else they can come up with their own "stage" and do a short performance. This would also help with some social skills with working with each other, something every art class should have at least one project on.

But in my Pinterest search of Charles Dickens I came across this LOVELY design by Rachel Walsh. 

Rachel created this altered book to explain a Kindle to Charles Dickens. I think it is genius!

So today, how would you include Charles Dickens in an art lesson plan?