Challenging Reality: Melting Clocks

Overview

This 120-minute lesson invites Year 6 pupils to explore surrealism through Salvador Dalí’s iconic melting clocks imagery. Students will investigate how surrealism challenges perceptions of time and reality. Using coloured pencils, they will create their own melting clock artwork emphasising shadow and form. The lesson aligns with Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) in Expressive Arts, with a strong focus on creativity, critical thinking, and visual literacy.

Curriculum for Excellence Links

Experiences and Outcomes (Es & Os):

EXA 2-02a: I can explore and experiment with visual elements, media, and technologies to create images and objects, using my knowledge of other artists and the creative process.
EXA 2-03a: I can express and communicate my ideas, thoughts and feelings through activities within art and design.
EXA 2-04a: I can evaluative my own work and that of others, considering the qualities and features of the work.
LIT 2-10a / ENG 2-17a (Literacy links): I can independently select ideas, information and relevant evidence from texts and use these to develop my thinking, make comparisons, or create new texts.

Benchmarks:

Can experiment with shape, form, colour and texture to communicate meaning.
Demonstrates understanding of the style and techniques of an artist/context.
Uses feedback to improve creative work.

Learning Intentions and Success Criteria

WALT:

Understand the surrealist style and themes in Salvador Dalí’s melting clocks.
Investigate how Dalí uses surrealism to challenge ideas about time and reality.
Create a melting clock drawing showing attention to shadows and form using coloured pencils.

Success Criteria:

I can identify surrealist features in Dalí’s melting clocks and explain their meaning.
I can plan and sketch a melting clock showing creative ideas and accurate proportions.
I can use coloured pencils effectively to create depth by shading shadows on my clock.
I can talk about what my artwork represents and how it challenges reality.

Resources

Digital projector and screen (for showing images/video of Salvador Dalí’s work)
Printed dyslexia-friendly fact sheet on Salvador Dalí and surrealism (clear font, spaced, images)
Coloured pencils (variety, including shading tones)
Drawing paper (A4 or A3)
Sketching pencils and erasers
Visual step-by-step guide sheet on shading techniques (with clear diagrams)
Examples of melting clock artworks (printed/digital)

Lesson Structure (120 minutes)

1. Introduction & Context (15 minutes)

Show images of The Persistence of Memory (melting clocks). Use a high-quality projector.
Discuss briefly who Salvador Dalí was and the core ideas in surrealism (dream-like, unexpected objects, bending reality).
Distribute dyslexia-friendly fact sheets; read or listen in pairs.
Use questioning: What do you notice? How do these clocks challenge what we think about time?
WALT reminder and success criteria shared collaboratively on board.

2. Exploration & Investigation (20 minutes)

Investigate surrealism more deeply: what does it mean to “challenge reality”?
Group discussion: How do Dalí’s clocks create a strange or unreal effect?
Examine details: colour contrasts, melting shapes, shadow effects.
Interactive activity: Pupils sketch quick ‘melting’ shapes on scrap paper, focusing on flow and distortion.

3. Demonstration of Techniques (15 minutes)

Teacher models step-by-step:
- Start rough sketch of melting clock shape.
- Position and form with pencil.
- Introduce shading techniques to create shadows and 3D effect using coloured pencils (pressing lightly/darkening gradually).
Provide the visual guide to shading as reference.
Discuss light source importance for shadows.

4. Creating Personal Melting Clocks (50 minutes)

Pupils create their own melting clock artwork on drawing paper.
Encourage original interpretation keeping the “melting” concept and shadowing focus.
Walk around for formative feedback and to support learners.
Differentiation:
- Support: Use templates of clock shapes or guided outlines.
- Extension: Create an imaginative surreal background environment or experiment with mixed media (e.g. blending coloured pencils with watercolour pencils).

5. Reflection and Sharing (15 minutes)

Pupils explain their work to a partner or small group, focusing on how their clock challenges reality.
Use a simple self-assessment checklist: Did I use shadows to make my clock look 3D? Did I include surreal elements?
Optional: Select a few to share with whole class.
Discuss the diversity of interpretations and celebrate creativity.

6. Plenary and Q&A (5 minutes)

Quick recap of what surrealism is and Dalí’s impact on art.
Ask pupils: How can art challenge the way we see the world?
Outline extension task for home: Find an everyday object and draw it “melting” using shadows.

Differentiation Strategies

Visual & verbal instructions: Use clear visual aids and verbal explanations.
Dyslexia-friendly materials: Fact sheets and instruction sheets with accessible fonts and spacing.
Scaffolded drawing: Templates and step-by-step guides for learners needing extra support.
Peer support: Pair learners for reading and discussion activities.
Advanced learners: Encourage experimentation by combining surreal elements (distorting other objects) or using complex shading and colour blending.
Movement breaks: Allow short breaks or movement for students needing physical adjustment.

Assessment and Feedback

Formative: Teacher observations during sketching and shading phase; verbal feedback.
Self-assessment: Checklist focusing on use of shadows, surreal elements, and creativity.
Peer feedback: Art sharing discussion with prompts encouraging positive, constructive comments.
Summative: Completed coloured pencil melting clock artwork evaluated against success criteria for evidence of understanding surrealism and use of form/shadow.

Extension Activities

Create a surreal collage combining melting clocks and other unexpected imagery from magazines or online printouts.
Write a short imaginative story from the perspective of a melting clock, linking literacy and expressive arts.
Explore other surrealist artists (e.g., Magritte, Ernst) and create a class display comparing features.

This lesson invites pupils to not only engage with art technically but to reflect on how art can expand our imagination and perception—an essential part of CfE’s creative skills and critical thinking goals.