Arts in Education Model Development and Dissemination Program Highlights from Year Two 2014 – 2015
AEMDD Program Overview The U.S. Department of Education awarded the Mount Vernon City School District, in partnership with Arts-Westchester, a four-year $1.2 million Arts-in-Education Model Development and Dissemination (AEMDD) grant to integrate standards-based arts education with core elementary school curricula in four elementary schools, grades first through sixth.
The project focuses on using the arts to teach science, technology, engineering, math (STEM subjects), and English language arts.
Social Studies/ELA and dance with teaching artist Belle Ritter at Graham Elementary School
During the 2014-2015 school year, Mount Vernon City School District and ArtsWestchester completed Year Two of the project working with second through fourth grades at Grimes, Graham, Rebecca Turner (formerly Longfellow), and Williams Elementary Schools.
Science and Gyotaku (fish printing) at Grimes Elementary School
Participating students learn in and through the arts. Teachers, in collaboration with ArtsWestchester staff, selected their artists from varied disciplines including, but not limited to: mural work, ceramic arts, printing, photography, dance, drum, theatre, and music.
Spring residencies exploring math through clay, with the Clay Art Center (left), and music with Teaching Artist Matt Turk (right) at Rebecca Turner (Longfellow) Elementary School.
ArtsWestchester Teaching Artists partnered with classroom teachers and arts specialists to design residencies: multi-session, sequential arts-making workshops developed to master specific curricula content. Each residency consisted of a planning session, eight contact sessions with students, and a wrap-up session to assess the experience. Newly implemented in Year Two, Teaching Artists worked with all the teachers, across a grade level, at each school. This provided opportunities for teachers to discuss the
Williams Elementary School Music Teacher Ms. Della-Carpini with Teaching Artist Ronnie Negro
Professional development for teachers continued to be an important component of the program, enabling educators to visit cultural organizations and experience teaching and learning through the arts. Students also participate in visits to cultural institutions and attending several performances in the District.
Ms. Cash during the Using Clay to Explore Measurement and Geometry program.
Three residency models presented in the following slides are selected from 74 residencies implemented during the 20142015 school year; 46 teachers and 38 classes of students were serviced by this program, approximately 760 students.
(L to R) Frank Ingrasciotta , Theater Artist, with Second Grade teachers: Ms. Hunter, Ms. White-Lee, Ms. Pizzola, Rebecca Turner (Longfellow) Elementary School, Mt. Vernon, NY
Residency: Exploring Amphibians through Visual Arts Teachers: Mr. Ferrante, Ms. Petrucelli, and Ms. Warnock, Grade 3, Grimes Elementary School Teaching Artist: Donna Miskend
Exploring Amphibians through Visual Arts Project: Teaching Artist Donna Miskend guided third grade students as they represented frogs and their habitats through two- and three-dimensional mediums.
Exploring Amphibians through the Visual Arts Academic Goal: Using non-fiction materials, conversations, and visual arts to reinforce the following Science and ELA Common Core Standards: Science Standard 4: The Living Environment: Key Idea 3.1a: Each animal has different structures that serve different functions in growth, survival, and reproduction.
Science Standard 4: The Living Environment: Key Idea 5.2b: Animals respond to change in their environment (e.g., perspiration, heart rate, breathing rate, eye blinking, shivering, and salivating). ELA-Literacy RI 3.7 - Use information gained from illustrations (e.g., maps, photographs) and the words in a text to demonstrate understanding of the text (e.g., where, when, why, and how key events occur). ELA-Literacy W.3.2 - Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
Exploring Amphibians through Visual Arts Artistic Goal: Working with found objects and traditional art materials (paper, paint, clay, etc.), students used small motor skills, including cutting, molding and painting, to create sculptures, drawings, and paper cutouts.
Exploring Amphibians through Visual Arts Outcomes: 1. Students created sketches, paper cut-outs and sculptures, accurately representing frogs and their habitats. Final projects were exhibited for the school. 2. Students, acting as docents, explained their process, projects and gave details about the characteristics of their frogs and habitats. 3. Students demonstrated an ability to manipulate various art and found object materials, working individually and collaboratively to complete projects, and created both two- and three-dimensional mediums.
Residency: Multiples with Fiber Arts Teachers: Mr. McCall, Ms. Gill and Ms. Campbell-Tulloch, Grade 3, Williams Elementary School Teaching Artist: Jill Parry
Multiples with Fiber Arts Project: Teaching artist Jill Parry created three series of panels with third grade students to reinforce multiplication of 3, 4, and 5. Students wrapped materials in yarn and sewed the objects to canvas to create larger than life patterns.
