the WRITE Balance: HiGASFY Art History Video Series: A Review

On the surface art history probably sounds pretty dry to most people and I would agree that it certainly wasn't my most memorable class in school, but I think it's all about your perspective. No matter the subject, I always love a good story and the product we're reviewing today capitalizes on the skills of a great story teller. The HiGASFY Art History Video Series is hosted by Mrs. Beth and her animated friend Gasby who take viewers on a tour of 4 different art eras over 48 videos. My kids were always asking to watch another video so they certainly didn't get bored with it!

What We Received:

We were given a 3 month subscription to the HiGASFY Art History Video Series which includes access to all episodes covering 4 eras (Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, Renaissance, and Baroque) - a total of 48 episodes, each about 20+ minutes long. As a part of our subscription we were also given access to downloadable lesson plans, downloadable flashcards, and a game designed to test students retention of information called "Name That Artist."

How It Works:

This program is designed for 1st - 8th grade students and can be as intense or light as you would prefer. The videos are a strong education all by themselves where each one reviews what was learned last time and picks up where it left off. Each video is a conversation between Mrs. Beth and Gasfy that switches between her art studio and various artworks and artists she's talking about. Gasfy is cute and a fun element my kids enjoyed. These could be spread out to once a week or sometimes even watch two at a time. The lesson plans, flash cards and Name That Artist game can all be used as much or as little as needed. The lesson plans include art activities, vocabulary words, writing assignments, cross-curricular in Geography, History and Science. With all of the video and downloadable content, you have more than enough for a great art curriculum! The Name That Artist is an easy and fun way to evaluate how much information is sticking.

What We Thought:

Since we were just starting a new science, history and Bible curriculum at the beginning of this review period, we opted to dive into the videos and see how it went. Like I eluded to above, the kids loved the videos and always stayed very engaged. My favorite has always been the Impressionist period so that's where we started and honestly I think I learned more (and cared more about what I learned) than I ever had before. My 8 year old son told me it made him really want to paint realistically when I asked him what he thought of HiGASFY. Since we didn't utilize the lesson plans or other materials much this time around, I do see how it would be fun to go through the videos again in a couple of years with the added activities and tests to increase knowledge and understanding. I can especially see adding in painting activities being really fun and useful.