Minneapolis was the first American city to adopt a citywide program for teaching visual literacy skills across
the curriculum, based on the assumption that to do so would develop creative and critical thinkers (Lacy, 1987). An 81-
page curriculum document written by Lyn Lacy was published and distributed throughout the city (Lacy, 1989). The
rationale stated in that document was not documented by research either, but its main points are of interest here. Regarding
the teaching of thinking, the Minneapolis guidelines say that visual literacy and thinking: