I appreciate even more when a desire to live the liturgical year dovetails with our AMP plans. That is exactly what happened this week as we prepare for to enter into Lent.
If you'd like some ideas for sharing art, music, and poetry as you enter into Lent as well, perhaps the resources and ideas we used can help you.
Study The Fight Between Carnival and Lent
Begin by saying that you will be focusing on an artwork painted of a Dutch town. Ask if anyone knows where "Dutch" people and things come from ( the Netherlands). Then, find the Netherlands on a map or globe.
Invite children to share what they think they might see in a Dutch artwork. Then, without giving its title, study an image of Pieter Brueghel the Elder's The Fight Between Carnival and Lent from 1559 by having everyone examine it in silence for 30-60 seconds, looking at its details.
After 30-60 seconds have passed, remove the image and ask each child to narrate some of the details that they noticed.
Reveal the painting again, and ask if anyone has any idea what time period it comes from based on its characteristics.
Discuss the children's ideas, bearing in mind that the painting is from the Renaissance and some common characteristics of Renaissance art are:
After chatting about the The Fight Between Carnival and Lent as an example of Renaissance art, suggest that everyone look at it closely once again, noticing more details and guessing at what the artwork's title might be. While doing so, as music appreciation, listen to a period composition or two.
One way to do this is with the following Youtube video. (Just preset the video to begin after the portion with the title showing so that you don't spoil the fun of having children come up with their own names for the painting.)
If using the Youtube video above, note that the music in it is composed by two composers, the first of which was a Dutch composer who was known for his church music and composed many Masses.
After the video concludes, chat about new details children noticed within the painting and what they thought of the music.
Ask if anyone might offer an idea for what the painting could be titled, then reveal it's true title and chat about Lent and Carnival / Shrove Tuesday / Fat Tuesday / Pancake Tuesday.
Watch the following Youtube video or look at the painting once more while reading this reflection from Loyola Press.
Pause for a moment to ask students to look inward and ask themselves what keeps them from following God? Invite them to think about this as they enter into Lent.
Ask what the children know about Lent and how we observe Lent. Chat about ideas and, at some point, talk about the idea that a symbol often used in Lent is fish.
Chat about why we might be see the symbol of fish during Lent and at other times of the year. Children might point out that a fish is a symbol of Christ or that there are fish drawn on calendars to remind us to abstain. Let the conversation flow with their ideas.
Then, tell children that you will read some letter poems from a human to a fish and a fish to human which have little to do with Lent, but are interesting and fun poems.
Present "To a Fish" and "A Fish Answers" by Leigh Hunt.
Discuss any reactions the children have to each poem.
Wonder aloud about such things as:
With older children, wonder how people may have looked upon Jesus during the time he was traveling and teaching and how he looked upon them... how each person at the for of the cross might have looked at Jesus and how he looked at them... how we look to God and how He looks upon us...
If pairing your study of the painting and the poems as you think about Lent has made any connections for you, share them with the children.
Invite children to write their own perspective letter poems later about an animal, a symbol of Lent, Jesus' ministry and passion, etc.
Invite them to research more later about the Catholic rules of abstinence and why we can eat fish and reptiles during Lent, but not red meat or poultry.
If it did not come up during conversation, invite children to look into why a fish is a symbol for Christ later. You might even point them to ideas from Catholic.com:
Finally create artwork of fish.
Like our AMP club did you might use a Creating a Masterpiece beginner drawing fish cartoon project. Or, you might choose an appropriate video from Youtube at the level of your children or simply create original artwork.
If, like us, you choose a happy-looking cartoon fish, ask children why we might have created such silly, smiling fish when discussing such a solemn time as Lent.
Tie into the idea that while we fast and sacrifice during Lent, we do so with a heart for Jesus. We do not moan, complain, and look glum. Rather, we sacrifice with inner joy and peace. Our fish artworks can remind us of this.
Finally, ask children to reflect on how we might wean ourselves from sin and selfishness throughout Lent through prayer, fasting, almsgiving... how we might better discern and live God's will for our lives... and how we might make His kingdom come first in our hearts.
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| Source: Wikipedia |
Invite children to share what they think they might see in a Dutch artwork. Then, without giving its title, study an image of Pieter Brueghel the Elder's The Fight Between Carnival and Lent from 1559 by having everyone examine it in silence for 30-60 seconds, looking at its details.
After 30-60 seconds have passed, remove the image and ask each child to narrate some of the details that they noticed.
Reveal the painting again, and ask if anyone has any idea what time period it comes from based on its characteristics.
