Film Program at ITAVA

11 Nov 2011, 1:12 PM by keith

Students in the after school Filmmaking program at It Takes a Village Academy (ITAVA) in Brooklyn have begun work on a series of original short films with teaching artist Brendan Boland.  The films depict scenes set in a fictional high school and tell stories of daily life for students and teachers.  The students are participating in the project in a range of roles, such as writing the scripts, acting, and also doing the camera work.  

"The film is really interesting.  It's about typical high school days and how students deal with stuff.  Today we were working on a specific scene about a girl who has issues at home.  She has a lot of anger and is talking to a teacher about it.  I love both writing and acting.  I wrote the script, but once we all talked about it as a group, it came out different and better.  I love this class because I can be myself and different characters at the same time." - Christelle, 10th grade

"Today I was using the camera.  I moved around to different places to help show what characters were saying and what was happening.  Sometimes I did close ups to show the person who's talking more clearly and what they are feeling.  I'm filming the action, and the actors are acting according to how the scene goes." - Shener, 11th grade

UAI Students Design and Construct Geometric Kites

06 Nov 2011, 12:55 AM by keith

Students from The Urban Assembly Institute of Math & Science for Young Women (UAI) recently designed and flew their own kites!  This year, teaching artist Laurie Krupp is collaborating with 10th grade Geometry teacher Mr. Adrian to integrate design and visual arts into the Geometry curriculum. 

Classes designed kites using parallel and perpendicular structures and experimented with various materials to construct their kites so that they would fly as successfully as possible.  To test their finished kites, students recently visited a nearby park to fly them, making adjustments to improve them along the way.  Afterwards, students reflected on how they could improve their kites so that they could fly higher and for longer periods of time.  

'We made kites.  It was a pretty good experience for me to learn how to build it and what materials to use.  The kite helped me with measuring and using a protractor and ruler.  it was helpful.  I didn't imagine that it would fly, but I was running and it flew!  The weather was beautiful for flying.  Thanks to Ms. Laurie for coming to do this with us.  I never did a project like this. I really liked it." - Jannat, 10th grade

"My kite is a basic kite, sort of like an irregular diamond.  It's disappointing that it didn't fly more, but I had fun making it.  I think if there was more wind it would have been better.  I want to make another kite that maybe could fly better next time." - Taenisha-Imani, 10th grade

Protest Posters by UAI Students

04 Nov 2011, 5:21 PM by keith

Teaching Artist Caits Meissner has been collaborating with U.S. History teacher Brodie Crawford at The Urban Assembly Institute of Math & Science for Young Women (UAI) to help bring history alive through they arts.  Throughout the year, students will be creating projects in a variety of media that are designed to deepen their understanding of our country's past and connect to relevant events and themes of today.

For their first project, students created original protest posters to communicate specific messages related to their study of The Bill of Rights.  Students also took a field trip to Zucotti Park to interview and photograph the protesters of Occupy Wall Street to find out firsthand about what they were protesting and why.  Each student wrote an essay on their own unique viewpoint on The Bill of Rights, and then looked at examples of propaganda and protest art as inspiration for their own posters directly related to the main arguments of their essays.  For the final step in the project, students took digital photo portraits of one another holding their posters, and then reflected on their work and gave one another feedback.

"I think the project is awesome.  We connect art to current events and the essays we wrote.  I hope that people can see our posters and understand our point of view.  Usually our voices aren't heard." - Merlissa, 11th grade

"I found it very interesting to connect our history work with our art work.  It's a good way to express our ideas about what's going on in the world today.  I hope that people see our posters and recognize, and then things change." - Regine, 11th grade

"Basically, we had to make a thesis statement about how we felt about the governmentand make a poster to help people see our ideas.  Mine is about how the Bill of Rights protects us.  The Bill of Rights promises protection from the government." - Nicole, 11th grade

"My poster says 'Stop the Abuse of Power'."  We went to Occupy Wall Street and saw the protesters, and I've seen it on the news too.  I hope people see what kind of power they have and how they could use it in a good way to prevent bad things from happening." - Camiel, 11th grade

"I think it's a really good project.  It's about our rights.  We interviewed protesters to find out what they were really protesting.  My poster is about how our rights can be violated sometimes, especially if you don't know them." - Lucey, 11th grade

"My poster is about the First Amendment and how we should be able to speak out.  My poster has a person speaking out with handcuffs on their hands.  I was trying to communicate that even though we have freedom of speech, we're not so free sometimes." - Issis, 11th grade 

Video Integration at Manhattan Academy of Arts & Language

18 Oct 2011, 3:04 PM by keith

At Manhattan Acadmy of Arts & Language (MAAL), teaching artist Vee Bravo has been collaborating with science teacher Mr. Gallanero since the beginning of the year to integrate digital media/ video into the curriculum for The Living Environment class.  Over the course of the year, MAAL students will be creating a "digital handbook" for the class consisting of original media to complement the class.

