ATImpact

Welcome to aTimpact!

2009-12-04T09:36:00.000-08:00

...Lonnie Stewart-Austin is using art to teach Elementary students about literacy and world cultures by having them create "doll books", books in the shape of a character... Students are also involved in making necklace books, muraling, dance, and stained glass window making...

...High School Art Teacher Janice Marsili had her students working with the local historical society, creating etchings to document the present day life of the town. Working with a visiting AIE artist they even creating a printmaking exchange of "paper prayers" with an artist cooperative in Africa...

Created for teachers by teachers, welcome to a rich resource containing innovative Best Practices in arts immersion and arts integration inspired by participants who have attended the New Jersey Artist/Teacher Institute.

These aTi inspired projects, lesson summaries and plans were used successfully in the classroom by teachers to achieve the following goals:
- Development in Interdisciplinary Skills and Curriculum Integration
- Holistic Student Development/Character Development/Life Skills
- Development of Art Specific Skills
- Improvement to the School Community- Internally and Externally

They also contribute to a teacher's Professional Development.

Surveys completed by aTi participants over the years show that 100% of them felt that the information, activities, techniques, and art experiences they had at aTi would be used in their teaching and would have a good impact on creating better lessons incorporating the approaches of Master teaching Artists.

Click Here to read more about Ethnographic Research, the method used to evaluate aTi.

About the New Jersey Artist/Teacher Institute
Co-sponsored by The New Jersey State Council on the Arts and Arts Horizons and now in its 35th season, The Artist/Teacher Institute (aTi) provides classroom teachers, administrators, students and artists with in-depth, hands-on experiences in a variety of art forms that encourage professional growth and discovery. By expanding their creativity, participants learn new skills to integrate arts into their curriculum and professional practice while connecting with a community of peers. Led by internationally renowned master teaching artists, aTi workshops include book arts, creative movement, music, glass and oil painting, playwriting, printmaking, storytelling, acting/improv, collage, poetry and memoir.

JANE KANDY LIPPINCOTT

2009-12-04T09:31:00.001-08:00

Art Teacher, (3rd-6th Grade)
Lanning Square School
Camden, New Jersey

Kandy's teaching career began in 1972 when she graduated from Rowan with a degree in Art Education. She joined the Peace Corps with her husband, Greg, and taught health and science in the South Pacific. After returning to the United States, she taught art in Florence, NJ for four years.

The Artist/Teacher Institute (aTi) has energized her teaching. She has attended for several summers has gained different experiences in each session. "The intensive, ten days of learning, sharing, and creating fills my creativity cup. My students receive the gift of my refreshed enthusiasm for teaching and doing art. This 'summer camp' for adults stretches me. I work hard at classes, trying media and tools that I'm initially inexperienced with. I feel the same lack of confidence that my students feel when I push them to try new materials and techniques. I remember what it’s like to be a student again. I bring all these skills and ideas from aTi back to school with me in September. I'm ready to be a better teacher with more tools to work with because of my summer experiences."

Kandy is pleased and proud of the opportunity to participate as a fellow in the aTimpact Fellowship. Her hope is that I can share some of the ideas from this program with other staff members. "I believe that the arts can help children and adults learn with joy and enthusiasm. Problem solving, invention, collaboration, play—our kids need these skills to do better at tests and more importantly at life. I love aTi."

DEANNA JOY WHITLEY

2009-10-30T12:31:00.002-07:00

Social Studies Teacher Grades 9-10
Arts High School
Newark, NJ

DeAnna became committed to helping uplift inner city youth while in college and began volunteering as a tutor with a small private school in her college community then. "Knowing I’ve made a difference and been a positive influence on a child’s life keeps me going. Helping them in numerous surprising ways also makes my career worthwhile, whether it’s counseling them or tutoring after school in such things as writing cursive, typing with more than one finger, becoming more responsible, and correcting the mechanics in their writing."

DeAnna was an advisor for her school newspaper for two and a half years and learned a good bit about newspaper publishing which became like a second full-time job which she loved. The same thing happened when she coached a national youth leadership program called Do Something (now known as The League) as an extra-curricular activity. "Being able to teach my students about life skills and financial empowerment is another passion which I’ve sometimes acted on as a teacher. Knowing I have something important to offer continues to drive me."

"The arts are crucial to education because creativity is the highest level of thinking and we want to produce great thinkers in our schools. The arts enable students to get more pleasure out of school because they get to have fun while developing and fulfilling talents, hobbies, and interests and their brains at the same time. Studies show that children who have developed a talent used in school, also tend to do better academically."

“Getting nominated and selected for this privilege is such an honor for me. I have learned various techniques through aTi that I would love to share on how to integrate the arts into teaching history. Cooperative learning groups have learned to tell historical stories through creative movement while others choreographed movements to Native American music while on that region of the world. Some students have sung or played instruments to teach about historical events to classmates. I have been sharing the value of blending colors to create one’s own; the only difference is, we’ve worked in pastels vs. oil paint. On top of this, they've been doing some acting followed by playwriting and even poetry. Many have also enjoyed seeing some of my own artwork, acting, and dancing skills combined with theirs. Other history teachers can benefit from such inclusions as well and reach some students that were unreachable while building self-esteem in others through the arts."

LEIGH MACKELVEY

2009-10-30T12:31:00.001-07:00

Special Education Teacher, K-2
Lanning Square Elementary School
Camden, NJ

Leigh teaches a self-contained class of 10 students from K-2 all day in Language Arts, Math, Social Studies and Science. "It's a difficult task to teach three different grade levels all in the same room, but the challenges these children face make the teaching challenges I face seem so small. They come with an expectation that I will help them find something unique within themselves that will compensate for their academic delays. They come needing to see their strengths overcome their deficits. And I keep coming so that I won't disappoint them."

"With the NCLB Act ruling the roost in the schools of America, classroom teachers are finding less and less time to be creative, to bring art into their daily curriculum. Sometimes we feel we are asked to leave that up to the Art or Music teacher. I am determined to find the opportunities in my lesson plans to involve my students in creativity and in the arts. Children with disabilities are at their best in art, drama and music. Yet those strengths are often overlooked through the quest to "get them up to speed?"academically. I see including the arts into the everyday curriculum as a means of making a child whole...physically, emotionally and spiritually, as well as academically."

"I can say that attending aTi has changed my life. I have always loved to write. But my short stories and poetry were handwritten in little notebooks kept in the closet for years. I had no confidence, not even enough to show my writing to anyone but a few family members. My instructors at aTi are confidence builders. I was given the tools I needed in my workshops to become bold and to begin taking my talent seriously. I wasn't at all sure if had talent until I came to my first two weeks at aTi! I've developed friendships with other teachers and artists who have the same interests andI have been able to network with them, as well as further those friendships outside of aTi. This past summer I ran a writing group every week at a small coffee shop in Mullica Hill. Most of the people who came were fellow aTi writers. Writing balances my work as a teacher and somehow makes teaching less stressful. And this tops it all: I'm traveling to Wales in August on a writing retreat run by Peter Murphy, my aTi poetry workshop instructor."

"I'm a part of aTimpact Fellowship Program because I want to give back to other teachers the confidence and tools I have received through my experiences at the Artist Teacher Institute."

DONNA CAPPADONA-MANSMANN

2009-10-30T12:30:00.000-07:00

Art Teacher, PreK-2
Daniel Webster School
Weehawken, NJ

Donna is currently the art teacher at Daniel Webster School, located at 2700-Palisade Avenue in Weehawhen, NJ. Donna became an art teacher thanks to the guidance, dedication and friendship of her high school art teacher Mr. Bendian. As long as she can remember, she always had a love for art. It is her way of making herself happy, sometimes her escape, her stress reliever, and always on her mind.

According to Donna, "My students are what drive me to teach. I just love the way they get so excited over a new project, a new material, and the way they light up when a concept clicks. There is nothing better then when a child is truly proud of what they have created."

Donna has always felt that the arts hold a great importance in education. "It's a child's first means of expressing their thoughts and feelings. It reinforces all of the other subject areas. I regularly inform my students about the language, math and science of art. I stress the importance and magic of how they all work together."

"This past summer I experienced many benefits attending aTi. It has been a long time since I had taken an art course and it was like a gift. I found myself enjoying it from the first moment. It was wonderful to have the opportunity to take two weeks and explore a new interest. I learned new skills and techniques. I was able to open and exercise my mind to new ideas. It was wonderful to meet and speak with others who share the same love and interest I have. I collected many things to bring back to my students. The 'give and take' among fellow teachers that went on during those fourteen days were priceless."

Donna is very excited to be participating in the aTimpact fellowship program. "I look forward to meeting new people who are involved in the arts and to share with them thoughts and ideas. I also feel that this will be an excellent opportunity for me to grow as an artist as well as a teacher."

HARRIETTE WASHINGTON-WILLIAMS

2009-10-30T12:29:00.002-07:00

Music Teacher, (Pre K-8th Grade)
Newark, New Jersey

Harriette has served as Music Resource Teacher for the Newark Public Schools, mentored new music teachers in the District, presented numerous music and book arts workshops across the state, and served as member and chairperson of the School Leadership Council. She was selected by the NJ Symphony Orchestra as a Master teacher and recognized by School Leadership Team I as an Outstanding Teacher. She has served on the revision committee for the NJ Core Curriculum Content Standards, the NJ Department of Education Arts Framework Committee and a reader for the Artist-In-Education Grants NJ State Council on the Arts.

"As a lifelong lover of the arts and a participator in music, I was encouraged to teach music by my high school choral director. The opportunity to be actively involved in music personally as well as engage individuals and groups in the arts drives me to teach. The expression on a student’s face when they have mastered a concept, to have a student tell you that chorus is cool, to have a student tell you that you made a difference in their life, is priceless."

Harriette's personal interests in the arts include book arts, quilting, rubber stamping, and scrap booking. "The arts are important to education because they provide a vehicle for self-expression, stimulate imagination, students who participate in the arts have higher academic achievement."

LAURA TUNIS

2009-10-30T12:29:00.001-07:00

Special Education Teacher, Mercer County
Instructor and Vision Consultant, New Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Laura Christensen Tunis has been an Instructor and Vision Consultant with the New Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired since 1987. She earned her BA in Art Education from The College of NJ and is NJ certified in art, special education and teacher of the visually impaired. She has studied extensively with well-known artists at Penland-(NC) Haystack-(ME) Arrowmont-(TN) and Brookfield Craft Centers-(CT). She is a talented fiber artist, bead and crafts designer who believes in providing quality arts education for students with disabilities. Laura has sold her work through local craft shows, shops and galleries. Laura is a practicing artist who enjoys working in mixed media, book making, beading and gourd crafting. She is currently assigned to work with students ages 3-21 in the Mercer County area. She has been teaching to all ages for over 20 years after becoming disenchanted with an "Art on a Cart" elementary art teaching experience.

What exactly does a teacher of the visually impaired do?

A teacher of blind and visually impaired serves as a consultant to classroom teachers and helps to select appropriate methods and materials. The teacher of the blind assists teachers by explaining the types of objects students are able to see and under what conditions.
In addition, these specialists deal with instructional problems related to the teaching of specific lessons and concepts. Teachers of the blind also adapt materials and lessons; provide text in Braille and large print; and teach specialized skills such as the use of computer programs that produce voice output or Braille translations of text. Teachers of the blind also work directly with students when they teach Braille and specific skills needed by their students. Each day is different and brings new challenges!

"Having been an art teacher, I recognize the importance of interacting and collaborating with other art teachers to gain insight about successful learning environments they have established. Many visually impaired children are mainstreamed into regular education classrooms and work along with their sighted peers with the assistance of adapted materials. Some subjects, such as art, are more difficult than others to adapt or modify. Children need to be encouraged to express and communicate their own ideas, thoughts and feelings through creative activities. Whether you teach in a special-education program or in a "regular" classroom, sooner or later you will encounter special kids facing special challenges. More information and resources will help teachers better understand (and help) students with special needs. I want to be a part of this exciting aTimpact fellows opportunity!"

BETTY PROVIDENTI

2009-10-30T12:28:00.001-07:00

Instructor, (Grades 9-12)
Graphic Design/Commercial Art and Illustration
Middlesex County Vocational and Technical High School
ast Brunswick, New Jersey

Betty is currently and has been the only Graphic Design/Commercial Art/Illustration in the Middlesex County Vocational High School system for 29 years. We have five schools in the system and I teach in the East Brunswick campus. I teach 2 grade levels in the morning and 2 in the afternoon, 10/11 and then 9/12. My students are motivated and focused. Although we do a lot of our work on computers I insist that all students begin by laying out all work by hand as a first step. I started out my art career as a designer never imagining I would eventually teach. At the age of 30 I was asked to take over the class as a temporary replacement for the original instructor. I never left and have never been happier in a job. I would have never thought I would love teaching as much as I have all these years. I look forward to every morning with a renewed passion. I see the excitement of all my students every time they accomplish another task. Art is such an important part of each students learning experience. Whether it is Graphic, Music, or Dance, I do not believe a student has a well rounded education without some form of art training.

This past summer I got to experience a renewal of my own abilities by attending aTi. It renewed my passion and drive to create for me again. The Book Arts and Printmaking classes awakened a new passion for me. I could not wait to bring back my new knowledge and share it with my students. Not only did I have wonderful instructors, but I made new and great friendships. I have continued to communicate with many of the other attendees. The two weeks I spent at aTi were one of the greatest experiences of my career. My students have been so excited about book arts that we have dedicated a great part of the year creating around this subject.

I am looking forward to working with other fellows in being able to spread the word about aTi and the wonderful experience that it is.

ELLENBETH NAPPEN

2009-10-30T12:27:00.002-07:00

Art Teacher
Millville Senior High School
Millville, New Jersey

Ellenbeth has taught elementary school Early Childhood through 8th grade for 18 years. For the past seven years she has taught at Memorial and Millville Senior High School grades 8-12.

Ellenbeth has taken Book Arts for six years at the Artist/Teacher Institute. "Mary Phelan has really been an inspiration, starting with simple construction and moving onto more complex boxes and pop-ups. I always keep in mind the techniques I learned in Visual Arts classes with Barbara Bullock. I even got into some writing and printing. I think our class creation of a graphic novel was my favorite."

"The Artist/Teacher Institute reenergizes me every summer with something new that I can’t wait to share with my colleagues and students. I start off each semester with a kind of 'show & tell' about my new experiences. I even fill the showcase in front of my class with new creations. Every one of my classes gets to make at least one book during the semester."

JANICE M. MARSILI

2009-10-30T12:27:00.001-07:00

Art Instructor of Drawing, Printmaking, Ceramics, and Advanced Art Open Studio
David Brearley Middle/High School
Kenilworth, New Jersey

A professor at Kean University advised Janice, as she was working on her teaching degree, to make herself indispensable to the town in which she taught. Many art rooms were being changed into computer rooms at that time, and art teachers were often being phased out as a result. "He told me to paint 'every vertical surface in the town to make myself visible, and to institute interdisciplinary student projects as well as ones that took the students out into the community. I took his advice at first to forge an element of job security for myself, but soon I found that expanding my program beyond the classroom walls was what gave me, as well as my students, the greatest sense of accomplishment."

Janice continues to work with the Kenilworth Historical Society, the veterans, and the senior citizens. Her small projects have grown into town-wide programs to document the present life and accomplishments of Kenilworth’s students and citizens. Two years ago she attended an Artists-in-Education (AIE) grant workshop and was inspired to apply for an Artist Residency Grant. "I felt totally comfortable teaching ceramics, but less so with printmaking. I decided to ask for a printmaking residency that would improve my skills, and highlight our existing collaboration with the town."

In addition to the grant itself, her experiences at aTi have charged her creativity and allowed her to expose students to even more artistic techniques. "Bookmaking and writing added to art-making are two of the activities that I have brought back to the classroom from my two summers of attending the Artist/Teacher Institute. Every aspect of my involvement with Artists in Education has enriched my teaching and taught me ways to show my students, parents, administrators and community residents the undeniable value of the arts in education. I have chosen to participate as a fellow in the aTimpact Fellowship Program in order to share what I have learned with other teachers who might also be inspired to take advantage of this valuable approach to teaching."

JANICE MARSILI

2009-10-30T12:26:00.000-07:00

LONNIE STEWART-AUSTIN

2009-10-30T12:25:00.003-07:00

Art Teacher
Mt. Vernon Elementary School
Newark, New Jersey

Lonnie began her education in the Newark Public Schools and has been an art teacher for the twenty years, working to strengthen the art program in her school. Her educational philosophy as an art teacher is to be the visual communicator for the educational programs in her school, district and state. She has increased her participation in the Art Educators of New Jersey and has been instrumental in resurrecting the Essex County Youth Art Month Exhibit with the support of the Essex County Executive, Joseph Di Vincenzo Jr. and his staff. She joined the Artbeat newspaper staff, developed the Multicultural Strand at the Art Educators State Convention and continues to present at state and national conventions. She is on the AENJ Advisory Board and NAEA National Middle School Division committee.

Lonnie has been the recipient of The Jack & Jill Inc. Mother of the Year Award, the Newark Arts Grant, the Art Teachers Institute Individual Professional Development grant, Arts Horizon Professional Development school grant, the Rick Lasher Professional Development Grant and the AENJ Middle School Division Award.

"My desire is to utilize my art education, business and race diversity experience to assist me in obtaining a doctorate in multicultural education. Working at a school where the student and staff population represents 32 different cultures and speaks 48 languages has exposed me to the concerns of the new immigrant and their journey to becoming an American citizen. As an art teacher, I works with students to help them understand the American culture while sharing respect and understanding for their country of origin's culture."

JEANNE JABLONSKI

2009-10-30T12:25:00.001-07:00

Retired Art Teacher, (5th-8th Grade)
Logan Township Elementary School
Logan Township, New Jersey

Jeanne taught elementary school art (mostly grades 5 through 8) for 34 years before retiring in 2004. The majority of that time was spent at Logan Township Elementary School in Logan Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey where she continues to substitute and make herself available to lead art workshops for children and adults.

"I truly believe that the arts are a vital component in the education of our children. Art is one of the few times when students can put their knowledge to work along with allowing them to express their creativity."

Jeanne is also a painter and book artist. Her work has appeared in many juried shows and she has won several awards. Now that she's retired, she can dedicate more time to her personal work. Her interest in book arts started when she began to attend ATI as a result of several Artist-in-Education grants that Logan Township received. "I found the two weeks every summer to be such a stimulating experience that when I retired I continued to attend. I have learned so much from the instructors and the fellow attendees. When I was teaching I carried my new knowledge back to my classroom and I couldn’t wait to share what I had learned with my students and colleagues."

"I hope that my position as an ATI Fellow will allow me to spread the word about how wonderful the ATI experience is so other teachers and artists can benefit, too."

Initiating professional development

2009-10-30T12:18:00.000-07:00

“I learned a lot of techniques for brain storming with a lot of very talented Artists and Teachers.”
Pat Marinaro, Elementary art teacher

“The impact of aTi will, I’m, sure, reveal itself in unimaginable ways for years to come. My aTi experience has made me a more sociable, patient and thoughtful individual than I was before.”
Gary J. Whitehead, English Teacher
Tenafly High School, Tenafly, NJ

“Working in an inner city school with children of extreme diverse situations provides me with the fuel that helps me return to the aTi experience. The teachers and my peers help to solve problems you can experience in the classroom as well as share school lessons of success! ”
Alonzrea Stewart-Austin, Art Teacher
Mt.Vernon School, Newark, NJ

“During the residency I gave an in-service to the faculty and staff. The subject was very easy book structures that they can use in their classroom. Most of these books I learned at ATI. The next day I had a third grader seek me out and asked me to visit his classroom. When I did the class proudly showed me the envelop books they had made for a science lesson. Their teacher had showed them how to make the books after attending the professional development workshop.”
Jeanne Jablonski, 4th grade Art

“I believe this makes an impact on the school as a whole, students and teachers. They begin to think on different terms about what my students are able to accomplish. After displaying student Big Books, a Kindergarten teacher from a general education class came upstairs to ask me how I was able to get my students to write and make these books. She actually took notes.”
Leigh MacKelvey, Special Education Teacher

JOHN CLOUD KAISER

2009-10-30T12:07:00.000-07:00

Project Facilitator

John Cloud Kaiser is an artist, an art-educator, a researcher, and an administrator. Over the past 10 years He has been the Executive Director of a small nonprofit that he created, Free Style Arts Association, which invents, enacts, and researches new, more inclusive, approaches to Community Based Art and Art Education.

