Here is a poetic tale that can be shared with students of all ages! It became a part of the first-day activities in my 4th-grade GT class every year.
The focus of our studies was MYSTERIES, but not in the usual sense. You can find an overview of the year-long unit here, and in this related post, you can view a video explaining more about the theme and how it was introduced. The da Vinci quote “Knowledge has its origin in perception” was one that we discussed often throughout the year, so what better way to introduce this quote than through this classic fable of six blind men who perceive an elephant differently?
In addition to connecting so well with the 4th-grade universal theme, this 19th-century version of the parable allowed me to discuss a few literary elements. Keep reading for details on how I presented the poem. Scroll down to find related lessons and resources below.
INTRODUCING and READING the POEM
| Each student needs a copy of the poem (find one here), a pencil, and a highlighter. |
Explain that you’d like to share a classic fable that’s been shared around the world for centuries.
Have students read through the poem silently and circle any unfamiliar words.
Read the poem aloud to the students. Then, read it again, one stanza at a time. You can use this slide show to discuss vocabulary and literary elements. Explain that you’re going to predict words they may have circled. As you read through the slides, stop to read the comments and discuss the words. (Note: Because this was a first-day activity, I wanted students to feel safe and not put anyone on the spot, so I did not ask them to volunteer the words they circled.)
Ask students to read through the poem again and highlight what each man thought the elephant resembled.
Challenge students to summarize the poem in less than 10 words. Example: Six blind men experience an elephant differently. Allow volunteers to share their summary statements.
Discuss the word “perception” and share the da Vinci quote. Elicit from students the meaning and message of “The Blind Men and the Elephant” and how it relates to the da Vinci quote.
I immediately followed this reading with another presentation, one I wrote many years ago for a different purpose. The original purpose was to have fun teaching the reading skill of inferencing and drawing conclusions. However, when I began working with gifted students, I used it to reinforce the important concept:
WITH NEW INFORMATION, WHAT WE “KNOW” MAY CHANGE.
New discoveries over time have change what many were convinced was accepted truth. Galileo, Columbus, and many others faced many obstacles in trying to “change knowledge.” And, of course, our own perspectives can be challenged when we consider others’ points of view or dive more deeply into studies. (Related post: Surprise Endings: Lesson with a Twist)
After sharing both the poem and the Jumping to Conclusions presentation, we discussed and sometimes created a Venn diagram or Double Bubble Thinking Map comparing and contrasting them. It was all part of my students’ introduction to the year-long theme of MYSTERIES, which was really all about unanswered questions.
You can present this poem in many other ways depending on the age of your students and your objectives. It can be used with students of all ages to discuss multiple perspectives, one of the thinking tools of Depth and Complexity. The video read-aloud below might be helpful in sharing the fable with younger students.
You may also be interested in this Brain Box (Bag) of Science, a touch-and-guess experient from Neuroscience for Kids. There are many lesson plans and ideas on Teachers Pay Teachers as well.
As long as we’re talking about perspective, Ian Byrd has shared an easy and fun way to add some depth to almost any question! I love the student sample shared by teacher Brandi Goodwin!
What other poems, fables, and stories would illustrate how perspective changes understanding? Can you add something to these resources? Feel free to MESSAGE with your comments and ideas.