<p>This lesson is used after students have finished reading William Shakespeare's "The Tempest."</p> <p>1. I print each of the paintings in this collection (most uploaded from The Folger Shakespeare Library's Digital Collection), and then post them across the board, around the room to create a "Gallery Walk" environment.</p> <p>2. I remind students, before they begin, that the keyword in this play is "art." Just as it is Prospero's "art" to control Ariel and Caliban through magic and bring his abusers to the island, so it is the dramatist's art to create an enchanted island on a simple wooden stage. I share with them that artists have been, in turn, then inspired by what has appeared on the stage during productions of "The Tempest," for centuries. The various works of art posted around them span from the 1700's through the 20th Century.</p> <p>3. Students are asked to walk through the gallery, and select one painting, one artistic interpretation of "The Tempest" that speaks to them, appeals to them, for any reason. Conversely, they should pick one they believe, for them personally, misses the mark as far as how they would interpret or envision this character, this scene, this play in general. They are to mark their names - - only their names - - on the board under the paintings.</p> <p>4. When finished, we have then have a discussion about their choices - it's quite free wheeling - - no wrong answers here - - wonderful sharing of ideas. Many of the ideas and conversations I subtly steer to reflect some of the questions they will address in the wrap up writing assignment that follows.</p> <p>5. When our conversations have finished, and after we've heard from everyone about their various interpretations, I give them the wrap up writing assignment. There are five individual response questions, with students being asked to write responses ranging anywhere from 175-200 words for each question. Three out of the five questions require them to return to this SAAM Learning Lab collection in order to write their responses, one other question is a classic literary analysis (thematic) question, while the last one is a historical context question. </p> <p>(I've attached the prompts as a resource.)</p> <p>Note: This assignment went over far better than I expected and I look forward to recreating it/adapting it for other units. </p>

<p>Images to use as a discussion launch before each selected poem, addressing elements related to the creation of mood, atmosphere, and sensory imagery (among other topics). #SAAMteach</p>

<p>Paintings used to launch 6th grade short story unit, "Sweet Music in Harlem," written by Debbie A. Taylor</p> <p>#SAAMteach</p>

<p>#SAAMteach</p>

<p>"European sailors told of being able to smell the pine forests of North America before they were within sight of land. Early explorers sometimes described possible settlements along the coast in tempting terms. Captain John Smith of Virginia made a whaling expedition to New England [which he is credited with naming] in 1614; he subsequently published a book describing the region's genial climate, fair coasts, and natural harbors...Immigrants endured hardships on their journeys and in their first years in America. Some portion of each new settlement perished from hunger, exposure, disease, or conflict, yet the stream of settlers kept coming. They crossed the Atlantic for many reasons: some for wealth, some to escape political or religious institutions they saw as oppressive or corrupt."</p> <p>However, some "early colonists came to the New World expecting to gain wealth through some combination of luck and hard work and return to their home cities or towns to enjoy their prosperity. The names of the places they settled - New Spain, New England, New York, Nova Scotia - and the nature of the portraits they commissioned tell us that they did not think of themselves as Americans, but as transplants."</p> <p>The artistic world and the literary world share much in common with respect to this approach. They were not writing "American literature" yet - - because in a sense such literature did not yet exist. Rather they were writing as transplanted Europeans, in a European voice and style. However, many American literature courses will begin with this period because in a sense, works such as John Smith's <em>Historie of Virginia</em> and William Bradford's <em>Of Plymouth Plantation</em> became our nation's first attempt at literature.</p> <p><em>* All quoted material from the <strong>Smithsonian American Art Museum's America's Art" #SAAMteach</strong></em></p>