Finding Grammar in Works of Art- Summer Theme
This activity provides students with a creative extension for grammar review. When examining a piece of art, I challenge children to approach it as if they are reading the image. They can begin by skimming the illustration and then dig deeper, analyzing all the nooks and crannies.
Each task card contains an image, a caption identifying the artist, title, and creation date, and a series of directions pertaining to grammar. I’ve also included corresponding information cards for each painting that could be printed double-sided on the back of the task card. There are 14 works of art total including:
- William Merritt Chase, At the Seaside, 1892
- Vincent van Gogh, Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat, 1898
- Camille Pissarro, Two Young Peasant Women, 1891
- Vincent van Gogh, Wheat Field with Cypresses, 1889
- Georges Seurat, Gray Weather, 1886
- Genga, Magpie on Viburnum Branch, 16th Century
- Jean-François Millet, Garden Scene, 1854
- Auguste Renoir, Nini in the Garden, 1876
- Ike Taiga, Landscape in Summer, 18th Century
- Edouard Manet, The Monet Family in Their Garden at Argenteuil, 1874
- Albert Bierstadt, The Rocky Mountains, Lander's Peak, 1863
- Richard Parkes Bonington, Roadside Halt, 1826
- Edouard Manet, Boating, 1874
- Paul Cézanne, The Fishermen, 1875
In addition to the grammatical components, I have included “Art Appreciation and Analysis Prompts” that can be used alongside any of the images as an extension.
I recommend creating a “Grammar in Art” notebook that can be used to record the parts of speech and descriptive sentences for each piece of art. I have included independent images of each painting that could be cut out and pasted into the student’s notebook. On pages 16-19 I’ve also included models using the Montessori Parts of Speech symbols to help guide sentence construction. If you are looking for a review of the Parts of Speech, download a free copy of my Grammar Symbol Series explanation packet.
All images are categorized as Public Domain through the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The National Gallery of Art, and the Smithsonian Museums.