Today I suggest using the colorful art of Henri Matisse in your English or language arts classroom. The piece that I have chosen, The Snail, is fun, bold, and daring. Much of Matisse’s work is less abstract, but I chose this one for its abstractness. Students could try to create a similar piece and let others guess the title; they could write a descriptive essay explaining their choices and how their piece represents the subject. Matisse once said, “Creativity takes courage.” How does this piece reflect courage? I love lessons that show students how art is all around us and how writing can develop from anything, just like art. The more art our students see, the better.
