Summary

With the goal to increase tourism to the Broadway District, students took on the role of “entrepreneurs” competing for a lucrative development contract for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority of city of New York. To compete for the contract, students were tasked with creating a detailed proposal including a new dedicated, luxury transportation line for the subway system that would be desirable to various income brackets and profitable to the city. The students were also required to produce information regarding estimated costs, a detailed explanation of services and amenities to consumers, a map of the line suitable for advertising, and a marketing and advertising plan . To accomplish this task, students performed research in collaborative groups to create an understanding of the current geographic boundaries of “Broadway,” the most current productions, the subway routes that serve these locations, and costs associated with all of this. Students formulated their questions regarding what particular consumer groups would desire researching and analyzing the possible resources available along prospective routes. They synthesized the information and designed new themed transportation routes and trains. They assembled all of the information into a creative proposal to present to the Authority. Presentations were made in class and the wining proposal was selected.

Submitted by: Jacqueline Hess
Collaborators: Tracy Lancaster
School: Henrico High School

Summary

In collaborative groups, students were tasked with conducting research and analyzing a coastal management practice with the ultimate goal of effectively defending an argument either for or against the practice. In order to justify their stance, collaborative groups of students researched information on the internet and other electronic sources. The research helped students understand and interpret natural systems as well as human impacts on the coasts. It also allowed them to gain a vast understanding of coastal management practices. All of the information was synthesized into a wiki. Using research skills gained during previous instruction on proper use of the internet, students vetted and identified proper digital sources and cited them in MLA format.Students discussed within their groups their findings and analyzed the possible outcomes of the management practice. This allowed them to select the best arguments for their side of the issue. During analysis, students naturally formulated questions and were required to make and justify decisions regarding interventions to be made. Students collaborated to record information on a wiki, using descriptive pictures and other multimedia to support their management practice perspective. Students were also tasked with creating a presentation in conjunction with the wiki to present their solutions to their peers and a panel of experts. The presentation format was left up to the group’s creativity with only a visual aid as a required piece. During the presentation, students had to justify their selected coastline management practice to the audience and the expert panel. The audience was allowed to question and comment on each presentation, allowing the group to reflect on their material and debrief for approximately 5-10 minutes.

Submitted by: Elham Aboulhosn
Collaborators: Tracy Lancaster
School: Henrico High School

Summary

Students read the novel “Monsieur Ibrahim et les Fleurs du Coran” in French. During the reading, students generated their own guiding questions for the novel study and shared them in classroom discussions. In addition, students designed their own blog, learned how to use it, and created blog entries using these questions. Students responded based on the reading and research done inside and outside the class, their life experience, and personal feelings. Students reviewed their peers’ blog responses discussing aspects of plot and theme and relating their ideas to modern societies. With the guiding questions:”How has society benefited from the wisdom of older people?” and “How can one avoid judging others based on known qualities?” Students were tasked with designing an authentic product that would best express primary themes of the novel. They decided on two products: a film and a mural incorporating the idea of a collage to express the plot and themes in the novel. Students formed their own groups, designed an original a story and script, and produced and edited their own films. They took each individual film and combined it into a larger message. They also produced mural describing the main character of the novel and the message of their movie.

Submitted by: Megan Mattax
School:Henrico High School

Summary

How do we see ourselves and how do we present this idea of self to the world around us? In this project, students explore the idea of “self” and how this abstract concept can be illustrated in a piece of art work. Students investigate various media artist as a starting point for developing a project based on transparent layers. Students collaborate to research artists and their work and compare and contrast their findings about the artist’s historical life to the type of art that he or she was creating. Students then evaluate, analyze, and critique one specific piece of their chosen artists work. Through the study of these artists students develop a way of layering media in which one layer does not always obscure the layer before it, creating transparence in the work. Throughout the study, the students work towards developing a personal style that is reflected in their final image. Students create a self-portrait that shows an image of themselves, and imagery and symbolism that they see as relating to their ideas of “self.” The final product is a self-portrait in which the student must apply the techniques learned through artist research.

Submitted by: Debra Wiley
School: Henrico High School

Summary

Each student took on the role of a restaurant owner. Restaurant owners researched two different biological hazards learning to identify characteristics of major food-born pathogens, their role in causing illness, foods involved in outbreaks, and methods of prevention. As the owner, students trained all employees in the potential biological hazards that may occur in the restaurant. Owners presented information to the employees by their choice of digital or media tools available. To verify that employees retained the information and were ready to be hired, owners wrote up assessment questions for testing employees after the presentation and administered the assessments to potential employees.

