Arts Integration at Don Bosco Technical Academy

Arts Intergration plans are blooming at Don Bosco Technical Academy!

Art teacher Patty Kaminski has begun a Memory Project with her student working with young people from Nigeria.

"The Memory Project is dedicated to promoting intercultural awareness, friendship, and kindness between children around the world through the universal language of art."

LINK

In this Portrait Program Ms. Kaminsky's middle school students will create portraits as special gifts for children facing substantial challenges around the world.

Social studies teachers at Don Bosco are introducing themes related to Nigeria and to Africa to collaborate with Ms. Kaminsky's project. In Mr. Palen's class, for example, students are learning about the origins of humans in Africa and their migration throughout the continent. In another example, Art PIR Triada Samaras is working with Ms. Kaminsky to design a collaborative, student-generated, large-scale art inspiration project inspired by the Nigerian artist El Anatsui who now works in Ghana. El Anatsui is widely known for his large scale collaborative art work using recalled materials.  Teachers throughout the school will be invited to participate in this collaboration. The art materials to be used are part of the Geraldine R. Dodge Grant for Arts Integration. The grant's focus this year is on: "Diversity."


 In addition, Mr. Palen and 6th grade social studies teacher, Ms. Muniz, attended a recent WP PDS School workshop called the Smithsonian Learning Lab where they learned about the vast resources available at this lab. Open to all teachers from the WP PDS School network, the workshop was entitled: 
"Black Panther and More: Using the Smithsonian Learning Lab to Go Global and Bring the World into your Classroom."  All teachers were encouraged to sign up for a free account at the Learning Lab: LINK 

  Ms. Muniz shared her experience at with Arts Integration PIR Triada Samaras last week.  She stated that the Smithsonian Learning Lab materials are very helpful to teachers who, like herself, are given no textbook to use with their students in their content area.  "From the Learning Lab," she explained, "I am able to create curriculum materials for my students."

Arts Integration at School 12

Arts Integration is thriving at School 12!

In this arts integration project, the third graders at School 12 were reading about the Native Americans and the history of the Ojibwa tribe and dream catchers. 

"Dream catchers can be traced back to the Ojibwes. The Ojibwe people started the phenomenon and over time, dream catchers became adopted by other tribes, cultures and even Nations."

LINK

 An art activity was incorporated (creating dreamcatchers) to provide students with a more authentic experience for studying the history of the Native American Ojibwa tribe and dream catchers that they were reading and writing about.  WPU PIR Mrs. Sandler had the students create dream catchers with recycled cardboard, string, beads and feathers. 

First they measured and cut out cardboard circles.

 

Students were able to weave in a pattern that left spaces for the good dreams to pass through the openings with yarn.They also added beads and feathers.

 The teacher followed up this lesson with a literacy lesson showing realistic fiction, sentence sequence format, and critical analysis of the text.

'Arts integration seems to be the best form of differentiation out there because it taps into so many different interests and abilities and forms of learning.' LINK

This kindergarten lesson (below) was also done at School 12 in conjunction 
with WP Arts Integration PIR Simone Sandler.  First classroom teacher Mrs. Pierre read her students a book about a cat . 

Next, Mrs. Sandler went over the sight words in the story as the students created a three dimensional foldable. 

Arts Integration Lessons at Paterson School 9

Arts integration is moving at Paterson School 9!

This engineering lesson was created by the grade school students at this school.

Students' first unit of their curriculum is engineering.

WP PIR Sandler coordinated a lesson using LEGOS to give students a house structure challenge.  Students had to create a house that had three walls of the same height and had a window.  In groups the students planned and reworked their designs until they had the correct format.  

Afterwards, students reflected on the finished product.  Next they had to create a Lego person that had their picture as the the head of the Lego.

Elsewhere at School 9 students in third grade were learning about the unique cultural differences in Paterson. PIR S Sandler showed the Mona Lisa portrait and after much discussion 

students were given mirrors.  

Each student created their portraits using crayons. 

Afterwards, students reflected on their own unique characteristics and created their background using words and pictures that make them special. 

New Steam Masters of Education Program at William Paterson begins!

