Trees Bloom at School 9 in Paterson

Trees Bloom

The students at School #9 in kindergarten were studying about how trees grow and what happens to the leaves in the fall. WPU PIR Simone Sandler introduced an art related lesson.  After discussing the parts of the tree and what trees need to survive students she had students tear pieces of fall colored construction paper to attach on the branches with glue. 



Using paper lunch bag students were able to crumble the bag to create a three 
dimensional standing tree with branches. 



Students also created some leaves falling to 
the ground so that the trees can prepare for winterthe ground so that the trees can prepare for winter.

Totem Poles and Tangrams at School 12 in Paterson

Totem Poles

As part of the Dodge Arts Integration grant, students in the 4th grade at School #12 in Paterson were studying Native American culture. With WPU PIR Simone Sandler, students created totem poles that symbolized a celebration, a death or even bringing shame to a family.

Using recycled styrofoam breakfast trays students created designs in their group  on a theme and constructed a three dimensional totem pole using a cardboard cylinder. Slides were shown to the class that showed how the totem poles were carved and placed into the ground. Students used crayons to decorate their totem pole.

Tangrams

Students in the 5th grade at School #12 used Tangrams to connect math and art. Using the tangrams students  saw the connection with  logic, geometry, spatial awareness, problem solving, fraction, area and number sense. They used the book Grandpa Tang to view how animals could be reduced to geometric shapes.

Students challenged themselves with a variety of animals and as a culmination to the lesson students tried to make a square with the seven pieces.

Paterson Students Attend Field Trip at William Paterson University

Above:  Paterson students stand in front of exhibition title with Dodge Grant Program Director Dr. An, PIR Triada Samaras, NRC teacher Janette Selino and WPU Galleries Director Kristen Evangelista

Above:  Paterson Students visit WPU's Ben Shahn Building

On December 3 and 4, 2018, as part of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation's Art Integration grant, students from New Roberto Clemente School and Don Bosco Technical Academy in Paterson, NJ, went on a field trip to William Paterson University.  The main purpose of this field trip was to visit the International Exhibition of Posters entitled:  Women's Rights are Human Rights: International Posters on Gender-based Inequality, Violence, and Discrimination. 

Their first stop of this trip was WPU's Power Art Center where students learned about large-scale art production.  Thanks to WPU MFA students Feride Comen and Sarah Schwindt and WPU Galleries Director Kristen Evangelista, they visited the "robots", virtual reality room, 3-D printer room, painting and ceramics studio and viewed many WPU art student works in the halls.

Above left : Paterson students tour the sculpture  and ceramics

facilities with WPU MFA student Feride Comen and NRC Technology Teacher Janette Selino  

After the Power Arts Building tour, students traveled to the Ben Shahn Gallery where "Women's Rights are Human Rights" is on exhibition.  Kristen Evangelista taught the students many facts about the posters done by both male and female artists, and gave them opportunities to inquire as well as voice their opinions on them.

 Above:  Paterson student reads the "Women's Rights are Human Rights" exhibition text.

Video below of Don Bosco student speaking at the Women's Rights exhibition.

Above from left to right:  Dr. Heejung An, Arts Integration Coordinator, Ms Aramayo NRC Art Teacher, Kristen Evangelista WPU Galleries Director

Above:  Ms. Kamiski, Don Bosco Art Teacher, Ms. Simmen, Don Bosco Civics Teacher

     Next the Paterson middle school students  middle school students worked with Deborah Guzman Meyer to create miniature shrines for civic, political, and religious leaders that were important to them personally. Entitled "Social Justice Shrines", these mixed media artworks celebrate important leaders such as the Dali Lama, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, and others. This project enabled students to reflect on social justice after viewing the women’s 

rights poster exhibit. She was assisted by Ben Shawn Gallery Manager Emily Johnson and WPU art student Angel Fosuhene.  

Above WPU PIR's Triada Samaras (left) and Robin O'Brien (right)

This project exemplifies arts Integration, which is defined as an interdisciplinary teaching practice through which non-arts and arts content is taught and assessed equitably in order to deepen students' understanding of both. Next on the tour Paterson students visited the WPU art faculty exhibition where several large scale sculptures in the exhibit captivated this young audience.

Above WPU Arts Integration PIR Triada Samaras experiments with augmented reality technology with the students

Above Paterson students enjoy experiencing with this large-scale sculpture

For lunch Paterson students enjoyed visiting the WPU Student Center and walking around the WPU campus.

After lunch, WPU Admissions staff spoke to the students about college admissions and related topics

 

Teachers from both NRC and B will continue this field trip learning back at their respective schools.  For example, NRC Technology Teacher Janette Selino will have her student learn to format a thank you letter to WPU summarizing five new things they learned on the field trip that they did not know before.  Art Teacher Patty Kaminski will continue the art production of the Social Justice Shrines back in her classroom then create a school-wide art exhibit to expose the entire school population to this new information.

Arts Integration with Science and Music at Don Bosco

After a meeting with Dr. Heejung An, and WPU PIR's Triada Samaras and Robin O'Brien in mid-October at Don Bosco Technical Academy, art teacher Ms. Patty Kaminski envisioned a new arts integration project involving music, art and live performance.  When she proposed this idea to the new DB music teacher Mr. Hayden, he became enthusiastic as well.

For the art part of this project, Ms. Kamiski had her students research and emulate master art works, including paintings done by Vincent van Gogh, Keith Haring, and Piet Mondrian. Inspired by these masterworks, students painted acrylic onto plain white buckets.  WPU PIR's Triada Samaras and Robin O'Brien worked together to acquire the art supplies for this project.

In the music phase of this project Mr. Hayden taught the students how to play the "art drums". Using basic rhythms and language the students learned how sound is created with these drums. are preparing a performance for report Card night on Dec 4 at Don Bosco. In the video below Mr. Hayden is drumming with the students.

Mr. Hayden wrote about this lesson and the above video:

"With the seventh grade bucket drumming project, we were working on NJCCCS 1.3 – Performance MU:Pr5 – Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation." 

"In the video seen, we were rehearsing the groups' composition which was built from the ideas of the class. The students were originally sat behind the drums which were already put out, then I asked them what they would like to do. One student said, I want to play my drum. From there, other students added to the idea of moving the drums, how to hit the drums, alterations of speed, etc. What was seen was the end of the day's experiment which was recreated later at the school Science Fair during Back to School Night for the parents, showcasing collaboration, rehearsal techniques, expressive qualities of musicianship, and improvisation."  Mr. Hayden