Topic of the lesson: The archetype of the Tree of Life and its symbolism with elements of British and Transylvanian Saxon cultural heritage.

In this lesson heritage is learnt through: Content and Language Integrated Learning activity. It combines both English language learning and the transdisciplinary approach (Art, History, Religion) meant to make students understand the topic deeper, make cultural connections more easily and understand the reasons for learning about it. Moreover, within foreign language classes culture may be explored in a systematic and contextual way,

Methods used: Observation, conversation, active reading in a foreign language, vocabulary practice, critical thinking.

Aim: To learn about ancestral symbols used in intangible heritage assets from the British culture compared to that of Saxon from Transylvania, Romania. The activity aims to make students aware of the use of ancestral symbols with cultural heritage assets in different countries. The twenty Romanian students aged 14 observed and learned more about the similarities and differences between British and Transylvanian Saxon heritage with a focus on the use of the archetype of the Tree of Life, while using English as a second language.

Objectives

A. Cognitive

• Enrich student’s knowledege on theoretical aspects concerning British culture and civilisation compared to the Transylvanian Saxon one.
• Understand the importance of protecting and passing on heritage.
• Practice new English vocabulary about intangible cultural heritage and symbols.

B. Affective-attitudinal

• To gain interest in finding more about the importance of worldwide ancestral symbols/archetypes and their use in intangible heritage assets.
• To respect contribution of Saxons to the cultural heritage of their country.
• Engage learners actively in the acquisition of language and cultural aspects.

C. Attitudes

• Cultivating interest in the cultural heritage in their country compared to that of other country.
• Awareness of the value of the cultural heritage of the Saxons from Transylvania.
• Cultivating respect for their cultural identity.

Competences

• Demonstration of understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the two cultures.
• Willingness for enriching general culture.

Description of activity

Step 1: Lead-in activity

The teacher projects on the screen an image representing the symbol of a tree. She asks students to brainstrorm ideas about what connections could be done with this object and its representations. She writes the word ”tree” as a main concept. She asks students further questions such as:

• What does this tree makes you think of?
• Do you know any stories about a tree?
• Can you make any connections with a story from the Bible about a special tree?

Step 2: British and Transylvanian Saxon heritage — basic information and a comparative approach

The teacher projects on the screen two different representations of the Tree of Life. One is from the British cultural heritage, a tapestry with the Tree of Life from 17th century exhibited at The Metropolitan Museum and the other is the Tree of Life from a piece of Transylvanian Saxon painted furniture.

The teacher asks students questions such as:

• What do you think these two pictures represent?
• What differences can you observe between the two pictures?( in terms of natural elements, use of colours, materials, etc.)

Step 3: Teacher's explanation and introduction of the new knowledge

The teacher explains to students what cultural heritage means, that the assets of cultural heritage, especially in the case of visual art, use symbols and archetypes which are common in many cultures, though they may be the subject of different representations and beliefs. 

The teacher hands out some reading practise worksheets to students, consisting of two texts about the symbol of the Tree of Life in the British and Transylvanian Saxon culture.

Text one:

”This unique image of a miraculous tree bearing multiple species of fruits and vegetables can be identified as the biblical Tree of Life. A multifruiting tree is described in the Book of Revelations; a tree that grows in the celestial City of God bearing twelve types of fruit that ripen during every month of the year.

This association with the Tree of Life in Revelations is reinforced by the curling grape vine wrapped around the trunk of the tree, which is symbolic of the Passion of Christ and the promise of eternal life. The addition of numerous animals and the presence of both the sun and the moon also refer to the abundance of the Garden of Eden in the Book of Genesis.”

(The Tree of Life, 17th century from the Untermyer Collection at the Metropolitan Museum of New York, www.metmuseum.org)

Text two:

”The main pattern you’ll find almost anywhere on our pieces is the tree of life a metaphor often related th fertility and immortality first discovered in Persia 8000 years ago. In Transylvania our traditional tree of life brings together multicoloured flowers , each of them with its symbol: roses=passion, love, lily of the valley=gentleness, grace, tulips=pride, carnations, pomegranates, flower buds meaning virginity and wide open flowers meaning maturity, falling pollen and seed meaning regenesis.”

(www.mobilapictata.ro)

On the worksheet there is also a Venn diagram where students have to complete common features in the middle and differences on the two sides from what they have found out from the two texts. They work in teams of four and present their findings in front of their peers.

Step 4: Follow-up activity

The teacher plays a video made during the HEART piloting activity for teachers who learnt about the technique of painting on wood in the Transylvanian Saxon style. The video is available online at here.

The students can hear the art educator’s explanations of both the symbol of the tree of life and of the steps for painting it on wood. In this way students find out the steps for practising the painting activity themselves in class under the teacher’s supervision and guidance for further practice both in art and language practice.