My previous reply came back to me, so I'll try again - my 6th graders really enjoy
a lesson I do where we compare and contrast Copley's "Watson and the Shark" and
Homer's "Gulf Stream". They are both American, born in Boston almost exactly 100
years apart, both involve the sea and sharks, one has a known narrative, the other
one is up for interpretation. They also illustrate the pre and post impressionist
painting styles.