Kaiser's thesis for his Masters Degree in Art Education at NYU dealt with how to make arts education programs more successful by more creatively reaching out to community members to involve them in art-making. Through his participatory public sculptures where he gets people walking down the street to spontaneously help build a bit of a giant art piece, he educates and advocates art as a language we can all share. He has organized and received grants for projects at P.S.1 MoMA, the Scope Art Fair, The Queens Museum of Art, The Mayor’s Awards for Arts and Culture, The New York Parks Department, The NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, The Brooklyn Arts Council, and many others, with projects featured in the New York Times, NY Post, and Daily News.

Kaiser has administered and taught over 600 days of artist residencies at NYC and NJ public schools through Free Style Arts, Arts Horizons, Brooklyn Arts Council, Parents as Arts Partners, and the NJ A.I.E. Grant. He also founded a multi-venue after-school program that connected the police community program in Williamsburg with many local volunteering art galleries that continues to grow.

Development of Art Specific Skills

2009-10-30T12:04:00.000-07:00

Objectives:
-Giving students experience with how to use the tools of art
-Teaching students general skills: Fine Motor Skills, Vocabulary,
Process, and Technique
-Teaching visual literacy
-Teaching students to be responsible with their tools and creations
-Teaching art career opportunities
-Teaching students how to be an audience

“The tools I was taught in both (ATi) workshops gave me a better understanding of the tools I need to give my students to better equip them. This has, without question, been one of the best experiences of my life! I truly believe that my life has been forever changed and my goals better clarified and focused.”
Leigh MacKelvey, Special Education Teacher
Lanning Square, Camden, NJ

“When I returned to my school after being invigorated at aTi, I explored several lesson plans... to infuse other art mediums into music. The students were enthusiastic about these lessons because they could express themselves using a genre of music that most of them listen to daily. The lessons also provided an opportunity for differentiated learning.”
Harriet Washington Williams, music teacher

“The students were introduced to a new printing technique, printing with found objects. They learned how to construct a one-sheet book and wrap a cover for it. They also used design skills to put together the finished story in the book along with illustrations... Every fourth grader involved in this project was successful. They each completed a book and wrote a story.”
Jeanne Jablonski, 4th grade Art

“Many teachers think that learning is all in books but I believe we can learn in many ways. Incorporating all the activities we did really is an amazing way to learn and get a better understanding of the lesson.”
Ariela, grade 9, Student of DeAnna Whitley

“My students were able to enthusiastically describe the steps to the writing process and comprehend what to do in each step after this lesson. If the vocabulary of the step was forgotten, they could remember it quickly with a dramatic prompt or verbal prompt using analogy. I heard comments from students such as ‘It's fun to write poems’, and ‘Let's write another poem.’”
Leigh MacKelvey, Special Education Teacher

“Barbara Bullock's collage class has allowed our minds to include various collage forms... During public displays of student work from these art lessons, parents can often be heard marveling about the realism of this project.”
Ellen Beth Nappen, high school art teacher

“(After attending ATi) I can’t wait to bring the techniques to the classroom. This program also inspires me to do my own artwork, which will help my teaching abilities.”
Eileen Ciavarello, Teacher
Pequannock Township High School, Pompton Plains, NJ

“I couldn’t wait to go back to school to show the students the various ways to print and publish their own work, their original product.”
Betty Providenti, High School Art teacher

“I make portfolios with them every year and this year I am going to have them design them with the accordion fold... I (also) took the Oil Painting class with Kit Sailor... ATI attracts some very talented people to show up and share their skills.”
Pat Marinaro, Elementary art teacher

Development in Interdisciplinary Skills / Curriculum Integration

2009-10-30T12:03:00.000-07:00

Objectives:
-Involving various subjects and classes in a project;
a Performance, Book, Art Show, Etc...
-Teaching Literacy through the arts- analogies, metaphor, simile,
dialogue, sequencing structure.
-Engaging students in Advanced Problem Solving.

“The arts infusion things were really good for the class. It was a chance for us to move around and not just sit and learn…(You) kept us active and awake instead of having us learn straight out of the textbook and not moving. ”
Phantaisha, grade 9, Student of DeAnna Whitley- Social Studies

“Having art infusion in our class is a lot of fun and we learn a lot more when we actually get to act it out. When we are putting these activities together we are not just learning about history but also how to work together and deal with all the different personalities. I had a great time when we used the pastel paintings to create environmental posters.”
Ariela, grade 9, Student of DeAnna Whitley- Social Studies

“It has so much to do with connections. Every subject is important. But lonely islands of knowledge are so much less valuable than connected other subjects. I think my art classes are the glue to connect math, science, literacy, and all the rest.”
Kandy Lipincott, elementary art teacher

“The Classroom Teachers and the Basic Skills Reading Teachers were pleased with the cross curriculum content of the project. I feel that the classes moved smoothly, the students were interested in their work and it was overall a successful project.”
Donna Mansmann, Elementary and Special Needs art teacher

“Because this lesson engaged the students and taught them how to creatively think about word choices and descriptions of every day events and objects, at least 3/4 of my class improved their writing skills... After ATi, I come back to school full of new ways to incorporate writing and the other art disciplines into my lesson plans.”
Leigh MacKelvey, Special Education Teacher

“(ATi) Book Arts this year is setting me up to be more three dimensional with the kids and their projects. Miriam Shier has given me easily about 30 projects to turn into lesson plans with my students. I can teach them more about design; I can be inclusive with everything using book arts.”
Pat Marinaro, Elementary art teacher

“(In a music class) 95% of students were able to answer questions asked by their peers such as, why did you select that candidate, and why did you choose that social issue?”
Harriet Washington Williams, music teacher (incorporating social studies)

“The students involved were able to put many of their educational skills to good use. They needed to be proficient in the areas of art, writing, research, and computers.”
Jeanne Jablonski, 4th grade Art/History

“It was my desire to make it an enjoyable project with concentration on reflecting on the writing that went into (a) book. I spoke with the literacy teachers so that the students could receive credit for the projects... Fifth grade students told me they liked this project because they could use what they were learning in their literature class and now use it in their art class.”
Lonnie Stewart-Austin, grades 4-8 Art

“The workshop provided a continuous “hands on” practical experience. It enabled me to “stretch” to see how I can adapt things to my classroom and personal learning style. Most importantly it instilled confidence in me and my skills.”
Karen Mickelson, Kindergarten Teacher
Grenloch Terrace Early Childhood Center, Washington Township, NJ

“Just being exposed to all these creative people helped me to raise the bar on the amount of creativity I will put into my classroom.”
Lisa Merino, Fourth Grade Teacher
Lawnside Public School, Lawnside, NJ

Improve School Community- internally and externally

2009-10-30T12:01:00.000-07:00

Objectives:
-Beautifying the school environment
-improving students’ respect and responsibility for school property
-initiating the dialogue and teamwork that leads to a caring
relationship between students, teachers, and staff.
-Improving school moral- School Spirit, Teacher Enthusiasm,
Renewal and Revitalization.
-Improving relations with the community and community
involvement.
-Initiating professional development and turnkey learning

“The finished books were on display during the "Family Art Night". Parents and the community in general were invited to view the results of all of the books that were made by all class levels in addition to participating in many art activities overseen by the students. The local paper sent a reporter. We had a great turnout and many positive comments.”
Jeanne Jablonski, 4th grade Art

"This was one of the best field trips of my high school career. I loved visiting the senior citizens, taking a picture of my relative Art Morison, and then creating a linoleum block print of the photo (see below). I gave copies of the print to my family members and they loved them."
Alessia Dotro, middle school student

“An eighth grade student expressed a desire to make a serious book that they would be able to keep as a souvenir from Mt.Vernon. Later during the school year, the same students made a more structured book-using student made marbleized paper and glued on jewelry.”
Lonnie Stewart-Austin, grades 4-8 Art

“I learned a lot of techniques for brain storming with a lot of very talented Artists and Teachers.”
Pat Marinaro, Elementary art teacher

“I got some really great work from their enthusiastic participation. The students can’t wait to come back in september. In fact they are working on projects over the summer.”
Betty Providenti, High School Art teacher

“The art teacher and what he or she does is of priceless value to both educating the whole child and bringing in good PR to the school”
Kandy Lipincott, elementary art teacher

“The impact of aTi will, I’m, sure, reveal itself in unimaginable ways for years to come. My aTi experience has made me a more sociable, patient and thoughtful individual than I was before.”
Gary J. Whitehead, English Teacher
Tenafly High School, Tenafly, NJ

“Working in an inner city school with children of extreme diverse situations provides me with the fuel that helps me return to the aTi experience. The teachers and my peers help to solve problems you can experience in the classroom as well as share school lessons of success! ”
Alonzrea Stewart-Austin, Art Teacher
Mt.Vernon School, Newark, NJ

“During the residency I gave an in-service to the faculty and staff. The subject was very easy book structures that they can use in their classroom. Most of these books I learned at ATI. The next day I had a third grader seek me out and asked me to visit his classroom. When I did the class proudly showed me the envelop books they had made for a science lesson. Their teacher had showed them how to make the books after attending the professional development workshop.”
Jeanne Jablonski, 4th grade Art

“(Through the art class) Students in the regular classroom see that students with disabilities have creative talent. I believe this makes an impact on the school as a whole, students and teachers. They begin to think on different terms about what my students are able to accomplish. After displaying student Big Books, a Kindergarten teacher from a general education class came upstairs to ask me how I was able to get my students to write and make these books. She actually took notes.”
Leigh MacKelvey, Special Education Teacher

Holistic Student Development/ Character Development/ Life Skills

2009-10-30T11:58:00.000-07:00

Objectives:
-Improving students’ confidence, self esteem, self worth
-Improving confidence in students who are visual learners
-Lowering students’ disciplinary issues
-Engaging students in publicly expressing their opinions
-Teaching students to be lifelong learners
-Teaching students to develop active inquisitive habits
-Engaging students in experimentation and creative play
-Engaging students in creatively visualizing
-Teaching students to be responsible citizens
-Teaching students tolerance, appreciation, empathy, and respect
for diversity
-Teaching students how to engage in constructive
criticism/communication.
-Initiating therapeutic breakthroughs

“Art infusion has truly brought out another type of learning process in me. When we learn things visually it’s more understanding to me maybe because I’m a visual learner... Another benefit to art infusion is really understanding team work. I have now experienced that when one falls we all fall.”
Malissa, grade 9, Student of DeAnna Whitley- Social Studies

“The more I incorporate what I learn at aTi, the more pleasant my classes become, the more student enthusiasm becomes evident, the more high-stakes testing scores increase, the more pleased with my job performance administrators become, the larger my job satisfaction grows.”
Michael Z. Murphy, Language Arts Teacher
Sojourner Truth Middle School, East Orange, NJ

“Because the students enjoyed my art class, overall grades improved. I am also happy to report less discipline problems in the classroom... The art class I taught provided an opportunity for so many of my new (to this country) students to express their pride in their other country.”
Lonnie Stewart-Austin, grades 4-8 Art

“One of my students, Brittany, was a very disaffected student in all grades. When she came to me her attendance and behavior were terrible. She was uncontrollable. She was bounced around from shop to shop until I took her in. The book project gave her self-worth and confidence.” A video interview with Brittany shows through her detailed explanation of her book, how proud she is of her work and her ability to communicate professionally about her process and ideas. In the video Brittany says, “This is one of my favorite projects. I am actually thinking of doing one at home.”
Betty Providenti, high school teacher

"Karen DeMaio, mother of senior Alexis DeMaio, was thrilled that her daughter became proficient with the printing press, and often helped her fellow students to pull their prints. Alexis produced two etchings rather than one which her mother framed and now has on display in their home. Karen felt that this project, and Alexis' hands-on work with resident printmaker Nanci Hersh, did a great deal to increase her self-esteem."
Janice Marsili, Middle school Art

“The art teacher at the school told me about one of the students who was involved in this project. His mother told her that this was the project that made her normally frustrated son ‘eager to come to school’... This (arts and history project) was a lesson that allowed all kinds of learners to be successful and was truly cross-curricula. It was necessary for the children to cooperate with each other through sharing, ideas, information and materials.
Jeanne Jablonski, 4th grade Art/History

“aTi helps me replenish my well of inspiration... I'm able to free my mind and get to my own creative core— which is what I'm encouraging students to do... I believe this gives me an opportunity to experience myself as a student again; which in turn, I take back to my own teaching.”
April Armstrong, Teaching Artist
NYDOE & BOCES, Westchester, NY

“I loved feeling like anything was possible and hope to impart that in a bigger way in my classroom... A big part of this workshop was the camaraderie among participants. I was so much more supported than I expected to be.”
Tamara Caruso, Language Arts Teacher
Grace Wilday JHS, New Brunswick, NJ

Welcome To aTimpact!

2009-09-04T08:42:00.001-07:00

About aTimpact
Created for teachers by teachers, welcome to a rich resource containing innovative Best Practices in arts immersion and arts integration inspired by participants who have attended the New Jersey Artist/Teacher Institute.

About the New Jersey Artist/Teacher Institute
Co-sponsored by The New Jersey State Council on the Arts and Arts Horizons and now in its 35th season, The Artist/Teacher Institute (aTi) provides classroom teachers, administrators, students and artists with in-depth, hands-on experiences in a variety of art forms that encourage professional growth and discovery. By expanding their creativity, participants learn new skills to integrate arts into their curriculum and professional practice while connecting with a community of peers. Led by internationally renowned master teaching artists, aTi workshops include book arts, creative movement, music, glass and oil painting, playwriting, printmaking, storytelling, acting/improv, collage, poetry and memoir.

The Development of aTimpact:
Funded by the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, aTimpact is a free online resource for aTi alumni providing best practices for effective arts immersion and arts integration projects, ideas, and lessons inspired by a teacher's transformative experience at aTi.

A teacher's experience at aTi is re-energizing, refreshing, and a source of creative renewal. Armed with new ideas, skills, and techniques, teachers return to their classrooms inspired to apply what they have learned in their workshops and from their peers. In 2008 a select group of dedicated aTi Fellows met throughout the year to document these applications and research their impact on students, teachers, administrators, and the community.

Teacher applications in the form of actual projects, ideas, lesson summaries and lesson plans used in the classroom were evaluated by the Fellows and deemed a Best Practice if they achieved the following goals:

- Development in Interdisciplinary Skills and Curriculum Integration
- Holistic Student Development/Character Development/Life Skills
- Development of Art Specific Skills
- Improvement School Community- internally and externally
- Professional Development

Surveys completed by ATi participants over the years show that 100% of them felt that the information, activities, techniques, and art experiences they had at ATi would be used in their teaching and would have a good impact on their creating better lessons incorporating the approaches of Master teaching Artists.

A worksheet is posted to the right that allows future aTi graduates the structure to present their Best Practices Lessons in Art.

Doll Books- Integrating Art, Literacy, and Culture

2009-08-12T11:46:00.000-07:00

Summary of Activities

by Lonnie Stewart-Austin

It has been a wonderful life’s learning and working journey blending my experiences with ATI and my position as a classroom art teacher at Newark Public Schools.
I have taught in Newark Public Schools for 25 years. Within this district I have taught at a small K-6th school, k-8 school and I have taught high school students during the summers at Farleigh Dickerson University as part of the lead program. I have experience as a \manager, school administrator and business owner. It is my passion to continue to work closely with students, parents and teachers in a variety of positions.

My first experience was with Book Arts and Printing at Paterson University 2003. I was referred to the program by fellow art teacher, Ms. Harriet Washington. I was able to take my experiences and bring then into my classroom the following year. It impacted my students by using the books for their literacy class as well as the art class. The following year, ATI also awarded my school with a professional development grant. A professional book-artist, Ms. Shaffer provided a book workshop for teachers in grades three - eight. She was able to directly address concerns and suggestions of how the construction of books would assist students in their classrooms. The feedback and comments from the administrators and teachers were extremely positive. The younger students made name-tag books to wear around their necks for a field trip the following week. The teachers commented that the workshop had the ability to address their curriculum needs without many adjustments.

This past year, 2008-2009, I had fifth grade and eighth grade students participate in a bookmaking activity as an interdisciplinary project with their literacy class. The fifth grade students were to write a biography and include information about the country their ancestors originated from. The information had to be contained in two or three paragraphs. They could choose to dress their doll/book in traditional dress or contemporary dress. They could incorporate the country’s flag in the clothes. The eighth grade students chose to make elves for Christmas decorations. We based the idea on a story about Christmas. Inside of the book the students could write an opinion about the holiday, Christmas and how it affects them. Several students wrote poems or made up their own Christmas story.

Art Lesson Plan- Doll Book
GOAL: Personal Book GRADE: 4-8, Four weeks

OBJECTIVE: TSWBAT construct a personal doll book. The student will choose the clothing and colors. The book will be an extension of the decided project for the proposed lesson. A biography, information about a country or flag, a story, or a holiday poem are some of the projects that a book can be written about. The features on the doll can represent the student.

CCCS: 1.1 1.2 1.3 3.2
CPI: 1.2.6D.3

VOCABULARY: Biography, collage

ARTIST/ART MOVEMENT: Faith Ringgold, Romare Bearden, Jacob Lawrence

PROCEDURE: The students will watch a video and view some pictures by Romare Bearden, and Faith Ringgold. Ms. Ringgold’s biography and books are inspiration for the students to reflect their short life’s stories. The students will decide what the doll will wear and what it will be made out of (mainly paper). The students can use material, construction paper, crayons, felt, etc. The biography will be written inside of the book (body section), using pen or computer printed if time permits.
The students will look at power point of Bearden.
The students’ biography should answer 3 major questions.
1. What is important?
2. What do you like the best?
3. Where do you see yourself living?
4. How do you plan to get there?

MATERIALS: Pencils oak tag crayons material glue pen
Construction paper

EVALUATION: The student and the teacher will review the project. The student will make his/her picture available to have the project reviewed by the art class. The class and the teacher will accent the positive aspects of the picture. The student’s grade is contingent upon how well he/she followed directions/instructions, the uniqueness of the project and the complexity of how it was completed.

Art Lesson Plan- Line Dance

GOAL: Line direction / Design GRADE: Kndg-first

OBJECTIVE: TSWBAT learn, recall and draw the three major directions of lines. Horizontal, vertical and diagonal lines will be shown to the students using a dance.

CCCS: 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.6
CPI: 1.2.2c.2 1.2.2d.3

VOCABULARY: Horizontal line Vertical line Diagonal line
Design = Different colors, different lines and different shapes

ARTIST/ART MOVEMENT: Mondrian and other paintings with lines in them

PROCEDURE: The teacher will review with the students the definition of design. It is different colors, different shapes, and different lines. The teacher will draw the many different shapes and lines the students should know. Each child will also name a few colors. After the review, the teacher will share with the students a dance that she and her other young students developed.
The dance was based on the three directions; horizontal, vertical, and diagonal.

MATERIALS: Markers white construction paper bell shape

EVALUATION: The student and the teacher will review the project. The student will make his/her picture available to have the project reviewed by the art class. The class and the teacher will accent the positive aspects of the picture. The student’s grade is contingent upon how well he/she followed directions/instructions.

