An Intriguing New Steam Project in an Unexpected Medium at NRC!

Thanks to: the ingenuity and skillsets of New Roberto Clemente Physical Education Teacher Shikman, the NRC extended day program, and the Geraldine R. Dodge STEAM Grant, an exciting new STEAM project is in the works at NRC!  This student project combines art, math and science to create permanent wall plaques for the gymnasium out of lumber, paint, and epoxy.


Mr. Shikman, who teaches hands-on wood skills in the extended day program, approached Dodge Grant Manager, Dina Scacchetti, and Dodge STEAM Art PIR, Triada Samaras, with this interesting STEAM idea. The three held several planning meetings to determine the materials needed, budget, and final desired outcome for this piece.

At NRC, each homeroom has the name of a major U.S. university.  The purpose is to keep students constantly aware of the goal of the school:  that all students prepare for colleges and careers, and that they have the highest aspirations for their futures.

Mr. Shikman, confident his sixth through eighth grade students could handle tools, supervised their use of a wide variety of chisels and hammers so that the students could carve the names of their homerooms into the lumber.  In addition he provided measuring devices and stencils so they could stencil the letters neatly and evenly across the wood.  Math was used to create the spacing and placement of these letters.

After students created the letters in pencil, they proceeded to chisel out the inside of each letter.  A great deal of effort went into this work, with each letter taking considerable time. Students collaborated and took turns to accomplish their goals.
 
Next students will paint the wood and fill the letters in with epoxy.  This will be done outdoors wearing proper safety gear. Mr. Shikman and the students made this choice after considering many options.  Science was used to brainstorm which material was most suitable for their purpose.

Soon the gym will be adorned with eleven new signs.  NRC students are waiting with anticipation!

 

Paterson Student Art and STEAM Art Exhibition at Paterson Museum Opens!

On March 6, 2017, the Gala Reception for the All Paterson Student Art and STEAM Art Exhibition was held at the Paterson Museum at 2 Market Street in Paterson, NJ.  Students, teachers, families, administrators, and William Paterson PIR's were all in attendance for this fabulous event which was catered by students attending the School of Culinary Arts, Hospitality, and Tourism.

Museum Director Giacomo Distefano spoke first.  He praised the Paterson Public Schools for their high level achievements in art, thanking the art teachers, students, parents. principals, and all others involved in making the annual art exhibition and opening reception such a great success.

Ms. Cora Quince, Principal on Assignment for Fine & Performing Arts, opened the exhibition, gathering the Paterson art teachers for a warm rendition of "Stand by Me."











Mrs. Marilyn Simon, Chairperson of the Art Exhibition committee, was presented with an award for her service to the Art Exhibition and to the teaching of Art in Paterson Public Schools.  Mrs. Simon is completing her 49th year of teaching in Paterson, and is eagerly looking forward to her 50th!










A wide variety of art works in multiple media, including drawings, collages, paintings, and sculpture, demonstrated the depth and scope of the Paterson Public Schools Fine Arts Program.

In the center of the exhibition was a STEAM collaborative paper sculpture entitled "Egyptian Amulets," which was created by teachers from a variety of disciplines at the New Roberto Clemente School under the direction of (STEAM) Art PIR Triada Samaras. This project, which included a collaboration of the North Carolina Museum of Art, was done with the generous help of of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation STEAM grant.  

Another impressive work was created by students at School 7, under the direction Art Teacher Ibrahem.  School 7 is also a Dodge STEAM school, having the services Art PIR Myra Winter.  The work, pictured below, is based on the style of Keith Haring.  It is composed of many individual figures, each created by a student who was expressing something about him/herself, which together spell out A R T.

Several administrators attended the gala opening.

At right (from left to right): SOIT Principal Gaines, SOIT Vice Principal Dimartino, Art Teacher Marilyn Simon, SOIT Vice Principal Paz, and Site-Based Art Supervisor Saleem.

At left: Ms. Cora Quince and CAHTS Principal Nieves.

At right:  GOPA Principal Johnson and Art Teacher Darryl Jones.






The next generation of art teachers was also represented.

Mrs. Marilyn Simon and her WPU Practicum Student, Ms. Katie Machere.

Special thanks also go to the following Paterson Pubic School Art Teachers who helped make this extraordinary exhibition a reality:
Co-Chairperson Nicholas Livigne
Vivian Reyes
Ivan Rosa Amy Rothenberg

                                                              Danielle Earle

NRC and North Carolina Museum of Art Project Stage 5: Post Production!

