Combine Picture Study, Paragraph Writing and Saint Stories for St. Clement's Feast Day

November 23rd is the Optional Memorial of St. Clement 1, Pope and Martyr. It can also be a wonderful day for coming together as a family for art appreciation, writing, and saint stories.

We did just that last year.

St. Clement Picture Study and Art History /Appreciation

I gathered my children together and presented them with these two images:

 

I asked them to study the images for a full minute without speaking, and, then, hid the images and asked each to share some recalled details.

Then, I showed the images again and asked my children to notice any similarities and differences in them, which, of course, had them noting that the main figure in both paintings is similar.

This led to me explaining that both paintings were created by the same artist - Bernardino Fungai, an Italian painter.

I, then, asked my children if they could guess when the artist lived based on the style of the painting.

We noted that the painting had rather flat figures, lacked naturalistic depth and volume, but had some semblance of a realistic nature and a definite background (rather than, say, gold leaf).

With this in mind, we determined the paintings must have been done after the Medieval art period - when figures were painted quite flat and stiff without much background - and before or just entering into the Renaissance period, when human figures were painted with realism and backgrounds were highly detailed. Thus, the painting must be from the Gothic era, bordering on the Renaissance. (The painter lived 1460- c.1516.)

I, then, asked my children what purpose they thought they painter had had in creating the paintings.

We decided it was to tell a story.

I asked if anyone could think of another word for telling stories and we got to the word narrations.

Types of Paragraphs Mini-Lesson

I bridged to the idea that storytelling, or narration, is also done with writing, of course, and that one type of paragraph is a narrative paragraph - or one that tells about an event or series of events, usually in chronological order.

I, then, asked the children if they could recall the other three main types of paragraphs:

• descriptive - describes a person, an object, or a scene in detail, often using many sensory detail

• expository - often lists facts, gives directions, or explains ideas; sometimes defines terms, makes comparisons, and/or shows cause and effect and typically uses logical order

• persuasive - shares an opinion about a particular subject and tries to convince readers to agree with the opinions and to take action; often uses order of importance

We, then, discussed that just as painters rarely arbitrarily select the figures, colors, and more for their artwork, writers often select types of paragraphs with specific purposes in mind.

If writers seek to entertain readers or express themselves, they typically use narration or description.

If they seek to inform, they often use exposition - and sometimes narration.

If they wish to influence people, they use persuasion.

Thus, several paragraphs written about the same subject might be very different, depending on why a writer wrote them.

With this in mind, we chatted about other things we know about paragraphs, including going over the fact that we divide a larger body of writing into paragraphs to give a readers’ eyes a rest and to indicate switches to new main ideas.

We also talked about starting a new paragraph when:

• expressing a new or different main idea
• explaining another part of your subject or step in a process
• providing another kind of support for your opinion 
• changing the time or location
• changing speakers

Writing Challenge

All that discussed, I set a timer and challenged each of us to choose ONE type of paragraph and to write something inspired by the paintings in paragraph form.

After that, we shared our paragraph's and guessed what type of writing - narrative, descriptive, expository, or persuasive - each of us was going for. (We had all chosen narrative!)

I then revealed the names of the paintings: St. Clement Striking the Rock and Martyrdom of St. Clement and asked if anyone could recall anything about St. Clement.

St. Clement Study

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Our own stories shared, I then read the St. Clement story from Once Upon a Time Saints, which we chatted about briefly.

Finally, as a sort of invitation to creativity, I showed my children this St. Clement video from Youtube:

My hope was that the video might inspire my children to learning more about this saint and other saints through questioning and/or perhaps decide to make some videos/film shorts inspired by this one.

That did not happen that day, but the seeds were planted for another...

And the creative writing that came out of the day was entertaining enough to share - which I will do in a moment.

First, though, I would just like to say that the paintings, mini-lesson, writing, and reading became a worthwhile cross-ages, cross-curricula study, and I pray that by sharing about it here, you are inspired to enjoy art, writing, and the saints with your own children.

Stories to Share

In the first narrative piece, the writer married elements of Biblical writing with humor, with his own personal style, combining inspiration from both Fungai paintings - as well as from the characteristic style of Gothic paintings - into the story.

The Bishop hit a rock and said, "Let there be water." And water gushed from the rock. 
Now, there happened to be a dancing lamb on the rock, and he got swept away away into the ocean where he got hit by an anchor that the same bishop that hit the rock threw.  Yes, he can bilocate at any given time. Also, he can grow giant whenever he wants. Shrinking stuff for him is as easy as breathing for us mere humans.

The next story told took inspiration from the Martyrdom of St. Clement, and then began to use ideas from the other painting, Some paragraphs are move narrative and others more descriptive All work to tell a story with strong imagery, vivid verbs, and specific nouns.

It has been six weeks since we set anchor in this foreboding place. 

When we arrived, the land had seemed cheerful and welcoming because land does not roar and pitch poor vessels into the sky only to crash them back down with the snapping of timber. And land does not swallow ships whole in the belly of a wave. 

But, we soon learned and had its issues as well. 

Now, as we travel through this land, I long to hear the trickle of water in this desert.

The third story was only loosely inspired by the paintings, taking the figure in the armor-like head covering and the "gush" as inspiration for a dramatic, action-packed, and gruesome narrative.

The tall man wrenched his weapon from the dead guard and headbutted his next attacker.

Thane had seen enough. He threw himself at the scythe-wielding reaper of men, thrusting forward his spear. The pointed shaft penetrated the muscle of the man and pierced his heart, showering those nearby with blood as it skewered him.

Thane dropped his spear and drew his arming sword. Before him, northern raiders pillages the town, plundering its wealth, setting its building ablaze, and slaughtering or enslaving its people. 

A gaunt prisoner barely covered with threadbare strips of cloth, plodded away from the stone quarry. His throat ached with dryness.

As he paused his weary steps, closing his yes and drawing in a weak breath, heavenly vision of thirst-quenching water played in his mind's eye. 

Drip. Drip, Drop. The prisoner thought he could hear the soothing water in his imagination. Then, the gentle dropping sound turned to a full on splash that taunted him so strongly that his eyes flew open.

"What?" he croaked incredulously.

In front of him stood that crazy Clement who called himself and exiled Christian, and, in front of Clement stood an incredible flow of water - real, sweet water.

I hope you have enjoyed this look into our eclectic study of St. Clement and can enjoy your own inspired lessons with your children.

St. Clement, pray for us.