Albert Bierstadt
Royal Arches, Yosemite Valley, California, 1872

Dream On!

Language Arts Lesson

Describe and interpret Bierstadt’s Royal Arches, Yosemite Valley, California, and discuss how the painting could be seen as a utopia.
Use reading and discussion of several different picture and literature books to understand what a utopia is, the different kinds of utopias people have invented, and to form their own ideas for a utopia.
Work in small groups to use adjectives and create descriptive word lists about nature inspired by books and Royal Arches.
Plan and write a short essay that describes the utopia they invented.

Begin by displaying the poster of Bierstadt’s Royal Arches, Yosemite Valley, California. Ask students to look carefully, then to describe what they see: the mountains, river, trees, and sky. Have students imagine they are in this space, what would it feel like to be here? After students have discussed the painting, give them some background information about the painting.
- Bierstadt traveled across the American continent in the late 1800s with expeditions sponsored by the U.S. government before much of this area was settled. On these expeditions, Bierstadt made numerous oil sketches, like Royal Arches, that he would use as inspiration for the large landscape paintings he made back home in New York City. These paintings were of great interest and were very popular with people in the east who had only heard tales of the western landscape. Americans in the 19th century took great pride in the land and natural wonder of their new nation. The vast American wilderness seen in Bierstadt’s painting symbolized the ideals of democracy as well as the optimism and potential of the nation. For many people, the unsettled land of the west represented a utopia where everyone had the opportunity to succeed.

Next, have students think about how Bierstadt portrayed the land. While Royal Arches is a realistic view of Yosemite Valley, do you think Bierstadt made any changes between what he saw and what he painted? Discuss the ways that artists idealize their subject matter by combining, adding, or leaving out features of a landscape scene. Every artist makes decisions about what to put into or leave out of a work of art. What things do you think Bierstadt might have left out of this scene? How did he make this scene look better than it did in real life?
Have students discuss this landscape in terms of a utopia. Explain to them that a utopia is a perfect place. Discuss Ken Keyes, Jr.’s quote, “You should always be aware that your head creates your world.” Ask students to think about Royal Arches as a utopia:
- Do you think Bierstadt viewed this landscape as a perfect place? Why or why not?
- Are there any features or qualities that make this look like a perfect place?
- Do you consider this place to be a perfect place? Why or why not?
- Can you name some books, movies, or real places that portray a utopia?

To gain a greater understanding of the concept of utopias, have students read picture books that portray utopias. Some suggestions include Hey, Al by Arthur Yorinks and Richard Egielski; Weslandia by Paul Fleishman and Kevin Hawkes; Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie; and Roxaboxen by Alice McLerren and Barbara Cooney.
When the students have finished reading, discuss these books as a whole class. Create charts that describe the books and the different characteristics of the various utopias. Students can compare utopias in the books to each other and to Royal Arches.
Another reading activity includes reading Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson to the class as a long-term read aloud.
Also, literature study books like Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt; Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson and Donna Diamond; and Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren can continue the utopia theme in other student reading assignments.

Read Weslandia as a class, then divide the class into small groups and ask them to carefully study the book. What are the ways that Wesley developed his own utopia?
Have the groups complete the Weslandia Worksheet to guide their explorations of Wesley’s utopia.
Once they have completed the worksheet, ask students to think about how they worked in their groups by completing the Self-assessment of group work.

Thomas Locker books combine art, science, and descriptive writing and are useful for teaching adjectives, which will help students with their utopia essays. Read Locker books, including Cloud Dance, Mountain Dance, Water Dance, and Where the River Begins (students will also enjoy Locker’s biography, The Man who Paints Nature).
Have students compare and contrast the illustrations in these books to Royal Arches. How are they similar and different?
As a class, create a list of adjectives that Locker uses in his books to describe the natural elements.
Focusing on Cloud Dance, have students write short descriptive sentences about clouds.
Finally, have students work in small groups using Locker’s books to find and write adjectives that describe mountains, gorges, waterfalls, trees, boulders, and dawn.

Students should now have the tools to plan and write their utopia essays. Use the Utopia Planning Worksheet to have students first write and/or sketch their ideas. Students should take these sheets to the art classroom so that they can refer to it while sketching and painting their utopia landscapes.

Once students have a good outline of the characteristics of their utopias, work with the whole class on developing the criteria for their utopia essay. What should be required for the content and the mechanics of writing? Turn that list of criteria into the rubric for self-assessment, peer assessment, and teacher assessment of the essay.
After students complete their short essays that describe their utopias, have them use the rubric to self assess and peer assess the essays. Students can color code certain criteria and use markers to highlight where they find those criteria in the essay.
An optional conclusion to the lesson is to have students create covers for their essays by making drawings of their utopias that reflect the paintings they made in the art classroom.

Hey, Al by Arthur Yorinks, illustrated by Richard Egielski. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1989.
Weslandia by Paul Fleishman, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes. Candlewick Press, 2002.
Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, illustrated by Greg Call. Disney Editions, 2006.
Roxaboxen by Alice McLerren, illustrated by Barbara Cooney. HarperTrophy, 2004.
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1985.
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson, illustrated by Donna Diamond. Harper Collins Publisher, Scholastic edition, 1996.
Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren. Scholastic Inc., 1950.
Books by Thomas Locker, including Cloud Dance, Mountain Dance, Water Dance, and Where the River Begins.
The Man who Paints Nature by Thomas Locker (a biography). Richard C. Owen Publishers, 1999.