Let's Go to Giverny!

This spring, we are heading to Giverny, France...former home of Claude Monet.  Giverny is a special destination for art lovers, as it was here that so many of Monet's most famous pieces originated.  Monet planned and designed the gardens to be the perfect subject for his art.  More information on the history of the garden, opening times and admission costs can be found here.

To give this trip more meaning for the children, as well as tie it into our homeschool curriculum, we will be doing a unit study on Claude Monet and Impressionism before we go.  We will be reading books about Monet and his works, experimenting with sunlight's effects throughout the day (hopefully we won't have overcast skies), and doing a little painting of our own.  Here's what's in our homeschool library for this study:

Who Was Claude Monet? by Ann Waldron, Illustrated by Stephen Marchesi

Katie and the Waterlily Pond by James Mayhew

Where is the Frog? by Geraldine Elschner and Stephane Girel

Charlotte in Giverny by Joan MacPhail Knight, Illustrated by Melissa Sweet

Monet and the Impressionists for Kids: Their Lives and Ideas, 21 Activities by Carol Sabbeth


If you're interested in doing a Monet study with your child(ren), here are some additional resources you may find useful:

• Rainbow Resource Center Charlotte in Giverny unit study materials
• Passport France - a unit study by Amanda Bennett
• National Education Association: Exploring Impressionism with lesson plans, activities, and printables
• Monet Art Study: lesson plans, mini-books, coloring pages

We will also be combining this unit study with science lessons on types of flowers, parts of plants and general gardening.  Can't wait to go to beautiful Giverny, France!