Pre-Task Learning: Class discussion/reading of the history of the Spanish Civil War and its relationship to the approach of World War II. Continuing discussion on the specific context of the painting's creation and display, and of Pablo Picasso and his emerging and shifting abstract style of painting. Preliminary open-form discussion of possible interpretations of the painting, beginning with the more obvious macro-level signs in the painting on touching on other symbolic aspects (the Harlequin figures/patterns, animal representations, etc.).

Task Expectations: Each paper should contain personal interpretations and a reflection of personal reactions to the painting that are connected to the historical facts and larger trends discussed. Discussion of individual elements as well as the composition as a whole and the relation of the individual elements discussed to each other and to the meaning of the work as a whole should be present in all completed papers.

Grade 10 Lesson Plan...
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