PS 20 and New Design High School Exchange

15 Dec 2011, 11:36 AM by kaya, Elementary School

PS 277 Kindergarten Dance

14 Dec 2011, 4:50 PM by kaya, Elementary School

PS 277's Kindergarten and 2nd grade students have begun learning tap this year! The kindergartners are exploring how dance class rules, such as following directions, practicing, discipline, and respecting each other's personal space, help them learn better, both in dance class and in their regular class. It even helps them learn some things that seem pretty challenging at first!

Both kindergarten afterschool classes have been working on their warmup dance. It's a work in progress that they will practice the entire year! Below you can see the videos of each class, Ms. Angela's class and Ms. Emily's class. They have made HUGE progress from the beginning of the year, when many of them had never heard of tap dance. Especially impressive are some of the students who have been diagnosed with developmental delays but have proven that when you focus and work hard, anyone can learn to dance! Great job, 277 kindergartners!

And stay tuned for the 2nd grade warmup dance, coming in a few weeks...

Fractions and Music Production at UAI

14 Dec 2011, 10:34 AM by keith, High School

At The Urban Assembly Institute of Math & Science for Young Women (UAI) in Brooklyn, 11th graders have been working with teaching artist Jules Gimbrone on digital music projects that integrate into their math curriculum.  Working alongside teacher Mr. Mike, the girls have been exploring using Garage Band to create original compositions that connect to various math concepts.  Their first project focused on students creating musical word problems, and now students have moved on to creating individual compositions that use beats and measures in relation to fractions.  Using the grid system in Garage Band, the girls are making musical patterns that fulfill specific criteria.  Their short individual pieces will be sequenced into longer compositions, and then students will create physical movements to accompany their parts.

"Since we need to create a new beat, I’m starting with a steady bass.  I’m figuring out what instruments to use and make the sounds match up with the metronome.  In another project, we made lyrics that related to math.  It was challenging to not just write about anything, but to make it about fractions.  The project is cool, but it’s challenging, which is good for us.  I would rather do math this way than just sit in class and write.” – Kenya, 11th grade

 “I like that if you don’t like something, you can work on it and make it into something different.  I want my track to have a little beat and then soothing sounds to go with it.  This is a good way to learn about math because it give you a different view on things.” – Regine, 11th grade

IS 528 Digital Portrait

13 Dec 2011, 12:05 AM by keith, Middle School

For the Digital Portrait project, students from IS 528's after school Video Club wrote short declarative statements about their daily lives and experiences at school. They developed storyboards to accompany these scripts, and then recorded interviews of one another and shot "b-roll" footage to represent/illustrate their vocal track. Audio and visuals were assembled into a non-narrative video piece. As a reflection, each student made two collages, one addressing "What I learned making the video" and one addressing "What I hope to improve upon in the future." Student collages were collected into a reflection zine and each student received a copy.  Sample images from the zine are below:

"We cut out letters for the beginning part and took pictures to animate them to make the titles.  We did interviews about our school and what we think about it." - Laurisa, 7th grade

"I like how we animated the letters and made them move. My role was to help with the titles to animate the letters.  I want people to notice this part of the video and think about how we did it." - Andres, 7th grade

"One message of the video is about how we have fun at this school.  I was interviewed about what I like to do and also I was part of the dancing scene." - Luis, 6th grade

"My favorite part of the project was the dancing and using the camera and computers.  I like using the camera because I like to use equipment and push the buttons.  I liked working with everybody." - Isabel, 7th grade  

Facing History Digital Media Studio: Letters

02 Dec 2011, 11:50 AM by caitlinmeissner, High School

In Facing History School's Digital Media studio class with teaching artist Caits Meissner, students are working on an ambitious group project: an empowering visual and written group letter to youth around the world who are facing gross injustices.

We just finished our research and writing stage of the project: letters. The assignment was to research a human injustice of their choice that affects teens through out the world. Child prostitution, labor, soldiers, female circumcision, drought and famine, repression of freedom of speech. After researching, they each invented a character based on their findings that give a personal face and a story to their population.

Prompt: On the next page, using this information as a guide, write a letter to your character. A love letter, not in the romantic way, but in a way that tells them they are important. What can the person oppressing NOT take from them? (Their spirit, their heart, their intelligence.) What is beautiful about them? What do you respect about them. Write it to your character as if they are a real person. Put emotion and feeling into it. Support them.

These letters will be combined and transformed into one larger voice. But first, in celebration of our individual letters being written, read Megan De La Cruz's letter to a child soldier: 

Dear Ashane,

I’m Megan, and I’ve heard of your story. Your struggle, wondering to yourself why out of all people, family am I put in this situation. I know your strengths Ashane. I know your abilities and the promises to yourself that will never come true. Ashane, I know your hardship and what they do to you, The position that these men put you in. I know your brother, how you two were always different. I know how he treats you and how much respect and dishonor you have for him, as well. Ashane, I am writing this because I know that life as it is can be hard. You feel forced into this society that you know is wrong and at such a young age, that is called wisdom and power on your part. You show your strength through your silence and your ability to know where you stand. While you are being judged and controlled into things unspeakable, I know in your heart you stay with the same warm heart that knows what is only pure.

Your brother, is different as you may know. A gun was but a simple concept. One that he could escape in, one that he could bury his true feelings in. because Ashane, even though he seems as if he doesn’t care about how u feel or he insults you for not knowing how to hold a gun properly, he loves you. Even though he has threatened to shoot you himself, deep down he wants what’s best for you, even though he doesn’t know what’s best for him.

And your mother, I know it may seem as if she doesn’t care enough to stop what has happened. It is not her fault, neither yours. She had no choice and as a good mother she wanted the best for you, even if that means you being a child soldier other than being killed then that’s what she did. I know she loves you unconditionally and it breaks her heart knowing that this kind of lifestyle is obviously unfit for you and your brother Bayya.

Ashane, I am writing this letter to give you faith. I know how much you like to write and how you express yourself with words, you can. I want you to be able to express yourself and know that this will become better, this will go away if you keep believing in yourself and stay true to who are really are. Don’t keep those thoughts of running away, those secret journeys you wish to take, write it down and let those feelings wash away with all the hate you have towards those men. Think about the positive and not the fears of Babi (Mother) dying. Or Bayya, staying the way he is, masked in war and guns. I know you are not religious, because you hadn’t gotten the chance to be informed about god, but if there was something to help you, it would be something to believe in. Just know Ashane, that there are people who care very much about you and we want you to not lose hope and don’t lose faith in what you believe is right. Thank you Ashane for changing the way I think and the way I care for people like you. You will be in my heart forever.

Sincerely,
Megan De La Cruz