High School Spanish Levels I, II, III

The students will become familiar with the tradition of muralists in Mexico.  They will observe murals from Chapultepec Castle in Mexico City.  The students will create a mural telling a history from the school which they wish to share with other students.

Created by Kim Fryman, July 2007

The student gains knowledge and understanding of other cultures. The student is expected to:

• demonstrate an understanding of the practices (what people do) and how they are related to the perspectives (how people perceive things) of the cultures studied; and
• demonstrate an understanding of the products (what people create) and how they are related to the perspectives (how people perceive things) of the cultures studied.

TEKS §114.22. Levels I and II - Novice Progress Checkpoint. (c)(A, B)

The student gains knowledge and understanding of other cultures. The student is expected to:

• use the language at the intermediate proficiency level to demonstrate an understanding of the practices (what people do) and how they are related to the perspectives (how people perceive things) of the cultures studied; and
• use the language at the intermediate proficiency level to demonstrate an understanding of the products (what people create) and how they are related to the perspectives (how people perceive things) of the cultures studied.

TEKS §114.23. Levels III and IV - Intermediate Progress Checkpoint. (c)(2)(A, B)

Focus:

Ask the students how they have learned the history of the United States.  Then pose the question, “How could this history have been taught if you did not attend school, have access to television or computer, and couldn’t read?”

Procedure:

• Explain to the students how the Mexican government commissioned artists to paint history in large murals in public buildings. The teacher may wish to go to the link www.blogcritics.org to read and possibly share an article regarding the three most famous of these artists, Rivera, Orozco, and Siqueiros. This article may be found at http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/02/02/192136.php.


• View the photographs, discuss the artists and view the Murals virtual expeditions.


• Divide the students into groups of four.  Have each group create a mural to tell some piece of either the current or previous school year’s history.  The mural must share information that the students feel younger and future students will need to know in order to develop school spirit and understand the school community.

Evaluation:

The mural can be graded as a project grade.

Extension:

The advanced learner will conduct an internet search for murals in the United States, especially those in Hispanic urban America.  The students will find pictures of these murals and submit to the teacher what she or he believes is the artist’s message to the public.  The student may be interested in investigating the recent controversy in East Los Angeles regarding a commissioned Hispanic artist and the violent mural he painted.

The struggling learner should be able to participate fully in this lesson. Quality of artwork should not be stressed as the most important aspect of this lesson, and very simplistic drawing should not be penalized.

Examples of Mexican Muralism in Chapultepec Castle More examples of murals in Mexico Mexican Muralists and the Mexican Revolution by Howard Dratch Use Google to find and share artwork of Mexican and Mexican American muralists.