The first semester of the all new STEAM Masters of Education Program: (MEd in Curriculum and Learning: STEAM Concentration)

has begun in the WP College of Education! 

“Research shows that arts integration in elementary and middle school STEM coursework can bolster student engagement and learning,” says Amy Ginsberg, dean of William Paterson University’s College of Education.

Here is a link from WP:

https://www.wpunj.edu/articles/news/2019-09-09/william-paterson-university-masters-education-curriculum-steam/

As we mentioned earlier this year this Masters program has been partly informed by the Dodge Grant Arts Integration Grant in the Paterson Public Schools over the past 7 years. It may appeal to some of the numerous Paterson teachers involved with this grant. Many thanks to all the Paterson teachers, staff, administrators, WPU PIRS, WPU Professors and Administrators who have contributed much to this growing movement of successful arts integration curriculum in the urban, public school settings.

The new concentration is geared toward previously certified K-8 teachers, aiming to enhance their competence and confidence to adequately teach and guide STEM subjects for all learners, according to Professor Heejung An, Director of the Master of Education in Curriculum and Learning. 

The 33-credit program, which can be completed in 24 months, employs project-based learning, an inquiry-based research study, and leadership development courses so that candidates are prepared to meet the evolving needs of schools and districts in positions as STEAM teachers or coordinators, instructional leaders, or curriculum developers.

For more information: contact Dr Heejung An, anh2@wpunj.edu

Welcome Back to School!

Welcome back to School for the 2019/2020 school year!

This year promises to be an exciting STEAM year in the Paterson Public Schools.  With the support of the Geraldine R. Dodge Arts Integration Grant, the theme of "Diversity" will play a major role in our STEAM curriculum development in the funded Paterson Public schools. 

At Don Bosco Technical Academy a Diversity Quilt Project was launched in March of 2019 on a Paterson Professional. Development Day.  
DB Teachers attended two workshops: a Behavioral Management one given by WPU PIR Robin O'Brien, and an Arts Integration Workshop given by WPU Art PIR Triada Samaras, Art Teacher Patti Kaminski, and Science Teacher Jennifer Post. This second workshop featured the seeds for a Don Bosco "Diversity Day" featuring, in part, the idea for a collaborative 6th grade quilt.

Above:  Diversity Quilt created by 6th grade Don Bosco students

In the professional development workshop, DB teachers learned to create diversity squares by developing their own squares illustrating their many diverse preferences, hobbies, ethnicities, languages, etc. They used colored pencils and markers on pre-cut white paper. In June the teachers taught this same lesson to their students in all subject areas.  The resulting squares depict the wide diversity at Don Bosco in terms of culture, race, aesthetic preferences, hobbies, languages, sports choices, favorite items, and more.  
(See below).

WP Annual Summer Arts Integration Institute

Above Pendulum Painting with WP Art PIR Triada Samaras

This week, more than 40 public school teachers attended the Annual Arts Integration Institute at William Paterson University. The teachers, from Paterson and other nearby professional development school districts, were awarded professional development credits for their participation in this event. The institute was free for them thanks to generous support from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation.  This year’s atmosphere was creative and inspirational.  

Above: Dr. Heejung An, Grant Coordinator, presents on creativity in the classroom and on 
student benefits of arts integration practices

In addition to the featured visual art, a percussionist brought to the institute the integration of drumming/social studies/math.  The Arts Integration Institute was organized by Dr. Heejung An, Dodge grant coordinator, with support from Art PIR's Simone Sandler and Triada Samaras.

 Above:  Mandalas Art on Recycled CD's with WP Art PIR Simone Sandler

Above:  Stop Motion Animation with NRC Art teacher, Monica Aramayo 

Below are the links for arts-integrated  lesson plans, pictures, and video clips

• Arts integrated lesson plans: http://dodgesteam.weebly.com/uploads/1/7/0/0/17001098/2019_tableofcontents_with_lessons-final.pdf

• Pictures and video clips: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1xBrzEAHG6d4HX1xlkzJj7bcsmyPt9Pkg?usp=sharing

                                                                       Above Pendulum Painting