Classroom Resource

Analyzing Symbolism, Plot, and Theme in Death and the Miser

Subject Area

English Language Arts
Arts Education

Grade(s)

9, 10, 11, 12

Overview

In this lesson, students apply analytical skills to an exploration of the early Renaissance painting Death and the Miser by Hieronymous Bosch. Students sketch and label the painting, use an interactive tool to explore its elements, apply literary analysis tools to their interpretation, predict the painting's plot, and conclude the unit by creating a project that identifies and explains their interpretation of the painting.

English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 9

ELA21.9.4

Analyze how authors use characterization, connotation, denotation, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view to create and convey meaning in a variety of texts.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.9.4

Vocabulary

  • Characterization
  • Connotation
  • Denotation
  • Figurative language
  • Literary elements
  • Point of view

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Authors choose to write from a particular point of view and use specific literary elements and vocabulary words to convey their intended meaning.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify characterization, connotation, denotation, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view in a variety of texts.
  • Analyze how characterization, connotation, denotation, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view creates and conveys meaning in a variety of texts.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Authors select particular literary elements and devices to create and convey meaning within their written work.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 10

ELA21.10.R3

Utilize active listening skills in formal and informal conversations, following predetermined norms.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.10.R3

Vocabulary

  • Active listening
  • Formal conversations
  • Informal conversations
  • Predetermined norms

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Active listening skills.
  • Strategies to identify formal and informal settings.
  • Engage in formal and informal conversations.
  • Predetermined norms for formal and informal discussions.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Demonstrate active listening skills during formal and informal discussions.
  • Practice predetermined norms for formal and informal discussions.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Conversations and discussions follow predetermined norms which help us actively listen and gain understanding.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 10

ELA21.10.R5

Utilize a writing process which includes planning, revising, editing/peer-editing, and rewriting to create a focused, organized, and coherent piece of writing for a specific purpose and audience.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.10.R5

Vocabulary

  • Writing process
  • Plan
  • Revise
  • Edit
  • Peer-edit
  • Rewrite
  • Focused
  • Organized
  • Coherent
  • Purpose
  • Audience

Knowledge

Students know:
  • The writing process steps are to plan, revise, edit, and rewrite.
  • Editing can be completed by the writer or by a peer.
  • Peer-editing skills.
  • Completed writing projects should be focused, organized, and coherent, and written for a specific purpose and intended audience.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Plan, revise, edit, and rewrite to create a focused, organized, and coherent piece of writing.
  • Compose a writing piece for a specific purpose and intended audience.
  • Engage in the peer-editing process.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Writing is a process that requires multiple drafts, edits, and versions.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 10

ELA21.10.4

Interpret an author’s use of characterization, connotation, denotation, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view to create and convey meaning in a variety of texts.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.10.4

Vocabulary

  • Characterization
  • Connotation
  • Denotation
  • Figurative language
  • Literary elements
  • Point of view

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Authors choose to write from a particular point of view and use specific literary elements and vocabulary words to convey their intended meaning.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify characterization, connotation, denotation, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view in a variety of texts.
  • Interpret how characterization, connotation, denotation, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view creates and conveys meaning in a variety of texts.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Authors select particular literary elements and devices to create and convey meaning within their written work.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 11

ELA21.11.R3

Utilize active listening skills in formal and informal conversations, following predetermined norms.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.11.R3

Vocabulary

  • Active listening
  • Formal conversations
  • Informal conversations
  • Predetermined norms

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Active listening skills.
  • Strategies to identify formal and informal settings.
  • Engage in formal and informal conversations.
  • Predetermined norms for formal and informal discussions.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Demonstrate active listening skills during formal and informal discussions.
  • Practice predetermined norms for formal and informal discussions.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Conversations and discussions follow predetermined norms which help us actively listen and gain understanding.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 11

ELA21.11.R5

Utilize a writing process which includes planning, revising, editing/peer-editing, and rewriting to create a focused, organized, and coherent piece of writing for a specific purpose and audience.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.11.R5

Vocabulary

  • Writing process
  • Plan
  • Revise
  • Edit
  • Peer-edit
  • Rewrite
  • Focused
  • Organized
  • Coherent
  • Purpose
  • Audience

Knowledge

Students know:
  • The writing process steps are to plan, revise, edit, and rewrite.
  • Editing can be completed by the writer or by a peer.
  • Peer-editing skills.
  • Completed writing projects should be focused, organized, and coherent, and written for a specific purpose and intended audience.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Plan, revise, edit, and rewrite to create a focused, organized, and coherent piece of writing.
  • Compose a writing piece for a specific purpose and intended audience.
  • Engage in the peer-editing process.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Writing is a process that requires multiple drafts, edits, and versions.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 11

ELA21.11.4

Analyze how an author uses characterization, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view to create and convey meaning.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.11.4

Vocabulary

  • Analyze
  • Characterization
  • Figurative language
  • Literary elements
  • Point of view
  • Create
  • Convey