Discuss the children's ideas, bearing in mind that the painting is from the Renaissance and some common characteristics of Renaissance art are:
- individualism: Artworks often highlighted individual people or the individuality in people.
- secularism - There were fewer church paintings.
- classicism - Some artworks showed classic Roman and Greek influence.
- nature - Artworks often depicted the outdoors.
- anatomy - Art focused on defined and precise human anatomy.
- linear perspective - Art showed an appearance of things relative to one another as determined by their distance from the viewer
- realism - Artistic representation aimed for visual accuracy.
- depth - Light and shading were used to create a sense of depth.
- symmetry - Balanced proportions were often included.
Include Some Music Appreciation
After chatting about the The Fight Between Carnival and Lent as an example of Renaissance art, suggest that everyone look at it closely once again, noticing more details and guessing at what the artwork's title might be. While doing so, as music appreciation, listen to a period composition or two.
One way to do this is with the following Youtube video. (Just preset the video to begin after the portion with the title showing so that you don't spoil the fun of having children come up with their own names for the painting.)
If using the Youtube video above, note that the music in it is composed by two composers, the first of which was a Dutch composer who was known for his church music and composed many Masses.
After the video concludes, chat about new details children noticed within the painting and what they thought of the music.
Connect to Faith
Ask if anyone might offer an idea for what the painting could be titled, then reveal it's true title and chat about Lent and Carnival / Shrove Tuesday / Fat Tuesday / Pancake Tuesday.
Watch the following Youtube video or look at the painting once more while reading this reflection from Loyola Press.
Pause for a moment to ask students to look inward and ask themselves what keeps them from following God? Invite them to think about this as they enter into Lent.
Transition to Poetry with the Symbol of Fish
Ask what the children know about Lent and how we observe Lent. Chat about ideas and, at some point, talk about the idea that a symbol often used in Lent is fish.
Chat about why we might be see the symbol of fish during Lent and at other times of the year. Children might point out that a fish is a symbol of Christ or that there are fish drawn on calendars to remind us to abstain. Let the conversation flow with their ideas.
Then, tell children that you will read some letter poems from a human to a fish and a fish to human which have little to do with Lent, but are interesting and fun poems.
Present "To a Fish" and "A Fish Answers" by Leigh Hunt.
Discuss any reactions the children have to each poem.
Wonder and Invite.
Wonder aloud about such things as:
- How does the human feel about the fish?
- How does the fish feel about the human?
- What makes each poem a poem and not just a letter?
- What poetic devices did you notice?
- What imagery stood out to you?
- What was humorous?
- What did you like about each poem?
- What do these poems speak to you about or make you think about?
- What emotion do these poems show?
With older children, wonder how people may have looked upon Jesus during the time he was traveling and teaching and how he looked upon them... how each person at the for of the cross might have looked at Jesus and how he looked at them... how we look to God and how He looks upon us...
If pairing your study of the painting and the poems as you think about Lent has made any connections for you, share them with the children.
Invite children to write their own perspective letter poems later about an animal, a symbol of Lent, Jesus' ministry and passion, etc.
Invite them to research more later about the Catholic rules of abstinence and why we can eat fish and reptiles during Lent, but not red meat or poultry.
If it did not come up during conversation, invite children to look into why a fish is a symbol for Christ later. You might even point them to ideas from Catholic.com:
"What did the fish represent? Above all, it was Jesus Christ. The dominant language of the early Church was Greek, and in Greek the phrase “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior” produced the acronym ICHTHYS, the Greek word for fish. A Christian poem of the second century spells the word with the first letters of each line. Thus, the fish is a simple creed: It professes belief in Jesus’ divinity and his identity as the Christ, the anointed Savior (see Matt. 16:16)."
Create Fish Artworks
Finally create artwork of fish.
Like our AMP club did you might use a Creating a Masterpiece beginner drawing fish cartoon project. Or, you might choose an appropriate video from Youtube at the level of your children or simply create original artwork.
If, like us, you choose a happy-looking cartoon fish, ask children why we might have created such silly, smiling fish when discussing such a solemn time as Lent.
Tie into the idea that while we fast and sacrifice during Lent, we do so with a heart for Jesus. We do not moan, complain, and look glum. Rather, we sacrifice with inner joy and peace. Our fish artworks can remind us of this.
Finally, ask children to reflect on how we might wean ourselves from sin and selfishness throughout Lent through prayer, fasting, almsgiving... how we might better discern and live God's will for our lives... and how we might make His kingdom come first in our hearts.
I pray these ideas might help you and yours enjoy art, music, and poetry as you prepare and enter into a fruitful Lenten season.
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