CoBaLTT Unit Plan

Surrealism
Lesson 03: Digital Surrealism and Automatism

Submitted by Amy Buttner

Objectives:

Content:
Students will:

identify the characteristics of surrealism in digital works of surrealism

Cultural:

Language: Content Obligatory
Students will:

accurately use the same vocabulary from lesson 1

use the following terms accurately in written and verbal communication:

el surrealismo
el movimiento
las imágenes
la obra el arte
el sueño el artista el tono
la influencia
el objeto

use colors to describe surrealistic works with accurate gender and number agreement

use the following descriptive words with accurate gender and number agreement:

oscuro
claro
dinámico
distorsionado
irracional irreal
extraño bonito
mitológico
feo chévere
como un sueño antinatural
yuxtapuesto
deprimente

use nouns and adjectives from this lesson to practice adjective-noun agreement in gender and number

Language: Content Compatible
Students will:

use the question ?Cuál es tu opinión de la obra? to find out classmates' opinions about the artwork being discussed
express opinions about surrealistic works using the following expressions in the present tense: (no)me gusta, en mi opinión es bonito, extraño, etc.
use ¿por qué? to elicit more in depth answers (a reason for the opinion)
use (no) estoy de acuerdo to indicate agreement and/or disagreement
use porque + a reason to express why he/she does or does not like something: Me gusta porque es extraño, No me gusta porque es feo.
use the verb hay to state what there is/are in the student's final art project presentation

Learning Strategies / Social and Skills Development:
Students will:

work individually and in small groups to discuss their ideas and reach conclusions, as well as to create an artistic expression

Time Frame:

One 50 minute class session

Materials Needed:

Slide presentation with examples of digital surrealism

Projector

Group Work Questions (Attachment #1 from Lesson 1)

Dalí sllide presentation

Music for Task Seven

Blank paper

Colored pencils, crayons or markers

Description of Assessment (Performance Project):

---------- Task SIX: Digital Surrealism -----------
Pre-Task:
The teacher will present examples of digital surrealism by using the Internet and the projector or by creating another slide presentation (see the sites provided at the end of lesson for examples of digital surrealism). He/she will talk about the qualities of one of the works to refresh the students' minds about the vocabulary.
Task:
The students will then be asked to use the last three columns of the chart they used in Task One (Attachment #1) to individually record their conclusions about the digital works. When finished they should discuss their findings with those of their partner.
Post-Task:
A short class discussion should follow in which a variety of students will be asked to share their findings with the whole class. The teacher may record the results on a chart for all students to see and compare to their own. The chart may be collected by the teacher for a grade if an additional assessment is desired.
---------- Task SEVEN: -----------
Pre-Task:
This is a pair activity. Students will be presented with examples of Dalí's works, as well as the works of some digital surrealists. It is also suggested that this activity be done as each work by Dalí and the digital surrealists are presented. The teacher will first ask students opinion questions about a couple of the works. Sample scenarios would include:

Teacher: ¿Qué opinas de la obra?
Student: No me gusta.
Teacher: ¿Por qué?
Student: En mi opinión es fea y extraña. Teacher: Me gusta la obra. Es dinánmica.
Student:: No estoy de acuerdo.
Teacher: ¿Por qué?
Student: No me gusta porque es extraña.

Task:
This basic model then would be followed by the pairs as they discussed the examples provided by the teacher on the projector.
Post-Task:
The teacher could do an informal survey to find out how many students liked/disliked each example, with sampled reasons from the class.
---------- Task EIGHT: -----------
Pre-Task:
This activity is designed to practice another technique used by some surrealists. The style is called automatismo. The teacher will pass out blank, unlined paper to students and colored pencils.

Task:
Students will be asked to close their eyes and concentrate on the music that the teacher chooses to play aloud to the group. Students should let their mind picture images that the music creates. The students should not talk. The lights in the classroom can be dimmed. After about five minutes, the teacher should stop the music.

Without talking, the students should draw the images that they last had in their mind. Allow an adequate amount of time for them to finish or at least get a good start on their drawings. When finished, students can share their drawings with their partner if they feel comfortable doing that.

Post-Task:
Illustrate to the students that this is one of the main techniques used by the surrealists. Also explain how this technique connects to the idea of the unconscious mind and how the surrealists tried to capture their thoughts on canvas and then use them as a tool for analysis of their thoughts later. The teacher should also discuss the term automatismo with the students so they understand why that particular term is used to describe the technique.

Assessment:

Students will be assessed by the completeness of their answers in the activity ("Attachment #1") in Task Five. The teacher can also assess the student's production using the technique of automatismo based on his/her own standards.

References and Resources:

Examples of digital surrealism by various artists:
http://www.donnaleedunne.com
A comprehensive list of many digital surrealism sources
http://www.basilsart.com/
This site has interesting, large pictures.
http://home.vicnet.net.au/~vakras/new_vakras_digital.html
http://www.digital-surrealism.com/
http://www.originalartworks.com/digitalart.html
http://www.views.ch/views.asp
http://www.absol.co.nz/brumfield.html

Attachments:

NOTE: some attachments are in PDF form (get Acrobat Reader)

Attachment #1 - Group Work Questions