2016 Summer Institute: Making Art, Making Community

fake text

 

Scaffolding

A process of support for ensuring the efficacy of learning. In the 2016 Institute, scaffolding took place before, during, and after the four days of workshops.

“In education, scaffolding refers to a variety of instructional techniques used to move students progressively toward stronger understanding and, ultimately, greater independence in the learning process.”

—The Glossary of Education Reform

 

Before the Institute

A continuous series of communications helped participants prepare for their learning.

Extensive planning with Ping Chong + Company, ongoing

  • Announcement of Ping Chong residency, March 31
  • Registration notice, April 25
  • Reminder and information request, May 23
  • Pre-institute assignment, May 26
  • Detailed information on sessions, June 27
  • Agenda, July 14

 

During the Institute

A variety of tools provided support and scaffolding for learning.

• The Institute Handbook, a complete guide to the four days of workshops

• The Daily Check-In, a formative evaluation tool

• At the core of the Institute was a suite of well-crafted, meaningful learning experiences.

• Interactive sessions that carefully modeled targeted learning objectives engaged learners

• Tapped multiple learning modalities.

• Involved participants in meaningful work, both individually and in groups.

• And helped them to assimilate new knowledge and skills.

• Including higher-level thinking and essential understandings.

• That they could transfer to their classrooms.

 

Following the Institute

Muse staff are providing onsite, in-classroom support for learning.

• Conducting observations of classroom sessions

  • Providing support to teachers in lesson planning and implementation

  • And collecting student work samples

  • That provide powerful evidence of student learning

2016 Summer Institute: Making Art, Making Community

Prepared for Muse Machine by
Michael Sikes, Ph.D., Evaluation Consultant

 

Muse Machine

  • Muse Machine is a nationally recognized arts education organization in Dayton, Ohio. It annually serves 72,000 students and their teachers in 12 counties in southwestern and central Ohio.
  • Many of the schools served by Muse have diverse demographics, students from lower SES families, and some with limited English proficiency.
  • The mission of Muse is to change the lives of young people through the arts.
  • To help attain this mission, Muse Machine conducts an annual four-day Institute with teachers from participating schools.

The Institute

  • The Institute was designed as a multi-year partnership with participating teachers and their schools.
  • The 2016 Institute featured workshops led by Ping Chong + Company, a globally acclaimed contemporary theatre company.
  • The focus of the Institute was Making Art, Making Community.
  • The Institute took place at the Metropolitan Arts Center in Dayton, July 11-14.

Ping Chong + Company

  • Founded in 1975, Ping Chong + Company uses puppetry, media, dance, and interviews to address issues of global injustice, diversity, and inclusion.
  • The 2016 Institute was based on themes of identity, belonging, and sense of place.
  • Through participatory learning, teachers developed skills in writing about their own lives, conducting interviews, and developing components of scripts.
  • The 2016 Institute goal is that participants will be able to use their own personal experiences and those of their students to make works of art.

Ping Chong

  • Ping Chong is an Asian-American theatre director, choreographer, video and installation artist.
  • He is the recipient of a numerous honors: a Guggenheim Fellowship, a USA Artist Fellowship, two BESSIE awards, two OBIE awards, and a National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama.
  • His work has been supported by the Jim Henson Foundation and other funders.

Evaluating the Institute

Several questions guided evaluation of the Institute:

  • Was the Institute planned and implemented effectively?
  • Did participants perceive the Institute as useful and satisfactory?
  • Did participants acquire the knowledge and skills being taught in the Institute?
  • Did these educators apply their learning in their subsequent work in their schools?
  • In what ways did their classrooms and schools change as a result?

The following processes are used to evaluate the Institute:

  • A survey of participants, administered online immediately following the Institute
  • Interviews with participants, conducted via phone in fall 2016 and continuing
  • Continuous review and analysis of planning documents, session handouts, lesson plans, and other artifacts
  • Video documentation
  • Reporting via multiple formats and to various audiences

The evaluation focuses on two aspects of the Institute:

  • Planning and Implementation: The extent to which the Institute was planned and delivered so as to achieve success
  • Results: Various outcomes of the Institute in terms of satisfaction, learning, application of learning, and changes to schools

 

Planning and Implementation

Extensive documentation shows that the Institute was the focus of a continuous process of planning, implementation, and follow up.