Art Lesson Plan- Cultural Study Doll Book

GOAL: Personal Book/culture GRADE: 6-8

Four weeks

OBJECTIVE: TSWBAT make a personal doll book which will be dressed in the students native costume. The book will contain information about their culture and how they include that information each day. The doll will have symbols or objects that represent the student.

CCCS: 1.1 1.2 1.3 3.2
CPI:

VOCABULARY: Biography, collage,

ARTIST/ART MOVEMENT: Faith Ringgold, Frieda Kahlo, Romare Bearden, and Jacob Lawrence

PROCEDURE: The students will watch a video and view some pictures by Romare Bearden. The students will decide what the doll will wear and what it will be made out of. The students can use material, construction paper, crayons, felt, etc. The biography will be written inside of the book (body section).
The students will look t a power point of Bearden.
The student’s biography should answer 3 major questions.
5. What is important?
6. What do you like the best?
7. Where do you see yourself living?
8. How do you plan to get there?

MATERIALS: Pencils oak tag crayons material glue
Construction paper

EVALUATION: The student and the teacher will review the project. The student will make his/her picture available to have the project reviewed by the art class. The class and the teacher will accent the positive aspects of the picture. The student’s grade is contingent upon how well he/she followed directions/instructions.

Art Lesson Plan- Doll Book Mural

GOAL: Class mural GRADE: 5-8

OBJECTIVE: TSWBAT draw a scene that everyone can add his or her dolls to the mural.

CCM:1.2 1.4 3.2

VOCABULARY: Mural

ARTIST/ART MOVEMENT: Jacob Lawrence

PROCEDURE: The teacher and students will decide what background they want the picture to be for their dolls. The discussion will talk about where and what time in the year the picture will be . The students will paint the background and the rest of the class complete their dolls.

MATERIALS: Brown or white mural paper paint brushes newspaper

EVALUATION: The student and the teacher will review the project. The student will make his/her picture available to have the project reviewed by the art class. The class and the teacher will accent the positive aspects of the picture. The student’s grade is contingent upon how well he/she followed directions/instructions.

Art Lesson Plan- Stained Glass Window

GOAL: Stained glass window cut-out GRADE: 4th-8th

OBJECTIVE: TSWBAT cut out negative shapes from the positive stained glass window shape. 2 Circles will be used for the presentation. One circle will be to learn on the second will be used to create an individual design.

CCCS: 1.2 1.3 1.6
CPI: 1.1.8a.1

VOCABULARY: Positive and negative shapes

ARTIST/ART MOVEMENT: Matisse Bearden Calder

PROCEDURE: The teacher will show the students pictures of collages made by Matisse or Bearden. Based on the student’s experience with cutting out for snowflakes, cutting for a stained glass window is a little different. Students will cut out two circles, one to learn on and the other to be creative with. They will then glue tissue paper to the circle and trim the excess. A silhouette of a candle will be taped to the window and the stained glass project will be taped above. The sun will highlight the colors.

MATERIALS: Different color tissue paper black construction paper scissors glue

EVALUATION: The student and the teacher will review the project. The student will make his/her picture available to have the project reviewed by the art class. The class and the teacher will accent the positive aspects of the picture. The student’s grade is contingent upon how well he/she followed directions/instructions.

Evaluation of Lesson's Success:

Teacher: I enjoyed this project and will probably continue using a variety of formats to work with the students. It provided an opportunity for so many of my new (to this country) students to express their pride in their other country. As their first book project I provided a pattern of which the students could change at will. It was my desire to make it an enjoyable project with concentration on reflecting the writing that went into the book. I spoke with the literacy teachers so that the students could receive credit for the projects. Most of the projects were displayed outside of the student’s homeroom class.

Fifth grade students told me they liked this project because they could use what they were learning in their literature class and now use it in their art class.

- Another student liked drawing and coloring the clothes for their doll. They mentioned the freedom of choosing what the doll would wear.
- Many students like the project because they could use the other country’s flag.

Eighth grade students enjoyed making the project with the flexibility of making it an imaginary elf. The book’s clothing reflected the Christmas colors and the writing commented on the holiday. The elves were used for holiday decorations in the auditorium. The students were surprised to see their work onstage and enjoyed by the younger students.

- An eighth grade student expressed a desire to make a serious book that they would be able to keep as a souvenir from Mt.Vernon. Later during the school year, the same students made a more structured book-using student made marbleized paper and glued on jewelry. The students like the project.

Because the students enjoyed this project, overall grades improved. I am also happy to report less discipline problems in the classroom.

Integrating The Arts Into The Curriculum

2009-08-06T21:22:00.000-07:00

Generation Y Steps Up to Vote! by Harriette Washington-Williams, K-8 Music Class: The lesson was used as a component of the students' performance of the song "Mr. President" by LL Cool J and Wyclef John (click here to hear a segment of the song). The students used the music, writing poems, and art projects involving designing sneakers and t-shirts, to analyze how current social and political issues influenced the artist and their lyrics. The project integrated music across the curriculum (Music, Language Arts, Social Studies) and it addressed different learning styles.

Global War ming Art Exhibit with Peer Evaluations by DeAnna Whitley, Social Studies Teacher: Students were guided in creating a class art exhibit on global warming ad pastel paintings as a way to continue discussion on the subject. Students also wrote constructive evaluations of one another's artwork.

Etchings Of Our Community by Janice Marsili, Middle School Art: This lesson was completed at David Brearley Art Department through a residency grant project funded by AIE and inspired by a printmaking class at ATi. Students worked with the Historical Society to create etchings, document the present day life of the town. They had great success and student support for the project publishing cookbooks, calenders, and even creating a printmaking exchange of "paper prayers" with an artist cooperative in Africa.

King Phil ips' and Pequot Wars through Visual Art and Drama by DeAnna Whitley, Social Studies: This lesson involved students in studying the Colonial History of the area through a study of culture and politics. The students created political posters and acted out plays reflecting the historical events they were studying, learning in exciting new ways.

Doll Books and More- Integrating Art, Literacy, and Culture by Lonnie Stewart-Austin, grades 4-8 Art, Literacy, and Social Studies: This lesson inspired by ATi and NJ AIE artists teaches students about literacy and world cultures by having them create "doll books", books in the shape of a character. Students are also involved in a variety of art styles including necklace books, muraling, dance, and stained glass window making.

Art Books Exploring Lenape History By Jeanne Jablonski, 4th grade Art/History: This lesson was inspired by ATI and incorporates book making and print making. The students were learning about the Lenni Lenape in social studies and I worked with the art teacher to make books by printing images on paper with found objects as illustrations for stories that they created about the Lenape History.

Poem Books with Young Elementary Students by Leigh MacKevey, 5-8 years olds with Learning Disabilities: This lesson was inspired by a poetry workshop at ATi South with Peter Murphy. Students learn about many subjects by exploring the writing process, crafting poems and creating art books.

Native American Music and Storytelling by DeAnna Whitley, Social Studies Teacher: This lesson was inspired by story telling workshops at ATi. Students were engaged in exploring the many aspects of culture by exploring Native American history through Music, Story telling, and Visual Arts projects.

Dance

2009-08-06T18:32:00.001-07:00

School Wide Dance Performance by Ellen Beth Nappen, Grades 1-4: This lesson engages all the students in the lower elementary in creating and enacting an elaborate dance performance. Students engage in everything from making the sets and scenery, to learning and practicing the dances, to creating invitations and planning for the final event.

Parts of Speech and Language Creativity through Movement provided by Laura Tunis: Get your class UP & MOVING during language arts lessons! These fun and energizing activities from Christine Bodwitch's Creative Movement workshop at aTi make learning parts of speech more enjoyable & exciting for your students! A great way to unite and infuse the art of movement with poetry, creative writing or language arts into your existing curriculum.

Fun Games and Energizers provided by Laura Tunis: These quick movement activities & ideas are from Christine Bodwitch's aTi 2008 summer Creative Movement workshop. Activities were designed & kid tested to stimulate and energize a student's creative learning, develop emotional-intelligence through non-verbal communication with others and focus on the process rather than the outcome to develop expressive behavior.

Music

2009-08-06T16:09:00.000-07:00

Arts for Special Populations

2009-08-06T14:45:00.000-07:00

click on any below to view details:

Poem Books with Young Elementary Students by Leigh MacKevey, 5-8 years olds with Learning Disabilities: This lesson was inspired by a poetry workshop at ATi South with Peter Murphy. Students learn about many subjects by exploring the writing process, crafting poems and creating art books.

Parts of Speech and Language Creativity through Movement provided by Laura Tunis: Get your class UP & MOVING during language arts lessons! These fun and energizing activities from Christine Bodwitch's Creative Movement workshop at aTi make learning parts of speech more enjoyable & exciting for your students! A great way to unite and infuse the art of movement with poetry, creative writing or language arts into your existing curriculum.

Disability Resources in the Arts provided by Laura Tunis: A list of different organizations that support access to the arts for those with disabilities.

Book Making

2009-08-06T14:18:00.000-07:00

click on any below to view details:

Art Books Exploring Lenape History By Jeanne Jablonski, visiting NJ AIE Artist, 4th grade Art/History: This lesson was inspired by ATI and incorporates book making and print making. The students were learning about the Lenni Lenape in social studies and I worked with the art teacher to make books by printing images on paper with found objects as illustrations for stories that they created about the Lenape History.

Doll Books and More- Integrating Art, Literacy, and Culture by Lonnie Stewart-Austin, grades 4-8 Art, Literacy, and Social Studies: This lesson inspired by ATi and NJ AIE artists teaches students about literacy and world cultures by having them create "doll books", books in the shape of a character. Students are also involved in a variety of art styles including necklace books, muraling, dance, and stained glass window making.

From Flag Books to Accordion Books by Ellen Beth Nappen, High School Art: This lesson was inspired by book making classes at ATi. Students were involved in creating art books that are both sculptural as well as functional. Students learn to take ownership, by being responsible for the creation of their books and they learn many art specific skills and vocabulary.

Choose your own Adventure Gypsy Book by Betty Providenti, High School Arts: This lesson involved students in creating elaborate and detailed art books with multiple story lines. This project required the students to experience a professional approach to production, from beginning to end, and incorporated many other subjects including technology.

Pop-Up Books by Donna Mansmann, Grade 2: This lesson, inspired by the Book Arts program at ATi involved getting the students to create Pop-Up art books using a variety of approaches to keep things fun and to keep the learning varied.

Visual Art Best Practices inspired by ATi

2009-08-06T13:37:00.000-07:00

Etchings Of Our Community by Janice Marsili, High School Art: This lesson was completed at David Brearley Art Department through a residency grant project funded by AIE and inspired by a printmaking class at ATi. Students worked with the Historical Society to create etchings, document the present day life of the town. They had great success and student support for the project publishing cookbooks, calenders, and even creating a printmaking exchange of "paper prayers" with an artist cooperative in Africa.

Doll Books and More- Integrating Art, Literacy, and Culture by Lonnie Stewart-Austin, grades 4-8 Art, Literacy, and Social Studies: This lesson inspired by ATi and NJ AIE artists teaches students about literacy and world cultures by having them create "doll books", books in the shape of a character. Students are also involved in a variety of art styles including necklace books, muraling, dance, and stained glass window making.

Rainbow Recognition by Patricia Marinaro, K-4 Art: This Lesson uses fairy tale stories as a starting point for creating art projects that teach students about the color wheel, the elements of design, how to see the cultural context of art, and to see the benefits of having a wide literacy in reading and the arts.

Newsprint Value Collage by Ellen Beth Nappen, High School Art: This lesson engages students in creating realistic collages by gluing many small pieces of newspaper of differing darkness and lightness to create an image. Students learn many traditional techniques in artmaking as well as a variety of unique approaches.

Generation Y Steps Up to Vote! by Harriette Washington-Williams, K-8 Music Class: The lesson was used as a component of the students' performance of the song "Mr. President" by LL Cool J and Wyclef John (click here to hear a segment of the song). The students used the music, writing poems, and art projects involving designing sneakers and t-shirts, to analyze how current social and political issues influenced the artist and their lyrics. The project integrated music across the curriculum (Music, Language Arts, Social Studies) and it addressed different learning styles.

Parts of Speech and Language Creativity Through Movement.

2009-08-05T11:29:00.000-07:00

Get your class UP & MOVING during language arts lessons!
These fun and energizing activities from Christine Bodwitch's Creative Movement workshop at aTi make learning parts of speech more enjoyable & exciting for your students!
A great way to unite and infuse the art of movement with poetry, creative writing or language arts into your existing curriculum...

Nouns- to understand and reinforce what constitutes a noun.

Discuss with group what a noun is – person, place or thing. Write sentences on the board with examples and ask class to name the noun in each sentence.

Dance tools: shapes, levels

1. Walk around room and outside and name nouns as you see them. Discuss your favorite nouns and write them on the board.

2. Sculptor and clay – With a partner, shape each other into the different nouns named and the other students must guess what the noun is.

3. Sentence: In groups of 3 or 4 used an assigned sentence or create your own sentence with at least 2 nouns. First, act out the nouns separately and then act out the entire sentence with the nouns integrated for the rest of the class to guess. Practice 5-10 minutes. Once the sentences are performed and the nouns are correctly guessed, the group discloses its sentence.

Examples:
· Our dog, spot, fetches the ball.
· Superman flew through the air and landed on the empire state building.
· The hammer and nails are all over the floor.

Prepositions–to understand prepositions and prepositional phrases and how they are used in a sentence.

Define a preposition – a word that describes the physical relationship of one thing to another.

Dance tools: Relationship of body parts to one another; the relationship to another dancer or group of dancers, the relationship to another object or prop.

Brainstorm and list prepositions...

1. Dancing shapes: Make a shape under, over, on, between, etc. body parts – make a shape with your hand over your head.

2. Simon says: put your hand on your foot, Simon says put your heel over your knee, Simon says put your elbows between your feet, etc.

3. Human obstacle course: half the class creates interesting shapes and forms such as tunnels, lumps, trees and the other half will move through the obstacle course. Repeat exercise and change roles of each group.

4. Over, under, around and through: with a partner, one person moves smoothly and slowly while dancing under, over, around and through the other person who is frozen in a shape. Reverse roles. Next, try alternating one person doing one movement then the other doing another movement around, under, through or over each other. Finish, with both moving at the same time, moving smoothly and slowly. Think about snakes slithering twisting and gliding around one another. Discuss how it feels to work in this way, what adjustments need to be made.

5. Scarves: dance with the scarf, tossing it over, under, between, around your body parts...

6. Obstacle course: First, brainstorm a list of all the possible ways a person can move across the space such as, walk, run, jump, leap, gallop, crawl, swim, tiptoe.

Place obstacles in the room and have students perform a variety of prepositional phrases:
· skip around the chair
· jump over the ruler
· walk with your hands above your head
· sit on the chair
· crawl under the table

7. Chair dance: Explore all the ways you can move with a chair using different prepositions.

8. Word cards: Choose three or four prepositional words and put them in a sequence to practice. (This can be done as a solo or duet or even group formation.)

Verbsto teach about words that express actions and words that can alter these actions.

Brainstorm and list action verbs: slip, glide, wave, leap, wobble, rotate, run, scoot, etc.

1. Line up students and call out any one of the words on the list for the student to perform from one side of the space to the other. Or, in general space, call out action words, one at a time, for each student to interpret physically.
2. Repeat the sentence exercise but emphasize the verb actions.
Adverbs
Write a list of interesting adverbs on the board...

Dance tools: energy, time

1. Repeat the above verb exercises with the addition of an adverb after the action verb.

2. Action phrase – Teach or create with students a movement phrase of four or more actions. After everyone can repeat the phrase, assign an adverb for each person to add to the action phrase and then perform the phrase again. Observe and try to guess the adverb.

Adjectives – to explore adjectives through group movement exercises.

Discuss adjectives with the class and make a list of words on the board: tired, funny, sharp, tall, bouncy, agitated, tough, ragged, light, etc.

Dance tools: Energy

1. First, explore how different sounds have companion movements, such as: quick explosive sounds while shooting hands up like a rocket ship and vibrating “motorboat" sound while wiggling shoulders.

2. Sculptor and clay: In pairs students shape each other into frozen statues that demonstrate a particular adjective.

3. Blobbing around: Students will explore how to move like a blob with the quality of a particular adjective. Working in small groups, students will either cover themselves under a sheet to act as a blob or move together in a blob-like formation to interpret adjectives.

Use contrasting adjectives such as:
energetic and calm
high or low
angry or happy
graceful or awkward
stiff or wobbly
melting, floating, popping

Onomatopoeia
1. Pass the sound: In a circle, students pass as sound to each other as if it is a ball. The receiver makes the same sound as they catch the sound and then creates a new sound to pass to someone new. Add movement to the sound. Add different qualities: delicate or powerful sounds.

2. Listen for sounds in room or outside and brainstorm a list of words that imitate natural or machine made sounds: gurgle, boom, hiss, roar, sizzle, whirr, ding, wham, zap, etc.

3. Call out the sound words one at a time and have students demonstrate each sound through motion only.

Free association to develop language creativity:

1. In a circle and using a real or imaginary ball, students pass the ball, calling out a word based on a particular theme such as color, fruits and vegetables, adjectives, verbs, nouns only, etc.

2. In a circle, one person begins with any word and the next person responds with any word that comes to their head and the next person responds and so on.

3. Assign a number to each person making sure everyone knows the person who precedes his or her number. While walking through the space, the number one person says a word and then number 2 and so on. Try other locomotor movements while doing this exercise.

4. Try free association using movements only.

5. Toss the quality: In a circle toss a quality such as explosive and the catcher receives the quality and then changes it to pass to another person

Poems: Working in groups, students translate a poem through movement. Ask questions like: How shall we start? How can we show the feeling of this line? Should we all move toward or away from each other? How can we use our whole body to say that? Will there be some movement between these lines of text? What shall the ending be like? As the dance is performed, Observers write down what they see and/or feelings they might experience while viewing the dance.

Try any poem you may be working on in class; two examples follow:

1. What Happens to a dream deferred? by Langston Hughes

Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore –
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over –

Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

2. A poem by Aohozuki:

Now the pond is still,
and scattered water spiders
reunite as last.

When rehearsing the choreography, perform it in the following sequence:

Students recite the poem in unison first; followed by students recite the poem as a they perform the choreography; followed by students finally perform the choreography without speaking.

2009-08-05T11:00:00.000-07:00

Fun Games and Energizers

The following quick movement activities & ideas are from Christine Bodwitch's aTi 2008 summer Creative Movement workshop. Activities were designed & kid tested to stimulate and energize a student's creative learning, develop emotional-intelligence through non-verbal communication with others and focus on the process rather than the outcome to develop expressive behavior.

