perspectives
A Makerspace, Drama & ELa collaboration
In collaboration with the Drama, Makerspace and Classroom teachers, the 5th grade participated in an interdisciplinary project that centered around the novels they read as part of their ELA studies. Each 5th grader participated in one of three book groups, reading either George by Alex Gino, All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook by Leslie Connor or Rules by Cynthia Lord. Students learned to do close readings of their books, analyzing text for figurative language, making inferences based on character's actions and observing the writer's word choices to underscore themes. Drawing on this knowledge, students created a play and three separate art installations related to their interpretations of the readings.
Identity boxes
Students who read the book George by Alex Gino, focused on issues of identity and public vs. private personas.
"What you see is what you get" might hold true for something created on a computer screen and printed out, but it is not the case to people. Who we are on the inside is not always reflected by what others see of us on the outside. The boxes you will see share common exteriors, representing basic common traits shared by our 5th graders. It is the inside of each box that reflects a given 5th grader's personal story, the parts of them that are not obvious to the eye.”
Click here to see a video of students speaking about their boxes.
Stickers
Polite society exists due to the understanding of its participants that there are certain conventions, or rule, to be followed, and these rules lead to the organized functioning of that society. Many of these rules are expressed via graphic icons, such as a Stop sign, male and female icons representing bathrooms, and the circle with a line through it that represents "do not". What are important universal messages? How might these messages inclusively be shared with others?
Students responded to social issues in the book Rules by creating stickers with messages that were important to them. Their process included research on an issue of their choice, a rough draft sketch of their idea and finally a poster size drawing with the final message and graphic. Their final draft was then scaled down and printed on stickers which were placed around the school.
Installation
Imagine having your live stripped from you, your personal story seemingly ending the moment you are incarcerated. What if an object that was on you at the time of your arrest could tell your story?
Students who read the book All Rise by Perry T. Cook, were asked to think about and research an issue related to incarceration in the United States. They were then challenged to create fictional, incarcerated characters and record the backstory of their journey before prison. Students were also asked to think of some objects that would be used to represent and tell the story of their character.
Finally, students presented their work in an installation that showcased their research on the issue of incarceration, the audio of their characters’ stories and the objects which represented them.