Writer's Eye in Grade 5
Sitting in Ms. Harper's 5th grade English, the class gazed ahead at, for many, a very familiar work of art, Van Gogh's Starry Night. The way in which the class was being coached to apprehend that piece, however, felt refreshingly novel. After a short conversation covering some of the customary background that one might read or hear at a museum--biographical highlights, the historical context, etc., Ms. Harper challenged this classroom of developing aesthetes to engage with the work in a deeper way:
"As you look at this painting, I want you now to write a description of what you think this painting means, or what it seems to be conveying.....How would you describe the mood? As you ponder and write, try to consider how some of your vocabulary, metaphors, and similes might enhance your description."
The 5th graders' descriptions and insights were almost as breathtaking as the painting itself. The words they used to capture the mood ranged from melancholy to vibrant; from wistful to dynamic. One interpreted the stars as a representation of friendship, the brightest ones radiating love. Another saw an ocean represented in the sky, and an invitation to dive into the comforting twinkling water in moments of solitude.
The class culminated with an attempt to create a single ekphrastic poem (a vivid description of a scene or work of art) collaboratively. We invite you to a good look at the painting yourself, and then read this class' final, collective lyric as you do.
Wistful,
Reaching up for something
through the crack that is opening, through the fire
that fans
the ocean above, and the one below
I want to dive into that cold water
and travel with the waterfall, down
to the placid cottages
That swirling brightness -
it is the strength
of the bonds between us all
The brightest star at the center
mysterious, fluid,
ever-changing.
Thank you, Ms. Harper, for bringing to life the magical potential of The Writer's Eye approach to art interpretation!