Sculptor and Clay
One person “sculpts” another person who is the “clay.” Try shapes to describe nouns, emotions, positive and negative space as in visual art, shapes of objects like leaves and rocks, symmetry and asymmetry, comparators like big and little or round and square, letters and numbers. Have a group make a shape that represents an image or scene from history or every day life.
Make a movement...
In a circle, each person makes a movement and others repeat it, then the next person makes a new movement; repeating all the previous movements, etc.
Balloon Bounce...
In a circle, everyone holding hands, keep a balloon up without it touching the ground. Add another. Try in pairs, holding hands and moving to an obstacle, keeping the balloon up at all times.
1, 2, 3...
In duet form, each person alternates saying 1, 2, 3, then add a movement or sound to replace a number. For example, Replace 1 with a clap, 2 with a jump 3 with a bark.
Zip, Zap, Boing, Diddly...
In a circle, one at a time, a person says zip while pointing or reaching to the person next to them or zap while pointing to someone across from them in the circle or boing which will bounce it back to the person. Diddly is with fingers directing over the person next to them to the other person near them. Try to go fast or bring the circle closer or make it bigger. Say Change and everyone changes places, I throw it gesture to the middle of the circle and someone calls out I catch it.
Name Tag...
Whoever is it tries to tag someone and you must call someone else’s name before you are tagged. Whoever’s name is called is it. 3 tags your out.
Name Rhythm...
In a circle, everyone stomps each foot and then snaps each hand. Then they add their name to the snaps. For example, stomp, stomp, john, john. Then they say their name in the first snap and in the second snap they say someone else’s name. In turn, the person whose name was called passes it to someone else by saying another name on the second snap. For example, stomp, stomp, John, Chris and then stomp, stomp, Chris, Sue. Variations: try different movements.
Keep The Uppy...
In a circle of five to ten people, the lead person tosses a ball or object to another person, preferably across from them and says “one.” The person who catches the ball will then toss it to a new person in the circle while saying “two.” Repeat this process until every person has caught and tossed the ball and it reaches the final number. Practice the same tossing sequence. Then the first person adds another ball right after they toss the first ball so there are two balls being tossed in the circle. Continue to add balls.
Friend and Enemy (or battery + - charges or prey and predator)
Without saying out loud, pick 1 friend and 1 enemy in the room. Keep your friend between you and your enemy at all times.

book arts other info

2009-08-04T11:23:00.000-07:00

2009-08-04T09:51:00.000-07:00

Hey ATi Fellows,

We are really getting these best practice reports together. Thanks for everything you have done so far. In order to have a really full report I still need a little bit more info. If you could each take a moment to answer each of the questions below it would give me all the info I need.

Questions: Can you give an anecdote from your classroom experience for each of the Goals listed below proving that the goal was accomplished and list the method that you used to accomplish that goal with that student or group of students.
(example: Because I did_____________ the student accomplished _____________________. He/she______________________(give details)

Write an anecdote proving student/practical accomplishment in:

1. Wholestic student development

2. Art Specific Skills

3. Interdisciplinary skills / curriculum integration

4. Public relations- strengthening school community and relationship with larger community

5. Professional Development, turn key learning

6. Write a quote linking your learning at ATI to these accomplishments

7. Give me some hard numbers data on how many students succeeded at accomplishing these goals (ex. "more than 3/4 of my students got a 2 or above on the rubric involving art skills" or "More than half of the students showed sucess in their writing lesson that our art project was integrated into."

thanks again- this data you provide, as teachers, is invaluable for the project, and the sooner I get these short quotes the better.

John
646-288-8291
johncloudkaiser@hotmail.com

worksheets, plans,critique

2009-08-03T11:36:00.000-07:00

Value Collage

Name _____________________________________________________ Period _______
Objective: SWBA to accurately portray value from newspaper in a collage format.
Project: Value collage
Date started ___/___/___ Date due ___/___/___ (CCCS 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5)
Artist(s) _____________________ Techniques: ______________________________
Elements: _____________________________ Principles: ______________________
Style: ________________________________ Type: ___________________________
Materials: _____________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Highlighted words should be added to your vocabulary.
Method: Guided independent work
Day 1
1. Look carefully at the examples.
2. Find a black & white photograph with a full range of values.
3. Draw your image on a 12” X 18” piece of white drawing paper. Use GRID METHOD.
Day 2 -3
4. Complete drawingin full values. This will count as a grade by itself. Mat then sign.
5. Collect a variety of gray values from the newspaper. The size and thickness of the print will provide different values.
Tear all paper, no cut edges.
You can add newsprint and white copy paper for the lightest values.
Lightweight black paper is available for the darkest values.
Make a value scale
Day 3 - 6
6. Make piles of torn newspaper acording to values. Apply newspaper to your drawing by ”painting” on a glue & water solution then apply paper smooth out with the brush.
7. Analyze your work as you go along. Does your work show the same values as the photo? Does it seem to “pop out” from the page?
8. Class gallery. Observe the work of others. What works? Why?
Day 7
9. Decide whether you want to leave your finished work on this paper or back it with some other paper.
10. Use your mat guide to figure out the size mat board you need.
11. Mat your piece.
12. Make sure you have your name & block on the lower right. You may use a thin sharpie to do this.
Day 7
Evaluation: Critique
Critique due with completed project.
Name & block in the LOWER RIGHT on the FRONT.
Value – Graphite & Collage
+ excellent __ satisfactory aneeds improvement
Full range of values (25) ___ ___
Degree of details (25) ___ ___
Resembles original (25) ___ ___
Use of materials (15) ___ ___
Mat cut & fit (10) ___ ___
Total Grade ___ ___

Value Collage

2009-08-03T10:47:00.000-07:00

Lesson summary: Values created by newspaperprint become the values used to create a collage.

Objectives: SWBA to collect a variety of values.

SWBA to asssess the use of these values to make the work look 3D.

CCCS 1.1.12 A

1.2.12 D

1.3.12 D

1.4.12 A & B

1.5.12 A & B

Students recieve a copy of my lesson plans with the breakdown of daily progress & pace chart along with the grading ruberic. Students are also responsible for a completed critique to be turned in with the project.

To view the worksheets, lesson plan & critique for this project click here.

Seperation of the graphite drawing & the collage created more successful results with each as a

finished piece of work.

Anecdote-

1. & 2. When both projects are done side by side, students have a better understanding of value and how to creat them.

4. During public displays of student work (Teen Arts Festival, End of the year art exhibit & 3rd Friday displays in Millville) parents can often be heard marveling about the realism of this project.

6. Barbara Bullock's collage class has allowed our minds to include various collage forms.

7. A Majoriety of the students enjoy completing this project. Very often having strong opinions which they like better, the graphite or collage.

ATi fellows post ATi meeting

2009-07-31T10:45:00.000-07:00

We have (tenatively) scheduled the great ATimpact summit, the meeting of the ATi Fellows from North and South to finalize the info we all put together for our Best Practices blog. We are planning to meet on Sept. 26 from 10-3 at Princeton in the Paul Robeson Center. Please let us know if their is a conflict. You can always reach John at 646-288-8291 with any questions or e-mail to johncloudkaiser@hotmail.com

Book Arts

2009-07-31T10:13:00.000-07:00

Lesson summery: Books that are both sculptural as well as functional.
Students take ownership of this book that becomes a list of needed
vocabulary. To reinforce the definitions, students find pictures that
exemplify the words.

Flag Book, Single sheet, Acordian

Objectives: SWBA to create a textbook of definitions in a flagbook format.

SWBA to see a book as a sculpture.
SWBA to recognize a variety of book styles.
SWBA to evaluate the material they have in order to figure out the best way to format their presentation.

CCCS
1.1.12 A
1.1.12 B
1.2.12 D
1.3.12 D
1.4.12 A
1.4.12 B
1.5.12 B

Ruberic - click here to see page with actual day by day plans, worksheets and vocabulary.

Acordian structure - We used this structure to create a graphic novel.
Block prints were used to make the illustrations.
Block print graphic novel examples are shown below.

A video of a Flag Book construction is also available at the end of the page.

Disability Resources

2009-07-30T10:56:00.000-07:00

The Americans with Disabilities Act specifies that ..... are a valuable resource tool for teachers. More challenged students will be entering your classes in the future due to many reasons... We need to look at potential barriers to learning that students may face. Without such knowledge or quick access to resources; teachers are at a disadvantage.

"I strongly believe that we need to welcome ALL students into our classrooms to help make the arts an enjoyable experience. With the right resources, materials, and a bit of creativity- special needs can be accommodated in the classroom. (Reducing difficulties, embarrassment and stress for both the teacher and student.) All people shall have equal access to the arts! "

Department of Justice ADA Best Practices Toolkit for State and Local Governments is designed to teach state and local government officials how to identify and fix problems that prevent people with disabilities from gaining equal access to state and local government programs, services, and activities. It also provides information on how to conduct accessibility surveys of buildings and facilities to identify and remove architectural barriers to access.

The National Endowment for the Arts’ Office for AccessAbility is the advocacy-technical assistance arm of the Arts Endowment to make the arts accessible for people with disabilities, older adults, veterans, and people living in institutions.

The National Arts and Disability Center is the national information dissemination, technical assistance and referral center specializing in the field of arts and disability.

Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) develops innovative, technology-based educational resources and strategies based on the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

WebABLE is the authoritative website for disability-related internet resources.

VSA arts is an international nonprofit organization that seeks to create a society where all people with disabilities learn through, participate in and enjoy the arts.

ADA & IT Technical Assistance Centers are a comprehensive resource for information on the Americans with Disabilities Act and accessible information technology.

Links above were provided from: The Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, 201 N. Charles Street, Suite 401, Baltimore, MD 21201Phone: 410-539-6656 | Fax: 410.837.5517

Technology Resources

2009-07-30T10:47:00.000-07:00

TechSoup.org offers nonprofits a one-stop resource for technology needs by providing free information, resources, and support.

SurveyMonkey enables anyone to create professional online surveys quickly and easily.

Apple iTunes... Import your CDs and download music, videos, podcasts and audio books, then sync, share and stream.

Free or low-cost podcast directories and host sites:

www.ipodder.org
www.podcastalley.com
www.podcast.net
www.libsyn.com
www.ourmedia.org

CastBlaster is a program that will create podcasts and RSS feeds for you.

At YouTube’s website you can upload, watch and share videos for free.

Sites that help you launch your own blog:

www.blogger.com
www.typepad.com

Dance

2009-07-29T11:12:00.000-07:00

Let's Dance!

Performance for multiple students (We had 300 grades 1-4)
Integrating dance & physical education, music & art
the students were involved in all facets of the dancw production. They ran off the the programs, created the decorations and props, set up seating arrangements, hung decoations and became the stage crew.
Some students volunteered to be scribes and keep the notes. Others will hand out programs or be ushers.
Students made suggestions for various movements which were incorporated into their dance.
It was truly a group effort and creation.

Lesson Summery - Each group of students will perform a different dance style.

Objectives: All grade levels. SWBA to work on creative dance steps.

SWBA to perfom dance in front of an audience.

SWBA to Understand dance "presence".

Grade 1-2 SWBA to coordinate hand & foot motions

Grade 3-4 SWBA to explain positive & negative space as it relates to dance & & artwork and demonstrate in the dance coreography.

SWBA to analysis the music to fit the steps they have chosen

SWBA to evaluate the meter & look of their work.

CCCS - Visual & Performing Arts grades 1-4
Standard 1.1
1.1.2; 1.1.4
1.2.2 A, B, D
1.2.4 A, B, D
Standard 1.2
1.2.12 A, B, D
Standard 1.3
1.3.2 A, B, D
1.3.4 A, B, D
1.3.6 A, B, D
Standard 1.4
1.4.2 A, B
1.4.4 A, B
Standard 1.5
1.5.2 A, B
1.5.4 A, B

Ruberic - Teacher observation (from ALL teachers involved)

student actively participated in physical activities
student actively participated in creative process
student demonstrated self control
student mastered dance steps

Anecdote -

1. Because we allowed students to participacte in every facet of the production and dancing nof this show, these elementary students were able to take ownership. This made them feel good about the show and themselves. Many of them told instructors how excited they were about the particular part they had done.

2. Students worked coopertation with teachers in designing the moves. Some of the kidshad their own dance-off to come up with dance steps. For the "positive /negative " dance, each student chose the steps & positions. As a result studnts would claim "This is MY dance".

3. Teachers as well as administrators were impressed that then students made scenery, advertising and help choose music. The principal & superintendant enjoyed the personal escorts by students who were usually misbehaved. These students felt special because they got to be with the administrator without being in trouble! They had a job to do.

4. Because this presentation was outside, anyone could attend. Parents & young sibblings were there. Parents told me that they were excited to see such a large program including all grade levels.

5. We had 5 excited teachers who worked together. We had Art, Music, 2 Phys Ed & Librarian. Each used thier expertise to pull it all together. I had gotten most of my dace training from aTi.

6. Randy James was an excellent instructor. The class was so motovationg that I had to return to school and give my students the ame experience.

7. All of the students enjoyed doing the program. THey liked "showing off" to other students, staff and parents. I recall everyone succeding and enjoying this project.

This is the program form this show.

Generation Y Steps Up to Vote

2009-07-28T11:51:00.000-07:00

VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS LESSON PLAN

Generation Y Steps Up to Vote!

Lesson Summary-Description of project activities, how the project is innovative, and how the project promotes high student achievement:

After the students performed Mr. President by LL Cool J and Wyclef John (click here to hear a segment of the song), the students analyzed how current social and political issues influenced the artist and their lyrics.

The project was innovative because the lesson:
· Integrated music across the curriculum (Music, Language Arts, Social Studies).
· Addressed different learning styles.
· The students created T-shirts, sneakers, and or poems to graphically illustrate social issues.
· The students used a Rubrics to critique their peers.

CCCS: VA:1.1B.1 1.5A.2

LA: 3.2A.8 3.2B.6

SS: 6.1A.1 6.1A.4 6.1D.1

Objective (s):
TSWBAT hear a Rap performance and summarize lyrics.
TSWBAT examine how the social and political environment influences artists in various social/historical/political context.
TSWBAT state a position clearly by stating the issue, giving facts, examples and details to support their position.

Materials/Resources:

CD player Mr. President CD by LL Cool J Song sheet for Mr. President ( Note: There are two versions of these lyrics on iTunes. Select carefully.)

Procedure:
Have students listen to Mr. President by LL Col J. Discuss the main idea of the Rap. Have students answer the following questions:
What points of view are being expressed in the Rap?
What is LL Cool J’s purpose for writing this Rap? Support your position.
Can music serve as a vehicle for social change? Support your answer.

Vocabulary: residence IED terrorists discharged immigrants Republican Democrat Independent CNN Middle East deceive

Homework/Independent Study:
To what extent does voting or the lack of voting affect individuals?

Evaluation:
Use Assessment: Non-Performance Skills Listening Rubrics from Pearson Education, Inc. to evaluate students.

Comments:
Students that have problems understanding the main idea of the Rap can work in pairs.

Follow-Up Lesson:

TSWBAT write a poem or graphically illustrate social issues in the Rap, Mr. President.
( See T-shirt/Sneaker Rubric. The students participated in a T-Shirt/sneaker design competition and submitted the application below with their entry.

T-Shirt/Sneaker Rubrics

Name Date

Grade Homeroom

Criteria
1
Needs Improvement
2
Satisfactory
3
Accomplished
4
Exemplary

Score

Elements of Designs
The student did the minimum or the art work was incomplete.
The student did the assignment in a satisfactory manner, but lack of planning was evident.
The artwork shows that the student applied the principles discussed in class adequately.
The artwork shows that the student applied the principles discussed in class in a unique manner.

Creativity
The piece shows little or no evidence of original thought.
The student’s work lacked sincere originality.
The student’s work demonstrates originality.
The student’s work demonstrates a unique level of originality.

Effort
The student did not finish the work in a satisfactory manner.
The student finished the project, but lacks finishing touches or can be improved upon with little effort.
The student completed the project in an above average manner, yet more could have been done.
The students gave an effort far beyond the requirements of the project.

Theme
The student’s work demonstrates a poor presentation of the contest
theme.
The student’s work is an average presentation of the contest theme.
The student’s work is an above average presentation of the contest theme.
The student’s work is an exceptional presentation of the contest theme.

Responsiveness
The student displayed a negative response throughtout the development of this piece.
The student displayed a negative response at times during the development of this piece.
The student displayed a positive response most of the time during the development of this piece.
The student displayed a positive response all of the time during the development of this piece.

Leslie Ann Herrera Grade 8 Essex County

Tameer Peak Grade 7 Essex County

Raymond Uceta Grade 8 Essex County

Kinayshamar Rosa Grade 7 Essex County

Can You Hear Me Out?

Mr. President can you hear me out?

I need to tell you what this is all about.

Mr. President do you really care

About all the people dying out there?

Mr. President, you’ve had your ups and downs

But through it all would you stick around?

Mr. President, please listen to me

Sometimes our nation will never be free.

Well, Mr. President that’s all I have to say.

Even though I feel as though you don’t care anyway.

Doussou Camara

Criteria
1
Needs Improvement
2
Satisfactory
3
Accomplished
4
Exemplary

Score

Elements of Poetry

The form of the poem is not appropriate to the subject. The poem does not enable the reader to see, hear, feel, or think about the subject.

Words may be misused or unclear

.Sensory details and figurative language may be overused, underused, or inappropriate to the subject.

Word choices may be vague, repetitive, or imprecise.

Sensory details and figurative language contribute to the meaning of the poem . Most word choices are precise.
Sensory details and figurative language create vivid images that contribute significantly to the meaning of the poem. Word choice is vivid and exact throughout.

Organization and Overall Impact

The form of the poem is not appropriate to the subject. The poem does not enable the reader to seek hear, feel or think about the subject.
The form of the poem should be more appropriate to the subject. The poem enables the reader to see, hear, feel, or think about the subject, but this is accomplished through clichés, or other predict-able choices.
The form of the poem is appropriate to the subject. The poem enables the reader to see, hear, feel, or think about the subject.
The form of the poem is appropriate to the subject. The poem enables the reader to see, hear, feel, or think about the subject in a new way or in a more compelling way than ever before.

Effort
The student did not finish the work in a satisfactory manner.
The student finished the project, but lacks finishing touches or can be improved upon with little effort.
The student completed the project in an above average manner, yet more could have been done.
The students gave an effort far beyond the requirements of the project.

Theme
The student’s work demonstrates a poor presentation of the contest theme.
The student’s work is an average presentation of the contest theme.
The student’s work is an above average presentation of the contest theme.
The student’s work is an exceptional presentation of the contest theme.

Responsiveness

The student displayed a negative response throughout the development of this piece.
The student displayed a negative response at times during the development of this piece.
The student displayed a positive response most of the time during the development of this piece.
The student displayed a positive response all of the time during the development of this piece.

The project was innovative because the lesson:
· Integrated music across the curriculum (Music, Language Arts, Social Studies).
· Addressed different learning styles.
· The students created T-shirts, sneakers, and or poems to graphically illustrate social issues.
· The students used a Rubric to critique their peers.

Student Responses to Projects:

“ I enjoyed writing poetry in Music.”
“ Art is my favorite subject. I had an opportunity to show my talents in music
through my Art”

“ I can sell my sneakers. They are so cool.”

Teacher Response:

This lesson was presented several weeks before the Presidential Election. When students presented their projects to their peers for critique, 95% of students were able to answer questions asked by their peers. Some of the questions asked were as follows:

Why did you select that candidate?
Why did you choose that social issue?
Do you think someone would purchase that shirt/sneakers?
This lesson included an application form for the students to submit with their projects. Most students submitted a completed form. Incomplete forms were returned to students for completion. This was an important Workplace readiness skill.

"It's what we do with the music that brings a smile or a tear or a shiver to the spine."

Merle J. Issac

This lesson was inspired by

Discussions on infusing the arts across the CCCS.
Participating in a visual arts class ( oil painting)
Listening to poetry readings.

When I returned to my school after being invigorated at aTi, I explored several lesson plans to incorporate the enthusiasm I have for the arts and to infuse other art mediums into music. The students were enthusiastic about these lessons because they could express themselves using a genre of music that most of them listen to daily. The lessons also provided an opportunity for differentiated learning.

I have several ideas for future projects from my bookmaking classes and collaboration with my peers at aTi.

Teaching the Creative Writing Process to Young Elementary Students

2009-07-28T11:18:00.000-07:00

Poem Books with Young Elementary Students

My first workshop at Ti South was Poetry. Peter Murphy, the artist who conducts this workshop, began by using a humorous analogy (birth of a child to adulthhood)to explain the process of Poetry writing.

Not only did his analogy help me tremendously with my own writing, it inspired me to bring it to my classroom of students with Learning Disabilities ages 5-8 years old. I wanted to introduce them to the writing process in a way that would elicit enthusiasm for writing in all forms.
I used the vocabulary of the process steps and included a dramatic presentation of the analogy for each specific step.