View Documentation

 

Results

The following findings emerged from the evaluation:

1. Satisfaction. Participating teachers were satisfied with their experiences and found value in them.

2. Professional Learning. Participants acquired targeted knowledge and skills.

3. Application of Learning. Participants are applying their learning in their schools.

4. Changes to schools. Preliminary evidence suggests that schools are changing in response to the application of learning.

 

1. Satisfaction

In professional learning, participant satisfaction is often critical to successful learning.

 

Satisfaction: Metrics

Overall, participants reported very high satisfaction with the Institute (% responding “Agree” or “Strongly Agree”)

Satisfaction: Key Components

Overall, participants rated components of the Institute as beneficial (% responding “Agree” or “Strongly Agree”)

Satisfaction: Open-ended Responses

o“It was a remarkable experience in terms of artistry and education pedagogy. It was one of the best prof experiences of my career. There is so much that can be used in the schools not to mention life.

o“The quality exceeded my expectations….I did not realize that the Institute would be about telling our personal stories. I am so glad that I attended.”

o“The surprises were all wonderful surprises.  I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but there are not enough superlatives in the English language to describe what I experienced.”

o“Sharing is major benefit!”

 

Satisfaction

oVery well planned and implemented! The work and activities were very engaging.”

o“I loved Ping Chong and company!!!

o“Great scaffolding! It really helped me to be more creative.

o“The morning business session on Monday was too long and the addition of a hands on element would have added in learning and retention of material. I would suggest: https://getkahoot.com/”

 

Satisfaction: Perceived Usefulness

Survey respondents rated utility of key Institute sessions.

Satisfaction: Individual Sessions

Responses: “The presenter was knowledgeable and professional.”

Satisfaction: Individual Sessions

Responses: “The session was relevant to running my Muse club.”

Satisfaction: Individual Sessions

Responses: “The session gave me ideas that I plan on implementing at my school.”

 

2. Professional Learning


The River Story is one of the powerful techniques teachers learned at the Institute

 

Professional Learning

The teachers understand that their new learning had significant implications:

oPerforming and seeing the other groups perform on the last day was very powerful. I appreciated the experience from a personal point of view, and in terms of how I am inspired to adapt the experience for my students.”

o“I was reminded that working within limitations can inspire creative solutions. I was also reminded that deep learning can be generated through short bursts of text.”

o“Loved the river story. Also, I loved being able to put someone else’s story into words that made a profound and positive impact.

 

Professional Learning

Participants realized that the 2016 Institute would not be like the professional development sessions they had previously experienced.

Question: “Overall, was the Institute what you expected, based on the publicity and communications with Muse Machine?”

 

Professional Learning: Perceived Value

What was the most helpful thing you learned from this process?

o“Creating a safe space and scaffolding large writing projects.”

o“The importance of creating a cohesive community from a diverse group of people.”

o“To pinpoint be the most helpful thing I learned from this process is a very difficult task. Some of the most important things I learned were: how to build a culture of community; how to make presentations more engaging and meaningful; how facilitate the realization that everyone has a story.”

 

Professional Learning: Developing Artistry

Participants learned that personal artistry and effective teaching are aligned:

o“Personally, I think that it allowed us to explore being an artist again. We get into being a teacher so much that we forget we are also artists. And so for me that was really nice to be able to enhance my classroom because I had participated.”

o“Most of the writing processes really helped me draft and edit my work effectively.

o“It  reminded me to write. I have a writing project that I started some years ago, and I put it aside because life happens. And it [the Institute] reminded me that I wanted to do that. So that was important to me.”

 

3. Application of Learning


Students present their poems written in lesson taught by Institute participant.

