School 9 Celebrates Earth Day!

The students at School 9 collected empty water bottles for Earth Day.  Ms Dailey, the art teacher and Mrs.Sandler, PIR from William Paterson University coordinated this sculpture project. 

Using chicken wire as the base structure the water bottles were decorated by the students with permanent markers . Afterwards, the bottles were cut on a spiral and hung on the wire base.  

Presently, the students are deciding where to hang the finished three dimensional structure. 

Permanent Kindness Quilt installed at School 9

Kelly Dailey, art teacher from School 9 and Simone Sandler Professor In Residence from WPU coordinated a school wide Arts Integration project recently . 

This permanent quilt was created by grades K-8 using tongue depressors and markers.  Students used words, phrases and designs to reinforce positive messages.  

The display is situated outside the cafeteria for everyone to see.  Kindness encourages kids to help others and is a gift everyone can give.

WPU Professor, WPU Art PIR, and Paterson Science Teacher present Dodge Funded Research at WPU Research Day

On April 12, 2018, WPU Professor Heejung An, WPU Art Pir Triada Samaras and Paterson Public Schools Science Teacher Jennifer Post presented the topic, "Effective Arts Integration High Needs Approaches in High Needs School Districts" as part of the WPU symposium:

Explorations:  Research, Scholarship, & Creative Expression as part of the WPU Geraldine R. Dodge Arts Integration grant

Explorations 2018: Research, Scholarship and Creative Expression, is a presentation of research, scholarly and creative work across all five colleges at William Paterson University in Wayne, and is being held in April 2018. Events include lectures, presentations of faculty and student research and awards, Honors Week student presentations, a faculty authors’ celebration and poster sessions.

In the above image, Dr An, explained the purpose of the study:  "To examine the effect of the arts integration approach (on students and teachers), and the factors impacting on the successful implementation for the PD model that we have implemented"  (An, 2018).

Paterson School District Science Teacher Jennifer Post presented student art work done in her 6th grade science classes at Don Bosco.(Above right)

WPU Art Professor in Residence Triada Samaras explained how the WPU PDS/PIR Model has resulted in  " Increased student and teacher connections/links between the abstract concepts and external representations among other benefits.  She also discussed how this model facilitates the implementation of  of the 8 Studio Habits of Mind naturally into Paterson, NJ classrooms (An, 2018). 

NRC Students Create A Documentary Video and a PSA for a Worldwide Competition

 **UPDATE!  3-12-2018 The "One Love/Peace for Paterson Project" video and the "Don't Rush to Flush" PSA (below) have now reached the national finals and are one of the top ten contenders to win the national competition!  The nationwide winnerwill go on to compete in the worldwide competition. 

Congratulations to Mr. Baldwin and the NRC Pirate TV Club!  Stay tuned....

"One Love/The Peace for Paterson Project" is a 5 min documentary video and art integration project created at NRC/New Roberto Clemente School with Technology Teacher Howard Baldwin and his students.

Eighteen students from Grades 6-8 in the NRC "Pirate TV" and KWN/Kid Witness News  . 
worked with Mr. Baldwin over many months to create this video featuring the Peace for Paterson Art Integration Project started by NRC Art teacher Lauren Mandal in the fall of 2016 and supported by WPU PIR Triada Samaras and a Geraldine R. Dodge Grant art integration grant.  

The Peace for Paterson Project was featured on this blog several times during the 2016-2017 school year.  Based on the book, Sadako and the 1000 Paper Cranes, a children's historical novel set in Japan after World War ll and Hiroshima. NRC students read this book and wrote statements about their wish for more peace in their Paterson Community, which is often beset with violence onto origami paper.  After the writing portion, the students formed this paper into paper cranes using Origami, the art of paper folding.  Art Teacher Lauren  Mandal and her students then hung these cranes in numerous places all over the NRC building.  

Paper cranes for this project were produced both in the art room where students used origami paper and folding techniques and in the technology room with Mr. Baldwin where students used the three D printers and filament.  In addition students from other Paterson schools in the Dodge Grant program created paper cranes to this large-scale project.

Now, "One Love/The Peace for Paterson Project" video captures the spirit of this inspiring, collaborative art integration project in video format.

KWN/Kid Witness News is a global video education that aims to boost creativity, communication and collaboration skills through video production by elementary and secondary students. This year KWN has a national competition for videos in two categories: PSA/Public Service Announcements and Human Interest Documentaries. Mr. Baldwin and the Pirate TV Club submitted in both categories.  "One Love/The Peace for Paterson Project" was recently submitted to the "Human Interest Category."  (A longer 10 minute version of "One Love" is being edited by the Pirate TV Club for the NRC website.)

