Lessons & Units :: The Heidelberg Project: A Street of Dreams 5th Grade Unit

Read-Aloud Lesson: The Heidelberg Project: A Street of Dreams

Lesson Plan

The Heidelberg Project: A Street of Dreams

The Heidelberg Project: A Street of Dreams
Learning Goal
Explain how Tyree Guyton uses common objects to create art installations that draw attention to specific social issues, such as homelessness, race, and violence.
Necessary Materials
Provided:
  1. Detailed lesson plan
  2. Graphic organizer for guided practice
  3. Independent student worksheet

Not Provided:
  1. The Heidelberg Project: A Street of Dreams
  2. Map showing Detroit, Michigan
 
  1. This lesson is a close reading of the entire text. So it’s important to engage students often, to enhance their learning. Here are two tips:

    •   When you ask the more complex questions from the lesson, ask students to “turn-and-talk” or “buddy-talk” before answering.

    •   Once you are deep into the lesson, instead of asking students every question provided, ask them to share with you what questions they should be asking themselves at that point in the text. This is also a great opportunity to use "turn-and-talk."
       
  2. Suggested teacher language is included in the lesson.

  3. We recommend you read the book once to your students, either the day or morning before teaching the lesson.

  4. This research-based, read-aloud lesson may seem long. Why do students need the lesson to be this way?
 

Part 1: Teacher Modeling and Questioning

 
Each page of this book includes the photograph and title of a specific art installation, a poem about the artwork, and a box of prose text that describes the artwork and its context. The following lesson focuses on information in the prose descriptions, but be sure to read all the text on the page, including the title and the poem. We suggest that you read the poetry before the prose on each page.
 

Write the following student-friendly learning goal on the board, then read the learning goal out loud with the class:

We will explain how Tyree Guyton uses everyday objects to make art.

 
Prepare Students for the Lesson
 
Show students where Detroit, Michigan is on a map.
 
Transition Students into the Text
 
Teacher says: Heidelberg Street is a real street in the city of Detroit, Michigan. The book we are going to read is about an artist who works on that street.
 
Read page 1 out loud. On this page and others, begin with the page heading (“A Street of Dreams”), proceed to the poetry (“Take a look at Heidelberg Street…”), and conclude with the prose (“When Tyree Guyton was a little boy…”). Page 1 ends with, “...dream the dream.” Show students the accompanying photograph. If possible, always show students the photos on the pages you read throughout the lesson. Pronounce Guyton as “GUY-tun.” Make sure students understand that a “canvas” is something artists often paint pictures on.
1.
Teacher asks: Who was given a paintbrush as a little boy by his grandpa?
 
Students answer: Tyree Guyton was given a paintbrush as a little boy by his grandpa.
2.
Teacher says: The book tells us that the Heidelberg Project is an “array of art installments on Heidelberg Street.” An “array of art installments” means a variety of different pieces of art. So the Heidelberg Project is a variety of different pieces of art on Heidelberg Street in Detroit, Michigan. The book also says that if we open our eyes and our hearts, we can understand what Tyree Guyton is trying to say with his art. Keep your eyes and hearts open as we read on. We are going to look at some of Mr. Guyton’s art and think about what he is trying to say.
 
Read pages 2 and 3 out loud. Page 3 ends with, “...all races of people.”
3.
Teacher says (showing photo on page 3): What did Tyree Guyton paint on his grandfather’s house?
 
Students answer:
  • Tyree Guyton painted polka dots on his grandfather’s house (acceptable answer)
  • Tyree Guyton painted multi-colored polka dots on his grandfather’s house (strong answer)
4.
Teacher asks: What is the name of this house covered in multi-colored polka dots?
 
Students answer: The name of this house is the Dotty Wotty House.
5.
Teacher says (models thinking): The author writes that the many colors of these polka dots represent the many colors of all people. I’m wondering how polka dots can represent people. I know that people are not pink or blue or green, like some of these dots, but people can be black or white or brown. People can also be any combination of black, white, and brown. Now I see a similarity between the Dotty Wotty House having many different colors and people having many different colors. Seeing this similarity helps me understand the intent, or purpose, behind the Dotty Wotty House. Tyree Guyton is showing us that people are like the dots on this house. They come in many different colors, but they can all share the same space in harmony.
Read more
 
Read page 4. Page 4 ends with, “...to the community."
6.
Teacher asks (showing photo on page 4): Here is a photo of a piece of art created by Mr. Guyton called Soles of the Most High. What does this photo show?
 
Students answer (responses may vary but should resemble the following): This photo shows shoes hanging from a tree.
7.
Teacher asks: Whom do these shoes belong to?
 