 

Application of Learning

“Teachers got a lot out of this Institute and seem to be able to incorporate more of it into their classrooms. A teacher pointed to one of her poems on the wall inspired by her work in the Institute. She partnered with a photographer to do an ‘I am From’ project, because she learned something new at the workshop. This in the essence of the Institute, to learn something new and then to apply without being required to. I keep hearing teachers say, I used the ‘River Story,’ ‘I am From,’ ‘Tell Me Something Since the Last Time We Met.’

When I walked into her classroom, she had a three-ring binder with all the students’ poems, and she had four teachers coming to hear the students’ presentations today. The teachers were all ears, they asked her, ‘what inspired you, where did you get the ideas for this.’ One of the teachers said she almost cried….”

—Classroom observation notes

 

Application of Learning

Teachers explored many ways to transform their teaching and their classrooms:

o“My favorite activities were the daily ensemble-building activities and introductions. I now have so many strategies and activities to take back to the classroom that allow every student to share his or her voice while the entire class is attentive and engaged. The activities would work in any size class, even a class with 30 plus students. This is true not only of the morning activities, but of all the activities and the entire process that was used throughout the summer institute.”

 

Application of Learning

Teachers realized that the Institute would be relevant to their work:

o“The group of artist included a teacher, and the group has worked with schools both during the school day and as part of an afterschool program. The program is aligned  to ELA, Common Core, and College and Career Readiness Standards.”

oThe overall process and structure will make a huge positive impact on my teaching.”

o“Very relevant to the curriculum I teach.”

oI will use (adapt) virtually everything I learned here in my classroom.  I know my classes will be greatly enriched by this experience.

o“I think our teachers are going to create wonderful lessons. I appreciate the depth of thinking and feeling that our sessions called forth.”

 

Application of Learning

Moreover, participants planned to share their knowledge with colleagues or disseminate within the school:

o“[I plan] to get failing students’ stories to the teachers that failed them to possibly prevent future failures by informing instruction.”
“As a get-to-know-you exercise for Key Club (snaps & movement).”

o“I hope to build river stories into a whole school system.”

o“I plan to tell the ELA teacher about the river mapping. I think it will help students write essays.”

 

Application of Learning

oWe will bring some of this into our CAM [club advisor] meetings.”

o“I will be incorporating more from this workshop into my daily classes than from any other workshop I have ever attended. The skills, strategies and content are relative to any curriculum. I would love to see more of these types of programs in our schools. It is a powerful way to investigate one’s own identity and the identities and culture of others.”

o“I was reminded that working within limitations can inspire creative solutions. I was also reminded that deep learning can be generated through short bursts of text.”

 

4. Changes to Schools


Where I’m From, student poem developed in lesson taught by Institute participant

 

Changes to Schools

Early evidence suggests that teachers are using their learning to change their classrooms and their approach to teaching.

o“The group that I’m using this with is my eighth grade. The things that we are doing are working well with them. We are spending much of this year on a project called My Story. It has a writing component and an interviewing component.”

o“One of the the best things I have done in a long time is integrate community building into my classroom.”

 

Changes to Schools

Additional evidence suggests changes based on the Institute:

oLesson plans developed by participating teachers indicate development of lessons that meet Ohio Standards using strategies learned in the Institute.

oInterviews with teachers indicate varied examples of application of River Stories, I am From, and other techniques of Ping Chong + Company.

oTogether, these trends indicate a strong transfer effect in the schools—i.e., the direct replication of Institute learning in the schools and classrooms.

 

Conclusions

  • The 2016 Institute was very successful according to essential measures:

oParticipant satisfaction

oAcquisition of important knowledge and skills

oMotivation of teachers to use their knowledge in their schools

  • The Institute has potential to bring about significant change in several areas:

oTeaching methods

oStudent learning

 

Recommendations

  • Continue to conduct research on the impact of the Institute in the schools. This is critical to ensure that teachers have the support and resources needed to make change happen. Such research should include review of teachers’ lesson plans, student work samples, and other artifacts.
  • Continue the work with Ping Chong + Company for additional years. The 2016 Institute was predicated on a multi-year commitment, and this procedure is consonant with most research on educational change.

