Objectives:

• To introduce or to reinforce the concept of using the concrete to represent abstractions, or the idea that something is both itself and more than itself
• To recognize commonly found symbols of our Western culture in pictorial art of the
  Renaissance as the first step in recognizing those symbols in literature
• To analyze how the symbols create and add meaning to the art
• To synthesize the ideas developed from the analysis into a coherent reading of the art
• To evaluate how well the symbols work in creating and shaping the meaning

Procedures:

Note: this plan is necessarily open so that the individual teacher may adapt it to his or her particular age group and studies. Variations can be made at almost any juncture, for example how much of the list of symbols is given to the students, and what method is used to give them the list.

• Prepare a list of symbols to be used or emphasized. (See list of commonly found symbols appended at end of lesson and see the bibliography.)
• Collect the pictorial art. Art reproductions, post cards, slides, or overhead projections from textbook teacher manuals are all choices. (See Resource List)
• Present whatever lesson on definition and concept of symbols is needed by the age group.
• Have students identify symbols in selected art works of the Renaissance. This can be done in a large group setting with overheads or slides, or it can be done in small groups with prints or post cards. Groupings can all use the same picture or different ones. Themes can be used: for example, all groups have various examples of nativity scenes, or all the scenes can be of Mary and the Christ child, or all scenes can be of secular subjects.
• Students can identify the symbols and connect them with the "dictionary" or "word bank" of symbols and definitions provided by the instructor, or they can research for themselves for accepted meanings of symbols they have found. They may analyze how the symbols are used and go on to synthesize and evaluate, or the lesson can stop at this point, depending on the needs of the class.
• Connections to specific literature may be made at this time, or noted and used as the literature is studied later in class.