David

Title: David (c.1475)

Artist: Andrea del Verrocchio

Lexile Level: n/a

Qualitative Level (Adapted from SCASS Qualitative Measures Rubric: LITERATURE and SCASS Qualitative Measures Rubric: INFORMATIONAL TEXTS)

• STRUCTURE: Very Complex
• ARTISTIC FEATURES: Very Complex
• MEANING/PURPOSE: Very Complex
• KNOWLEDGE DEMANDS: Very Complex

Source: Grinder, R. (2018). Adolescence. Retrieved October 14, 2018, from Scholastic GO!. https://go.scholastic.com/content/schgo/C/article/000/287/0002870-0.html

Format or text type: bronze sculpture

Summary & Justification: According to Scholastic Go!, "Andrea del Verrocchio's bronze David (c.1475) stands in a classical contrapposto ("twisted") pose over the severed head of Goliath. The statue was commissioned by Lorenzo de'Medici and sold (1476) to the Signoria of Florence. The elegant detail and finish of the bronze reveal Verrocchio's early training as a goldsmith."

The reason this sculpture has been chosen to accompany this text set is because in the online Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia, the photograph of this sculpture accompanies the entry "Adolescence." The encyclopedia entry is a generic, dry description of the physiological, cognitive, identity, and parent-adolescent relation changes that occur during adolescence, but why would the editors choose this sculpture to accompany the entry?

Who or what is symbolized by the severed head of Goliath in this context? Adolescence in general? Adults?

Why would they choose young David, who just accomplished something all of the adults around him were too afraid to do, to represent adolescence?

Does this representation of Adolescence align with the transition that Ari and Dante are going through?

Additional useful notes:

• We recommend that this sculpture be used as the basis of a free write, small group or whole class discussion on the various perspectives of adolescence.