Lesson Summary

Following is a brief summary of how to present the writing process to young children. I use props such as a baby bottle and rattle; a baseball hat (worn backwards) for the teen; graduation cap for the graduate and a suit jacket for the adult. The more dialogue, dramatic gestures and enthusiasm in your voice, the better the students get into it and retain the steps to the writing process.

A student writing her Big Book

1.Pre-writing:

Have you known a mother, aunt, sister, etc. who has had a baby? Most pregnant mothers prepare for their new baby before it is born. they read books about caring for babies; purchase baby furniture and prepare the baby room. Pre-writing is preparing for a writer's "baby". The writer may do some work finding out about what they will be writing about. hey brainstorm different ideas to write about.

Draft:

The big day comes when a mother finally has a new -born baby. They love their baby. Do they expect the baby to walk right away? Do they get mad at the baby because he has to use diapers and can't use the toilet? Can a new baby feed himself? Does mommy get upset because the baby can't do these things? No. Mommy loves her new baby anyway. When a writer drafts a story or poem the very first time, the story or poem is the writer's new-born baby. The writer doesn't get mad because there are mispelled words or it isn't quite finished. No! they love their new baby!

Revise/Edit:

Once the baby is two years old, he begins to crawl and touch things. If you let him to crawl over to an electrical outlet and touch it, you wouldn't be treating your child with love. So you have to say " No! No! and guide your child to take his fingers out of the outlet. Your first draft is your child. You need to teach it to take away certain sentences it doesn't need or to make better choices of words to use.

Then time passes and your child becomes a teen-ager. He grab your car keys and runs your car into a tree. If you love your teen, you'll need to discipline him. If you love your poem/story you will discipline it by checking for mispelled words, order of words and punctuation.

Publish

Your teen goes to college and graduates. You are so proud! When you have revised and edited your poem/store and you read it, you'll cheer and clap!

Your college grduate becomes and adult and gets a job. He sends money home to his parent and you begin to let him take care of you. Once your story or poem is finished, you will share it with others. You may become a writer and write a book and make money from your writing someday!

Lesson Summary

Dramatic presentation of the writing process(Prewriting, draft, revise/edit, publish) using the analogy of of birth to adulthood .

Write class poems:

a.begin each poem by a reading of a model poem and discussion of chosen poetic form

b.Student volunteers act out the poem.

c.teacher/students write poem on chart paper (use writing process)

d.Choral reading of poem

End of year: students make an anthology book of class and individual poems

Lesson Objectives

SWBAT:describe the writing process steps ( in own words)

SWBAT:identify a variety of poetic forms

SWBAT:collaborate with peers

SWBAT:write or dictate and original poem

SWBAT:publish collaborative and independent writing

SWBAT:respond to the writing process with observable enthusiasm/motivation

SWABAT:use the writing process in cross-curricular activities

NJ Standards/Bloom's Taxonomy Levels Achieved

3.2.12.A.3

3.2.12.A.4

3.2.12.A.6

3.2.12.A.8

Bloom's Levels:1,2,4,5

Rubric for Scoring

(oral evaluation by students, record student answers)
Was the process easy or difficult?
Did this activity improve their writing?
Did they like or dislike this approach? Why or why not?
How do they feel about themselves as writers?
How do they feel about poetry now as compared to before?
Which poets do they relate to or appreciate the most?
Which poet was their favorite and why?

Student Response:

My students were able to enthusiastically describe the steps to the writing process and comprehend what to do in each after this lesson. If the vocabulary of the step was forgotten, they could remember it quickly with a dramatic prompt or verbal prompt using the analogy of baby to adulthood. Student quotes during the school year:

"When are we going to write another poem?" "Let's write another poem."

I heard comments such as "It's fun to write poems" and I like writing poetry."

Curricular integration:We followed up during the year by writing different forms of poetry and started several book projects. The students wrote their own Big Books; we've combined Social Studies lessons; using writing and forming the end project into a book and used poetry to learn math concepts.

Because this lesson engaged the students and taught them how to creatively think about word choices and descriptions of every day events and objects, at least 3/4 of my class improved their writing skills. Even if they were only able to write one line creatively, some of the students were able to more than they had done previously. Children with learning disabilities can learn, although slower and one step at a time. Progress is slow, but measurable. It is especially measurable by student verbal responses to writing.

Art Specific skills: One of my students began to write in her journal consistently and at home. I give each student a store bought journal at the beginning of the year. I get them at the Dollar Store. I tell them this is their own to keep in their desks and that no one will see it but themselves unless they want to share what's in it. I tell them to write words, sentences, or draw pictures ( according to their skill level) in whatever free time they have during the day. this was not part of a lesson and would not be graded. It was their choice to do it or not. My student, Becky, began to take it home and came back each day asking to read what she wrote to the class. Over the summer, her mother continued to buy her little notebooks and she filled them. She brought them back for me to see in September. I did not edit or correct anything she wrote, but was able to see the areas of writing I could teach in class that were needed. Another student had lost a brother a couple of months before school began. He used his personal journal to write about what he felt angry about or a sentence or two about his brother whenever he felt the need. Some students were only able to draw pictures, but they wanted to take their journal in front of the class and pretend to read about their picture ... whole stories!

Wholestic Development: After using this lesson on writing, I can observe wholestic development in students. They became more confident and motivated in all subject areas. They expressed likes an dislikes more readily. Some students begin to become more accepting of their peers and encourage them.

General Education Students/Faculty Response:

Public Relations/Prof. Dev.Turnkey: I display a lot of student's writing or cross-curricular projects using books, poems, stories on my bulletin board and wall outside my classroom. Students in the regular classroom see that students with disabilities have creative talent. I believe this makes an impact on the school as a whole, students and teachers. They begin to think on different terms about what my students are able to accomplish. After displaying student Big Books, a Kindergarten teacher from a general education class came upstairs to ask me how I was able to get my students to write and make theses books. She actually took notes.

The Arts Impact on Students with Disabilities

I know that including the arts in curriculum daily impacts students to become motivated and to achieve in all subjects. My students may not be able to show this in specific "numbers" because they have disabilities that slow their processes, progress and test scores. Most children with Disabilities, LD included, do not take tests well. It's one of the characteristics of a Learning Disability. But they show achievement and progress in so many other observable measurement.

Ati Impact on the Teacher:

ATI link to personal/student accomplishments: I, too, as an educator, have achieved many of the goals areas mentioned in the paragraphs above through my time spend at aTi in the summers. I take away not only skills and ideas from my workshops, but I have gain so much valuable personal encouragement form the other artist/teachers who attend. At lunch, on field trips and in our workshops, we are able to talk about the discouragement we sometimes feel at school concerning bringing the arts into the classroom. We share ideas on how we each do this and what works and what doesn't work.I leave every summer I have attended full of energy and creative "juice". I am refreshed by being able to create and use my creative talents "for myself." Each year I come back to school in September full of new ways to incorporate writing and the other art disciplines into my lesson plans.

Cover of Big Book ( made with two pieces of cardboard, rings, inside pages made from oak tag, all pages laminated. Decorate with scrap-booking materials

Dedication Page

STUDENT POEMS:

“The Reason I Like … “ poems:

The Reason I Like Tootsie Rolls
By Sonya Griswold

They are round like
A brown crayon
They taste like chocolate
Ice-cream
They walk on their hands in my mouth
and
Skip down my throat
They are happy candy

The Reason I like Chinchillas
By Estrella Zepeda

They are gray little friends,
They say “ hi, how are you?”
They dance the Chinchilla dance.
See those funny Chinchillas!

“Color Poems”

Brown
By
Devon Miller

The color brown talks to me.
He tells me
brown tastes like peanuts spread between bread,
brown logs save a water rat’s life in the river,
about brown dirt over seeds,
a penny goes to work with his nickel and dime friends
inside the cash box.,
and how my brown skin makes him proud.

Blue
by
Jamal Walker

C old as teeth feel eating
Blueberry water ice,
Wobbly as my crayoin
Coloring a blue sky,
Blues as a whale
Shooting its spray from a water gun.

Solimar

By
Solimar Aceveda

Sunday I go to the park
On a trip
Little puppies are there
In the park
My cat plays with the puppies
And
Runs away.

Malke
By
Malke Torres

Monkeys in the tree
Apples they eat
Like them lots
K kkk kkk kkkk, they say
Everyday

2009-07-28T10:35:00.000-07:00

Here's a lesson plan inspired by ATI that incorporates book making and print making. I taught this to a class of fourth graders(as part of an AIE residency) but it can be adapted to all grade levels and subject. The students were learning about the Lenni Lenape in social studies and I had the full cooperation of the art teacher(who is also the computer teacher and their classroom teacher.

The Print Making Part:

It was decided that we would make a one-sheet "snail book". Each person was given an 18"x18" sheet of white drawing paper; tempera paint to share and painting supplies(brushes, water, etc.); and a selection of found objects(paper tubes, sponge pieces, small wood scraps, etc.).

The first step is to cover the entire piece of paper with one color of paint. When dry, flip the paper over and paint the other side. Encourage the kids to use a different color. Now start dipping the found objects into the paint and press onto the painted paper. They should attempt to cover the whole surface with marks made with a variety of objects. This would be a good time to reintroduce the color wheel with emphasis on contrasting colors. Do both sides.

The Book Making Part:

After the paper is throughly dry we are now ready to make the book structure. Begin by folding the paper in half and then in half again. Open the paper flat again. They should have four long sections. Turn the paper and fold it again the same way. Open up flat and there should be sixteen squares. With a pair of scissors starting on the left-hand side carefully cut up the fold line three squares high. Turn and cut over two squares. Turn and cut down two squares. Turn and cut over one square and finally, up one square. They should now be in the exact center of the paper. It is time to fold the paper to create the book. Once again start at the left hand square and fold back and fourth until all the squares are used up. They now have a book structure that has the possibility of having 32 pages.

If a cover is desired use two pieces of mat board cut slightly larger then the square. Wrap with decorative paper. You can add a ribbon for a tie on one of the covers. Glue one cover to the front and one to the back.

The Book Content:

The fourth graders I was working with wrote stories from the viewpoint of a Lenni Lenape child growing up in the area. Their classroom teacher guided them through the research and the writing process. Queen Nur, a professional story teller who teaches at ATI in Camden, also worked with the students to develop their stories. When the story was complete they went to the computer lab and typed their stories so each line fit onto a square that was then cut apart using fancy-edged scissors. Each of the typed squares was glued in sequence on their painted paper book. If they have any empty pages they included illustrations. They also included a title page and a page for their colophon.

Objectives:

The students will be able to produce a one-sheet book.

The students use found objects as a printmaking tool.

The students will create an original story based on their Lenni Lenape research.

NJ Standards:

Visual and Performing Art 1.1, 1.3, 1.5

Rubric:

Did the student follow procedures? Printing_____ Bookmaking____ Story______

Did the student successfully complete the asignment? Yes_____ No______

Can the student repeat the steps of the project(verbally or written) Yes_____ No____

Did the student use visual arts skills? Yes_____ No______

Did the student use computer skills? Yes______ No_____

Did the student use research and writting skills? Yes______ No _______

Check the appropriate answer and assign a number value for each check.

Comments:

1. Wholestic student development:

This was a lesson that allowed all kinds of learners to be successful and was truly cross-curricula. It was neccessary for the children to cooperate with each other through sharing,

ideas, information and materials.

2. Write a quote linking your learning at ATI to these accomplishments:

When speaking to Heather Sakewicz-Frank (an ATI alumni), who is the art teacher at the school, she told me about one of the students who was involved in this project. His mother told her that this was the project that made her normally frustrated son "eager to come to school."

3. Interdisciplinary skills/curriculum intergration

The students involved were able to put many of their educational skills to good use. They needed to be proficient in the areas of art, writing, research, and computers.

Because of ATI, we had access to visiting artists. Queen Nur was the visiting story teller for the fourth grade project. We also had Winnie Radolan who is a paper maker, worked with another group of student book makers.

4. Art specific skills:

The children were able to put their knowledge of the color wheel to work. Painting and cutting skills were used. They were introduced to a new printing technique(printing with found objects). They learned how to contruct a one-sheet book and wrap a cover for it. They also used design skills to put together the finished story in the book along with illustrations.

5. Public relations:

The finished books were on display during the "Family Art Night". Parents and the community in general were invited to view the results of all of the books that were made by all class levels in addition to participating in many art activities overseen by the students. The local paper sent a reporter. We had a great turn-out and many positive comments.

6. Professional development, turn-key learning:

During the residency I gave an in-service to the faculty and staff. The subject was very easy book structures that they can use in their classroom. Most of these books I learned at ATI. The next day I had a third grader seek me out and asked me to visit his classroom. When I did the class proudly showed me the envelop books they had made for a science lesson. Their teacher had showed them how to make the books after attending the professional development workshop.

7. Measuring success:

Every fourth grader involved in this project was successful. They each completed a book and wrote a story.

Atimpact Fellows 7-27-09 day 1 South recorded notes link

2009-07-27T21:01:00.000-07:00

Hiya group, this is what was said today in lecture along with my written notes. If you'd like to review the discussion and ideas. Click on this link and it MIGHT work. I am still a little iffy of whether it will work properly. Good luck--Kandy Lippincott

http://www.livescribe.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/LDApp.woa/wa/MLSOverviewPage?sid=fpKDW8ZNkvjL

2009-07-27T11:21:00.000-07:00

Collage class began on Monday morning with Barbara Bullock...wow a great beginning!

Technical Resources

2009-07-27T10:59:00.001-07:00

http://wiki.utechtips.com/

Ready for aTi South!

2009-07-26T11:59:00.000-07:00

Hello to all the aTimpact Fellows preparing aTi South. We got a good start on the blog at aTi North but now we need you to really fine tune it and put your input in on the best ways of getting our research and lesson plans out there. The first day will be mainly an intro/brainstorming day but try to bring any thing that you have related to lesson plans influenced by aTi. If you already have it in a digital format that is better- i.e. things on your computer or portable drive: photos, word processing documents (lesson plans, standards achieved, student quotes, etc..), and video's. They are easier to upload to the blog. Other wise bring the physical form of whatever you have and we can scan the things we like. I am looking forward to seeing you all in Camden.

Answers to your questions!

2009-07-22T17:01:00.000-07:00

Question #1:
What equipment should they bring along like laptops, mp3 players, lesson plan ideas, photos or CDs or flashcards with Lesson Plans and examples of student works, extension cords, plug strips, video or still digital cameras, pulse smart pens, you name it they'll bring it if they have it.

Answer:
Kandy is right - bring it all: documentation to bring with you and electronic gizmos (cameras, smart pens, etc.) for use during the workshop. You can bring a laptop with you but it is not required. You will start the week in the computer lab at the Rutgers-Campus. John Cloud Kaiser will be the "techie" as well as the facilitator for the aTimpact workshop. He has done a great job so far and I know the southern fellows will enjoy his enthusiasm and guidance for best practices.

Question #2 : how do they get on the blogsite if they forgot what their password and username was. Do you have a master list that you can share with the Fellows that went to the workshops?
Should they email or call Jenifer or what? I'll loan out mine in the mean time to Fellows that I know so that they can read over what we did in the first weeks of Fellows up north.

Answer: I don't have a master list of everyone's usernames and passwords. If you forgot your password, go to blogger.com and click on the link to "forgot password?" By doing this and confirming the email you used to sign up for the blog, an email will be sent to that address with your password. On the first day of aTi, John can also walk everyone through this process and/or set up new accounts for fellows who cannot log in.

The blog is a work-in-progress site that is holding the content the fellows create. The content on the blog will eventually be turned into a website accessible to the public, which is part of the aTimpact dissemination plan. This will allow content to be organized, easy to access, and user-friendly.

The aTimpact South Fellows will continue the work that the aTimpact North fellows started, so the southern fellows will not be starting from scratch, per se. You will be building on what has been created.

If you have any questions, please continue to ask! Jenifer

South aTimpact murmerings and questions...

2009-07-21T16:05:00.000-07:00

Friends from the south aTipact group are calling me and asking about the plans for the Fellows classes at Rutgers starting next Monday. Questions include:
Question #1:
What equipment should they bring along like laptops, mp3 players, lesson plan ideas, photos or CDs or flashcards with Lesson Plans and examples of student works, extension cords, plug strips, video or still digital cameras, pulse smart pens, you name it they'll bring it if they have it.

My answer, of course, is bring it all and call the chiropractor later. They (other Fellows) would rather have an official answer. My question as a partner to this one was will you be able to have some techie available to get us up and running early in the week on our laptops when on campus? Ellen had some difficulty getting on her laptop last summer. Will we all be able to use your online password from the get go?

Question #2 : how do they get on the blogsite if they forgot what their password and username was. Do you have a master list that you can share with the Fellows that went to the workshops?
Should they email or call Jenifer or what? I'll loan out mine in the mean time to Fellows that I know so that they can read over what we did in the first weeks of Fellows up north.

Thanks for any quick answers. Also will there be any more info coming about materials needed for the various classes? I have Barbara's class and was just wondering about the sylabus.

Constructive Peer Evaluations of Pastel Painting Art Display

2009-07-17T07:02:00.000-07:00

WORLD HISTORY gR. 9

OBJECTIVES
After viewing class art exhibit on global warming ad pastel paintings, SWBAT write constructive evaluations of up to 3 ads

Purpose- to fulfill the Arts high & district’s mission statements & increase character development

PROCEDURES/ACTIVITIES

Do Now: while students circulate to view class “art exhibit” & put election ballots for top 3 on my desk in 10 min., I’ll collect Thanksgiving e-card h.w.

- 30 min. to facilitate a discussion teaching students how to give “sandwiched suggestions” as constructive comments (specific
suggestion[s] b/t specific compliment[s])
-elected poster winners present explanations of their ad
conceptions before choosing 2 classmates for constructive
oral feedback on their posters (15 min..)
- each student writes & give sandwiched suggestions to
Their cooperative learning group & themselves as I circulate
& assist, if needed (20 min.)

MATERIALS:
Global warming ads, environmental project part II handout, constructive evaluation sheets, & ballots

ASSESS:
I will grade how well each student demonstrates constructive evaluations in their written note(s) with up to 33 points for each part of sandwiched suggestion(s) + 1 point for good penmanship

by Sunshine

C.C.C.S. ETC. MANDATES
1. 6.6.e.6
2. Arts mission statement (talent inclusion) which also includes P.I.P (see Fri. mandates)
3. districts’ mission statement (productive citizenship [incl. willingness to challenge the status quo in society])
4. character development from constructive communication skills+ demonstrating concern for global warming crisis while creating posters

H.W.
Environmental projects part II (typed flyer or brochure illustrating a specific environmental issue)

Click Here to read student quotes verifying results

ART: displayed poster applications + DRAMA: King Philip's & Pequot Wars

2009-07-17T06:44:00.000-07:00

U.S. I hISTORY Gr. 10

OBJECTIVES

Given posters, cooperative playwriting & skits, + discussions, SWBAT:

1.Explain in writing, 5 reasons for approving/disapproving the presidential election outcome including 3 references to domestic policy
2. Compare & contrast how Natives were treated by Europeans in the Dutch and English colonies on a quiz

PROCEDURES/ACTIVITIES

Do Now: Write answer to objective # 1 based on conclusions from prior h.w. projects

1. students least updated are directed to use information on applicable posted student posters displayed on presidential candidates to answer question before I facilitate discussion/debate by having students share their answers/thoughts
2. oral readings & discussion follow team skit productions of Pequot & King Philip’s Wars in New England
3. discuss conflicts in English colony of VA vs. relative peacefulness in Dutch colonies of New Netherland & PA ch. 2 sec. 3 & 4

MATERIALS:
U.S. I summer assignment part III posters + posters from prior pres. campaign projects

ASSESSMENT: Ch. 2 quiz

NJCCCS
Etc. MANDATES: 6.4.12.d

H.W.-Makeup work & study notes & quizzes

Reflections: Socratic discussions tied to objective in prior class became lengthy but students gained more from them than prior discussion on the sec. 1 & 2 subjects

Click Here to read student quotes verifying results

by Sunshine

Native American MUSIC & STORYTELLING

2009-07-17T06:03:00.000-07:00

CLASS: U.S.I History Gr. 10

OBJECTIVES:Given discussion with visual & auditory enrichments, SWBAT explain in 1 paragraph each:

1. how geography influenced diverse Native American cultures
2. how most Natives were linked through a common culture despite geographical
differences creating diversity amongst them

Purpose: to be able to explain how culture is also environmental rather than just genetic & to conclude which one has most influence

MATERIALS: Native American music (which can be gained from New Age section in music shops/library loans from art & music dept.); Native American photo postcards & other supplementary illustrations from personal & library loan collections World History; Patterns of Interaction (class text); study-sheets comparing & contrasting traditional Native American & European cultures

PROCEDURES/ACTIVITIES

Do Now: create a pre-writing taxonomy (brainstorming vocabulary listed by letters of alphabet each word begins with) reflecting your prior knowledge of traditional Native American nations plus their architecture, foods, values, clothing, etc. elements of culture

I’ll play indigenous music while Ch. 16 sec. 1 main ideas discussed and supplemented with additional materials including pp. A18 &19 map in The Americans used to show Native nations

Assessment: obj. paragraphs stem from taxonomy & 5 key terms are underlined in those 2 paragraphs.