"Gaining STEAM from Ancient Egyptian Artifacts" entered its final, 'post production' phase recently in New Roberto Clemente/NRC Teacher, Howard Baldwin's technology classroom.

With the three-D printing completed, Mr. Baldwin's 6th grade students created an awesome display of their amulets including:  their two-D sketches, their actual three-D printed amulets, and a photograph of each of them wearing the amulet.

This is the last phase of an exciting STEAM project and collaboration that has been going on for several months.

 

 
Using the collection of Ancient Egyptian artifacts from the North Carolina Museum of Art, NRC students reflected on the question: "Why do students make?"  Students learned that Ancient Egyptian amulets held "special powers" for their original creators.  They also learned about the first man-made material, faience, that was discovered quite by accident by the Ancient Egyptians and then later used to create their amulets.  

Students could easily connect the relevance and meaning of the ancient amulets with contemporary art objects such as necklaces that humans continue to make today.  Often such necklaces hold special "powers" for the wearer, even today!  Students could also understand how an "accident" might create a new scientific discovery such as the material:  faience.  In fact students realized "happy accidents" are common to both the art-making and the scientific processes.  Thus, they saw that risk-taking and problem solving are both common elements in both disciplines as well. Such trans-disciplinary insights inspired students to create their own present day amulets with ease.

The "Gaining STEAM from Ancient Egyptian Artifacts" project has featured a collaboration between NRC Art Teachers: Lauren Mandal and Aimee Senopole; NRC Technology Teachers:  Howard Baldwin and Janette Selino; William Paterson Museum STEAM Art Professor in Residence Triada Samaras (funded by the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation); North Carolina/NC Museum of Art Acting Education Director, Michelle Harrell; NC Museum of Art Educator: Camille Tewell and NC Museum of Art Distance Educator Emily Kotecki.
This was a true STEAM activity that crossed several disciplines.

For more information on this project please see:

Phase One: 
Coming Soon to Paterson: Phase One: A "Virtual" Museum visit from the North Carolina Museum of Art! 

Phase Two
Phase Two: Egyptian Amulet STEAM Collaboration with the North Carolina Museum of Art!  

Phase Three
Phase Three: STEAM Collaboration between NRC and North Carolina Museum of Art 

Phase Four 
STEAM Collaboration between NRC and North Carolina Museum of Art

Teachers at School 2 and School 12 Learn to Stimulate Creativity by "Grasping at Straws"

The month of February was an especially interesting one for the teachers from School 2 and School 12 who attended workshops given by Art PIR Simone Sandler.  At left, Ms. Sandler stands before the materials she prepared for the workshop.

The focus of the workshop was a project-based lesson on how engineering concepts can be taught using simple objects like straws.  Straws are the perfect choice for school budgets:  inexpensive but versatile.  At left School 2 teachers work diligently on their creations.

The participants experimented by building towers, three-dimensional shapes, bridges, rockets and more to create science-math-art-engineering lessons ready for the classroom.  Ms. Sandler stressed that the use of manipulatives in a hands-on experience readily motivates students.  Students may be encouraged to try, and, if they fail, to try again--in other words, to take the risks that eventually lead to success.  

Participants were shown which straws work best, and how pipe cleaners may be used as connectors that are sturdy enough to support constructions.  Teachers left the workshops with concrete examples of lessons that could be adapted for various grade levels.

Teachers from School 2 proudly display their creations.

Teachers from School 12 were led by Principal Andre McCollum,
who shows off his effort,  a three-dimensional swing set.

Paterson High Schools: GOPA, SOIT and CAHTS in ArtStart at WPU!

On February 4, 2017 the Annual ArtStart highschool art exhibition opened with a gala reception and award ceremony at William Paterson University in the Power Art Gallery.  

Public highschool juniors and seniors from all over Northern New Jersey were invited to participate. In addition, art teachers were invited to exhibit their works alongside their students. Three high schools from Paterson participated:  GOPA, SOIT and CAHTS.

 

 










 
Left:  Participating SOIT 
student Iniyja Dutcher with her Mom in front of her work.

Right: (from left to right) 
SOIT Mom, student Iniyja Dutcher, Dodge STEAM Grant Manager, Dina Scacchetti, and WPU Art Professor in Residence Triada Samaras

Additionally, senior art students who had work in the exhibition could bring their portfolios for review prior to the start of the reception to be considered for a potential art talent scholarship to William Paterson University. Portfolio reviews will also take place later this month in the Power Art building near noon.

Left:  GOPA student Janeth Garcia proudly stands next to her artwork.

Above:  SOIT Art Teacher Marilyn Simon (left) with Dodge STEAM Grant Manager, Dina Scacchetti.