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Authors choose to write from a particular point of view and use specific literary elements and vocabulary words to convey their intended meaning.
  • Methods to analyze characterization, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify characterization, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view in a variety of texts.
  • Analyze how characterization, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view creates and conveys meaning in a variety of texts.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Authors select particular literary elements and devices to create and convey meaning within their written work.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 12

ELA21.12.R3

Utilize active listening skills in formal and informal conversations, following predetermined norms.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.12.R3

Vocabulary

  • Active listening
  • Formal conversations
  • Informal conversations
  • Predetermined norms

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Active listening skills.
  • Strategies to identify formal and informal settings.
  • Engage in formal and informal conversations.
  • Predetermined norms for formal and informal discussions.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Demonstrate active listening skills during formal and informal discussions.
  • Practice predetermined norms for formal and informal discussions.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Conversations and discussions follow predetermined norms which help us actively listen and gain understanding.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 12

ELA21.12.R5

Utilize a writing process which includes planning, revising, editing/peer-editing, and rewriting to create a focused, organized, and coherent piece of writing for a specific purpose and audience.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.12.R5

Vocabulary

  • Writing process
  • Plan
  • Revise
  • Edit
  • Peer-edit
  • Rewrite
  • Focused
  • Organized
  • Coherent
  • Purpose
  • Audience

Knowledge

Students know:
  • The writing process steps are to plan, revise, edit, and rewrite.
  • Editing can be completed by the writer or by a peer.
  • Peer-editing skills.
  • Completed writing projects should be focused, organized, and coherent, and written for a specific purpose and intended audience.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Plan, revise, edit, and rewrite to create a focused, organized, and coherent piece of writing.
  • Compose a writing piece for a specific purpose and intended audience.
  • Engage in the peer-editing process.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Writing is a process that requires multiple drafts, edits, and versions.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 12

ELA21.12.4

Evaluate an author’s use of characterization, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view to create and convey meaning.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.12.4

Vocabulary

  • Evaluate
  • Characterization
  • Figurative language
  • Literary elements
  • Point of view
  • Create
  • Convey

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Authors choose to write from a particular point of view and use specific literary elements and vocabulary words to convey their intended meaning.
  • Methods to evaluate characterization, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify characterization, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view in a variety of texts.
  • Evaluate how characterization, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view creates and conveys meaning in a variety of texts.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Authors select particular literary elements and devices to create and convey meaning within their written work.
Arts Education (2017) Grade(s): 09-12 - Visual Arts

AE17.VA.N.12

Describe the effectiveness of expressive and meaningful communication in selected works of art.

Unpacked Content

UP:AE17.VA.N.12

Vocabulary

  • Artistic processes
  • Traditional Media
  • Contemporary Media
  • Craftsmanship
  • Experimentation
  • Aesthetics
  • Perception
  • Scale
  • Proportion
  • Develop artistic ideas and work
  • Build upon prior knowledge
  • Explore creative art-making goals
  • Communicate ideas
  • Artists create works of art that implement the art elements and principles of design - regardless if the artwork is traditional or contemporary.
  • Artists employ technical skills and craftsmanship when creating works of art.
  • Artists act responsibly when handling of tools and materials, following safety guidelines and are conscious of the environment which they work.
  • Artists reflect and revise upon their artwork throughout the creative process.
  • Develop excellence through practice and constructive critique.

Essential Questions

EU: People gain insights into meanings of artworks by engaging in the process of art criticism.
EQ: What is the value of engaging in the process of art criticism? How can the viewer "read" a work of art as text? How does knowing and using visual arts vocabularies help us understand and interpret works of art?

Skills Examples

  • Research and present the ways that characteristic attributes of visual arts (choices, steps, processes, and perseverance) can be connected to other academic subjects.
  • Show how the creative process applies to all subjects, careers, and technical education, through increasing imagination and innovation.
  • Produce and analyze an arts presentation that integrates other content areas.
  • Analyze how the visual arts influence creative, critical thinkers and problem solvers.
  • Explain how art impacts and reflects choices in society, such as choices involving environmental issues, family, school, community, businesses and consumers, advertisers, and cultural issues.
  • Compare specific attributes of artworks from different cultures, places, or times; then, evaluate how the artworks (or particular attributes) have shaped or influenced specific people, cultures, historical periods, or events.
  • Apply an understanding of the concepts, elements, and vocabulary of visual arts and the principles of design when analyzing and interpreting artworks.
  • Demonstrate a responding process by forming significant criteria (with particular attention to applying and justifying aesthetic criteria) when evaluating and interpreting visual artworks.