Rubric: 50% short answer quality + 50% applicable, sensible use of 10 vocabulary words

Professional Development: enrichment info. & some materials stem from my 1 month Arizona fellowship on Native American Encounters With Europeans won from the National Endowment for the Humanities in 00’ along w/Geraldine Dodge scholarship

H.W. – in your history journal, type a blog entry as an essay, song, skit, short story, or poem which describes a fictitious visit you paid to one Native American nation.

Click Here to read student quotes verifying results

by Sunshine

STUDENT EVALUATIONS of ARTS-INFUSED HISTORY LESSONS

2009-07-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

HONORS WORLD HISTORY Gr. 9 block 3A class:

“…the (Native American) posters were really intensive. Other projects we worked on that took me by surprise were the global warming ads (pastel paintings) and creative movement. One creative movement was to express words with only movement…I like when we were dancing about how to say “no” in movement. I like the way you interact and communicate with us, not keeping yourself isolated from us. You joined in the dance instead of sitting back and watching us. It is also good how you interact with the students (in general). The second movement was to tell a story. The arts infusion things were really good for the class. It was a chance for us to move around and not just sit and learn…(You) kept us active and awake instead of having us learn straight out of the textbook and not moving. ” -- Phantaisha Cheatham

“Having art infusion in our class is a lot of fun and we learn a lot more when we actually get to act it out. When we are putting these activities together we are not just learning about history but also how to work together and deal with all the different personalities. I had a great time when we used the pastel paintings to create environmental posters and as an art major, it was fun to incorporate my major and I like pastel paintings a lot. Besides, using art infusion helps the class experience other majors such as drama, dance… It is a blast to be able to do that.
I also had a lot of fun doing the creative movement and playwriting which helped us work on our team work because we really worked together and we not only enjoyed it, we also learned many things out of it. This class is really fun because we are able to incorporate all majors all the time… Art infusion is a great way for us to learn and actually understand world history better. We did not just learn history. We also learned how to work together as a class. Many teachers think that learning is all in books but I believe we can learn in many ways. Incorporating all the activities we did really is an amazing way to learn and get a better understanding of the lesson. Overall, I had a great time in this class. I had a great year. Thank you.” --Ariela Silva

“Art infusion has truly brought out another type of learning process in me. When we learn things visually it’s more understanding to me maybe because I’m a visual learner. My most enjoyable art infused activity was “the Trial of Atalhualpa.” We had to make our own conclusion to the play. Playwriting helped my team and I think outside the box or be imaginative. This broadens my view on different topics rather than just learning definitions and meanings out of a book. Another benefit to art infusion is really understanding team work. I have now experienced that when one falls we all fall. I also enjoyed the group (drawing) activity on comparing the societies of the Mayan, Aztecs, and Pueblos.” --Malissa Hanson

“ I like the art infusion in our history class because it is different from our everyday class work. I also like how we don’t do it every day because it makes it more spontaneous and makes the activity more fun. The art infusion activities are always different so we don’t just draw nor do acting. I really like when we did “The Mock Trial of Columbus et. al.” because I like to do role- playing. I think that the art infusion activities are great because they incorporate all of our majors at Arts High.
I love the creativity that you bring in every assignment. They are different from other classes. For example, ‘the (Personal History) Scrapbook assignment’ from the first cycle was my favorite because I got to use my creativity while doing my homework. ”
--Quincy Jones

MY EVALUATION of aTi and aTimpact on my TEACHING

2009-07-17T05:24:00.000-07:00

I cannot sing enough praises to aTi (ArtistTeacher Institute) for what it has done for me personally in terms of art therapy, re-introducing a fun, rejuvenating hobby, another potential stream of income, and integrating the arts into my teaching of history again! Being at aTi is like being a kid again on Christmas day—for two straight weeks plus follow-ups! The only difference is, the gifts are already inside of us and, like many of my aTi colleagues agree, we usually only get to play with them ourselves at this special time; later, in our classrooms, we get to share them with our kids. The vast majority of my lessons and students were brimming with enthusiasm and we had loads of fun as I applied all of the art forms learned at aTi in my teaching.

I am so excited about the many arts-infused lessons that I’ve only just begun bringing back to my history teaching thanks to aTi. I had been longing to do it again for years to the extent that I used to (and even more so) but had a hard time seeing how for a good while with all the additional content requirements in teaching and a curriculum that already seemed too enormous to pace well. How could I squeeze in anything else that would make it harder to cover enough content knowing that projects like these often require far more time?

During my first year in aTi, I was also discouraged to discover what a challenge it was to get funding for arts supplies from art teachers questioned. Then I found out third cycle about www.donorschoose.org and decided I’d apply for a grant from them when time permits. Never making that time, last summer, I was so determined, I just said “the heck with the expense and I’ll just have to find a solution another day for the course pacing.” So I went out to “Jerry’s Art Supplies” in the Essex Green Mall in West Orange NJ and bought a bunch of art supplies with my own money. I am so glad I did because my kids could not have done those fabulous pastel paintings, pastel illustrated timelines, or drawings infusing art with team reports of Native American contributions otherwise.

Despite regrettably not covering enough curriculum, my kids and I had such a great time and benefited so much from most of these visual arts and several different performing arts-infused activities, that they still seem worthwhile. I’ve always thought quality was so much more important than quantity when it comes to content coverage and although I’ve also heard this re-iterated by so many master teachers I cannot count them, others feel differently, especially about history and a survey course for some reason. We used to be expected to teach thousands of years of history in a one year world history course; now I should be grateful that it’s down to hundreds—except that most of my students always come in telling me they learned little to nothing about ancient history like they were supposed to in junior high (because of standardized test preparation along with some teachers only covering social studies as a form of class punishment) so that makes it neglectful injustice for me to only teach “modern world history” when my subject builds on prior knowledge to be more meaningful just like others.

Besides the fact that I once majored in art at Arts High where I now teach history, thanks to aTi, I’m now considering taking a hint from the supernatural “coincidences” that throughout my many years in this profession, whenever I tell people I’m a teacher, inevitably I get asked “What do you teach-- art?” The only problem is, if I replace teaching history with an art subject, I’d have to limit myself to only teaching “one” of those art forms when it’s so much more fulfilling to teach all of those I know!

Sunshine

aTi fellow: Donna Mansmann

2009-07-16T20:45:00.000-07:00

The Fellows

Today is Thursday, July 14, the last day of aTi north for 2009. It as been a a very busy and full two weeks. We have spent many hours learning, exploring, creating, sharing, developing, growing, and meeting new people. The book arts course was once again a challenging, interesting , and fun way to start off the summer. Thank you Miriam for sharing all of your know how and wisdom with us. We had a great time with you each morning. As you can see from the photos the creative process was in full force. It was so exciting to see how each person developed a different approach to each process. I'm sure that each and every one of us will come away with many wonderful memories and great ideas to bring back to our students in September.

I spent my afternoons working with John and the other fellows developing the "Best Practices." We may have had a rocky start, but I feel that we have successfully achieved our goal. It has been a honor and pleasure to be part of this.

Tomorrow is presentation day. A time where we get to see and show off all of our creative endeavors. Best wishes to all the participants. Now is a time to relax, reflect, and enjoy the rest of our summer.

Making Folders

Cord Binding

and this is how it's done!!!!

Welcome To aTimpact!

2009-07-16T16:34:00.000-07:00

Co-sponsored by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and Arts Horizons and now in its 34th season, The Artist/Teacher Institute (aTi) provides classroom teachers, administrators, students and artists with in-depth, hands-on experiences in a variety of art forms that encourage professional growth and discovery. By expanding their creativity, participants learn new skills to integrate arts into their curriculum and professional practice while connecting with a community of peers. Led by internationally renowned master teaching artists, aTi workshops include book arts, creative movement, music, printmaking, storytelling, theater, painting, collage, poetry and memoir.

In the summer of 2009 at aTi, a panel of teachers who are former and current aTi participants, met to plan aTimpact. aTimpact is this blog, featuring the Best Practices lessons created by teachers who have been inspired by attending aTi. aTimpact provides top art lesson ideas for teachers interested in integrating new art approaches into their lessons. aTimpact provides a platform where aTi participants can organize, present, and advocate their Best Practice lessons after the two week program is over. aTimpact offers a clear format for teacher research in order to empower teachers to prove that their Best Practices are creating real and important results.

Already, a three year evaluation conducted by Robert Horowitz and previously sited in grant proposals re-enforced the conclusions that the aTi presented a perfect model program for innovation in arts education by providing teachers the opportunities:

-To study in depth with master artists in studio sessions that encourage risk-taking, professional growth and discovery.
-To focus on skills techniques and processes, culminating in a performance, reading or exhibition
-To expand creativity and discover individual artistic potential
-To learn new skills in the various arts disciplines as well as discover how to integrate them into curriculum
-Furthermore, the study concluded that the participants emerge from the experience refreshed, renewed, energized and inspired.

The report concluded that: the participants emerge from the experience refreshed, renewed, energized and inspired and that the benefits of aTi for teachers were many:

*Earn 60 hours NJ Professional Development credits.
*Experience a retreat for teachers & artists unlike any other in NJ.
*Energize yourself for a new school year by focusing on your own
creative abilities no matter what your artistic level.
*Stimulate the senses in a supportive, educational environment
where ideas and inspiration collide.
*Interact with teachers and artists to invigorate your imagination
and connect with colleagues.
*Learn strategies for integrating the arts into the NJ Core
Curriculum Content Standards for visual/performing arts,
language arts, math, science, social studies and health/wellness.
*All workshops are designed to expand individual artistic talents
and teaching abilities. Classes are limited to 15 participants.
*Inform your practice with innovative approaches.
*Receive 3 graduate credits from Rutgers University for an additional fee.

aTimpact: Best Practices In Art Education

aTimpact was created in order to provide an outlet for the Art Lesson Plans inspired by the Artist/Teacher Institute. Facilitator John Cloud Kaiser, along with the aTi Teaching Fellows, shaped an outline for presenting and researching Best Practices. They defined a Best Practice in Art Education as an art related lesson or project that, through experience and research, has proven to reliably lead to the desired goals. The fellows came up with a broad list of desired goals, called ATimpacts, that a Best Practice in Art Education should lead to.

The accomplishment of these aTimpacts by aTi inspired lessons on a whole, are proven through ethnographic research, presenting both quantitative and qualitative data generated by teacher graduates of aTi. Surveys answered by teachers, Rubrics, Quotes from teachers and students, Photographs, and Videos prove that the lessons that come from aTi accomplish the goals of a Best Practice in Art Education and much more.

The aTi Fellows panel concluded that the Best Practice Lessons themselves should be described, including a lesson summary, list of lesson goals, NJ Standards Achieved, and the Rubric used to grade student achievement. Presented at the end of each Lesson Summary is Teacher Research proving the achievement of each project. Quantitative data is presented in the form of Student Grades/Achievement measured through the rubric or the percentage of students who accomplished the majority of the lesson objectives. Qualitative Data is presented in the form of the teacher observation quotes, student quotes (transcribed from videos or writing), and photos and videos of students making their art. By triangulating all of the data, the success of each Best Practice at accomplishing it’s intended goals is proven.

The data presented below shows that the ATi program is indeed highly successful in training teachers to implement Best Practices in Art Education. The data shows how these teachers’ ATi inspired lessons actually helped accomplish many important and difficult goals at their schools.

aTimpacts!
The Many Accomplishments of aTi Best Practices in Art Education Verified by Teachers and Students:

-Holistic Student Development/ Character Development/ Life Skills

-Development in Art Specific Skills

-Development in Interdisciplinary Skills / Curriculum integration

-Improve School Community- internally and externally

-Professional Development/ Turn key Learning

-Holistic Student Development/ Character Development/ Life Skills

-Improve Students’ Confidence, Self Esteem, Self Worth

-Improve confidence in students who are Visual Learners

-Lowering students’ disciplinary issues

-Engaging students in publicly expressing their opinions

-Teaching students to be Lifelong Learners

-Teaching students to develop active inquisitive habits

-Engage students in experimentation and creative Play

-Engage students in Creatively Visualizing

-Teaching students to be responsible citizens

-Teaching students tolerance, appreciation, empathy, and respect for diversity

-Teaching students how to engage in constructive criticism/communication

-Initiating therapeutic breakthroughs

“Art infusion has truly brought out another type of learning process in me. When we learn things visually it’s more understanding to me maybe because I’m a visual learner... Another benefit to art infusion is really understanding team work. I have now experienced that when one falls we all fall.”

Malissa, grade 9, Student of DeAnna Whitley- Social Studies

“The more I incorporate what I learn at aTi, the more pleasant my classes become, the more student enthusiasm becomes evident, the more high-stakes testing scores increase, the more pleased with my job performance administrators become, the larger my job satisfaction grows.”

Michael Z. Murphy, Language Arts Teacher

Sojourner Truth Middle School, East Orange, NJ

“Because the students enjoyed my art class, overall grades improved. I am also happy to report less discipline problems in the classroom... The art class I taught provided an opportunity for so many of my new (to this country) students to express their pride in their other country.”

Lonnie Stewart-Austin, grades 4-8 Art

“One of my students, Brittany, was a very disaffected student in all grades. When she came to me her attendance and behavior were terrible. She was uncontrollable. She was bounced around from shop to shop until I took her in. The book project gave her self-worth and confidence.” A video interview with Brittany shows through her detailed explanation of her book, how proud she is of her work and her ability to communicate professionally about her process and ideas. In the video Brittany says, “This is one of my favorite projects. I am actually thinking of doing one at home.”

Betty Providenti, high school teacher

-Development of Art Specific Skills

-Giving students experience with how to use the tools of art

-Teaching students general skills: fine motor skills, vocabulary, process, and technique

-Teaching visual literacy

-Teaching students to be responsible with their tools and creations

-Teaching art career opportunities

-Teaching students how to be an audience

“The tools I was taught in both (aTi) workshops gave me a better understanding of the tools I need to give my students to better equip them. This has, without question, been one of the best experiences of my life! I truly believe that my life has been forever changed and my goals better clarified and focused.”
Leigh MacKelvey, Special Education Teacher
Lanning Square, Camden, NJ

“When I returned to my school after being invigorated at aTi, I explored several lesson plans... to infuse other art mediums into music. The students were enthusiastic about these lessons because they could express themselves using a genre of music that most of them listen to daily. The lessons also provided an opportunity for differentiated learning.”
Harriet Washington Williams, music teacher

“The students were introduced to a new printing technique, printing with found objects. They learned how to construct a one-sheet book and wrap a cover for it. They also used design skills to put together the finished story in the book along with illustrations... Every fourth grader involved in this project was successful. They each completed a book and wrote a story.”
Jeanne Jablonski, 4th grade Art

“Many teachers think that learning is all in books but I believe we can learn in many ways. Incorporating all the activities we did really is an amazing way to learn and get a better understanding of the lesson.”
Ariela, grade 9, Student of DeAnna Whitley

“My students were able to enthusiastically describe the steps to the writing process and comprehend what to do in each step after this lesson. If the vocabulary of the step was forgotten, they could remember it quickly with a dramatic prompt or verbal prompt using analogy. I heard comments from students such as ‘It's fun to write poems’, and ‘Let's write another poem.’”
Leigh MacKelvey, Special Education Teacher

“Barbara Bullock's collage class has allowed our minds to include various collage forms... During public displays of student work from these art lessons, parents can often be heard marveling about the realism of this project.”
Ellen Beth Nappen, high school art teacher

“(After attending ATi) I can’t wait to bring the techniques to the classroom. This program also inspires me to do my own artwork, which will help my teaching abilities.”
Eileen Ciavarello, Teacher
Pequannock Township High School, Pompton Plains, NJ

“I couldn’t wait to go back to school to show the students the various ways to print and publish their own work, their original product.”
Betty Providenti, High School Art teacher

“I make portfolios with them every year and this year I am going to have them design them with the accordion fold... I (also) took the Oil Painting class with Kit Sailor... aTi attracts some very talented people to show up and share their skills.”
Pat Marinaro, Elementary art teacher

-Development in Interdisciplinary Skills / Curriculum Integration

-Involving various subjects and classes in a project; a Performance, Book, Art Show, etc.

-Teaching Literacy through the arts- analogies, metaphor, simile,dialogue, sequencing structure

-Engaging students in Advanced Problem Solving

“The arts infusion things were really good for the class. It was a chance for us to move around and not just sit and learn…(You) kept us active and awake instead of having us learn straight out of the textbook and not moving. ”
Phantaisha, grade 9, Student of DeAnna Whitley- Social Studies

“Having art infusion in our class is a lot of fun and we learn a lot more when we actually get to act it out. When we are putting these activities together we are not just learning about history but also how to work together and deal with all the different personalities. I had a great time when we used the pastel paintings to create environmental posters.”
Ariela, grade 9, Student of DeAnna Whitley- Social Studies

“It has so much to do with connections. Every subject is important. But lonely islands of knowledge are so much less valuable than connected other subjects. I think my art classes are the glue to connect math, science, literacy, and all the rest.”
Kandy Lipincott, elementary art teacher

“The Classroom Teachers and the Basic Skills Reading Teachers were pleased with the cross curriculum content of the project. I feel that the classes moved smoothly, the students were interested in their work and it was overall a successful project.”
Donna Mansmann, Elementary and Special Needs art teacher

“Because this lesson engaged the students and taught them how to creatively think about word choices and descriptions of every day events and objects, at least 3/4 of my class improved their writing skills... After aTi, I come back to school full of new ways to incorporate writing and the other art disciplines into my lesson plans.”
Leigh MacKelvey, Special Education Teacher

“(aTi) Book Arts this year is setting me up to be more three dimensional with the kids and their projects. Miriam Shier has given me easily about 30 projects to turn into lesson plans with my students. I can teach them more about design; I can be inclusive with everything using book arts.”
Pat Marinaro, Elementary art teacher

“(In a music class) 95% of students were able to answer questions asked by their peers such as, why did you select that candidate, and why did you choose that social issue?”
Harriet Washington Williams, music teacher (incorporating social studies)

“The students involved were able to put many of their educational skills to good use. They needed to be proficient in the areas of art, writing, research, and computers.”
Jeanne Jablonski, 4th grade Art/History

“It was my desire to make it an enjoyable project with concentration on reflecting on the writing that went into (a) book. I spoke with the literacy teachers so that the students could receive credit for the projects... Fifth grade students told me they liked this project because they could use what they were learning in their literature class and now use it in their art class.”
Lonnie Stewart-Austin, grades 4-8 Art

“The workshop provided a continuous “hands on” practical experience. It enabled me to “stretch” to see how I can adapt things to my classroom and personal learning style. Most importantly it instilled confidence in me and my skills.”
Karen Mickelson, Kindergarten Teacher
Grenloch Terrace Early Childhood Center, Washington Township, NJ

“Just being exposed to all these creative people helped me to raise the bar on the amount of creativity I will put into my classroom.”
Lisa Merino, Fourth Grade Teacher
Lawnside Public School, Lawnside, NJ

-Improve school community- internally and externally

-Beautification of the school environment

-Improve students’ respect and responsibility for school property

-Initiate the dialogue and teamwork that leads to a caring relationship between students, teachers, and staff.