 

Participant Demographics

Gender

Age

Ethnicity

Participant Role


Other: Site coordinator, retired; teacher assistant, special education, administration, consultant, pre-school pre-k aide

 

School District

School

For additional information regarding the Institute or this report, contact Muse Machine at: https://musemachine.com/contact

Orchestra Schedule Heights

Orchestra rehearsals will occur in three locations as indicated:

Stivers School for the Arts
1313 E 5th St; Dayton OH 45402

Muse Machine
Metropolitan Arts Center; 126 N Main St; Dayton 45402 (next to the Victoria Theatre)

Victoria Theatre
138 N Main St; Dayton OH 45402 (on Main St at the corner of First and Main)

November

TUES, NOV 5

4:30-7:00
Full Orchestra @ Stivers

SAT, NOV 9

This morning is the Advance Ticket Sale for families of cast, orchestra and PAs. Details will appear on the Backstage page of musemachine.com.

TUES, NOV 12

4:30-7:00
Full Orchestra @ Stivers

TUES, NOV 19

4:30-7:00
Full Orchestra @ Stivers

TUES, NOV 26

4:30-6:30
Full Orchestra @ Muse Machine

December

TUES, DEC 3

4:30-7:00
Full Orchestra @ Stivers

FRI, DEC 6

4:30-7:00
Full Orchestra @ Stivers

WED, DEC 11

4:30-7:00
Full Orchestra @ Stivers

SAT, DEC 14

12:30
Full Orchestra arrive and set up @ Muse Machine
1:00-6:00
Sitzprobe (cast with orchestra)

SUN, DEC 15

The Winter Dance is this evening. Watch for more info on the Backstage page of musemachine.com!

TUES, DEC 17

4:30-8:30
Rehearsal (cast with orchestra) @ Muse Machine

January

TUES, JAN 7

4:30-8:30
Rehearsal (cast with orchestra) @ Muse Machine

SAT, JAN 11

Noon
Orchestra load-in at the Victoria Theatre. It is very important to arrive promptly by noon. You may have time to go home or elsewhere for a few hours after loading in (return promptly by 4:00).
4:00-5:00

Orchestra sound check (all musicians present).
5:00-10:00
Full Orchestra (Act One tech rehearsal at the Victoria Theatre – orch wears all black)
All Victoria rehearsals/performances are in full black attire – photos are taken at all rehearsals.

SUN, JAN 12

5:00-10:00
Full Orchestra (Act Two tech rehearsal at the Victoria Theatre – orch wears all black)
Orchestra is welcome to join meal with cast and PAs from 4:00-5:00.

MON, JAN 13

4:30-7:30
Full Orchestra

TUES, JAN 14

5:00-10:00
Full Orchestra (Victoria Theatre – orch wears all black)

WED, JAN 15

5:00-10:00
Full Orchestra (Victoria Theatre – orch wears all black)

THURS, JAN 16

6:30 Call
7:00 Performance – orch wears all black

FRI, JAN 17

7:30 Call
8:00 Performance – orch wears all black

SAT, JAN 18

2:30 Call
3:00 and 8:00 Performances – orch wears all black
Meal provided between shows.

SUN, JAN 19

1:30 Call
2:00 Performance – orch wears all black

 

Hairspray Schedule

Song titles appear in italic type. Required cast appears in (parenthesis).

“TV Cast” are the teenage singers/dancers on the Corny Collins Show, including Link and Amber.

“Baltimore Kids” are primarily younger members of the cast who specifically had the term “Baltimore Kids” on their casting letters.

We will be “dark”–meaning no rehearsal–on most Fridays. This means Muse performers have most Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights free!

“Tutti” means entire cast.

“Rehearsal” means complete run-through of the show.

