A few days ago I posted a request for creative dance materials through DonorsChoose.org. I've been fascinated of late by the many ways children can use scarves while practicing the art of dance. Here is the first video that got me hooked, a performance of 2nd graders performing to Carl Orff's "Primo Vere: Ecce Gratum" from his suite "Carmina Burana." What a glorious piece. I think this is powerful for many reasons. First, the children have to be taught how to actively listen to the musical piece, to discern phrasing, patterns, and structure. Then, after gaining a deeper awareness of the music, they have to be able to visually show what the music "looks" like through movement. Students need to be able to work as a unit, or "dance company," if you will. On top of that, this ends up being a fine opportunity for exposure to classical music! (When I say this, I don't mean to imply that classical music is better than all the other music that's out there, but simply a different genre--and one that many young people haven't really spent much time listening to.)
It is my hope that Room 17's project for creative dance will get fully funded. If it does, I plan on having my class perform our own version of this scarf dance to "Primo Vere!" For more information about Room 17's arts education project, "Dancing Our Way to Learning," visit the DonorsChoose.org site.
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Last week I went to a teacher workshop on arts integration that was absolutely brilliant. I learned so many strategies that I am excited to implement. In fact, I was so fired up, that I decided to submit a grant request on DonorsChoose.org for creative dance materials. As well as being a teacher to my students, I also happen to be a ballet dancer who can play the piano. As such, I see the exciting possibilities that I can make available to my students who need opportunities to explore creative and critical thinking through the arts, especially dance and music. I teach in a school in which the student population is culturally and linguistically diverse, and services a community that includes families from all over the world. This year I have 25 bright and enthusiastic second graders in my class, most of whom are learning English as a second language. Four children started out the school year with literally no English skills at all. Many times I have seen my students looking lost and frustrated that they cannot read certain words, or articulate an idea in writing, or tell me what they are thinking. Despite language barriers, these children are remarkably patient, diligent, and persistent in their efforts to learn English. I am often touched by the level of care and kindness with which all my students help each other in our quest to learn. It comes as no surprise that these children absolutely love the arts. When I introduce a painting project or play music for them on the piano, I can see their heightened interest and excitement. I intend to use the streamers, play scarves, ribbons, and play silks with the children as creative tools for movement. No matter what their language ability, students will be able to listen to a piece of music and articulate the feeling, mood, or idea behind it using these tools. For example, one activity involves having my students listen to a section of Camille Saint-Saens' "Carnival of the Animals," and, using scarves, create a dance that conveys the idea of fish gently gliding through the water. Another lesson I hope to teach has us listen to Carl Orff's "Primo Vere: Ecce Gratum," and manipulate scarves to express the musical phrasing of the piece. They will also be able to listen to music and think of a story behind it that they would be able to tell through movement and scarves, silks, or ribbons as useful props. These activities are highly participatory, strengthen active listening, develop gross motor skills, and can build community by having children work together. I want my students to do much more than sit for long periods of time at their desks while I teach. Children need to move! Music and dance are engaging channels through which my students can access the curriculum in ways that can be fun and non-threatening. Using scarves, streamers, and beanbags will allow them to focus their creative energy in ways that are highly participatory, strengthen active listening, develop gross motor skills, and build community by having children work together. Visit my DonorsChoose.org project page for more details. One of the highlights of the fall semester was Fairburn's first ever Art Night, which took place on November 20. The evening offered an exciting variety of workshops in photography, sculpture, drawing and painting. I volunteered to teach two workshops on Cezanne. Since each workshop was going to be 45 minutes long, I had to think of a lesson that was simple and direct, accessible to all ages, and allowed children to finish the project in less than an hour. Thankfully, I found a wonderful lesson on Pinterest that fit the bill. I began the workshop by showing a few still life paintings done by Cezanne, including Still Life With Apples (1895), quickly going over his use of composition and color. My introduction was quite brief, about five minutes. I then moved on to the project we would be doing, showing an example I had created the night before: Here were the steps needed to create your own painting in the style of Cezanne: Materials: Drawing paper (gray or white) Pencil 4x4" square of cardstock Oil pastels 1) On a 4x4" piece of cardstock, draw an apple shape that touches the edges of the paper. Cut the shape out to make a stencil. (For the Art Night workshop, I had these shapes premade to save time and to make it easier for the K-1 crowd.) 2) Trace three apple shapes onto a sheet of drawing paper, keeping composition and space in mind (suggest overlapping the shapes, having an apple lying on its side, etc.). I used a midtone gray paper for Art Night because I like the way gray paper brings out the brilliance of pastels, but white paper would work also. 3) Trace the outline of the apple shapes in black oil pastel. Add a horizon line (or as I like to call it, an "excuse me" line). 4) I always encourage my students to be creative when using color. I explain how if we think like artists, an apple should not just be a plain red, yellow, or green, and show how to mix hints of orange, yellow, or even blue or purple with red to make the most gorgeous colors. The photos below demonstrate how I apply layers of color to make an apple really "pop" from the page.
5) Apples saturated in color! 6) Color the background (wall) and the tablecloth with a non-apple color, such as purple, blue, pink, or brown. 7) Fill in the rest of the background and tablecloth with apple colors: yellow, red, orange, or green. 8) Add stems with black pastel. Completed still life. A couple student samples (the first is obviously in-progress): I found that students had success with this project on so many levels, and children as early as kindergarten were able to produce remarkably sophisticated and fine quality work. It worked well on the other extreme, too; fifth graders and even parents loved doing this! My thanks to the parents who volunteered to make this wonderful Art Night happen, and to my awesome colleague, Ms. Lessner, for assisting me. |
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