For the second KWN entrance category: "PSA/Public Service Announcement" students in the  Pirate TV Club created a 1 minute video video based on one aspect of protecting the environment.  The video, "Don't Rush to Flush" warns the viewer about the hazards of flushing prescription medication down the toilet and into the water supply.  It also depicts the correct way to dispose of these medications.  WPU PIR Triada Samaras recently viewed this well executed and succinct video with Mr. Baldwin and his students.

Mr. Baldwin has been involved with the KWN program for 23 years and he and his students won two competitions twice in other Paterson Schools.  The first time was at Martin Luther King School where students won first place for their video about handgun violence. To win, this video defeated 200 schools nationwide. 

New Arts Integration Work from Schools 9 and School 12 in Paterson, NJ

First graders at School 9 were learning about sound. Simone Sandler, WPU PIR modeled a lesson about vibrations and pitch. She brought in her African drum for the students to practice feeling the various sounds that a drum can make. Students experimented with different  pitches. 

Next, using recycled styrofoam trays each student made their own musical instrument. Using rubber bands and placing them at various heights students observed the various tones that were created.  Students also decorated the trays with various patterns and designs.

The 6th graders in Mr. Johnrose's social studies classes at School 12 were studying about Egyptian culture. Simone Sandler, PIR from WPU, worked with the students to create a cartouche. In Egyptian hieroglyphics, a cartouche is an oval with a horizontal line at one end, indicating that the text enclosed is a royal name.  Students researched their name on the Egyptian alphabet and created their own cartouche.

Afterwards, students worked on a three dimensional sarcophagus that encompassed the symbols used by the Egyptians.  A sarcophagus is a stone coffin often adorned with a sculpture or inscription.  The sarcophagi are being proudly displayed in the hallways at School 12.

Newly completed Art/Math Stairways at New Roberto Clemente School!

The New Roberto Clemente School Community has several brand-new Art/Math stairways thanks to Art Teacher Lauren Mandal, Former Math Supervisor and Current NRC VP Daniel Krankel, William Paterson University Art Professor in Residence Triada Samaras, and the Geraldine R. Dodge Arts Integration Grant. 

This eye-catching project has been several months in the making.  It was featured on this blog earlier this year at: http://steamempowerment.blogspot.com/2017/11/nrc-is-rocking-with-arts-integration.html

"Art teacher Ms. Mandal is working with Assistant Principal and former Math Supervisor Mr. Krankel on a "mathematical/color wheel" staircase project.  In this case four staircases are being turned into a colorful place where students can also see the table of square roots.  
Even the number of staircases is a math project:  students will be painting 4 staircases of 9 steps each or 36 stairs total.  Mr. Krankel will help them divide up the table of square roots so that each step has information.  In terms of art, Ms. Mandal is having students use the color wheel to paint. The completed staircases will be colorful and informative." LINK

NRC art students studied color theory with Ms. Mandal first in order to decide what colors to paint on the stairs. Dynamic colors were painted on the stairway that now draw the eye of the viewer as he/she climbs the stairs.  The result is eye-catching. 

Next, the math formulas were added with stencils by the students under the supervision of Mr. Krankel.  Students were so excited to add yet another permanent new art work to their highly creative school building.  These stairways will facilitate learning in new ways for students as they transition from one floor to another at NRC.  In addition, Ms. Mandal has already begun a new "site-specific" art project with her students in the girls' locker room!  (See below) Stay tuned!

Memory Project Video! A gift from the Philippines to the Don Bosco Technical Academy Community!

Recently Art teacher Patty Kaminski received a gift from the Philippines: a video of her Memory Project work with her art students in Paterson, NJ!

Direct Link to Video

This video depicts an Arts Integration project that recently took place at the Don Bosco Technical Academy in Paterson, NJ under the auspices of the Geraldine R. Dodge Arts Integration Grant. Middle school students and art teacher Patty Kaminski were supported by grant-funded Art Professor in Residence Triada Samaras from William Paterson University COE to create a collaboration between children in Paterson and children in the Philippines incorporating: social studies, world language, and portraiture via the Memory Project.
The culmination is this inspiring video created by the Memory Project. 

"The Memory Project is a nonprofit and charitable organization that invites art teachers and their students to create and donate portraits to children around the world who have faced substantial challenges such as violence, disasters, extreme poverty, neglect and loss of parents.  We want the portraits to help the children feel valued and important, to know that many people care about their well being, and to act as meaningful pieces of personal history in the future." (Memory Project) 

An earlier blog posted here featured this project at its inception at Don Bosco school last fall. This is the first year that Don Bosco has been included in the influential Dodge grant.

In addition this project was featured in the Paterson Post recently! 

In the near future the Don Bosco School will begin a new Memory Project with children from Puerto Rico.  Stay tuned!