-Improve school moral- school spirit, teacher enthusiasm,renewal and revitalization.

-Improved relations with the community and community involvement.

-Initiating professional development and turnkey learning

“The finished books were on display during the "Family Art Night". Parents and the community in general were invited to view the results of all of the books that were made by all class levels in addition to participating in many art activities overseen by the students. The local paper sent a reporter. We had a great turnout and many positive comments.”
Jeanne Jablonski, 4th grade Art

"This was one of the best field trips of my high school career. I loved visiting the senior citizens, taking a picture of my relative Art Morison, and then creating a linoleum block print of the photo (see below). I gave copies of the print to my family members and they loved them."
Alessia Dotro, middle school student

“An eighth grade student expressed a desire to make a serious book that they would be able to keep as a souvenir from Mt.Vernon. Later during the school year, the same students made a more structured book-using student made marbleized paper and glued on jewelry.”
Lonnie Stewart-Austin, grades 4-8 Art

“I learned a lot of techniques for brain storming with a lot of very talented Artists and Teachers.”
Pat Marinaro, Elementary art teacher

“I got some really great work from their enthusiastic participation. The students can’t wait to come back in September. In fact they are working on projects over the summer.”
Betty Providenti, High School Art teacher

“The art teacher and what he or she does is of priceless value to both educating the whole child and bringing in good PR to the school”
Kandy Lippincott, elementary art teacher

“The impact of aTi will, I’m, sure, reveal itself in unimaginable ways for years to come. My aTi experience has made me a more sociable, patient and thoughtful individual than I was before.”
Gary J. Whitehead, English Teacher
Tenafly High School, Tenafly, NJ

“Working in an inner city school with children of extreme diverse situations provides me with the fuel that helps me return to the aTi experience. The teachers and my peers help to solve problems you can experience in the classroom as well as share school lessons of success! ”
Alonzrea Stewart-Austin, Art Teacher
Mt.Vernon School, Newark, NJ

“During the residency I gave an in-service to the faculty and staff. The subject was very easy book structures that they can use in their classroom. Most of these books I learned at ATI. The next day I had a third grader seek me out and asked me to visit his classroom. When I did the class proudly showed me the envelop books they had made for a science lesson. Their teacher had showed them how to make the books after attending the professional development workshop.”
Jeanne Jablonski, 4th grade Art

“(Through the art class) Students in the regular classroom see that students with disabilities have creative talent. I believe this makes an impact on the school as a whole, students and teachers. They begin to think on different terms about what my students are able to accomplish. After displaying student Big Books, a Kindergarten teacher from a general education class came upstairs to ask me how I was able to get my students to write and make these books. She actually took notes.”
Leigh MacKelvey, Special Education Teacher

QUANTITATIVE DATA:

Surveys completed by ATi participants over the years show that 100% of them felt that the information, activities, techniques, and art experiences they had at ATi would be used in their teaching and would have a good impact on their creating better lessons incorporating the approaches of Master teaching Artists.

A worksheet is posted to the right that allows future aTi graduates the structure to present their Best Practices Lessons in Art.

aTi-Inspired Best Practice Submission Form

2009-07-16T11:20:00.000-07:00

Best Practices Worksheet
New Jersey Artist/Teacher Institute

Please answer the questions below by writing about the ideas, experiences, and approaches that you gained from being a part of aTi. Answer the questions the best you can in a word processing document and then e-mail your Best Practice report including attached photos to aTi@artshorizons.org for submission review.

The information and teacher research that you submit will become a valuable part of aTimpact under your name. aTimpact will serve as an arts resource, consisting of lesson projects, as well as an arts education advocacy resource, proving the success of these projects through teacher research data.

Best Practice Summary
Describe/ Summarize a project or lesson that you have taught or will teach inspired by your attendance at aTi. (See other aTi impact blog entries for examples.)

1. Lesson Summary- Description of project activities, how the project is innovative, and how the project promotes high student achievement:

2. List of Lesson Objectives:

3. NJ Standards Achieved (list of standards at http://www.state.nj.us/education/cccs/):

4. Assessment tool used for grading student learning:

Teacher Research Data-
Teacher Observations- Give an anecdote or story from your classroom experience for each of the goals listed below, proving that the goal was accomplished and list the method that you used to accomplish that goal with that student or group of students. Quotes can be directly written observations, journal entries, and paraphrased statements of students.

Example: Because I did __________ the student accomplished__________. He/she ______________________(give details).
(You must have student approval to include their last names and/or images).

Student Quotes- Interview students with a video camera asking them to self assess their accomplishment of the goals. (if they give incomplete statements ask "why" after each short response.) Transcribe a student quote showing accomplishment of each of the following goals.

1. Holistic Student Development/ Character Development/ Life Skills
    a. Teacher observations:
    b. Students quotes:

2. Development of Art Specific Skills
    a. Teacher observations:
    b. Students quotes:

3. Development in Interdisciplinary Skills / Curriculum integration
    a. Teacher observations:
    b. Students quotes:

4. Improvement of School Community- internally and externally
    a. Teacher observations:
    b. Students quotes:

5. Professional Development
    a. Teacher observations:
    b. Students quotes:

6. Write a quote linking your learning at aTi to these accomplishments.

7. Provide a summary of student grades (Qualitative data) showing how many students succeeded at accomplishing these goals (example: “90% of my students successfully accomplished the assessment standards involving art skills” or “More that 3/4 of the students achieved a score of 5 on a rubric scale of 1-5 in the writing lesson that our art project was integrated into.”

8. Attach to the e-mail 1-4 Photos of students working and 1-4 Photos of finished student art:

9. Include 1-2 Video Clips of students talking about what they learned through the art project. Host to youtube.com and include the web link address to your youtube videos in the e-mail:

Ati IMPACT why? What is our value?

2009-07-15T22:13:00.000-07:00

Art lesson plans that can connect to other happenings at your school. The art teacher can be MORE than the signage for the upcoming assembly or project students carry home to illustrate an event or holiday.

Art is connections to EVERYTHING.
We are not just pretty pretty, (that is good too...but we can be so much more.)

So we aTi Fellows sit and talk each afternoon.

We talk about WHY don't some administrators value the art, music, dance, etc. for more than a bathroom break for the classroom teacher? How can we move our position (and our worth as a staff member) from "time slot filler" and bulletin board maker to motivator and connections maker. Best practices? We know art in its many forms can make BEST PRACTICES real for our learners. The arts are both the mortar to hold and armature to connect and build upwards the many subjects and skills that make the educated child. The excitement, the enthusiasm, the wonder of learning, making, doing---the arts are key.
It IS measurable and provable, but it takes time and effort in daily logs. How can we take on even ONE more piece of paperwork? Will it end up on the shelf like so many other valuable reports?

It has so much to do with connections. Every subject is important. But lonely islands of knowledge are so much less valuable than connected other subjects. I think we (the arts) are the glue to connect math, science, literacy, and all the rest.

So our job is a PR job for aTi (artists teachers institute) AND the Arts education in general. PR--public relations, a way to make the powers that be VALUE us and what we can do for the children.

What would make the arts seem valuable?
Well, receiving grants would help, positive optimistic news stories, murals in the community or in the building, puppetry theatre programs that illustrate stories, folk tales, ways to handle bullying, history, theatre programs that help children understand so many things.

It's all there and the arts can bring it to the community, the state, the grandparents, the administration. If we can get that principal or other administrator to think of the specials staff as an amazing resource to both best practices in education and great PR it will be a win win situation. To get the powers that be to realize that the art teacher and what he or she does is of priceless value to both educating the whole child and bring in good PR to the school is the task.

We must get other staff to buy into it. If we can have lesson plans that point out and use the connections to other subjects we all win. What we do to make connections with other areas in the curriculum needs to help the other staff members, not just add another burden to a plate already overfilled?

We (aTi fellows) are tasked with putting up some lesson plans that aTi summer workshops inspired and that worked well with our students. These plans may be catalysts to better cross curriculum teaching. I will be putting up a lesson plan about creating GIANT puppets--like the ones you see in the Mardi Gras or in Political rallies. Look forward to my next post...the giant puppets are coming!!!

I could use some more ideas from the rest of you Fellows. If you have a PR value producing idea share it! No bruising in brainstorming here. Speak up with your ideas

Thanks, Kandy Lippincott

Lesson Plans, Samples and Photo Clips by Donna Mansmann

2009-07-15T10:53:00.001-07:00

Pop up Starscapes

After taking the Book Arts at aTi I returned to school in September ready for my students to take on some of these new projects. Their enthusiasm was extreme and I was so pleased with their success. This project is for
elementary School - Grade 2
Process
-Students are given a 12”x18” sheet of black construction paper. Hold the paper in the landscape position, fold in half and open.
-Students are allowed to select from 12 to 18 star stickers{different size, colors and patterns}
-Stickers are placed in an all over scattered design to evenly cover space.
-Star shapes are then outlined using construction paper crayons several times.
-Lines are drawn on to create the illusion of movement.
*Homework: Students are asked to create a poem or story, or write down a few lines of one that they know of that deals with the stars.
Class #2
-Students draw and cut out a spiral from a 9”x9” sheet of colored construction paper.
-Students will write their text on spiral and from beginning to end on both sides.
-Place glue on the center of the spiral and stick in the center of the right half of the folded paper with stars.
-Place glue on about the last 2” of the spiral. Fold paper in half and rub.
-When project is opened. Spiral with text pops out on a star background.

Objectives
Students will be able to…
-recognize star shapes
-identify contour lines
-line qualities
-recognize color patterns
-spacing (on the paper & between shapes)
-size relationship
-2 and 3 dimensional objects
-brings together langue and fine arts
-grounds
-new use of found objects (stickers)
-develop fine motor skills
-new vocabulary
-step by step development of project
-creatively explore space
New Jersey Core Curriculum Standards:
1.12-A1 1.12-A2 1.12-A3 1.12-B1 1.12-B2 1.12-B3 1.22-D1
1.22-D2 1.22-D3 1.22-D4 1.32-D1 1.32-D2 1.42-A1 1.42-A2 1.42-B2 1.42-B2
Student’s grade will be based on:
-fallowing directions
-use of time
-use of space
-neatness
-effort on homework and readiness
-going beyond the lesson at hand and using techniques from past lessons
PLEASE NOTE:
I found that a very large majority of my students were very excited about the process of this exercise as well as the out come. Classroom and the basic skills reading teachers were pleased with the cross curriculum content of this project. I feel that the classes moved smoothly, the students were interested in their work and it was overall a successful project.

Snake Books

Things that Spring

Hand it to Me

Dancing Hippo

3-D Flowers

ATI Fellows: Choose your own adventure books, Betty Providenti

2009-07-15T10:52:00.000-07:00

ATI 2009 North
Best Practices/Betty Providenti

Lesson: Choose your own Adventure Gypsy Book
This lesson takes about 2 weeks to accomplish
Because of my involvement with the ATI summer program, I developed this lesson to bring back
To my students in September. My excitement over the program generated the same
Excitement in my students.

The Gypsy Book Project was intended to have the student write a story, choose your own adventure, and incorporate it into an accordion book design. Each part of the book was divided into pockets and each pocket contained the next part of the story. The story gave different outcomes as it progressed. The overall book design had to represent the story content.
A. To promote art specific skills.
B. To develop vocabulary skills
C. To utilize sequencing and structure
D. To develop active inquisitive habits
E. Ability to self direct
F. To promote creative play
G. To integrate subject matter/cross curriculum
It is my belief that all students need to appreciate the relationship that exist by using different subjects to accomplish this project. Research and development are addressed along with individual disciplines.
a. Students created a book using elements of art and assorted media.
b. One component of this project was to use written language to tell their story.
c. Math was used to figure the detentions and the number of pages by folds.
d. This project created a better understanding of art and literature combined.
e. Problem solving concept was developed through group discussion.
f. The student obtained an appreciation of writing as an art form.
Because of the size and scope of this project there was a verity of assessment measures.
a. Students were instructed to follow lesson perimeters. 75%
b. Students were to use tools and supplies correctly and responsibly. 25%
c. Extra credit-Includes doing work over and above the assignment parameters.

One of my students Brittany was a very disaffected student in all grades. When she came to me her attendance and behavior were terrible. She was uncontrollable. She was bounced around from shop to shop until I took her in. The book project gave her self-worth and confidence, as exhibited in her interview

2009-07-15T10:39:00.000-07:00

ATI- 2009 North
Best Practices/ Patricia Marinaro- Fellow
Lesson- Rainbow Recognition
Objectives for K-4 – February and March
SWBAT recognize, memorize and remember the color wheel in a rainbow format called ROY G BIV. Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, and Violet.
Summary: Students are introduced to the Gallic/Celtic cultures of Ireland, Scotland and England using the enduring color prism of the rainbow introduced as a Leprechaun character called Roy G. Biv in recognition of the holiday also, St. Patrick Day.
Books by Authors and Artists, Brian Froud, Arthur Rackham… Hobbits, A Golden book of Elves and Fairies, illustrated by Garth Williams.
The story of the Leprechaun, the Rainbow, and the Pot of Gold is told and illustrated for the class. Character of the Leprechaun is discussed and introduced in doll form and pictures.

Class discussion: The creation of a Myth, the invention of our imagination, why is the Leprechaun always dressed in green, with pointy toed slippers, hat, pointy ears and nose? Why do they live in the forest? (Under the roots of an Oak tree) How are they magical? What is magical? Can an Artist or Writer be a magical person, or an inventive person? Fact or Fiction, Sample’s enclosed. Story is enclosed.

Standards Achieved:
1.2 - Creation and Performance - By the end of Grade 2, create works of art using the basic elements of color, line, shape, form, texture, and space for a variety of subjects and basic media.
1.1 – Aesthetics – Compare and Contrast works of art that communicate significant cultural meanings.
Strands and Cumulative Progress Indicators –
By the end of Grade 4
1.2.4 D Visual Art – Generate works of art based on selected themes.
1.3.12 D. Visual Art – Analyze how literacy (literary, musical, theatrical, and /or dance composition) can provide inspiration for a work of art.

1.5.4 B. Skills – Examine art as a reflection of societal values and beliefs.
Rubric:
Correct rainbow prism 30 %
Completion of 2 projects 50%
Attention to detail 20%

Quotes:
The students liked the simplicity of memorizing the color prism of the rainbow. They loved working on their character Roy G. Biv. The introduction of other culture’s, especially at the holiday, helped the children visualize and understand the parades held traditionally by immigrants that have helped shape and influence the American culture.
Personal experience was relating stories I was told as a child.
The children asked me if I believed in Leprechauns.
I said “absolutely”.
That seemed to impress them. I then brought in my collection of leprechaun dolls. I discussed the varied expressions on the doll faces, but the image remained the same.
The green costume, the detail of pointy shoes, hats… and the hardiness of character was really impressed on the students.
The Leprechaun does not scare them anymore.

ATI Best Practices Interview
By Computer/Art teacher Betty Providenti –Fellow
With Art Teacher Patricia Marinaro – Fellow.

Patricia was inspired by the existence of the Artist/Teacher Institute. Showing up for two weeks during the summer was an exhilarating experience. The word wall exhibited and worked on during the creative movement class at ATI was one of the first lesson plan ideas. She walked around and peeked in on all the different classes to see how the other teachers taught and what they were teaching. " The word wall represented words in motion." She also was introduced to the Art of the "Story Teller" profession. She then took a literal approach to teaching the color wheel as a story, but with charm. Patricia enrolled in the Playwright's class with Dominique Cieri.

"We had so much fun writing in a really intense environment." I learned alot of techniques for brain storming with alot of very talented Artists and Teachers. She also took the Oil Painting class with Kit Sailor. It seems ATI attracts some very talented people to show up and share their skills.

Patricia’s lesson was about the color chart and how it never changes. Her lesson was for students K-4. One of the many examples Pat uses to create an understanding of this lesson was Rainbow Recognition. She creates a story using a character named Roy G. Biv which represents the colors in the color wheel. Pat exhibited an excitement for the lesson and her students.
Pat explains “I use languages and foreign words, like the Gaelic language to bring it into St. Patrick’s Day and the parade. They can relate to it because every where there is a parade, like Newark and New York and they can relate. Using these examples brings into the lesson different ethnic groups.”
“Knotted circles, Celtic knots, are a good design concept. I am a book collector and I access my own library to let the kids use the books. I use them to make reproductions for them.”

I tell a story about a farmer who chops down a leprechauns tree. The leprechaun shows up and demands to know what the farmer intends to do with the tree. The farmer said he was going to burn it. The leprechaun says absolutely not, you will have 30 years of hard luck if you do. The farmer says I am sorry, what can I do to make it up to you. The leprechaun says, carve a cradle and raise all your children and grandchildren using it and I promise you 30 years of good fortune.” The farmer and his family have forever thrived.

“I also use a Crayola model magic lesson with the kids and we start a coil pot project painted like a rainbow.”

“Book arts this year is setting me up to be more three dimensional with the kids and their projects. Miriam Shier has given me easily about 30 projects to turn into lesson plans with my students.I can teach them more about design; I can be inclusive with everything using book arts.”

“I make portfolios with them every year and this year I am going to have them design them with the accordion fold.”

Patricia seems very excited to take back the work she is learning at ATI and develop lessons with her kids.

2009-07-13T12:08:00.000-07:00

morning printmaking class

2009-07-12T21:44:00.000-07:00

Hey north! what's going on in aTi ?

2009-07-11T20:13:00.000-07:00

I've been searching sites for best practice ideas and resources to share with the group. WHERE are you all... and WHAT'S going on up there??? Why are same few people only posting??? How about some pics from the workshops or SOMETHING!...please?

ATimpact Fellows Video - North

2009-07-10T07:24:00.000-07:00

Instructor John Cloud Kaiser discusses ways to document best practices.

Atimpact Fellows: John Kaiser - 7-6-09 end of uneditied1

2009-07-07T05:50:00.000-07:00

Hi Fellows of Atimpact - this is the end of the discussion with John Kaiser from our first session.
Hopefully this link will get you there. This is my raw unedited (or spell checked) notes. To open you need to click on this link:
http://www.livescribe.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/LDApp.woa/wa/MLSOverviewPage?sid=KOjbg7lm2FDg
Hope this works for you.
Kandy Lippincott

Atimpact Fellows: John Kaiser - 7-6-09 uneditied1

2009-07-07T05:23:00.000-07:00

Hi Fellows! Here's the lecture, brainstorming discussion from yesterday.
This is the link to the raw page notes and audio from our first meeting at aTi summer session William Paterson University.
I am posting a link from my pulse pen or livescribe desktop. I am not sure if this will work for you but here's a first attempt.
http://www.livescribe.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/LDApp.woa/wa/MLSOverviewPage?sid=g8N2VtzXlpkQ
I am missing today's session but I will try to post each of the other sessions.
See you on Wednesday!
Kandy Lippincott
PS If you have questions about the livescribe pulse pen feel to call or write me:
Kandy 609-922-0176 or kandylippincott@gmail.com or jlippincott@camden.k12.nj.us

Day 1 at aTi Summer 2009

2009-07-06T18:35:00.000-07:00

Today we started. Yippee!!! It was really good to see some familiar faces and meet a few new people this morning. Book Arts started with a good review lesson of constructing a few single page, pamphlet, and straw binding books. Next we created three sheets of paste paper. Oh the creative fun!!! After lunch I met with the seven other members of the fellowship and John. I believe we got off to a great start. We spent our time developing a list of areas or a outline of sorts to be explored in our development of the best practices. There was an abundance of articulation, brainstorming, and give and take. I feel that many of us walked away at the end of the day with a much clearer understanding of our purpose. Before I left the Power Arts building for the day, I had to return to the studio to make more paste paper. I just can't seem to get enough.

