Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) is different from an art curriculum. It is a facilitation method and professional development program* that fosters collaborative, inclusive, community-building dialogue. Students successfully learn high level academic vocabulary without worksheets, drills or word lists through VTS with an emphasis on oral language, answering questions as simple as "what is going on in this picture" and "what makes you think that."
http://vtshome.org*I am not a licensed trainer, simply an elementary teacher that has received PD and has been using VTS for over 4 years.