This little 48 page book, part of the Treasure Hunters series describes several major art thefts since the beginning of the 20th C. The Mona Lisa, many paintings in the Isabella Gardner Museum, Munch’s The Scream, and a painting by Cezanne are all included.

Charlotte Guillain, Raintree, ©2013, 978-1-4109-4958-5

Personal Writing

A springboard from a picture book to personal writing should provide at least three topics if possible. Here are some ideas:

1. Things you have lost, or have mysteriously disappeared.
2. Security. Write about security measures you have noticed in your life, or know about. For example, screening Internet use, airport security, video camera surveillance, passports, fingerprints, etc. Opinions?
3. Stories about your favourite and least favourite art experiences.

Rapid Research – Missing Art

There are hundreds of missing pieces of art that students could study. Attached are 3 pages with many of them. Ask students, working in pairs, to find 10 interesting facts about the artist, 5 interesting facts about the painting, and 5 facts about how the painting came to vanish. Give them a very limited time -this is Rapid Research. They then make a “report” listing their facts and prepare a very short talk – 1 minute each – about their discovery. I have a Pinterest site with pictures of stolen art titled: Great Art Thefts – A Rapid Research Topic.

For 5 creative writing ideas, click Great Art Thefts to download.