I'm Excited About Gettibg Started.

2009-07-02T16:23:00.000-07:00

I'm sure by now everyone is finished with school and STUFF. I hope it was as successful as you wanted it to be. For myself I am thrilled and ready to embrace summer and all it promises to bring. I am so looking forward to starting aTi, book arts and the fellowship. I have a few great stories to share with you about my unbelievable students, who always amaze me. I hope everyone has a fantastic Fourth of July, and I will see you on Monday. Here's to creativity, accomplishments, sharing, learning and developing Best Pratices!!!

Personal emails to go with screen names

2009-06-30T21:03:00.000-07:00

If any of you feel like sharing, I'd like to get who's who straight in my mind and also to be able to continue a conversation off the blog site. Anyway if you'd like to share email addys, email to me, Jane Kandy Lippincott AKA screen name: Kandy Lippincott (duhhhh) at this email:
kandylippincott@gmail.com
I am not expecting to send jokes, chain letters, etc. to all of you but sometimes I'd like to continue a portion of a conversation off the blogsite. Not sure of the rules concerning this.
Kandy Lippincott

posting videos- Blogger Tutorial

2009-06-30T10:48:00.000-07:00

Here is the web page blogger has to help people post videos successfully. Remember the "Help" section of any program is like the instruction booklet and generally pretty clear. But not always, + "clear" can be pretty relative. See if it helps...

http://help.blogger.com/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=67428

Posting Videos

2009-06-30T10:40:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone! Posting videos can be very frustrating but that is because they take up so much memory and they are just newly able to even be posted to the internet. If you are having difficulty uploading a video to the blog, I recommend opening your video on your computer and then under File choosing "export" then you can export it to a Quicktime file which is pretty universal. You want to save the video as the size "for the web" (it should give you that option) or if it requires you to choose, save it as a small sized file. Making the video a universal file type and smaller size should make all of the difference. Don't worry if you cant master the internet overnight. Just post as much info as you can to the blog and bring everything else to ATI and we will show it off, analyze it, and make sure everything gets included on the web. Let the summer begin!

Why can't I post this video?

2009-06-29T19:11:00.000-07:00

I just want you all to know that I have tried to post that video at least twelve times. I click on the video icon and go through all the steps. Browse-Choose the file-Title it-Click I agree-and click upload video. I get the uploading video blogger box that tells me that my video will appear here when finished. uploading video spins and spins, but nothing ever appears. I think I lost poor Angelica out in space somewhere. Help!!!!!!

atimpact tech heads - help us. Are you out there?

2009-06-24T19:16:00.000-07:00

Why can't we see this kinder video? How can we open it? Can you walk us through a better way to post a video so that others can open it.

Where are the geeks in this group? help.

Math in Art! Wow! what Kindergarteners can do.

2009-06-21T16:08:00.000-07:00

*This is my first attemp at posting a vedio using my new flip*

Presenting Angelica talking about her "Crazy Circle Eyes" project.

Can't you just feel the enthusiasm! Kids are awesome! This is why I teach!

A beautiful, multisensory landscape is born.!

2009-06-18T18:24:00.000-07:00

Note the varied textures used-
tissue,textured papers,feathers,natural materials,etc.
Also note that this was to be the last picture of my post so I should have loaded it first...?
Anyone know if the order can be changed?
Feel free to do it if you know how or take the challenge... this technology still challenges me!!!

2009-06-18T18:16:00.000-07:00

Gail S. is hard at work on her collage. We used colored glue because it's easier for students with visual impairments to see it due to the contrast. Perkins Center for the Arts in Collingswood hosted the event in their wonderful HUGE workshop space. Thanks Perkins!

Laura & Amanda

2009-06-18T18:12:00.000-07:00

EXCEPTIONAL LEARNERS- 101--May 29, 2009

2009-06-18T17:56:00.000-07:00

Amanda Newman-Godfrey, from the AIE Consortium and Laura Tunis from The Commission for the Blind presented an afternoon workshop at The Perkin's Center for the Arts in Collingswood. Participants discussed and reviewed basic information, strategies and how to work with “Exceptional Learners” in our classrooms. They also explored the areas of movement, music and writing through the eyes of students with special needs. Then we concluded with a fun sensory art collage... We made original collages using multi-sensory materials such as bubble wrap, textured papers, yarn, recycled items and naturally scented objects ans materials like pine needles...

hello!

2009-06-16T18:21:00.000-07:00

I'm really looking forward to the end of the school year (June 30th for me!) and aTi; currently busy working on end of year reports and mundane details; can't wait to get together!

BOOK MAKING at ATI

2009-05-30T17:46:00.000-07:00

Just a few of the books I created at ATI last summer. It was great fun, and I can't wait for this year's session to begin.

PUPPET MAKING at DWS

2009-05-30T16:43:00.000-07:00

Here’s to our second successful year with Arts Horizions at DWS. This year my students created puppets with Ms. Kit and Ms. Natalie. Each and every one was uniquely original. Per-K students made their puppets from paper bags, kindergarten used paper plates, first grade constructed cone puppets, and second graders made shadow puppets. The 1^st and 2^nd grade projects were inspired around people. Areas such as, people in our neighborhood, our school, international etc… Pre-K and K classes used animals for their subject matter. Such as farm, forest, and jungle animals as well as birds and insects. All 20 classes used a different embellishment to set their work apart from the others. They added on things like beads, shells, mylar, and feathers. All puppets were displayed at our art show on May 15^th 2009. It was a wonderful experience for all.

Recycled CD Sculpture Created by Second Grade Students at D.W.S.

2009-05-29T17:34:00.000-07:00

My second grade students and I created 8 different circular design patterns by repeating shapes. They were then redrawn on the computer and printed to create a cover for the CDs. Each student from four classes selected, colored and cut two covers. The designs were then glued to the CDs. The CDs were cut and hot glued together by Ms. Rakosi and Mrs. Mansmann. The students decided that since a CD is round so should be the overall design of our sculpture.

Personal History Booklets

2009-05-23T11:46:00.000-07:00

Four Arts Projects Regarding Native Americans

2009-05-23T11:32:00.000-07:00

1. Visual Art: Native American achievements described on visual art replicas of Native American art

2. Drama I: mock trial role plays (acting) of "The People vs. Columbus et. al."

3. Drama II: acting out skit entitled "the Trial of Atalhualpa"

4. Drama IV. playwriting - students chose to create scene four of the "Trial of Atalhualpa" in cooperative learning groups, pairs, or alone

creativement movements describing geographical influences on traditional African cultures

2009-05-23T11:28:00.000-07:00

timelines illustrated with pastel paintings

2009-05-23T11:26:00.000-07:00

Team Creativity Projects using at least 2 art forms

2009-05-23T11:24:00.000-07:00

Global Warming Ads made with pastel paints by most students

2009-05-23T11:15:00.000-07:00

2009-05-23T10:54:00.000-07:00

princetonol.com/groups/iad/links/toolbox/practice.html

Bookiesgirl's pics

2009-05-23T10:29:00.000-07:00

Fall Food Fun

Fig. Dwg & Clothing Design

Swatch Extensiom

Our Artists in Education 2009 Grant

2009-05-23T10:14:00.000-07:00

In May 2009, the David Brearley High School Art Department completed the second year of a three-year Artists-in-Education Residency Grant project funded by The New Jersey State Council on the Arts in partnership with Arts Horizons. Our work is in collaboration with the Kenilworth Historical Society which asked us for help in documenting the present day life of the town.

Our main objective in designing this project was to create a unique learning community of students, teachers and residents of Kenilworth who would work together to create a record of Kenilworth daily life. In the process we hoped that, with the help of the resident artist, Nanci Hersh, the participants would learn printmaking techniques beyond the scope of the classroom art teacher's expertise. We also wanted to interest the students in the history of their community and to make them understand that they are a part of its continuing story.

It was important to those of us involved in its planning, to make the project interdisciplinary. In this way we encouraged the students to understand that community projects involve a range of skills and a variety of efforts. We had the art, business, photography, technology and English classes work together to create, publish and market a cookbook of community recipes to the public.

Members of the town's Historical Society and the Senior Citizens Organization attended our Professional Development Day where they were taught printmaking techniques by the students themselves. This communal involvement led to exactly the type of bonding we had hoped for. The cookbook was so successful that we applied for and were granted a two-year extension of the residency. The following year, we went on to publish a community calendar planner filled with prints and photographs of our town.

The 2008 community cookbook was illustrated with printmaking students' etchings inspired by photography students' shots of Kenilworth food establishments (stores and restaurants.) Two of the etchings are shown below.

Le Rendez-Vous Restaurant

Rich's Deli on the Kenilworth Boulevard

"Karen DeMaio, mother of senior Alexis DeMaio, was thrilled that her daughter became proficient with the printing press, and often helped her fellow students to pull their prints. Alexis, a student with a unique learning style who sometimes found academics to be frustrating, produced two etchings rather than one which her mother framed and now has on display in their home. Karen felt that this project, and Alexis' hands-on work with resident printmaker Nanci Hersh, did a great deal to increase her self-esteem." Janice Marsili

The creation of the etchings addressed NJ Core Curriculum Standard 1.1 in which students employ the elements and principles that govern art production.

At our culminating event on June 19, 2008, we celebrated the release of the cookbook, and our Business Class, having previously divided into two teams, competed to accumulate the most cookbook sales for a group prize. Proceeds were divided between the Brearley Art Department and the Kenilworth Historical Society. Below is a shot of our guests enjoying the event as well as a picture of the two competing sales teams.

The culminating project touched on NJ Core Curriculum Standard 1.3 which addresses the synthesizing of skills, media, methods and technology appropriate to creating and presenting art.

Additionally, through a connection with our resident printmaker, we carried out a printmaking exchange project with the student artists at a South African printmaking cooperative known as Artist Proof Studio. We exchanged "Paper Prayers" with our African collegues and collected $100 in donations for their worthy organization. Below are some pictures of the printmakers of Artist Proof Studio holding both the paper prayers they made and our students' prints which inspired their work. Below that are close-up images of our students' paper prayers, and finally, a picture of art teacher/project coordinator Janice Marsili and resident printmaker Nanci Hersh in the process of making a presentation about the project to the Kenilworth Historical Society.

The students' involvement with the South African artists helped them to achieve NJ Core Curriculum Standard 1.2 by helping them to understand the role, development and influence of the arts throughout history and across cultures.

Schering-Plough Corporation was kind enough to professionally frame each of the students' etchings which were used as cookbook illustrations. These framed prints were displayed at the corporation's corporate gallery for two months. Afterwards, the company allowed the students to keep their individual prints. Below are some pictures of the gallery show.

Art Department profits from the sale of the cookbooks were used to fund our 2009 residency program, for which we continued our documentation of the town. The photography students started us off by taking pictures on a walking tour of town "hubs" such as the Senior Citizen's Center, the Fire Department and the Elementary School in October 2008. Below are students' photos of these three places.

"This was one of the best field trips of my high school career. I loved visiting the senior citizens, taking a picture of my relative Art Morison, and then creating a linoleum block print of the photo. I gave copies of the print to my family members and they loved them." Alessia Dotro (student)

With the help of our new resident printmaker, Molly Gaston Johnson, printmaking students created silk screen images based on the photography classes' work. These silk screen prints ultimately became the covers of a 2010 Kenilworth calendar/planner. Below is a copy of a student photograph of two cyclists on the town Boulevard along with the silk screen image it inspired. This image was used as one of the calendar/planner covers. Below this is another one of the covers, an image of the Kenilworth Town Hall, followed by a shot of an actual page from the body of the calendar/planner.

The production of the calendar/planner, especially the preparation for its delivery to the printer, exposed the students to NJ Core Curriculum Standard 1.4 as they demonstrated and applied an understanding of arts philosophies, judgement and analyses to their own personal yet communal work of art.

Within this book were included the student photographs from the walking tour, linoloeum block prints of the photos, as well as writings (inspired by the photographs and prints) created by students with the help of a resident writer. Below are two student linoleum block prints inspired by walking tour photos. Both of these prints were included in the calendar/planner.

Alessia Dotro's linoleum print of her relative Art Morison inspired
by a photo taken on the walking tour.

The calendar was published on May 18, 2009 and presented at a release party at the Kenilworth Veterans Center. Our school's business class again divided, this time into three groups, that competed with one another to market the calendar/planners. At our event the "apprentice-like" groups of students worked hard to make sales. They organized raffles and give-aways to everyone's enjoyment. The townspeople who attended prepared and brought samples of their favorite recipes and the school choir performed.

This year's culminating event again exposed the students to NJ Core Curriculum Standard 1.3 which deals with the synthesization of skills, media, methods and technology appropriate to creating and presenting works of art.

An additional component to this project involved the continuation of our partnership with Artist Proof Studio in South Africa. Our students created hand-made books that were filled with writings and silk screen prints based on their personal concepts of community. We sent two copies of each student's book to our South African partner artists who added their own artwork and writings to the books, kept one of each book for themselves and returned the other to our students.They also sent a series of original prints for us to sell to provide revenue for their program. We were able to collect $200 for Artist Proof Studio, whose director is eager to continue our partnership in the future. Below are images of the bookmaking project beginning with the books themselves, followed by the students holding their own books showing the work that their South African partners added, and finally shots of the students opening the package of books when it arrived from South Africa.

Once again, the students' collaboration with the South Africans achieved NJ Core Curriculum Standard 1.2 by helping them to understand the role of art throughout history and across cultures.

Throughout this project we kept a set of five educational goals in mind: The Holistic Development of the students; Art Specific Skills gained by both students and teachers; Interdisciplinary Skills/Curriculum Integration achieved; School and Community Relationship Development; and Professional Development acquired by the adult participants. Our success in working towards these goals is summarized below.

Holistic Development

This grant project led to the holistic development of the students by allowing them to use their personal styles of learning as they exhibited their individual strengths. The different instructional techniques of the classsroom teacher and the resident artist provided multiple opportunities for learning and the comraderie of the instructors created a pleasant and motivational learning environment. The shared sense of responsibility that the students developed for this community-wide project increased their self-esteem as well as their connection with the residents of the town and the school community. Everyone involved loved the walking tour of the town which kicked off the project. Despite its simplicity, one senior student even commented that it had been her favorite high school field trip. She told us that she had enjoyed visiting the grammar school students and the senior citizens and that it had truly changed her view of her town.

Art Specific Skills

Molly Johnson, our resident printmaker, brought entirely new printmaking processes to the classroom. The students were excited to learn the techniques of photo emulsion silk screening, especially tee shirt silk screening. During the course of the project, one student purchased her own screen, and created her own design, which she and a classmate then used to produce silk-screened shirts for themselves and the resident artist. They then silk-screened the design onto canvas bags which they presented to the other three teachers involved in the project.Their pride in their work and their ability to produce a professional-looking product independently was clearly evident.

Interdisciplinary Skills and Curriculum Integration

From the outset of this project in the fall of 2007, the photography students worked closely with the printmaking students to take, choose, and alter the images that would be used to create the etching illustations of the 2008 cookbook. Later, the printmaking students worked with the business students who marketed the book as well as the English students who wrote poetry based on the cookbook illustrations. In year two of the project, new students in the same classes worked together again, this time to produce the silk-screen and linoleum block prints that became part of that year's calendar/planner. The printmaking students also repeated their partnership with the business and English students. This coming year, the new members of these classes will colaborate once more to produce a product that will showcase the art and literary work of the students.

It is not often that students in different subject areas work together to produce a communal product; in this case one that can be marketed and sold to the community. The real-life aspect of the project was appealing to the students and the presence of a professional artist from outside the school community added to that attraction. One senior student, a team-leader from the business class, so enjoyed coming up with sales strategies and marketing techniques for the project that he decided to major in business in college. He is still following that course.

Public Relations

This three-year long project, which is in its last year, has forged an extremely strong collaboration between the Kenilworth Historical Society, the town's Senior Citizens and the school community. The aim of the grant project has always been to document the present-day life of Kenilworth. However, in the course of pursuing that goal, the students have also learned a great deal about their town's history from the Senior Citizens and the Historical Society. From the project's collaboration with the South African artists' cooperative, the students have also broadened their understanding of everyday life beyond the borders of their own country, and they have realized that art truly is a universal and lasting language of expression. By the end of the 2008/2009 school year, several students had volunteered to help out at the Kenilworth Senior Center on a regular basis, and there are now several student members of the Kenilworth Historical Society.

Professional Development

In the first year of the grant, all of the teachers involved in the project participated in the Professional Development Day. This allowed the English, Photography, Technology, English and Business teachers to learn and practice printmaking techniques which gave them a much greater understanding and ownership of the project. The students acted as their teachers, which allowed both groups to interact on a new and interesting level.

The same PD format was adopted for the second year of the grant, but this time, members of the Historical Society and the Senior Citizens were also invited. In addition, a representative administrator participated. These additional people enjoyed the session, and all said that it gave them a much more thorough understanding of the grant and the artistic processes that were being used in its execution.

Our overall success in attaining the above goals is further evidenced by the fact that every one of the thirty-seven participating printmaking students this past year produced at least ten calendar/planners showcasing their own original artwork on the covers. Of the photography students, over 90% had at least one of their photographs published in the book, and the business students posted an 85% participation rate. 75% of the writers had poetry included in the publication as well.

As the facilitator of this grant, I have had the pleasure of attending the two-week long aTi summer session for the past three years. It has strengthened my teaching techniques, inspired my creativity and connected me with a network of teachers that has provided a seemingly endless source of information and support. This coming year, buoyed by the confidence I have gained at aTi, I intend to take on my most ambitious goal yet. My aTi Memoir instructor Anndee Hochman will be our visiting artist, spending two days with our students. In order to make their experience more complete, I intend to share with them the knowlege of memoir writing I have gained in my two aTi sessions. This will allow Anndee to spend a day-long session with each class, helping them to revise the work they will have ready for her. I finally feel, after two summers of her instruction, that I will be able to help my students prepare for this. If it were not for my attendance at aTi, I would never have been able to even consider instructing my students in memoir writing, especially when the purpose was to prepare a memoir for publication.

With the help of resident printmaker Molly Johnson and visiting writer Anndee Hochman,we will continue with our documentation of Kenilworth present-day life in this last year of our AIE grant. We are still brainstorming about the vehicle that we will use to showcase our prints and writings. We do know, however, that we will highlight the families and homes of the town. We will update this site as we confirm our plans. We are happy to answer any questions about our project. Please contact Janice Marsili at silifam@verizon.net.

Atimpact Fellows: John Kaiser - 5-23-09 part 1unedited

2009-05-23T10:06:00.000-07:00

block 2A Creative Movement comparing western imperialism across Africa & Asia

2009-05-23T10:01:00.000-07:00

World History gr. 9

Obj: Given music & assigned readings about the Age of Imperialism from chapter summaries workbook, SWBAT describe imperialism in 1 paragraph after each cooperative learning group choreographs creative movements to answer a review question.

We have begun our eperience with a Mural at Newark Liberty Airport

2009-05-23T09:58:00.001-07:00

We are near the end of our journey from the Newark Airport Mural.

In the beginning Kit Sailer spoke with fifth graders about the theme of the mural. They were excited and interested in participating.