Fourth Grade
Worksheets
Writing on the Wall
Have you ever scribbled on a wall with colorful crayons? Most people experiment with wall art between the ages of two and five. Their parents usually don't like wall pictures as much as doodles on paper! Some people keep on scribbling when they grow up. Their work is called graffiti.
Graffiti appears on buildings, signs, or walls in public places. Today, graffiti is often done with spray paint. The word comes from an Italian word that means scratched. Graffiti includes pictures, words, or letters. Most people think that graffiti is vandalism because it is done without permission. However, some people think that graffiti is pretty. They call it art.
People have been making graffiti for centuries. In ancient Greece and Rome, people chiseled on monuments. In Pompeii, the eruption of a volcano preserved graffiti that included curses, magic spells, and political slogans on the walls. American pioneers on the Oregon Trail put their names on Signature Rock. Graffiti remains popular in the 21th century. It is a big part of the hip hop culture.