Students answer: These shoes belong to homeless people.
 
In order to clarify the pun in the title of Soles of the Most High, you may wish to write out “soles” and “souls” when you spell the words out loud below.
8.
Teacher says: Mr. Guyton is making a pun, or a play on words, with the title of this piece of art. The title is Soles of the Most High, with “soles” spelled s-o-l-e-s, like the bottom of your shoes. However, as the book tells us, this piece of art represents the lifting up of souls spelled s-o-u-l-s, like a person’s spirit or inner self.
9.
Teacher asks: Earlier we saw how a house painted with multi-colored polka dots could represent people living together in harmony. How could shoes hanging from a tree represent the lifting up of souls—s-o-u-l-s—in a community? Support your answer with evidence from the book.
 
Students answer: Responses may vary, as long as they are supported by the book. For example:
  • The shoes hanging in the tree belong to the homeless and are a way of lifting up the souls of the homeless to a place where they can be seen by everyone. That could make people who are not homeless think about the people who are. It could even make them want to lift up, support, and help the homeless.
 
Read pages 5-7, then stop. Page 7 ends with, “...a connection?” Explain that “blight” means decay, or rot, on page 7.
10.
Teacher asks (showing students photo on page 7): Here is a picture of The Oval Room, another piece of art created by Mr. Guyton. What objects stand in rows in the The Oval Room?
 
Students answer: Vacuum cleaners stand in rows in The Oval Room.
11.
Teacher asks: What do the vacuums look like they are ready to do?
 
Students answer: The vacuums look like they are ready to start sweeping (or cleaning) the yard.
12.
Teacher asks: What is on the handle of each vacuum cleaner?
 
Students answer: A glove is on the handle of each vacuum cleaner.
13.
Teacher asks: The author writes that the gloves are symbolic of, or represent, no one getting their hands dirty while cleaning up the city. How might the gloves be symbolic of no one getting their hands dirty while cleaning up the city? Explain your answer using evidence from the book.
 
Students answer: Responses may vary, as long as they are supported by the book. For example, students may respond that vacuums represent cleaning, and the gloves on the vacuums show that the people who do the cleaning do not want any of the mess they clean up to get on them.
14.
Teacher asks: The title of this work of art is The Oval Room. Who has an oval office?
 
Students answer: The President of the United States has an oval office.
15.
Teacher asks: What happens in the President’s oval office?
 
Students answer: Serious meetings are held in the oval office.
16.
Teacher asks: Is there a connection between this work of art called The Oval Room and the President’s oval office? Support your answer with evidence from the book.
 
Students answer: Responses may vary, as long as they are supported by the book. For example:
  • No, there is not a connection. The Oval Room is a yard full of vacuum cleaners set up by Mr. Guyton on Heidelberg Street in Detroit. The Oval Office is a place where the president holds meetings.
  • Yes, there is a connection. The Oval Room is a piece of art about cleaning up a city, which is something serious. The Oval Office is a place where the president holds serious meetings. The meetings there could be about how to help and clean cities like Detroit.
 
Read pages 8 and 9, then stop. Page 9 ends with, “...into the future.” On page 9, make sure students understand that an art installation is a large work of art that is often designed for a specific place. Also on page 9, define “hue” as “color.”
17.
Teacher asks (displaying photo on page 9): Describe what Doors of Opportunity looks like.
 
Students answer: Responses may vary, as long as they reflect the text. For example:
  • Doors of Opportunity has doors of different shapes.
  • Doors of Opportunity has doors of different hues (or colors).
  • Doors of Opportunity has doors that are leaning against each other.
18.
Teacher asks: Doors of Opportunity was created at Camp Heidelberg in the summer of 2005. Whose work is Doors of Opportunity the result of?
 
Students answer: Doors of Opportunity is the result of the work of children at Camp Heidelberg.
19.
Teacher asks: According to the book, what are some of the thoughts that Doors of Opportunity provokes, or makes someone think of?
 
Students answer (elicit as many of the following as possible):
  • Doors of Opportunity provokes thoughts of cooperation.
  • Doors of Opportunity provokes thoughts of dependence on one another.
  • Doors of Opportunity provokes thoughts of support.
  • Doors of Opportunity provokes thoughts of walking into the future.
20.
Teacher asks: Why might Doors of Opportunity provoke thoughts of cooperation, dependence on one another, support, or walking in to the future? Explain your answer, using evidence from the book.
 
