{"id":2666,"date":"2016-05-05T14:44:33","date_gmt":"2016-05-05T14:44:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.plato-philosophy.org\/?post_type=teachertoolkit&p=2666"},"modified":"2025-01-24T13:28:25","modified_gmt":"2025-01-24T21:28:25","slug":"aesthetics-is-for-the-birds","status":"publish","type":"teachertoolkit","link":"https:\/\/plato-philosophy.org\/teachertoolkit\/aesthetics-is-for-the-birds\/","title":{"rendered":"Aesthetics is for the Birds"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"leafonpebbles\"This is a photo of leaves on rocks. One can look at the content, nature, or the photographic composition, its artifice. The leaves and the rocks: the veins run through the dominant maple leaf, staining it deep green and betraying both its strength and fragility; the rocks offer a range of textures, shapes, and commentary on the ephemeral leaves. The other leaves are curled, brown, past their \u201cprime.\u201d The leaves are temporary and we can imagine them blowing away into oblivion. The rocks remain. The photo: a composition in shape, texture, and color. Conveying autumn, endings, and perhaps with a tinge of hope?<\/p>\n

Rebecca Victoria Millsop has created an engaging project, inviting philosophers to choose a work of art and write in 100 words a commentary about it. Above is one entry but the site has many offered: Aesthetics is for the Birds<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Ask the students to bring in an example of anything that they consider to be art (visual, literary, music, reference to theater, dance, whatever.) They should have something to show as well as to speak about; in the case of music or theater, a recording or image from the play could suffice. Each student should also write in 100 words or less why they chose it and what the work means\u2014to them or to others.<\/p>\n

Create a gallery of all the contributions (images, or whatever is standing in for the work and their written piece) and have an \u201cart walk\u201d around the \u2018gallery\u2019 with each student speaking about their choices.<\/p>\n

Depending upon the age of the students, you might direct them independently to Milsop\u2019s site or you can choose an example (for younger students). Click on the “Discussion Questions”<\/strong> tab above for discussion prompts to consider.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This is a photo of leaves on rocks. One can look at the content, nature, or the photographic composition, its artifice. The leaves and the rocks: the veins run through the dominant maple leaf, staining it deep green and betraying both its strength and fragility; the rocks offer a range of textures, shapes, and commentary … Aesthetics is for the Birds<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":16051,"template":"","toolkitcategory":[755,26],"gradelevel":[48],"topics":[302],"class_list":["post-2666","teachertoolkit","type-teachertoolkit","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","toolkitcategory-aesthetics","toolkitcategory-art","gradelevel-high-school-and-beyond","topics-beauty"],"yoast_head":"\nAesthetics is for the Birds - PLATO - Philosophy Learning and Teaching Organization<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Aesthetics is for the Birds - PLATO - Philosophy Learning and Teaching Organization\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"This is a photo of leaves on rocks. 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