Winter Showcase at Brandeis High School

16 Dec 2011, 3:07 PM by keith

Students in all three of UAP's 21st Century Community Learning Centers after school arts programs at Louis D. Brandeis High School recently presented their work at a showcase for family and friends.

First up was the Good Lookin' Photo Club led by teaching artist Yarrow Lutz, represented by a slideshow of students' images from recent projects, some of which involved the photo students collaborating with students in the Fashion Club run by The Leadership Program.  The images highlight not only their amazing creativity and technical skill, but also show their willingness to take risks with the camera.  The slideshow can be seen in video format below. 

The Drama Club and the Music Club also presented collaborative performance pieces.  Working with teaching artists Heather Acs and Erika Kapin, students jointly explored the theme of heroic love to create short scenes accompanied by live musical soundtrack.  Drama students presented two scenes backed by performers from the Music Club, which made for a truly unique experience for the audience.

"First we learned the keys and fingering and then we learned how to play the pieces.  We collaborated with the Drama Club.  We both had a theme of "heroic love," then put our parts together.  We shared our work, then we added some things and edited some stuff out.  I was nervous to perform, but I just acted like nobody was there and played my part.  Before the program I didn't know anything about piano.  I wish we could have the program for more days." - Quadry, 12th grade

"Our topic was heroic love.  Our group was all boys, so we did a scene that dealt with brotherly love from 'Boyz in Da Hood."  It was like a Broadway show to have the live music during the scene.  As an actor, it makes you feel it more.  i was influenced by mafia movies and actors I like.  This is what I want to be, so that's why I study it and work hard.  I love acting and drama and it's something I plan to do as I get older." - Raymond, 11th grade

"We've been working on heroic love and my scene involves drug dealers.  We chose this because it relates to life.  It's a story about when a character has to do something he doesn't ever imagine he would do.  We wanted the audience to think about how there are ways to get money and things you want, but you have to choose the good ways to do it." - Courtney, 11th grade

Fractions and Music Production at UAI

14 Dec 2011, 10:34 AM by keith

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

Facing History Digital Media Studio: Letters

02 Dec 2011, 11:50 AM by caitlinmeissner

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
 

Facing History We & They Humanities Art Integration

02 Dec 2011, 11:36 AM by caitlinmeissner

In the 9th Grade Humanities integration class with teaching artist Caits Meissner and classroom teacher Paul Zuppello, students have been exploring the concepts of We and They through societal differences theyve identified as relevant to their own lives. Working in the collage/cut paper medium, here are a few standouts!

Teens and Parents:
A call for parents to let their teens express themselves creatively through clothing.

Women and Men:
A statement that women have value beyond traditional domestic roles. Women are doctors, lawyers and CEOs too!

Homeless and Non Homeless:
A call to see all as equal members of society, whether they dwell on streets, in shelters, apartments or homes. They earth is our true home!

Unemployed vs Employed:
Help the unemployed! Jobs, what happened to them Obama?

MAAL Students Create Original Propaganda Posters

12 Nov 2011, 12:14 AM by keith

This year at Manhattan Acadmy of Arts & Language (MAAL), teaching artist Elise Rasmussen has been collaborating with Ms. Delgado in two Global History classes.  Throughout the year, students will be creating arts-based projects that use photography and visual arts to showcase their understanding of various historical concepts and eras from the curriculum.

In the Global History 3 class, students have been studying political revolutions from around the world to better understand the roots of revolution and how revolutions affect the lives of the people.  They worked in groups to create propaganda posters each related to a specific revolution, and then presented them to the class to explain the background, and important events and people involved.  Each poster included a slogan and at least one original photo that the students created to capture the spirit of the revolution.

The Global History 1 class has been exploring religions from around the world, and examining the differences and similarities across religions.  Students created and presented posters to communicate messages of non-discrimination based on religion, each using an original photo devised and shot by the group.  In these images, students experimented with using lighting techniques to help make their intended messages come across even more powerfully.

"We were learning about world cultures and religions and how we can all live together.  It's an important message because some people think that our differences are bad, and they might act weird.  My favorite part was taking the picture.  We're trying to say that we might come from different cultures, but really we're all the same." - Emelly, 9th grade

"My project is about how religions shouldn't make boarders between us.  My favorite part was how our picture uses hands to represent people of different cultures.  In the world, there are so many people, and so many religions." - Freddy, 9th grade

"My poster is about how there are no real differences between our color or religions.  This message is important because we are all equals.  My favorite part was taking our photo, because it shows that we can all be unified and equal." - Manuela, 9th grade