Lesson: Exquisite Corpse

Grade Level: Elementary - 4th Grade

Overview:

Students will be in groups of 4 and each complete ¼ of the exquisite corpse by drawing one portion, passing their paper to the next student to their right, then they draw the second portion, then they pass the paper to the right, then they draw the third portion, then they pass the paper to the right, then the last student draws the last portion then they finally pass it to the right ending up at the original drawer. The paper goes in a circle ending back to the original artist.

 

Content Focus

• Art production – pencil drawings with markers
• Art History – Surrealism
• Language Arts – Nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs

 

Ohio Department of Education Standards:

• Visual Arts Ohio State Standard 2- Creative Expression and Communication
• Language Arts Ohio State Standard 1 - Phonemic Awareness, Word Recognition and Fluency

 

Objectives:

• TSW choose one noun, verb, adjective, and adverb and put each word in each of the four sections of paper.
• TSW illustrate a noun, verb, adjective, and adverb into their 4 drawings.
• TSW setup 2 lines into the next section below that will connect their drawing to the next section.
• TSW complete 4 drawings that include (name, pencil/marker, figure, and part of speech word) in each drawing.

 

Materials:

• Sheets of 8 ½ x 11 drawing paper
• Boxes of markers
• Pre-sharpened pencils with erasers

 

Teaching Instructions:

Anticipatory Set – Introduce the lesson by telling students they are going to make Exquisite Corpses.

• Begin by showing them a PowerPoint of Surrealist artwork and examples of the real Exquisite Corpses.
• First describe Surrealism and the characteristics of Surrealism.
• Exquisite Corpse was a game that the Surrealists played.
• I will explain how it originated as a word game.
• I will show them the artists that made the exquisite corpses.
• How this technique got its name.
• Show examples.
• Explain how they created these artworks.

Step 2: Review/Discuss – Discuss the information with the class. It is important for them to understand that the drawings were not perfect, or truly representing anything real, it was more abstract like something in a dream. It is important not to show your neighbors your drawing so they don’t know what the rest of the drawing will turn out like until the very end.

Step 3: Objectives – The following are the objectives I will have written on the board:

1. Write your name in the top left of the folded section.
2. Write a word on the top right side of the page in the folded section:
1. Section 1: Adjective
2. Section 2: Noun
3. Section 3: Verb
4. Section 4: Adverb
3. Draw a part of the figure in the folded section. Have it represent the adjective, noun, verb, and adverb.
1. Section 1: Head to Neck
2. Section 2: Shoulders, Arms, Stomach (Torso)
3. Section 3: Waste to Knees
4. Section 4: Knees to Feet
4. Draw 2 lines passed the fold at the bottom.
5. Each student will complete 4 drawings total with (name, pencil/marker, figure, and part of speech word) in each drawing.

Step 4: Input and Modeling – Have two Exquisite Corpse examples already created, and one in the process.

1. I will display them on the board for everyone to see.
2. I will explain that we will first fold our paper into 4 equal parts.When we break into groups of 4 (1 group of 5), each of you in the group will get a chance to draw each section.
1. Section 1: Head to Neck
2. Section 2: Shoulders, Arms, Stomach (Torso)
3. Section 3: Waste to Knees
4. Section 4: Knees to Feet
3. When you pass the paper, the first thing you need to do is put your name in the top left so I know who drew what section.
4. Then you will write your (adjective, noun, verb, or adverb) in the top right.
1. I will ask who knows what these terms are and ask for an example:
1. Adjective: describing word (describes the Alien): smelly
2. Noun: person, place or thing: Alien
3. Verb: an action, use present tense (add “s” or “es”) walks
4. Adverb: modifies the verb (answers the question “How?” describes how it walks): sloppily
5. It is important to draw 2 lines into the next fold so the next person can connect to it.
6. I will give you 5 minutes to write your name, part of speech, and draw. (Start with pencil, if you have time you can add color.)
7. When the time is up you will fold back your drawing so the next person CANNOT see it.
8. We will pass our paper in a circle to the right so everyone will draw on the paper in the different sections.
9. t is important to fold back your drawing before you pass it on, because the drawing is not supposed to be seen until the end.
10. When your paper comes back to you there will be a completed drawing on it for you to see and a Consequences-line sentence. (The group of 5 will have to return the paper to the first drawer).
11. To help you think of what to draw each time, use the part of speech word, and draw from that. If you wrote, “smelly” maybe have smell squiggles coming off of the body.
12. There is no talking when we are drawing, this way there is no way your neighbors will know what you are drawing and it will be a bigger surprise.

