Life and Death- Drawing With Symbolism

Do you want your students to have an understanding of how to create symbols/ symbolism in a picture? Take a look at this lesson.

This is a lesson that will  get kids  thinking about symbols of 'life and death'.

First, the kids will draw the back of a truck cab- tires, mud flaps, license plate, latches, doors etc. 

Then they need to think of an idea they can represent as something that has life or positivity. Next they need to think how they can represent the same idea as death or negativity. 

On the left side of the cab they put the 'life' symbol. On the right side they put the 'death' symbol.

Here's an example of what I mean. The picture below is a work in progress, not finished yet.  But you'll get the idea of the symbolic 'life and death' ideas the kids can come up with.

It shows a pencil drawing and a pencil erasing. You also get to see all the details of the truck cab.

A Work In Progress

Here are some samples of finished projects. With various interpretations of symbols of 'life and death'.

Finished Projects

A pig and bacon

 A Romeo and Juliette themed idea

A boy and a tree struck by lightening

A growing tree  and a tree hit by lightening

You can see there are so many ways for the kids to show their individuality in these pictures.

Let me know what you think about this lesson on 'Life and Death'. Would it work in your classroom?