Picture This Podcast: Joyce Wan - Teaching BIG Feelings with Minimalist Art
How do you convey huge emotions like love, comfort, and identity using the fewest words and simplest images?
Adam Lehrhaupt sits down with best-selling author and illustrator Joyce Wan (I Am a Cupcake, The Very Brave Bear) to explore the power of minimalism in engaging young readers and inspiring creative confidence in the classroom.
Joyce reveals her process for distilling universal feelings into powerful books and shares actionable tips for educators on how to turn simple shapes into profound assignments.
In this episode, you’ll discover:
- The powerful link between simple art and focus for toddlers.
- The "Shape & Feeling" exercise—a low-prep visual art prompt for K-3 students.
- Why creative constraints (like board book page limits) lead to better storytelling.
- The genius of open-ended assignments and the value of authentic student responses.
- Creative sparks: Why Studio Ghibli films and junk mail are great inspiration for writing and art.
- A fun writing exercise: Blackout Poetry to find new meaning in old text.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS & CLASSROOM ACTIVITY IDEAS
Timestamps for quick learning:
- 00:03:55 | Start with Feeling: The creative process of distilling universal emotions (Love, Comfort) into simple stories.
- 00:06:42 | NEW Activity: The "Shape & Expression" visual art prompt for K-3 students.
- 00:07:48 | Creativity Hack: Why limiting tools and adding constraints expands imagination.
- 00:11:04 | Teacher Tip: The power of open-ended assignments for authentic student responses.
- 00:14:53 | Writing Prompt: How to use Blackout Poetry to spark writing and critical thinking.
- 00:17:01 | Book Bag Pick: Why The Very Hungry Caterpillar is the perfect sensory board book.
- 00:19:50 | Creative Spark: Finding inspiration outside kidlit (like Studio Ghibli films!).
- 00:24:46 | Resource Bucket: Creating a Classroom Inspiration Box of patterns and objects.
- 00:29:32 | Freebies: Where to find Joyce Wan's FREE Educator Guides!
🔗 RESOURCES & GUEST LINKS
Connect with Joyce Wan and access amazing free resources:
- Joyce Wan's Official Website (FREE Educator Guides!): WanArt.com
- Follow Joyce on Social Media: @JoyceWanBooks
- Adam Lehrhaupt's Website (All Links & Activities): AdamL.Rocks
Don't forget to Like, Share, and Subscribe for more creative Picture Book secrets!
#JoyceWan #BoardBooks #ClassroomActivities #TeacherResources #SELactivities #BlackoutPoetry #AdamLehrhaupt #PictureBookLessons
Host
Adam Lehrhaupt
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.