November

TUES, NOV 01

4:30-6:30
AIS7 Welcome To The 60s (Edna, Tracy, Dynamites)
6:30-8:30
Holiday Show rehearsal

WED, NOV 02

4:30-6:30
AIS7 Welcome To The 60s (Edna, Tracy, Dynamites, Mr. Pinky, Mr. Pinky’s staff)
6:30-8:30
Holiday Show rehearsal

THURS, NOV 03

4:30-8:30
AIS6 It Takes Two (Corny, Wilbur, Penny, TV Cast, Tracy, Velma, Spritzer)

FRI, NOV 04

Dark

SAT, NOV 05

10:00-12:00
Welcome To The 60s (Edna, Tracy, Dynamites, Mr. Pinky, Mr. Pinky’s staff)
12:00-1:00
Lunch break
1:00-5:00
AIS7 pages 39-44 Welcome To The 60s (All Welcome To The 60s performers minus Baltimore Kids)

SUN, NOV 06

1:00-2:00
AIS6 pages 36-37 (Corny, Velma, Spritzer)
2:00-3:30
AIS6 page 37 Velma’s Revenge (Velma)
3:30-4:30
AIS7 pages 38-39 (Edna, Tracy)

MON, NOV 07

4:30-6:30
AISP-7 pages 1-44 (Tutti minus Baltimore Kids)
6:30-8:30
You Can’t Stop The Beat Promo Version/Holiday Show

TUES, NOV 08

4:30-8:30
AIS8 pages 45-49 Dodgeball scene (Amber, Shelley, Gym Teacher, Tammy, Link, Fender, Seaweed, Tracy, Duane, Gilbert, Penny, other performers in dodgeball scene aka the gym class)

WED, NOV 09

4:30-8:30
AIS9 pages 52-58 Scene in record shop (Motormouth, Seaweed, Link, Penny, Tracy, Amber, Velma, Edna, Wilbur, Cindy Watkins, Inez, Big Blonde And Beautiful performers)

THURS, NOV 10

4:30-8:30
AIS9 pages 58-62 Big Blonde And Beautiful (Motormouth, Seaweed, Link, Penny, Tracy, Amber, Velma, Edna, Wilbur, Cindy Watkins, Inez, Big Blonde And Beautiful performers, Policemen)

FRI, NOV 11

Dark

SAT, NOV 12

10:00-11:00
AIIS1 pages 69-70 Good Morning Baltimore Reprise (Tracy)
11:00-1:00
AIIS1 pages 63-70 The Big Dollhouse (Matron, Velma, Edna, Amber, Inez, Motormouth, Penny, Tracy, Guard, Wilbur, Big Dollhouse performers)
1:00-2:00
Lunch break
2:00-5:00
AIIS1 continued (see above)

SUN, NOV 13

1:00-3:00
Holiday Show rehearsal
3:00-4:00
I Know Where I’ve Been (Motormouth, Tracy, Link, Penny, Seaweed, Inez, Gilbert, Duane, Lorraine, Cindy Watkins, I Know Where I’ve Been performers)
4:00-5:00
Without Love (Tracy, Link, Seaweed, Penny, Wihtout Love performers)

MON, NOV 14

4:30-6:00
AIIS8 Scene following dodgeball (Tracy, Link, Seaweed, Penny)
6:00-7:30
Scene work (Tracy)

TUES, NOV 15

4:30-6:30
AIIS3 pages 76-82 Without Love (Tracy, Link, Seaweed, Penny, Prudy)
6:30-8:30
Wihtout Love continued (Tracy, Link, Seaweed, Penny, Wihtout Love performers)

WED, NOV 16

4:30-8:30
I Know Where I’ve Been (Motormouth, Tracy, Link, Penny, Seaweed, Inez, Gilbert, Duane, Lorraine, Cindy Watkins, I Know Where I’ve Been performers)

THURS, NOV 17

4:30-6:30
AIIS5 pages 88-89 It’s Hairspray (Corny, TV Cast)
6:30-8:30
AIIS5 pages 91-92 Cooties (Amber + the following actors: Aydrianne H, Ben S, Cameron C, Caroline E, Jo B, Max W, Rebecca H, Summer S, Tommy C, Tyler H)

