WORKSHOPS AVAILABLE FOR MORNING AND AFTERNOON SESSIONS

(Integration workshops start at 10:45am, ok to arrive at that time if that is when your Professional Development Day begins. Others can come for discussion and creative exercise prior.)

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MUSIC & MOVEMENT IN MIDDLE SCHOOL

with Sue Landers

Is there a connection between music and algebra? YES! Is there a connection between movement and brain function? YES! This workshop will explore some of the cognitive, social, emotional, and physical benefits of incorporating music and movement throughout the school day. There will be opportunities to engage in some ‘hands on’ experiences as well as time to share how to incorporate music and movement into your curriculum, and brainstorm ways to increase their presence.

 

CHANGING PARTS, PITCHING PRODUCTS: DEVELOPING LANGUAGE ARTS SKILLS THROUGH HUMOR!

with Nina Greenwald

Humor is such an effective vehicle for developing students’ language arts skills! This highly engaging session begins by establishing the integral relationship between humor and creative thinking. Next, everyone participates in two language arts activities to experience ways in which humor promotes written and spoken language skills, meaning-making and conceptual understanding. One uses “part-changing” creative problem solving to envision humorous ideas for story creation, the other is “pitching” a new product with an outrageous name. Guaranteed fun along with cultivating new-found verbal agility!

 

TURNING STUDENTS INTO STORYTELLERS

with Gin Hoeck

Stories are a powerful way of communicating ideas, but finding one’s voice and telling one’s personal story can be intimidating. This workshop offers a three-part project that helps students find their voice, a skill that is not only empowering and rewarding, but will come in handy as students progress through their school years, apply to college, or enter the workforce.  This project begins with students creating the back story of subjects from the art world and ends with students creating a self-portrait and a story of themselves. The project may be modified to take place over one to four (or more) sessions and adapted to meet the skill level of students. Workshop participants will take home basic supplies to get started on this project immediately.

 

PAINTING & MYTHOLOGY

with Susan Overstreet

For this workshop on Painting and Mythology, I will present Pandora's Box for grades 7-8. Students will be introduced to Odilon Redon's painting Pandora and create a two and three-dimensional design using a shoe box, paint and clay. The myth will be discussed, students will paint symbols for emotions on the outside, and make clay objects to place in the box.  This is a project that could take several class meetings as students plan the outside and what's inside the box. I will have the materials for the teachers to make their own boxes as prototypes for the classroom.

 

MATH & THE VISUAL ARTS

with Elaine Tata

Participants will gain greater awareness, knowledge and understanding of the symbiotic relationship between mathematics and the visual arts with emphasis on the elements of design, the golden curve, geometry, symmetry and perspective.   Fearless of mathematics, a brief presentation will be on artists and designers who use math to create beautiful works of art. Overview: Awareness and Knowledge of Math and Visual Arts (examples of artists work, and handouts) Elements of Design (point, shape, form, texture, pattern, color, value and space), The Golden Curve, Geometry, Symmetry and Linear Perspective.

 

“Your Students can Learn the Arts as well as Learn through the Arts." Andrew Miller, educator

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