2008-2009 eco-art residencies
double click on any workshop to see a photoblog
Grade 1: Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers; March 6, 2008
Working with puppets made from socks, cardboard, household items, duct tape, poles and hot glue, the renowned Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers performed “Everybody Loves Pirates,” a story about a couple of kids, a treasure map and a group of bumbling pirates. After the show they gave first-graders a behind-the-scenes look, a short lesson on how to make sock puppets, and a question and answer session. They performed the same show in the evening for the public. Workshop length: 1.5 hours. Evening performance: 1 hour
Grade
2: Physical Theater with Gretchen
Berg; January 2009
Award-winning Teaching Artist Gretchen Berg worked with
teachers, second-grade students and their curriculum to bring their studies to
life. Together, they created lively performances about planets, poetry,
simple machines—whatever subjects each class chose. All students were actively
involved in the creation and staging of their work, and all played the roles
of performers and audience members. The residency culminated in an in-class
sharing of their work. Project
length: 3 days, 1 hour per day
Using mill-end wood blocks and other wood pieces collected from nature and the recycling box, Blake Hendrickson presented third-grade students with a "wood block buffet." Each student picked and chose from the buffet and created their own designs by gluing pieces on panels. They also created a group panel in each class, experiencing collaborative work and play. Blake spoke to each class prior to the workshop with a slideshow talk about his work and encouraged kids to collect pieces of their own to use and share when making their panels. project length: 2 hours
Grade
4: Handmade Books with Bette
Spettel; November 2008
In close collaboration with
teachers, Bette Spettel shaped her bookmaking workshop to the studies in
each fourth- grade classroom. Using recycled and other materials and papers,
every student created a unique handmade book under Bette’s gentle and
expert guidance. Bette has been an art educator for 30 years, fostering
artistic expression in the classroom by offering students the opportunity to
express their individuality in a supportive setting. Project length:
2 days, 1 hour each day.
Grade 5: Twig
Sculpture with Nantz Comyns; December 2008
In this larger-than-life workshop, fifth-grade students
were introduced to the process of community twig sculpture. Beginning by building a wood frame,
then adding chicken wire, twigs and sticks, each school worked on one
animal. Students learned about
cooperation, collaboration and the creative process involved in 3D design as individual
classes build their part of the big project. The completed sculptures have become the property of each school and are permanently displayed on school
grounds.
Project length:
2 days; 1 hour each day