Students answer: Responses may vary, as long as they are supported by the book. For example:
  • Doors of Opportunity might provoke thoughts of cooperation because children worked together to create it.
  • Doors of Opportunity might provoke thoughts of support because the doors are leaning against each other and look like they are holding each other up.
 
Read pages 10-14. Page 14 ends with, “...inviting you to enjoy.” On page 10, define “ideal” as “perfect.” On page 14, make sure students know what a car hood is. The hood is the metal cover above a car’s engine, found on the front part of the car.
21.
Teacher asks: What did Mr. Guyton paint on abandoned car hoods?
 
Students answer: Mr. Guyton painted people’s faces on abandoned car hoods.
22.
Teacher asks (displaying photo on page 14): What kinds of people are shown on the car hoods?
 
Students answer: People of all races and backgrounds are shown on the car hoods.
23.
Teacher asks: Where are some of the places these car hoods painted with people’s faces can be found?
 
Students answer (elicit as many of the following as possible):
  • They can be found along streets.
  • They can be found standing in yards.
  • They can be found leaning against houses.
  • They can be found on Heidelberg Street.
24.
Teacher asks: What might these car hoods painted with people’s faces represent? Explain your answer, using evidence from the book.
 
Students answer: Responses may vary, as long as they are supported by the book. For example, students may respond that the car hoods painted with people’s faces represent all the different groups of people in the world. These car hoods showing people of all races and backgrounds are placed in many different locations to represent how the types of people painted on them are also found in many different locations.
 
Read pages 15-19. Page 19 ends with, “...celebration.”
25.
Teacher asks (displaying photo on page 19): Look at this photo of an art exhibit that was created for a project called United We Walk. What objects were used to create this piece of art?
 
Students answer: Shoes were used to create this piece of art.
26.
Teacher asks: Describe what this art exhibit looks like.
 
Students answer: Responses may vary, but students should mention that the exhibit features a path of shoes placed side by side and heel to toe.
27.
Teacher asks: What might this path of shoes represent? Explain your answer, using evidence from the book.
 
Students answer: Responses may vary, as long as they are supported by the book. For example:
  • The path of shoes represents how everyone is moving toward the same goal, because all the shoes are placed heel to toe and are pointing in the same general direction.
  • The path of shoes represents the long, difficult journey that many people have to make in life, because the path is long, curvy, and made up of many people’s shoes.
 
Read pages 20-24, finishing the book. Page 24 ends with, “...think about the dreams.” The information found in the “About the Author” and “Acknowledgments” sections on pages 25 and 26 is not integral this lesson. Feel free to read or omit it, as you see fit.
28.
Teacher asks: What are some of the names of the art pieces and installations we read about?
 
Students answer: Students may name any of the pieces and installations mentioned in the book. For example:
  • The Dotty Wotty House is a piece of art we read about.
  • The Oval Room is a piece of art we read about.
29.
Teacher asks: What are some of the everyday objects and items used in these art pieces and installations?
 
Students answer: Responses may vary, as long as they reflect the text. For example:
  • Some of the everyday objects and items used are vacuum cleaners and gloves.
  • Some of the everyday objects and items used are car hoods and pennies.
30.
Teacher asks: Describe what some of these art pieces or installations look like.
 
Students answer: Responses may vary, as long as they reflect the text. For example:
  • Soles of the Most High is a tree with many shoes tied to the branches.
  • The Oval Room is a yard full of vacuum cleaners with gloves on their handles.
31.
Teacher asks: What are some of the things that these art pieces and installations represent?
 
Students answer: Responses may vary, as long as they reflect the text. For example:
  • The Dotty Wotty House represents people of different colors sharing the same space in harmony.
  • Doors of Opportunity represents cooperation, people supporting each other, and walking into the future.
 

Part 2: Guided Practice and Discussion

 
For this oral lesson, it is suggested to have the completed graphic organizer on the board with the answers concealed. After students provide a correct answer, reveal the corresponding answer on the graphic organizer. In many of the fields more than one correct answer is possible. The answers provided on the completed graphic organizer are meant to serve as examples, not definitive responses.
1.
Teacher asks: Describe what the Dotty Wotty House looks like.
 
Students answer (responses may vary but should resemble the following): The Dotty Wotty House is a house painted with multi-colored polka dots.
2.
Teacher asks: What object was used to create the Dotty Wotty House?
 
Students answer (responses may vary but should include the following): A house was used.
3.
Teacher asks: What idea or ideas does the Dotty Wotty House represent?
 
Students answer: Responses may vary, as long as they reflect the text. For example, students may respond that the Dotty Wotty House represents people of different colors living together in harmony.
4.
Teacher asks: Describe what Soles of the Most High looks like.
 
