Jane K. Marshall
This unit is meant to facilitate an introduction to poetry through a comparative study of poetry and paintings. I feel that students react positively to paintings, and that this enthusiasm can be transferred to poetry. A comparative vocabulary has been developed. That is, students study mood, metaphor/symbol, pattern, in the context of both paintings and poetry. Analyses of specific works of art are included in the unit.
Lessons are sequential; a step by step technique is employed for student understanding of terms related to poetry and paintings. In addition, creative exercises are included. It is expected that students will overcome biases with regard to poetry through the above method. In addition, student understanding of terms should be such that, as a final step, the student becomes poet/artist. That is, students could use poetic/artistic devices for their own forms of expression, visual and written. These art forms would be the result of their intellectual and emotional involvement with ideas and discoveries associated with paintings and poetry.
(Recommended for 9th grade Advanced English I and 10th grade College English II.)
Key Words
Poetry Painting Art Reading
