Exploring Vincent Van Gogh’s The Harvest through Poetry

• Art
• 1-5 Grade

Exploring Vincent Van Gogh’s The Harvest through Poetry

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to write an eleven-word poem about Vincent Van Gogh's The Harvest.

Introduce the learning objective and explain that students will be exploring the painting through poetry. Provide a clear understanding of what students will be able to do by the end of the lesson.

What do you already know about Vincent Van Gogh's The Harvest?

The Harvest

Vincent Van Gogh's The Harvest is an oil painting created in 1888. It depicts a group of farmers harvesting wheat in a field.

Introduce students to the painting, providing details on the artist, the year, and the subject matter. Encourage students to observe the painting and take note of its colors, textures, and overall mood.

Poetry Techniques

Before we write our poems, let's take a look at some poetry techniques. Alliteration, metaphor, and personification can help bring our words to life.

Introduce students to some basic poetry techniques that they can use in their poems. Provide examples and encourage students to brainstorm their own ideas.

Eleven-Word Poem

An eleven-word poem is a short poem consisting of eleven words. It may not seem like a lot, but it can be challenging to convey a message in so few words.

Explain the format of the poem that students will be writing. Provide examples and discuss the challenge of conveying a message in such a short space.

Brainstorming

Let's brainstorm some words and phrases that come to mind when we look at The Harvest. Think about the colors, the textures, the mood, and the subject matter.

Encourage students to brainstorm ideas for their poem. Provide a list of prompts or questions to help guide their thinking.

Writing Time

Now it's time to write your poem! Remember to use the poetry techniques we discussed and try to convey a message in just eleven words.

Give students time to write their poems. Encourage them to share their ideas with a partner or small group for feedback.

Sharing

Who would like to share their poem? Let's hear what you came up with and discuss how you used the painting and poetry techniques to convey your message.

Give students the opportunity to share their poems with the class. Encourage discussion of the different techniques used and how they conveyed a message in just eleven words.

Reflection

Take a moment to reflect on what you learned today. What did you find challenging about writing an eleven-word poem? What did you enjoy about exploring The Harvest through poetry?

Encourage students to reflect on their learning and share their thoughts with a partner or small group. Ask for volunteers to share their reflections with the class.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.