EDPB: 501 Introduction to Visual Art in Education (Secondary)

Instructor: Heather Past

Mallory Chester, Erin Lonsdale, Lisa Brise

Date: 30 October 2017

Multicultural Art Lesson Plan

Lesson Title: Dia de los Lesson #1 Date: October 30th 2017

Muertes: The Latin American
Art of Celebrating the Dead
Name: Ms. Chester, Ms. Subject: Visual Arts: Art Studio Grade(s):10
Lonsdale and Ms. Brise

Rationale: This lesson introduces students to the art form of Dia de los Muertes, or day of the dead.
Throughout this lesson students will form an understanding of the cultural/political/social/historical
themes behind Dia de los Muertes art as well as link these themes to other forms of art in our world.
They will consider the importance of colour as a representation of emotion in day of the dead art
work and use these understandings and tools to create their own interpretation of this art form.

Curriculum Connections: https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/

Big idea: Traditions, perspectives, worldviews and stories can be shared through visual arts.

Curricular Competency: Create personally meaningful artistic works that demonstrate an

understanding of, and appreciation for, personal, social, cultural, environmental, and historical
contexts.

Content: The influence of social, cultural, historical, political and personal context on artistic works.

Core Competency: I can get new ideas or build on other peoples ideas, to create new things within
the constraints of a form, a problem, or materials. I also get ideas when I use my senses to explore.

Learning Intentions: Activity: Assessment:

-Students will consider
cultural/political/social/historical
themes behind Dia de los
Muertes artwork
-Students will consider art forms
that celebrate the dead, and
create connections based on
-Taking notes during
PowerPoint/Watching YouTube
video
-Pair and share
-Students knowledge will be
displayed by the way they
interpret these idea in their art,
as well as tested at a later date
-Student participation in pair
sharing as well as class sharing
these considerations between
day of the dead art and other
forms in the world
-Students will consider their own
feelings and emotions
surrounding death and
mourning to create their own
interpretations of this form
(using colour to display emotion)
-Creation of their own Dia de
los Muertes
-Students will hand in their
work at the end of class: a
successful interpretation of Dia
de los Muertes will show use of
conventions of the form, as
well as speak to the students
emotions and feelings

Prerequisite Concepts and Skills (for student success):

Students have been using various tools and mediums to create art and have begun to
familiarize themselves with the different ways to use pastels, chalk, pencil crayons etc.
Teacher may ask students to do some research prior to class: May ask students to bring in
some examples of Dia de los Muertes art to draw inspiration from when creating their own
pieces

Materials for Teacher: Materials for Students:

Access to projector/projector screen Tool to access the internet to research
Black constructions paper (1per student, ideas/inspiration for their own Dia de los
with extras in case) Muertes art (phone, laptop, etc.)
Drawing/colouring utensils: pencil
crayons, crayons, pastels, chalk (enough
to share between tables- 1 set of each
per table)
Various examples of Dia de los Muertes
art
PowerPoint slides (including history of
Dia de los Muertes, its cultural
importance, celebrations of the dead)

Differentiated Instruction (DI- accommodations):

Have different materials available if students feel they would like to take the assignment in a
direction other than colouring/drawing: perhaps offer the idea of students using magazines to
cut out different pieces to use to create their Dia de los Muertes art
Students may not be comfortable with the initial creation of their skull, creating life like
reflections of faces is not easy. Perhaps you could provide a blank skull template for them to
use/work off of to create their own
 Student Activities Classroom Pacing
Teacher Activities Management
Considerations
Before Lesson: -If teacher is
-Have students desks arranged in groups of 4/5 concerned
-Have appropriate number of pieces of black paper about these
out on table, as well as drawing/colouring utensils items being a
(I set of each per table grouping) distraction
Intro: before the
-Show intro/hook videos: -Students watch activity, they can 5min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj7nsq48BcQ videos, briefly have them at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0G8B1FPypOk discuss afterwards the front and
-Review historical back round of Dia de los Muertes -students take have 1 student
art (PowerPoint slides) notes off of from each group 10min
Its origins PowerPoint slides come and
Various examples (past and present) retrieve these
Cultural significance in Latin America items when the
-Discuss Dia de los Muertes art as a celebration of activity begins
the dead, and the significance of this 5min
Pair and Share: have students get together
in pairs and discuss other forms of art they -Students pair up in
know that celebrate the dead, then discuss immediate vicinity -students may 5min
with the class- Possible example: Egyptian and brainstorm, not come up
hieroglyphics and tombs then volunteer to with answers on
discuss with class their own, have
back up answer
of Egyptian
Activity: hieroglyphics
-Explain to students that they will be creating their and tombs on a
own interpretations of Dia de los Muertes art on -Students may ask slide as an
the black construction paper questions about example 5min
Go over basic conventions of creating this assignment
type of work
Go over drawing/colouring tools they may
use
Emphasis use of colour- bright colours
represent happiness: Dia de los Muertes is
all about celebrating the dead and being
happy rather than sad because the dead
would not like that
-Have students do some image searching to find
inspiration, however; encourage them to try free -Students may use
hand based on their own feelings and emotions their -Some students 10min
(perhaps based on their own celebration of a loved phones/computer may like to wear
one who has passed away) to search for headphones
inspiration for their while they work
own art on their art,
encourage them 35min
-Students are to begin creating their work, -Students being to to do so, but
encourage them to create a draft on a separate use tools to create only allow if
piece of paper before they begin. their work they stay on task 10min
-Circulate and assist when needed
Conclusion: -Students may
-Ask one student from each group collect all not be
drawing tools and return them to the front comfortable
-Have the class come together and discuss their sharing- have an
art: encourage students who are comfortable to example of your
share their art with the class (their own to share
inspiration/colour choices/translation of
feelings/choice of drawing tool etc) -Make sure their
-Have students hand in their work name is signed
After Lesson: somewhere on
-Post art around the class to be enjoyed by their work
everyone