The term "exquisite corpse" describes an artistic technique invented by the Surrealists in the 1920s. Traditionally, a collection of words or images from a number of participants is assembled to create a unique and accidental composition.

This year at Charles Hay World School, fourth graders used the exquisite corpse technique to explore and practice self-reflection, making connections, and collaboration.

Each student in the 2011-2012 fourth grade class answered the question: If you were an animal, what would you be? They then reflected on their answer by making three connections between themselves and the animal chosen to represent them. Within these connections, students were asked to utilize at least one metaphor and one simile.

Throughout the making of this project, students explored a variety of collaborative art examples, and discussed what collaboration entails, including the benefits and hardships of working together to achieve one goal. The end result of this unit is a 25" x 45" collaborative exquisite corpse book, to be housed at Charles Hay World School. This is the digital version of this collaboration.