Anchor Standards

Anchor Standard 8: Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 9

ELA21.9.9

Compose both short and extended narrative, informative/explanatory, and argumentative writings that are clear and coherent, use an appropriate command of language, and demonstrate development, organization, style, and tone that are relevant to task, purpose, and audience.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.9.9

Vocabulary

  • Short writings
  • Extended writings
  • Narrative writing
  • Argumentative writing
  • Informative/explanatory writing
  • Writing development
  • Writing organization
  • Style
  • Tone
  • Task
  • Purpose
  • Audience
  • Command of language

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Writing pieces can be short, such as a paragraph, or extended, such as constructed responses and essays.
  • A narrative is a piece of writing that tells a story.
  • The purpose of argumentative writing is to convince the reader to take action or adopt a particular position.
  • Informative or explanatory text is a piece of writing that provides factual information that was gathered from multiple research sources.
  • The development, organization, style, and tone of writing will change depending on the writing task, the purpose of the writing, and the intended audience.
  • Formal academic writing should demonstrate an appropriate command of language.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Compose short and extended clear, coherent narrative, argument, and informative/explanatory writings.
  • Identify the writing task, the purpose of writing, and the intended audience in order to appropriately adapt the development, organization, style, and tone of the writing.
  • Demonstrate command of the written language.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • There are different genres of writing that serve various purposes.
  • The writing task, purpose, and audience should be considered in the development, organization, style, and tone of the writing.
  • Formal academic writing should display their command of the English language.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 10

ELA21.10.9

Compose both short and extended narrative, informative/explanatory, and argumentative writings that are clear and coherent, use an appropriate command of language, and demonstrate development, organization, style, and tone that are relevant to task, purpose, and audience.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.10.9

Vocabulary

  • Short writings
  • Extended writings
  • Narrative writing
  • Argumentative writing
  • Informative/explanatory writing
  • Writing development
  • Writing organization
  • Style
  • Tone
  • Task
  • Purpose
  • Audience
  • Command of language

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Writing pieces can be short, such as a paragraph, or extended, such as constructed responses and essays.
  • A narrative is a piece of writing that tells a story.
  • The purpose of argumentative writing is to convince the reader to take action or adopt a particular position.
  • Informative or explanatory text is a piece of writing that provides factual information that was gathered from multiple research sources.
  • The development, organization, style, and tone of writing will change depending on the writing task, the purpose of the writing, and the intended audience.
  • Formal academic writing should demonstrate an appropriate command of language.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Compose short and extended clear, coherent narrative, argument, and informative/explanatory writings.
  • Identify the writing task, the purpose of writing, and the intended audience in order to appropriately adapt the development, organization, style, and tone of the writing.
  • Demonstrate command of the written language.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • There are different genres of writing that serve various purposes.
  • The writing task, purpose, and audience should be considered in the development, organization, style, and tone of the writing.
  • Formal academic writing should display their command of the English language.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 11

ELA21.11.11

Compose and edit both short and extended products in which the development and organization are relevant and suitable to task, purpose, and audience, using an appropriate command of language.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.11.11

Vocabulary

  • Compose
  • Edit
  • Short products
  • Extended products
  • Writing development
  • Writing organization
  • Task
  • Purpose
  • Audience
  • Command of language

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Writing products can be short, such as a paragraph, or extended, such as constructed responses and essays.
  • The skills required by the writing process.
  • The development and organization of writing will change depending on the writing task, the purpose of the writing, and the intended audience.
  • Formal academic writing should demonstrate an appropriate command of language.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Compose short and extended writing products.
  • Identify the writing task, the purpose of writing, and the intended audience in order to appropriately adapt the development and organization of the writing.
  • Demonstrate command of the written language.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • There are different genres of writing that serve various purposes.
  • The writing task, purpose, and audience should be considered in the development and organization of the writing.
  • Formal academic writing should display their command of the English language.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 12

ELA21.12.11

Compose, edit, and revise both short and extended products in which the development, organization, and style are relevant and suitable to task, purpose, and audience, using an appropriate command of language.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.12.11

Vocabulary

  • Compose
  • Edit
  • Revise
  • Short products
  • Extended products
  • Writing development
  • Writing organization
  • Writing style
  • Task
  • Purpose
  • Audience
  • Command of language

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Writing products can be short, such as a paragraph, or extended, such as constructed responses and essays.
  • The skills required by the writing process.
  • The development, organization, and style of writing will change depending on the writing task, the purpose of the writing, and the intended audience.
  • Formal academic writing should demonstrate an appropriate command of language.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Compose, edit, and revise short and extended writing products.
  • Identify the writing task, the purpose of writing, and the intended audience in order to appropriately adapt the development, organization, and style of the writing.
  • Demonstrate command of the written language.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • There are different genres of writing that serve various purposes.
  • The writing process is a series of steps that improve writing over time.
  • The writing task, purpose, and audience should be considered in the development, organization, and style of the writing.
  • Formal academic writing should display their command of the English language.
Link to Resource
http://readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/analyzing-symbolism-…

CR Resource Type

Lesson/Unit Plan

Resource Provider

ReadWriteThink
Accessibility
License

License Type

Custom

Custom License Type (URL)

http://www.readwritethink.org/util/legal.html

Comments or Notes

ReadWriteThink is a free resource with links to additional interactives, videos, and printables.

Approved Date

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