Museum of Modern Art
Modern Art and Ideas
The Museum of Modern Art provides this educators' guide to Dada and Surrealism. Featuring the works of such artists as Jean Arp, Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, and Meret Oppenheim among others, the guide is ideal for art history and...
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Give It All You’ve Got Heroes and Visual Art
Sure, your young artists probably know Van Gogh and Picasso, but are they equally as familiar with Frida Kahlo and Andy Warhol? Small groups examine the work of famous artists. Then, they create their own hero portraits in Cubist style...
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Landscapes: Real and Imagined
Students examine three landscapes incorporating images from nature and the unconscious. In this art analysis instructional activity, students explore the artists' perception and impact on a subject. Students complete image based...
Pace University
Surrealism
Introduce studio artists to the elements and principles of surrealism with a lesson that includes models of the works of famous surrealists. Class members then select a project from a menu and create their own film, poem, or...
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Dali & Desnos
High schoolers explore surreal art and poetry. In this visual arts instructional activity, students examine works by André Breton, Robert Desnos, Salvador Dalí, and Joan Miro. High schoolers then apply the techniques in the works they...
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Lesson Plans for Fantasy: Allegory of Air
Students use combinations of real and imaginary objects to create illustrations for a book. In this Fantasy in art lesson, students discuss the elements of fantasy in Allegory of Air. Students study the work of Salvador Dali and Mir to...
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Fantasy Visualization
Pupils view and discuss a selection of paintings from Salvador Dali, Rene Magritte, and other Surrealist artists. They play a game in which each person in a group writes a sentence and passes it on to the next person without letting them...
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The Surreal Deal
Students examine the art-historical contexts used by Salvador Dali and identify examples of them. They explore surrealism by playing the game Exquisite Corpse, automatic writing or drawing, and dream illustration. They tour the Dali Museum.
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Look to your Dreams
Students explore the life and Surrealist art of Salvador Dalí identify and discuss imaginative, impossible or unexpected elements in Surrealist artworks.
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Surrealism
Seventh graders research several surrealist artists, e.g. Dali, Magritte, etc., and analyze and compare their styles. They apply their knowledge to their own drawings in pastel of flowers and plants.
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The Dream Getaway
Students observe images of amazing places, either real, or imagined by Rene Magritte, Salvador Dali, and Ansel Adams. They think about a time when they wanted to escape and where they wanted to go. They draw their getaway and then...
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Elephants
Students explore elephants. In this elephant art lesson, students compare Asian and African elephants, and draw an elephant by following step by step instructions from the teacher.
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Dali & Desnos: Surrealism in Poetry and Art
High schoolers research the surrealism movement and its primary artists. Language is also analyzed, and students will create their own original poem utilizing surrealistic techniques.
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Dali's The Persistence of Memory
Third graders observe the use of line, light and color in the painting. They identify the foreground, middle ground and background of the painting. They create a surreal drawing or picture.
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Look to Your Dreams
Students research the life of surrealist artist Salvador Dali and create their own "surreal" art in the form of a collage, based upon their dreams or fantasies.
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George Orwell's Essay on his Life in Burma: "Shooting an Elephant"
Learners read George Orwell's essay "Shooting an Elephant" as an analysis for the historical context. In this historical analysis lesson, students analyze the main points in the essay to identify its cultural and historical context....
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Oh My Gosh, It's a Bosch
Learners explore the art of Hieronymous Bosch. In this surreal art lesson, students look at paintings by the Dutch painter and then follow the provided steps to create their own surreal piece inspired by his works.
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Look Before You Think: How To Appreciate a Painting
Students develop an elementary understanding of the history of art. They study the basic elements of a painting including perspective, composition, color, light and symbolism. They look at each selected painting and analyze it, moving...
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Cast of Characters Lesson Plan: Comparing Artists
Students choose an artist, examine a painting, read a statement of the artist and their biography. They research the artist using the World Wide Web, books, encyclopedias, art, prints or magazines. They write an essay using their notes.
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"Shooting An Elephant": George Orwell's Essay on his Life in Burma
Young scholars read an essay by George Orwell's life in Burma and place it in its cultural and historical context. They identify the main points of the essay and Orwell's use of symbolism in the essay. They explain how each persuasive...
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Hand-scapes
Students draw hands from life. They combine realistic hand drawing in fantasy "scape". They utilize elements of design demonstrating composition and value shading.
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High School Drawing and Painting
Students combine multiple unrelated images into single composition with subtle message or theme They become familiar with pen and ink techniques inspired by illustrator, Edward Gorey. They create a visual language for texture and value.
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"Shooting An Elephant": George Orwell's Essay on His Life in Burma
High school readers examine George Orwell's essay "Shooting an Elephant" for examples of symbolism, metaphor, connotation, and irony. They analyze how these literary tools convey the writer's main point and contribute to the persuasive...
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Anamorphosis
Students classify optical illusions according to their distinguishing characteristics. They create anamorphic art and use Mylar flexible mirrors to view and then they describe and analyze the optical illusion.