In my social studies teaching I love to incorporate art and music into my teaching, as to enrich the experience and show students how those people viewed their world.
One year, when I was teaching on the Middle Ages, I showed a picture of Mother Mary holding baby Jesus. A student raised his hand from the back row. This child was as middle of the road as they come: no special academic needs, B or C student, well behaved in class... perfectly average. He was also Catholic, which meant that Mary is a very serious topic. I called on the kid, "Yes Sir, you have a question?"
The child, with a very stern expression on his face asked, "Why does Mary... have five fingers?"
I turn to the board, in slight disbelief (and some cognitive dissonance), and count the number of fingers on Mary's hand... all five.
I then pull out my own hand and start counting, "One... Two... Three..." And which point he pulls out his hand, and joins in "One, Two, Three, Four.... Fi- Oh! I Get it Now! I didn't realize there were five..."
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