Grade 10 Art: Literacy Task

For today's literacy task, the students were placed in four different groups.  Each group was given one marker colour.  Each group started out with a 18 x 24" sheet that had one of the following quotes on it from Picasso:

"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."

"My Mother said to me, 'If you are a soldier, you will become a general.  If you are a monk, you will become the pope.' Instead I was painter, and I became Picasso."

"Who sees the human face correctly: the photographer, the mirror, or the painter?"

"Art is a lie that makes us realize the truth"

The students had to analyze as a group what they thought Picasso was implying in his quote.  When time was up, the quote was moved to a different group and the students could then comment on the original quote or the thoughts that the other members had written down.  By building upon what the others had written, they could follow the trail of thought that their classmates left for them, while pondering the original quote in their own way.  Here is the result:

We then had a great discussion as a group as to the meaning of these quotes and their implication in our society.  We also focussed on the importance of implicit vs explicit questioning on the upcoming literacy test.  This was one of the most fun and interactive classes we have had this term.  Way to go 10s!