The Reading Fluency: Fine Art Kit pairs 36 famous artists with their matching works of art, giving children a complete self-correcting reading practice set built around real portraits and real paintings. The kit includes both the 3-Part Artist Cards and the corresponding 3-Part Fine Art Cards for the same 36 artists from America and Europe. Why this kit matters for reading Skilled reading depends on two things working together: accurate word decoding and strong language comprehension (Gough & Tunmer, 1986). This kit builds both at once. Matching a stable portrait or artwork to its printed label gives repeated, self-correcting practice at orthographic mapping — the process by which the brain stores a word's spelling, pronunciation, and meaning for instant recognition (Ehri, 2014). At the same time, working with real artists and real artwork builds background knowledge, one of the core language comprehension strands in Scarborough's Reading Rope (Scarborough, 2001) — the base of cultural and factual knowledge a reader draws on to understand new text. Because the artist and the artwork are taught side by side, children build a richer, more connected understanding than either set offers alone: a name becomes a person, and a person becomes the maker of something they've already come to recognize. How to use this kit Begin by using the fine art images in open-ended conversations. Encourage students to discuss what they see, what it would be like to be there, what they would call the art, etc. Then, use the fine art images in 3-period lessons to teach the vocabulary. Next, use all three parts of the fine art cards for independent reading. Students lay out the art card, read and match the word label to it, then use the control card to check their own work. Repeat this proces for the Artists cards. We recommend introducing the Fine Art cards first, then the matching Artist cards, so children meet the artwork before the person behind it and discover similarities between the art and the artists self-portrait (when available). What's included Five packets of Fine Art 3-part Cards (America and Europe series 1 through 4; each features 6 famous works of art); 18 cards per packet (90 cards total) Five packets of corresponding Artists 3-part Cards (each features 6 artists who created the famous works of art featured above); 18 cards per packet (90 cards total) Lesson plan included All cards are eco-made in the USA, are laminated with a food-grade laminate, have rounded corners, and are ready to use right out of the box. CPSIA compliant. Add-on a cloth pouch to beautifully organize and display these cards. What is the Science of Reading? The Science of Reading is the interdisciplinary body of research — from cognitive psychology, linguistics, and neuroscience — explaining how children learn to read. It identifies two foundational components of skilled reading: language comprehension (understanding language) and word recognition (decoding), which lead towards reading comprehension (Gough & Tunmer, 1986). How does this kit support the Simple View of Reading? The Simple View of Reading holds that reading comprehension is the product of decoding and language comprehension. Being strong in one but not the other limits understanding (Gough & Tunmer, 1986). This kit builds decoding through repeated, self-correcting word-to-image matching, and builds language comprehension by growing children's background knowledge of real artists and real artwork — developing both sides of the equation together. What ages is this kit designed for? These cards are designed for children reading non-phonetic words independently, typically ages 5–9 (Kindergarten through Grade 3), and are also effective for older students of art history and/or in intervention settings. How is this kit Montessori aligned? This material follows the traditional Montessori 3-part card sequence — object/image, label, and control card — which allows a child to work independently and self-correct without adult intervention. This builds both concentration and reading confidence, while also weaving content knowledge into literacy practice as a motivating, interest-driving force.
Reading Fluency: Fine Art Kit (cards only), Add-on cloth pouches