Multiples with Fiber Arts Academic Goals: Using experiences with fiber arts to reinforce the following Math Common Core Standards: Math 3.OA.A.1 - Interpret products of whole numbers Math 3.MD.C.5 - Recognize area as an attribute of plane figures and understand concepts of area measurement. Math 3.MD.D.8 - Solve real world and mathematical problems involving perimeters of polygons, including finding the perimeter given the side lengths, finding an unknown side length, and exhibiting rectangles with the same perimeter and different areas or with the same area and different perimeters.
Multiples with Fiber Arts Artist Goals: Students worked with yarn and fabric to cover rectangles, spheres and elongated shapes. They used similar objects to sew the background onto the canvas. Finally, they sewed the objects to the backgrounds, creating multiple patterns.
Multiples with Fiber Arts Outcomes: 1. Students were able to work individually, initially with multiples using a base index card and small squares to count by a multiple to saturate each card. By the end of the project, students worked in groups, on large canvases to cover with fiber, to create art installations which count in multiples (3, 4 or 5). Final projects were installed in the third grade corridor. 2. Students were able to use a ruler correctly when measuring yarn, understood units of measurement, and could discuss the difference between two and three dimensional shapes. Students reviewed concepts including perimeter and area as they planned their installations and covered their panels.
Residency: Dance, Drum and Storytelling Teacher: Ms. Hall, Grade 3, Graham Elementary School Teaching Artist: Marion Archer
Dance, Drum and Storytelling Project: Third Grade students and teacher Ms. Hall worked hand-in-hand with Teaching Artist Marion Archer to transform the story of “Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters� into a staged performance, including African dance and drum.
Dance, Drum and Storytelling Academic Goal: Use a work of fiction to bring to life the ELA Common Core Standards: ELA-LITERACY .RL.3.1 - Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers. ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.2 - Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures; determine the central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text. ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.3 - Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.4 - Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.5 - Create engaging
Dance, Drum and Storytelling Artist Goals: The team created a full production of a play, including music and dance, adapting a work of fiction. Students rehearsed the play, including dramatic reading, African dances and drum. Set design was developed in collaboration with the Art Room teacher.
Dance, Drum and Storytelling Outcomes: 1. Students were able to work together collaboratively to create and stage a production. The final presentation was given to the entire elementary school, parents, MVCSD administration and Board members. 2. Ms. Hall extended the residency to all aspects of her classroom including a study of African culture, math lessons, as well as the ELA lessons during this timeframe. All students had mastery of standards outlined. 3. Students had artistic mastery of stage work, dance and drum. 4. Students gained confidence through their rehearsals, delivery of lines and understanding of Note: Ms. Hall provided resources packets and lessons for all staging. Graham teachers, extending learning for the entire school.
Residency Outcomes: Based upon evaluations following each residency, teachers were asked their perceptions regarding reaching the program’s academic and artistic goals. 1. Of the 38 of evaluations received, 92% teachers believed that artistic goals were met always or most of the time. 2. Of the 37 of evaluations received, 84% teachers believed that academic goals were met always or most of the time. Grimes Elementary School Music Art teacher Ms. Brown with Teaching Artist John Rizzo
“The residency opened a whole new experience about theater to the students. For many it was their first time being in a play…Students have put meaning to the subject matter and I have overheard conversations about what we studied…[the residency] brought out the best in my most challenging students…[and] put real meaning to a rigorous curriculum. - 2nd Grade Teacher, Grimes Elementary School ELA and Theater Residency, Greek Mythology
Professional Development
Masterpiece Science Theater workshop with Frank Ingrasciotta, Teaching Artist, and Ms. Clayton, second grade teacher, Grimes Elementary School.
To meet the varied schedules of teachers and administrators, the AEMDD team offered a menu of experiences at varied times and days throughout the school year. 40 hours of formal professional development and cultural visits were offered both in the district and at cultural institutions throughout Westchester County. Programs included gallery and performance experiences, hands-on exploration in visual and performing arts, as well as discussions and suggestions for arts integration strategies in the classroom.
Teaching Artist, Vicky Youngman, preparing for her workshop at Rebecca Turner (Longfellow) Elementary School.
