Keith Haring: dancing dogs.

DOGS & PEOPLE These simple, symbol-like figures have heads like dogs or wolves, but bodies like humans. Ask students to describe the figures. Are they dogs? Wolves? People? Do they seem friendly or scary?

DANCE, DOGGIE, DANCE! Haring often used action lines to animate his figures. Ask students: What are the figures in this painting doing? How do you know? How does Haring make the figures look like they are moving and making noise?

RHYTHM OF THE NIGHT Haring's work was influenced by the rhythm and movements of African, Cuban, and hip-hop dancing. Ask students what kind of music they think the wolves are dancing to.

A COLORFUL, COLORBLIND WORLD Much of Haring's work encouraged racial and cultural harmony. Do students think that this painting might encourage people to get along with each other better? Why or why not?

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teaching with the poster

Nothing would make Keith Haring happier than to know that his work was being used to help kids learn. Here are some ideas for teaching with the poster:

* CREATIVE WRITING Ask students to write a story about the dogs. Where are they? Why are they dancing? What are they like? What were they doing before they started dancing, and what will they do afterwards?

* ONLINE RESEARCH/POSTER DESIGN Haring created posters with powerful images that drew attention to causes from literacy to apartheid. Direct students to the official Keith Haring Web site for kids at www.haringkids.com. After browsing the posters, talk about what makes them effective. Then have each student design a poster for a cause he or she cares about.

* DESIGN A SYMBOL Talk about how the wolves in the painting look like symbols, and have children name some other common symbols. Ask students to create a new symbol and then write a letter explaining why, where, and how the symbol should be used.

* WORK WITH FRACTIONS Use the poster as the basis for a math lesson. How many wolves are pictured? If you took the yellow and green wolves away, how many would remain? What percentage of the wolves are blue? What percentage are facing left?

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Share this month's Instructor poster. These dancing dogs can really move! Put on some music and have fun with this project.

1. Photocopy the dance figure template (right) onto cardstock.

2. Have kids cut out the animal head of their choice, the body, and the four limbs.

3. Poke holes at the black dots; join the parts by inserting brad fasteners through the holes.

4. Trace the figure onto different bright colored papers. Move the figure's arms, legs and head into different positions.

5. Cut out the tracings.

6. Arrange the silhouetted figures on an 18" X 6" strip of white construction paper. Use a glue stick to adhere each silhouette.

7. Use a black marker to outline the silhouettes and add movement and sound lines!

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