Students answer (responses may vary but should resemble the following): Soles of the Most High is a tree with shoes hanging from the branches.
5.
Teacher asks: What objects were used to create Soles of the Most High?
 
Students answer (responses may vary but should include the following): Shoes and a tree were used.
Read more
6.
Teacher asks: What idea or ideas does Soles of the Most High represent?
 
Students answer: Responses may vary, as long as they reflect the text. For example, students may respond that Soles of the Most High represents the souls of the homeless being lifted up.
7.
Teacher asks: Describe what The Oval Room looks like.
 
Students answer (responses may vary but should resemble the following): The Oval Room is a yard full of vacuum cleaners with gloves on their handles.
8.
Teacher asks: What objects were used to create the The Oval Room?
 
Students answer (responses may vary but should include the following): Vacuum cleaners and gloves were used.
9.
Teacher asks: What idea or ideas does The Oval Room represent?
 
Students answer: Responses may vary, as long as they reflect the text. For example, students may respond that Soles of the Most High represents the souls of the homeless being lifted up.
10.
Teacher asks: Describe what Doors of Opportunity looks like.
 
Students answer (responses may vary but should resemble the following): Doors of Opportunity is a lot of doors of different shapes and colors leaning against each other.
11.
Teacher asks: What objects were used to create Doors of Opportunity?
 
Students answer (responses may vary but should include the following): Doors were used.
12.
Teacher asks: What idea or ideas does the Doors of Opportunity represent?
 
Students answer: Responses may vary, as long as they reflect the text. For example, students may respond that Doors of Opportunity represents cooperation, people supporting each other, and walking into the future.
13.
Teacher asks: Describe what the shoe art exhibit created for the United We Walk project looks like.
 
Students answer (responses may vary but should resemble the following): The shoe art exhibit is a path of shoes placed side by side and heel to toe.
14.
Teacher asks: What objects were used to create this art exhibit?
 
Students answer (responses may vary but should include the following): Shoes were used.
15.
Teacher asks: What idea or ideas does this art exhibit represent?
 
Students answer: Responses may vary, as long as they reflect the text. For example, students may respond that this art exhibit represents the journey of life and many people having the same goal.
 
After the answers for the graphic organizer have been completed and discussed with the class, ask the following two extension questions.
 
Teacher asks: We have read and seen that Tyree Guyton takes everyday objects and turns them into art. How does he transform an everyday object into art? Support your answer with evidence from the book.
 
Students answer: Responses may vary, as long as they are supported by the book. Students may provide a literal-minded response, such as “Tyree Guyton takes an ordinary object and paints it. That is what he did with the Dotty Wotty House, a house that he covered with multi-colored polka dots.” Students may also think more abstractly. For example, they may note that Mr. Guyton often takes everyday objects and puts them together in unusual ways in order to get people to think about them. In Soles of the Most High, he puts shoes in a tree, and in The Oval Room he puts gloves on vacuum handles. The shoes in a tree are supposed to make people think about the souls of the homeless, and the vacuums with gloves on their handles are supposed to make people think about cleaning up Detroit.
 
Teacher asks: What is the difference between an everyday object and a work of art? Support your answer with evidence from the book.
 
Students answer: Responses may vary, as long as they are supported by the book. For example, students may respond that the difference between an everyday object and a work of art is their purpose. An everyday object is made to help people do something practical. Vacuums are made to help people clean the floor, and shoes are made to help people walk. A work of art is created to make people think. The vacuums in The Oval Room are not meant to actually clean anything up, but they are meant to get people thinking about the idea of a cleaning up a city.
 

Part 3: Student Independent Practice

 
Read each question out loud to your students and have each student complete the worksheet independently.

Texts & Materials

Standards Alignment

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User Comments

This book is out of print and not available on Amazon.

Submitted by d.story_1295088 on 4/16/17

I wanted to use this lesson but the book on Amazon costs a fortune and it isn't available from my library. A shame.

Submitted by asewell_1496419 on 11/25/16

Excellent and resourceful . I really love the real world connections.

Submitted by jacsmith_1571375 on 9/24/15

An excellent literature resource to use in my 7th grade Multicultural Studies class as we begin the school year. It was a real world connection to prior knowledge experiences as many of my Lansing, MI students have visited Detroit and have friends or family in Detroit. The visuals and poetry encouraged my ELL students to take a risk during small group discussion.

Submitted by sonya.lewis_1276946 on 8/27/15

Where did you get the book? I can't afford it.

Submitted by asewell_1496419 on 11/25/16