Students have begun working on original educational media- short videos that illustrate specific concepts from the Living Environment curriculum.  The current batch of videos focus on students demonstrating how to properly use various science tools and instruments, with students handling all the production, shooting and editing.  The videos will be in both Spanish and English, and we are also exploring possibilities for distributing and sharing the videos so that other students can access and benefit from the videos.

"We were working on balance scales and how to use them to measure stuff.  We're making videos, so we learned about shooting different kinds of angles.  The videos show people how to use science equipment like balances and other things." - Sashaly, 10th grade

"I worked on shooting using two video cameras for different angles.  More angles will show how to use the equipment better.  I want the videos to help next year's students.  it's fun because I like having a camera in my hands." - Carolinie, 10th grade

"We are editing today using the computer.  We're making a video about using the balance scale to measure an object.  This video will help us learn more about science." - Edwin, 10th grade

Spring Showcase at Brandeis HS

04 Jun 2011, 12:34 AM by keith

Students from the three Urban Arts Partnership after school programs at Louis D. Brandeis High School recently came together for their annual Spring Showcase.  All three programs presented strong work and celebrated their accomplishments with family and friends in attendance.  We’re so proud of all the hard work and creativity from these young artists!

The String Ensemble performed three pieces they have been working on: "Pokerface” by Lady Gaga, the traditional hymn “How Can I Keep From Singing,” and “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay.  They displayed confidence and technical skill in their playing, as well as a strong sense of cohesion as an ensemble.

“This year I learned how to play my instrument, how to practice better, and how to not get stage fright.  I will remember performing and being with the group.  It was my first year with Urban Arts and I had fun.” said 11th grader Alexis.

“We worked on a lot of different pieces… my favorites were Lady Gaga and “Viva La Vida.”  We learned how to listen to each other, how to tune our instruments, and how to perform without being nervous.” added 12th grader Regine.

The Good Lookin’ Photo Club presented several different projects they created during the year.  Students created comic panels using photos they had taken to create original stories and discussed their process.  The group also had a large display of students’ favorite shots taken during the year to show the diverse range of work produced.  The club also screened two stop-motion animations, both made in collaboration with the other two UAP programs at Brandeis.  With the Drama Club, students created original experimental scenes.  They also collaborated with the String Ensemble to create "moving portraits" of members of the String Ensemble, set to a recording of the ensemble's performance of "Viva La Vida" by Coldplay.  Check out this animation below: 

“We worked a lot on building a portfolio and taking pictures in different situations.  We learned about stop-motion animation and prop setups.  I liked shooting still life scenes.  Mine had different art supplies and other things from home.  My favorite things to shoot are portraits because I love getting people’s reactions.  I also like landscapes because the scene can change over time, and a picture can capture how things looked so people in the future can look back and see how it was.  I’m glad I joined the club.  I’m an artist and I like taking pictures of anything.” remarked 11th grader Jason.

The Drama Club students performed their original one-act play “American Dream,” which tells the story of a dysfunctional family coming apart.  The characters include a delusional mother who tries to pretend everything’s perfect, her prized plant TreeTree that she secretly talks to for advice and comfort, her troubled husband who is tormented with emotional instability and nightmares since returning from military duty, and her two daughters who argue constantly, one of whom finds solace in talking to her dog.  The play included humor, intrigue and surprising turns, as well as strong performances from all the actors.  “American Dream” is a unique and darkly funny vision from these young performing artists.

“Our play was about a family becoming psychotic.  I played the tree… he helps the main character, Barbara, by talking to her and gives her advice about her family.  I thought I wasn’t going to like acting and bring on stage, but I really liked it.” said 11th grader Joel. 

Fellow Drama Club member Ashley (11th grade) added, “I like acting because I get to be creative playing different characters and working with people.  Getting into character can be hard, but then I think about how the character acts throughout their day and what they’re thinking and feeling.  I learned how you get into character by focusing and bringing your emotions into it.  The play was awesome.  I liked the story most because we all put in our ideas.”

“I improved my acting skills and got to exercise something I love.  When you’re hungry for something, you have to do whatever it takes.  My character is a retired military man.  He has nightmares about who killed his friend.  He’s seeing a psychiatrist and eventually remembers that he actually killed his friend.  There’s a lot of emotions.  I think that connecting with my emotions and focusing helps me bring emotions to the stage.” said 12th grader Edwin.