Goal 1: Provide exposure to cultural organizations and institutions. Goal 2: Model using exhibitions and objects as a jumping off point for teaching common core subjects both in the classroom and through field visit experiences.
Tour of the Gallery at ArtsWestchester, White Plains, NY (above) and the Hudson River Museum, Yonkers, NY (right).
Goal 3: Provide hands-on workshops exploring art mediums and technology to generate new ideas for integrating the arts and technology with core curriculum into their own classrooms.
(Above) Teachers exploring clay and discussing curriculum integration connections at the Clay Art Center, Port Chester, NY.
Professional Development Outcomes: Based upon evaluations following each professional development session: 1. Teachers were asked if they would integrate their gallery experiences and/tours into their subject area lessons in classrooms - 100% indicated they agreed or somewhat agreed. 2. Teachers were asked if they would integrate their hands-on workshop experience into their subject area lessons in the classrooms - 100% indicated they agreed or somewhat agreed. 3. Teachers were asked if discussions in arts integration would be part of subject area lessons in the classrooms or field trip experiences – 100% indicated they agreed or somewhat agreed.
“I can see integrating using clay to make models that will enhance the teaching of science, social studies (lessons on culture) and to facilitate instruction of colonial times in the ELA module.” - Teacher, Grade 4, Turner (Longfellow) Elementary School
Announcements and Field Visits
In December 2014, the Mount Vernon City School District, ArtsWestchester, and Congressman Eliot Engel, formally announced the expanded arts-in-education partnership after securing more than $1.35 million in funding, including the AEMDD initiative, as well as grants from corporations, foundations, non-profit and private donors. The event was attended by local legislators, ArtsW staff and artists, and MVCSD’s Superintendent, administrators and teachers. It received coverage from several local news agencies.
“I applaud the Mount Vernon City School District and ArtsWestchester for their continuing efforts to use the arts as a means of educating our students.” - Congressman Eliot Engel, New York’s 16th Congressional District
Creating opportunities for students to reinforce core curriculum and gain exposure to the arts, the AEMDD team continued to provide field visits to arts and cultural institutions and brought performances to the district. Experiences included, but were not limited to, performances by the Dance Theater of Harlem, Eli Fountain Jazz Quintet, tap dancer Omar Edwards, and field trips to the Performing Arts Center, Purchase, NY, and the Bronx Zoo.
Students watching Dance Theater of Harlem and tap dancer Omar Edwards.
The partnership between Mount Vernon CSD and ArtsWestchster continues through 2017 with additional residencies each year, along with expanded opportunities for professional development and field trip experiences.
(Above) Photograph with and by students at Grimes Elementary School.
Participating Mount Vernon City School District Principals and Teachers Graham Elementary School Dr. Natasha Hunter-McGregor, Principal
Temiera Brown Renee Buggie- Brown Margaret Crouch Melissa Garcia Luis Gondar Denise Grant Angela Hall Thrusha Henderson Tara Irizarry James Lento Mary Anne McCusker Stephanie Milani Sarah Sabatino Ulysses Torres
Grimes Elementary School
Participating Mount Vernon City School District Principals and Teachers Rebecca Turner (Longfellow) Elementary School Mr. Jamal Doggett, Principal Robyn Cash Jeanne Casino Laura Colletti-Rodriguez Stephen Coyne Tonia Edmonds Landa Hunter Nicole Lee-White Lisa Pizzolla Melissa Sansotta Susan Thornton-Smith Pamela Tumminello
Participating ArtsWestchester AEMDD Teaching Artists Marion Jones Archer Cornell Carelock Miguel Cossio Kelsey Didion Andrea Elam Lindsey Francis Amalia Hoffman Frank Ingrasciotta Erica Itzkowitz Donna Miskend Joe Mullins Suzi Myers Tipa Ron Negro Jill Parry Marc Pollack Belle Ritter John Rizzo Patricia Runcie
Mount Vernon CSD and ArtsWestchester AEMDD Administration 2014-2015 Mount Vernon CSD AEMDD Team Dr. Kenneth Hamilton, Superintendent of Schools Evelyn Collins, Director of Arts and Gifted and Talented Joseph McGrath, Executive Administrator for Technology Dr. Angelo Gatto, Evaluator to AEMDD program ArtsWestchester AEMDD Team Janet Langsam, CEO Joanne Mongelli, Deputy Director Jessica Cioffoletti, Associate Director of Arts in Education Felicia Liss Block, Arts in Education Jessy Mendez, Coordinator, Arts in Education