Great writers are great observers. They consider the world
around them, notice overlooked details, and make connections.
Looking carefully at art helps us to develop these observation
skills. Art encourages us to slow down, look closely, and
reflect on what we see. When we accept this invitation, we are
rewarded with new thoughts and perspectives. These ideas and
insights provide rich material for brings together twenty-five
remarkable works of art from the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s
collections and uses them as inspiration for an array of writing
activities for K–12 students. We hope that you and your students
enjoy discovering the limitless potential of art to inspire
writing in every form. Works of art were chosen for their
capacity to inspire writing in several genres and to appeal to
students of diverse ages and backgrounds. The writing activities
were designed to encourage focused looking and offer
opportunities for student collaboration as well as personal
reflection. They emphasize different stages