Arts and Learning Assignments
Due: Saturday or Sunday, March 17 or 18
1.
2.
Three personal items that represent your past, three personal items that represent your
present and three personal items that represent your dreams for the future.
A box or bag of junk and arts supplies (old milk or egg cartons, scraps of material, yarn,
odd pieces of junk from around your house, craft supplies, feathers, beads, ribbons, fabric,
etc.)
Where I’m From Poem
Students will use the following template and/or examples and explanation
available at http://georgeellalyon.com/where.html
to write your own “Where I’m From” Poem. Bring this poem with you to
your first class along with a piece of artwork you create that is inspired by
the poem. This could be anything you are inspired to create, any medium.
There is no right or wrong.
A WHERE I'M FROM Poem Template (Feel free to deviate)
I am from _______ (specific ordinary item), from _______
(product name) and _______.
I am from the _______ (home description... adjective, adjective, sensory
detail).
I am from the _______ (plant, flower, natural item), the
_______ (plant, flower, natural detail)
I am from _______ (family tradition) and _______ (family
trait), from _______ (name of family member) and _______
(another family name) and _______ (family name).
I am from the _______ (description of family tendency) and
_______ (another one).
From _______ (something you were told as a child) and
_______ (another).
I am from (representation of religion, or lack of it). Further
description.
I'm from _______ (place of birth and family ancestry),
_______ (two food items representing your family).
From the _______ (specific family story about a specific person
and detail), the _______ (another detail, and the _______
(another detail about another family member).
I am from _______ (location of family pictures, mementos,
archives and several more lines indicating their worth).
EXAMPLES
Where I’m From ~ Fred First ~ November 2003
I am from the peaceful banks of a creek with no name; from JFG, toast and
blackberry jam and home-made granola. I am from "a house with double porches," a room filled with good ghosts
and creek laughter in the mornings before first light.
I am from Liriodendron and Lindera, butterfly bush and mountain
boomers
I am from Dillons and Harrisons, Betty Jean and Granny Bea-- frugal and
long-lived, stubborn and tender, quick to laugh. Or cry.
I am from a world whose geography my children know better than I, from a
quiet valley where I am the proprietor and world authority of its small
wonders.
From barn loft secret passwords and children who can fly if
they only try.
I am from oven-baked Saran Wrap and colds caught from jackets worn
indoors. I am from fire in the blood Baptists, from the cathedral made without
hands, the church in the wildwoods, the covenant of grace.
I'm from the Heart of Dixie, son of Scarlett O'hara. From War Eagle, Wiffle,
UAB and PT, from Walnut Knob's blue ridge and the soft shadows of Goose
Creek.
From a "fast hideous" dresser and a home body from Woodlawn,
from a grandfather I never knew that I can blame for my love of nature and
my stubbornness, they tell me.
I am from fragments, the faint smell of wood smoke, and familiar walks
among trees I know by name, from Heres Home and good stock. A man can
hardly ask to be from more.
Where I’m From
by Amber
I am from hairspray
From braces and rubberbands.
I am from lightning bugs
Fluttering in the summer night sky.
I am from Belle
The cute little puppy
We rescued from the pound
And Smoky the cat
Whose death still touches my heart.
I am from Papaw’s goulash
And Momma’s pumpkin pie
From Dad’s overbearing
Protectiveness of his little girl.
I am from outrageous
Eleven foot Christmas trees
And joyous Thanksgiving feasts.
I am from French immigrants
From 1692 and New Paltz, New York
I am from Louis Bevier and Marie Le Blanc.
I am from the American dream
From broken despair and gained hope
I am the present, past, and future,
History in the making.
Due: Sunday, March 24 or 25
Role Play Assignment
Students will find a photograph of a non-famous adult that they would feel
comfortable portraying in a fictitious Arts in Learning Advocacy Meeting.