Checking for Understanding:

Step 5: Checking Understanding – I will ask students what a noun, verb, adjective, and adverb are. I will ask students how many sections the paper must be folded into. I will ask students what must go passed the folded line. I will ask students what they must do before they pass their paper to the right when the time is up. Finally I will ask students if talking is permitted during the drawing part of class.

Step 6: Guided Practice - I will count the students off by 4 and break them into their groups by my dismissal. I will then pass out the paper, pencils, and markers. We will all fold our paper together with my demonstration on how to make 4 even portions. “Half like a hamburger, then half again.” When everyone has their paper folded into 4 even sections we will begin our Exquisite Corpse’s.

Step 7: Independent Practice – Each student will begin with their own blank piece of paper divided into 4 even sections.

I will say “ready, set, begin,” and there will be no more talking.

All the students will begin with their own paper in the FIRST section. They will first write their name in the top left, then write their ADJECTIVE in the top right. After that they can start drawing the HEAD to NECK using their adjective as a guide, and making sure they have drawn 2 lines into the next section.

“Times up, pencils and markers down, fold your section back, and pass to the person on your right.”

All the students will begin in the SECOND section now. They will first write their name in the top left, then write their NOUN in the top right. After that they can start drawing the SHOULDERS/ARMS/STOMACH using their noun as a guide, and making sure they have drawn 2 lines into the next section.

“Times up, pencils and markers down, fold your section back, and pass to the person on your right.”

All the students will begin in the THIRD section now. They will first write their name in the top left, then write their VERB in the top right. After that they can start drawing the WASTE to KNEES using their verb as a guide, and making sure they have drawn 2 lines into the next section.

“Times up, pencils and markers down, fold your section back, and pass to the person on your right.”

All the students will begin in the FOURTH section now. They will first write their name in the top left, then write their ADVERB in the top right. After that they can start drawing the KNEES to FEET using their adverb as a guide. This will complete the drawing.

“Times up, pencils and markers down. Pass to the person on your right.”

This will return the paper back to the original drawer.

 

Closure:

I will end the class by telling the students to clean up their materials and return them to their designated areas. With the time that is remaining we will review our Exquisite Corpse drawings. Anyone who would like to share their Exquisite Corpse and Consequences sentence that goes with it can do so. I will tell the students to look for these to be hung in the hallway to show off their excellent teamwork in creating these wonderful Exquisite Corpses’ like the Surrealists did.

Extensions/Modifications:

• One extension is with the time remaining to add color to the drawing. This is not required, but will add more detail to the drawing for those who finish early within their 5 minutes.
• Another extension is to have students draw a background for their Exquisite Corpse.

 Rubric:

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Criteria	3	2	1
Student can give an example of the following parts of speech (noun, verb, adjective, and adverb) within their folded area. The part of speech (noun, verb, adjective, or adverb) relates to the illustration.	Student can give an example of 3 of the 4 parts of speech (noun, verb, adjective, and adverb) within their folded area. The part of speech (noun, verb, adjective, or adverb) relates to the illustration.	Student can give an example of 2 or 4 parts of speech (noun, verb, adjective, and adverb) within their folded area. The part of speech (noun, verb, adjective, or adverb) somewhat relates to the illustration.	Student can give 1 or zero examples of the parts of speech (noun, verb, adjective, and adverb) within their folded area. The part of speech (noun, verb, adjective, or adverb) does not relate to the illustration.
Student has drawn 2 lines into the next section below.	Student has drawn 2 lines into the next section below.	Student has drawn more than 2 lines into the next section below.	Student has drawn no lines into the next section below.
Student completed 4 drawings that include (name, pencil/marker, figure and part of speech word) in each drawing.	Student completed 4 drawings that include (name, pencil/marker, figure, and part of speech word) in each drawing.	Student completed 2 or 3 of the drawings that include (name, pencil/marker, figure, and part of speech word) in each drawing.	Student completed 0 or 1 of the drawings that include (name, pencil/marker, figure, and part of speech word) in each drawing.

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Arts LIFT 2012 - Feed My Sheep

Before

 After

For the past two weeks I have been a part of a wonderful community art project called, "Feed My Sheep" sponsored by a program called, Arts LIFT. Arts LIFT, The University of Akron's award-winning summer arts apprenticeship program for students in the Akron Public Schools has collaborated with nationally recognized sculptor John Comunale to create a series of steel gates for the entrance of the Feed My Sheep Garden at the First Congregational Church, 292 E. Market St., in Akron’s University Park neighborhood.

Today was our final day of working on the community project.

Check out more pictures of the development of this project by visiting the Arts LIFT Facebook page.