Objectives:

• Students will discuss government-imposed censorship of art and the artists’ methods for counteracting censorship.
• Students will observe and discuss examples of contemporary Latin American art created under restrictive governments.
• Students will write a persuasive essay in reaction to an international current event.
• Students will create an art piece that expresses their opinions while circumventing hypothetical government restrictions.

Connections to high school World History Studies, World Geography Studies, and U.S. Government TEKS for social studies:

• Student identifies examples of art, music, and literature that have transcended the boundaries of societies and convey universal themes. (113.33.c.20C)
• Student defines and gives examples of different political systems, past and present. (113.33.c.15B)
• Student identifies examples of political, economic, and social oppression and violations of human rights through history. (113.33.c.18C)
• Student analyzes example of how art, architecture, literature, music, and drama reflect the history of cultures in which they are produced. (113.33.c.20B)
• Student transfers information from one medium to another, including written to visual. (113.33.c.26D)
• Student analyzes how the character of a place is related to its political, economic, social, and cultural characteristics. (113.34.c.5A)
• Student compares life in a variety of cities and nations in the world to evaluate the relationships involved in political, economic, social, and environmental changes. (113. 34. c.16C)
• Student uses problem-solving and decision-making skills, working independently and with others, in a variety of settings. (113.34.c.23, 113.35.c.23)
• Student identifies the characteristics of classic forms of government such as absolute monarchy, authoritarianism, classic republic, despotism, feudalism, liberal democracy, and totalitarianism. (113.35.c.1B)
• Student analyzes and evaluates the consequences of a government policy that affects the human characteristics of a place or region. (113.35.c.5B)
• Student compares the U.S. system of government with other political systems. (113.35.c.13A)
• Student analyzes the importance of free speech and press in a democratic society. (113.35.c.17B)
• Student expresses and defends a point of view on an issue of contemporary interest in the United States. (113.35.c.17C)