The situation is this:
The Superintendent of an International School in Paris, France, threatens to cut most of the arts
programming at your elementary, middle and high school because of budget cuts. The school is
very divided about this controversy. Half of you will be arguing in favor of this (to be determined
in class the 17th/18th) and half of you will passionately support the arts. Through this
assignment, you will be able to use your readings, class handouts and research to investigate
why the arts are an essential component of a well-rounded education.
After choosing a photograph, students will blow up the person’s face in black and
white or color to as close to life size as possible, laminate it and mount it on poster
cardboard. Choose an interesting character, so that you can bring color and life to the
debate.
In addition, each student must create a personal history for their “person” and tape it
to the back of their photograph. Histories should be a minimum of one page in length
and should include the character’s age, occupation, family life, and interests. Treat this
also as a creative endeavor and have fun with it. Make sure you do create a person who
could exist and might be interested in attending a debate on arts and education.
Students will role-play their person in class by expressing that person’s views (pro or
con) on the arts taken from their research (see below). Students should also wear at least
one item of clothing (or the whole costume if you want to go all out) to depict their
person. Please come to class on Saturday, March 24, prepared for this debate in your
character. We will begin the debate immediately at the start of class. If you speak to
your classmates prior to the debate, please stay in character.
Students will also research the value of arts education (through textbook readings, class
handouts and articles, as well as selected sites on the internet) in order to prepare a three
page bulleted summary synthesizing their findings. The summary should be wordprocessed in 12pt. typeface, and should represent a broad range of research from texts,
articles, reliable internet sources, etc.
NO MATTER WHAT SIDE YOU ARE ON (PRO the ARTS or CON) you will write
three pages summarizing the importance of the arts so that you are prepared for what
arguments might come your way.
In class, students will debate the value of integrated arts in the classroom using the
roles they have created.
Due: Sunday, March 24 or 25
Image/Word Assignment
Students will choose a square of color before leaving class on March 17 or 18. On that
square they will create an image to describe the answer to this question:
What am I thinking about this week about the arts and learning and
the connection it has to my classroom?
In addition, students will think of five words to describe their experience in class March 17
or 18. These must be typed individually in interesting fonts in size 18 and cut apart. These
need to be brought to class in an envelope on Sunday, March 24 or 25 along with the image
created on the square.
Due: Sunday, March 24 or 25
Practicum Assignment
Choose one of the ideas presented in class or shown in handouts, or create your own arts
and learning lesson for your class (see lesson plan below). On Saturday, March 24 or
Sunday, March 25, bring enough copies of your lesson plan to share with classmates and
instructor, as well as examples of student work and documentation of your process.
Please document the lesson you create through photographs and mount them artistically on
a display board suitable for viewing and/or create a power point or
i-movie of your work. Include enough words so that those observing your work know how
you were using the arts to enhance the learning in your classroom. Incorporate three
particularly meaningful quotes you uncovered during your research in this class.
Each student will have five-ten minutes to share their practicum lesson with the class on
March 24 or 25. Make your display, power point or i-movie as colorful, arts-centered and
professional as possible so that we will all be engaged by the amazing work you have
generated with your students. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact
me: (plindber@plymouth.edu). I look forward to seeing your creativity at work!
Integrated Arts Lesson Plan Format
Name:
Grade Level:
Estimated Length of Time: Date of Lesson:
Key Terms (Stage 1):
Define key terms students need to know for this lesson.
Concepts: What do you want the students to learn?
Arts Integrated:
Determining Acceptable Evidence (Stage 2):
What will students practice or demonstrate to show their
understanding of the concepts you are teaching within the confines
of your lesson?
Planned Learning Experiences (Stage 3):
Materials and Equipment: List everything you will need.
Procedure:
•
Introduction (How will you HOOK the students and
activate prior knowledge using the arts?)
•
Body of Lesson: Provide the steps of your lesson in the
sequence they will be taught. Please bullet each step.
•
Closure or Planned Endings: Explain how you will
consolidate learning, reinforce points and conclude the
lesson.