| 1.
What did your project set out to do? What outcomes did you identify for your
project? |
1. What did your project set out to do? What outcomes did you identify for your project?
The project was designed to bring together a number of different lessons that supported the title. Our County, With Pride. Using that as our basis, we used Language Arts, PE, Fine Arts, and Dance.
We wanted to do a project-based unit on “community” and the students interviewed community residents, painted watercolor artworks about aspects of our county, read a story about strength in numbers, and illustrated with creative movement these elements, with a final performance for parents and the school body.
Our outcomes were that we wanted the children to learn about the people that make up Boundary County and how they all influence our lives. The interviews that were written and shared made this possible. We wanted them to hear a parable that taught the concept of strength in numbers, and this is illustrated in “The Bundle of Sticks”. Painting familiar places and favorite spots helps to show others how one feels about where one lives. Making their own bundle of sticks
Illustrated just how strong that can be. But the main element was creative movement and dance to express the principles of it all. |
| 2. What
did the project accomplish? Who was served and how did they benefit?
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2. What did the project accomplish? Who was served and how did they benefit?
Our big question, “What is community?” drove the project. The second graders got to focus on a theme and explore it from many directions. Dialog with family and community people, reading and interpreting a story about the strengths of togetherness, painting familiar things they live with, using creative movement to illustrate concepts, and performing for an audience in the high school’s brand new auditorium were all drawn together for the project.
Second graders were the main focus of the residency. But because of Jo Miller’s generosity and commitment level, the whole school got to have at least one class with her in exploring creative movement as a means of expression. This not only let them learn from her during a class setting, but it made them a more appreciative audience. |
| 3. How
do you know that your project accomplished these things? What evaluation
methods did you use?
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3. How do you know that your project accomplished these things? What evaluation methods did you use?
Listening to the students talk about their week with Jo Miller, watching their movements as they interpreted the instructions on a personal level, hearing parents describe the enjoyment and enthusiasm about what they were doing: all these observations made us know that it was a success. Teachers and students are still
talking about it.
Our observations were the main means of evaluation. For second graders who are not yet on a letter grade report card, that is appropriate. We watch to notice that all students are participating. |
4. How
will you share the results of your program with others?
(These might be other school personnel, parents, press/media, PTO/PTA,
local or state policy makers, etc.) |
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4. How will you share the results of your program with others?
(These might be other school personnel, parents, press/media, PTO/PTA,
local or state policy makers, etc.)
The local newspaper, “The Bonners Ferry Herald” will be printing a complete story on the residency, including a narrative about the performance, photos, and copies of a few of the interviews. A parent who attended the performance wrote an article about it and this will appear in the Idaho Commission on the Arts’ magazine.
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Please
attach photographs (please limit to 400 pixels wide) or other documentation
that helps others to understand your project. Label the documentation with text
that explains what it is and how it shows the project’s accomplishments.
(nothing to display) |
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