Drawing inspiration from Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree, students transform a painted cube into a meaningful gift through reflective writing.

David Anderson

The lesson begins with students drawing a cube using two-point perspective on a 12 × 18" (30 × 46 cm) sheet of watercolor paper. To create a cube that occupies most of the composition, the two points of perspective need to go beyond the borders of the paper. To achieve this, I have students tape their work to larger butcher paper covering the table so that they can draw the points of perspective beyond the 12 × 18" sheet of paper and onto the butcher paper.

When the drawing of the cube is complete, students spend two class periods becoming familiar with paint by creating a traditional color value scale using one color and black or white paint to create shades and tints. Students apply this information to their three-sided, monochromatic cube drawing, which includes a cast shadow, table surface, and background. In all, students used six color values to create their painting.

As the painting progresses over several classes, I begin to make connections to the cube as a gift or a present by posing a series of questions:

• What are some favorite gifts you have received for birthdays or holidays?
• What are some gifts you have given to others?

We then move away from material possessions, and I ask questions that require thought and consideration:

• Why do you give?
• Do you expect something in return?
• What are some intangible gifts?

These questions become more complex and dynamic when applied to Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree. Students watch a 1973 animated video of the author reading the story and then share their interpretations of the story. While some students know the story from their younger years, it can have different meanings at different ages. Plus, hearing the story from the author in an animated medium provides fresh perspectives.

Students relate to the story differently, and it is exciting to facilitate the conversations. One student made the observation, “The boy never said thank you to the tree.” Another responded, “The tree was happy just to give something away, and what’s wrong with that?”

At this point, I give students a choice between two writing exercises:

• Write a note of love and appreciation to someone you care about.
• Using Silverstein’s The Giving Tree as a reference, write a note from the tree’s perspective to the old man or from the old man to the tree.

There are students who find comfort in writing a note from the perspective of the tree or the old man; it’s a safe path where little personal information is shared. Most students, however, choose to write affectionate notes to family members. One student wrote a loving note of appreciation for his older brother in the eighth grade, which was particularly touching given that his brother saw the work when it was displayed.

I ask students to think about how components of their writing (words or phrases) can be incorporated into their painting. A few have reservations about “messing up” what they consider a successful painting; others see adding text as an opportunity to clean up parts of their paintings that they are unhappy with. I ask them to consider options like font style, text size, color, and how they might harmonize with the design of the painting. Students enjoy the challenge of finding unique ways to make their text complement their paintings. Some students take a photo of their work with an iPad and use the markup tool to plan where the words might go.

The inclusion of text allows the cube paintings to express the personality of the students. One student incorporated the recipe for his favorite meal, prepared by his father, into his painting. Another chose to include text from a note that he wrote to himself offering advice. He included the words “Help,” “Mistake,” and “Talk” in his painting, which were reminders to reach out to ask for help when needed.

In my experience, middle school is when students lose sight of their ability to communicate compassionate thoughts, feelings, and ideas about the world around them. This lesson provides opportunities for them to further develop their ability to be visually literate individuals.

David Anderson is a middle-school art teacher at the Gilman School in Baltimore, Maryland. In 2024, he received the NAEAʼs Middle-Level Art Educator Award. danderson@gilman.edu; IG: @unfinished_education

The Gift of Giving: From Perspective Drawings to Personal Gifts