Grade 7s Discover the Fiddler on the Roof World through Art

It’s the musical inspired by Yiddish literature and whose title came from a painting by Marc Chagall. So it’s no wonder that TFS’ February 2010 production of Fiddler on the Roof presented the perfect cross-curricular learning opportunity for the Grade 7s at the Senior School.

In their art class, the students were each asked to create a large, multi-media poster for the musical, based on the style of Marc Chagall. In doing so, they acquired techniques in multi-media, such as collage, and gained knowledge of the art of Marc Chagall.

But along with their artistic endeavours, the students also learned about the story behind Fiddler on the Roof, the Tsarist Empire in Russia, and the history and plight of Russian Jews during that time.

Said Kathleen Hatchell, art teacher at the Senior School, “The students enjoyed the project because it gave them liberty, as Chagall’s style is very dreamy and at times abstract. They also have a deeper, richer experience when their knowledge of the subject is examined and well-understood. It gives their work that much more meaning and depth.”

After completion, the posters were judged by Brendan Lea, Arts Department Coordinator and teacher, Doug Doughty, drama teacher, and Julia Mensink, English teacher. The winning selection will be turned into the musical production’s official poster.