Submitted by: Todd Ritter
School: Henrico High School

Summary

This lesson centered on the concept of tolerance and uses Hitler’s Entartete Kunst (Degenerate Art) Exhibition as a springboard for understanding tolerance. In this exhibition, the Nazi regime targeted what they felt was “inferior” art by displaying these works in a disorderly manor as well as writing large inflammatory remarks around the paintings and sculptures. Many German artists were also banned from teaching or producing art all together. After studying this event, students were required to study two artists that were targeted by the Nazis as well as find a work from each artist. The students then submitted these works for a small virtual museum that attempted to restore the dignity of the art and the artist. Students created a group PowerPoint presentation that displayed their research on the artist and artworks that could be posted on the internet for others to view. This group presentation when compiled took the form of an art museum. By doing so, students gained a richer appreciation for the visual arts as well as gain an understanding of the intolerance of one group over another. Upon completion, students became more proficient with collaborative presentations and their uses in a non-linear format.

Submitted by: Tanya Rogish
School: Henrico High School

Summary

Students created an individual, professional blog that showcased their technical and artistic mastery and style while also portraying their skills with twenty-first century tools. Each art student maintained a blog of his or her progress throughout the year to document growth as an artist and to be able to use the blog as a professional forum for college applications and portfolio development. All students had an introductory statement which acted as a biography and expressed artistic goals for the year. Students explained what their concentration for the year was going to be, and how they planned to create artwork around that central idea. As the year progressed and students’ work evolved, they documented those changes and explained any factors that may have influenced the changes. Students photographed their artwork during class critiques held crucial grading points in the year and posted those images to their blogs. We also had an online critique where students were required to critique their classmates silently in class through the blog forum rather than speaking to the group in the gallery. The class then discussed the merits and negative aspects of both ways of critiquing artwork. Since this was an ongoing lesson, students had many opportunities to highlight their skills and express their individuality through ongoing use and discovery of technology

Submitted by: Amanda Cook
School: Henrico High School

Summary

Students performed teacher-led digital research into the concept and aspects of recycling. After the research phase, they created individual outlines and demonstrated knowledge in a variety of ways based on the individual students’ ability level. In one example, students sorted trash to learn which items were recyclable or compostable and which were trash that would be sent to a landfill. Students were then asked the question: “What can you do in order to promote recycling?” Students decided to create a marketing campaign to promote recycling on the campus. They then covered recycling boxes and placed them around campus to encourage recycling. Students collaborated to come up with three school recycling slogans which were voted on school-wide. To raise community awareness, students mailed letters home to parents informing them about the initiative and asked parents to send in recyclable goods to make a school recycling mascot. Our final project was to take all of the recyclable goods collected and sent in and construct a person out of the recyclable goods, we dressed her in a Henrico High School t-shirt and displayed her in the main office to promote the idea of recycling throughout campus and the community. This lesson was completed with high school students with intellectual disabilities.

Submitted by: Theresa Llewlyn
School: Henrico High School

Summary

In this project, students were challenged with the task of creating and evaluating their own original digital study guides based on their own learning style to assist them in understanding the use of the present subjunctive in noun clauses. In small groups, students investigated the use of the subjunctive in noun clauses and decided what information to include in their study guide. Once the content was clear, students evaluated the software packages available to them discussing this in groups and made a decision based on time constraints, knowledge of these software programs, and their own learning styles which program that they would use. They then created the original study guides and partnered with random group members to evaluate each-others guides for accuracy, quality and effectiveness making corrections as needed. After using the guides to increase their knowledge of the present subjunctive in noun clauses, students conversed in class on topics using these forms. Following verbal practice, students created “Dear Abby” scenarios in which they used these subjunctive forms to create and answer the scenarios.

Submitted by: Priscilla Biddle
Collaborators: Michael Phillips, Keith Hollowell, Curtis Ramsdell
School: Henrico High School

Summary

This series of lessons puts students in the place of artists as well as audience in an age-old inspiration process called ekphrasis. Students are introduced through inference to the ekphrastic process by watching Sondheim’s musical, “Sunday in the Park with George.” This Pulitzer Prize winner was inspired by George Seurat’s pointillist painting, Un dimanche après-midi à l’Île de la Grande Jatte. Following reflection on the overlapping nature of the arts and the nature of art as knowledge, students are introduced the concept of ekphrasis via a Powerpoint in which art, music and poetry are related. They are given copies of poems referenced in the Powerpoint. Then they are shown virtual art galleries online and allowed to pick a piece of art to respond to. Once they have chosen, they research the artist. In a stream of consciousness reflection, they respond to the art. Once that is done, they describe it in detail. With those two responses, students then choose a perspective from which to write their poem. Once the poems are complete, students peer edit and revise, based on programmed responses and rubrics. The final products are published in a booklet, created in Publisher, and then shared by all.