Melissa+DeCorte+Unit+Plan


 * Unit Plan Introduction**

Website: http://decorte.melissa.googlepages.com/unitplan

Spanish, Level I (or II) 5 days/week; 3 weeks
 * Topic**: Frida Kahlo and Mexican Art
 * Essential Question**: How do history, culture, and personal lives affect art, and vice versa?
 * Other Questions:** What are different ways of expression and/or art? How are different artistic movements expressed in Mexican art? What events in Frida's life and Mexican history can I see in her work? How does this apply to my own life and personal expression? How do famous people affect society? Why do they make the choices they do? Why was Frida "so weird?" What was her purpose?

Rationale: After successfully completing a 3-day mini-unit with my class this semester, I am interested to see how much students can really learn from Frida and other relevant Mexican artists and their art. Through Frida’s life, one can see the impact of history and cultural movements on art, and vice versa. Her life and artwork also bring up questions about personality, personal tragedy, and how we react to different events. Her marriage to Diego Rivera also opens doors for discussion about different artistic movements and even family and marriage. There are a lot of resources regarding Frida that could be integrated into a unit plan. I hope students can learn about Spanish through her life, but also about themselves. This would also provide great opportunities to talk about acceptance with my students, which I love!

Goals: Right now, my biggest goal is that students can see the relationship between art and life, history and art, culture and art, and any resulting relationships. My hope is that students can connect what they learn to their own lives and to other art they see. Students should be able to meet language and content objectives designed for this unit. I would also like to incorporate technology into my unit plan so both my students and I can gain experience using technology.

National Standards: //Communication// – Students will read authentic texts individually and collectively; students will present information they have researched and also art they have created; students will reflect on what they are learning. Students will hear native speakers. //Cultures –// Students will learn about Mexican history and the history of art through the life of Frida Kahlo and her husband, Diego Rivera. //Connections –// Students will see how art is related to other disciplines, including history and sociology. Students’ viewpoints about some sensitive issues (self-perception and self-worth) will hopefully be questioned as they connect art to “real life.” //Comparisons// – Students will see similarities and differences of Mexican and United States culture and history. Students will see similarities and differences between English and Spanish. //Communities// – Students will create projects (written and/or art) which can be displayed at the school for others to see. Students will in this way also be sharing what they have learned. Students will be encouraged to reflect on the learning process in the TL while outside of school.

Language Objectives: - present or past tense verbs (depending on level) -reflexive verbs -concordance (level 1) -comparisons

Content Objectives: -Mexican History: Technological Advances (trolly cars, buses, etc) that relate to Frida's story -Frida and Diego's relationship -Self-Portraits: Realism vs. Surrealism, what gets put into self-portraits -Art and Life: How we see life depicted in art

Specific Activities: -venn diagrams comparing artists, movements, or people -making posters bringing to attention groups that are 'different' to talk about differences -story-based instruction -create self-portraits -use internet and technology to fill out outlines before presentations (maybe on an artist) -present self-portraits and/or artist profiles to class -partner discussion -KWLS charts w/ books -journaling

Vocabulary: -artwork: pincel, autorretrato, dibujar, pintar, etc. -colors (for level 1) -feelings: triste, alegre, contento, deprimido, etc -transportation: tranvia, autobus, etc.

3-Week Daily Outline: Unit Test: ****

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