Lesson Plan

Introduce students to the life and art of Vincent van Gogh. You might read a biography from the school library, or you might share one of the following resources:

• Vincent van Gogh Biography
• van Gogh Museum: Collection
• Guggenheim Collection: van Gogh Biography

• The cousin from Illinois, students might respond Chica Gogh [Chicago];
• The Mexican cousin, students might respond Amy go [amigo]...

When students have the idea, supply the the following list of clues. You might write them on the board, a sheet of chart paper, a transparency, or a work sheet. You might allow students to work in pairs to complete this activity that is sure to challenge them!

• Vincent van Gogh's dizzy aunt
• The brother who ate prunes
• The brother who worked at a convenience store
• The brother who bleached his clothes white
• His magician uncle
• The nephew who drove a stage coach
• The ballroom-dancing aunt
• The bird-lover uncle
• His nephew psychoanalyst
• The fruit-loving cousin
• An aunt who taught positive thinking
• The little bouncy nephew
• A sister who loved disco
• His niece who travels the country in a van

Following are the van Gogh relatives for each of the clues above:

• His dizzy aunt: Verti Gogh
• The brother who ate prunes: Gotta Gogh
• The brother who worked at a convenience store: Stopn Gogh
• The brother who bleached his clothes white: Hue Gogh
• His magician uncle: Wherediddy Gogh
• The nephew who drove a stage coach: Wellsfar Gogh
• The ballroom-dancing aunt: Tan Gogh
• The bird-lover uncle: Flamin Gogh
• His nephew psychoanalyst: E Gogh
• The fruit-loving cousin: Man Gogh
• An aunt who taught positive thinking: Wayto Gogh
• The little bouncy nephew: Poe Gogh
• A sister who loved disco: Go Gogh
• His niece who travels the country in a van: Winnie Bay Gogh

Evaluate students on their answers.

National Standards

Language Arts:
NL-ENG-12.4