FRI, NOV 18

4:30-6:00
Baltimore Kids

SAT, NOV 19

10:00-12:30
AIIS5 pages 93-95 You Can’t Stop The Beat Part 1 (Corny, Tracy, Penny, TV Cast, Seaweed, You Can’t Stop The Beat Part 1 performers)
12:30-2:00
AIIS5 pages 98-100 You Can’t Stop The Beat Part 2 (Corny, Tracy, Penny, TV Cast, Seaweed, Edna, Motormouth, Velma, You Can’t Stop The Beat Part 2 performers)
2:00-3:00
Lunch break
3:00-4:30
Greene Event rehearsal
4:30
Travel to Greene
5:45-6:30
Perform at Greene

SUN, NOV 20

1:00-3:00
AIIS5 pages 93-95 You Can’t Stop The Beat Part 1 (Corny, Tracy, Penny, TV Cast, Seaweed, You Can’t Stop The Beat Part 1 performers)
3:00-5:00
AIIS5 pages 98-100 You Can’t Stop The Beat Part 2 (Corny, Tracy, Penny, TV Cast, Seaweed, Edna, Motormouth, Velma, You Can’t Stop The Beat Part 2 performers)

MON, NOV 21

4:30-8:30
AIIS5 pages 90-93 Scene after It’s Hairspray, Cooties and Scene after Cooties (Velma, Wilbur, Motormouth, Corny, TV Cast, Spritzer, Tracy)

TUES, NOV 22

4:30-8:30
Act Two (Tutti minus Baltimore Kid)

WED, NOV 23

Thanksgiving Break

THURS, NOV 24

Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving Break

FRI, NOV 25

Thanksgiving Break
Happy Birthday, Joe Deer! (Nov 25)

SAT, NOV 26

Thanksgiving Break

SUN, NOV 27

Thanksgiving Break

MON, NOV 28

4:30-8:30
Includes the following songs: Good Morning Baltimore, The Nicest Kids In Town, Mama I’m A Big Girl Now, I Can Hear The Bells, Miss Baltimore Crabs, The Madison, The Nicest Kids In Town Reprise, It Take Two, (All perofrmers from those scenes and songs; Baltimore Kids 4:30-5:30)

TUES, NOV 29

4:30-8:30
AIS7-9 pages 38-62 Includes the following songs: Welcome To The 60s, Run And Tell That, Big Blonde And Beautiful (All perofrmers from those scenes and songs minus Baltimore Kids)

WED, NOV 30

4:30-6:00
Group vocal rehearsal (Tutti minus Baltimore Kids)
6:00-8:30
Group dance rehearsal (Tutti minus Baltimore Kids)

December

THURS, DEC 1

4:30-8:30
AIIS1-3 pages 63-82 Includes the following songs: The Big Dollhouse, Timeless To Me, Without Love (All perofrmers from those scenes and songs minus Baltimore Kids)

FRI, DEC 2

Dark

SAT, DEC 3

10:00-1:00
AIIS4,5 pages 83-100 Includes the following songs: I Know Where I’ve Been, It’s Hairpsray, Cooties, You Can’t Stop The Beat Parts 1 & 2 (All perofrmers from those scenes and songs minus Baltimore Kids)
1:00-2:00
Lunch break
2:00-5:00
Selected scenes and songs (Tutti minus Baltimore Kids)

SUN, DEC 4

1:00-2:00
Rehearsal for Holiday Show
2:00-5:00
Rehearsal for Arts Cafe

MON, DEC 5

4:30-8:30
Act One (Tutti minus Baltimore Kids)

TUES, DEC 6

4:30-8:30
Act Two (Tutti minus Baltimore Kids)
* The Mid Day Arts Cafe featuring selected cast and creative staff from Hairspray is this afternoon. Look for more info on musemachine.com.

WED, DEC 7

4:30-7:00
Act One (Tutti minus Baltimore Kids)
Hairspray Live! airs on NBC at 8pm – it is every production member’s homework to watch!

THURS, DEC 8

4:30-8:30
Act Two (Tutti minus Baltimore Kids)
6:00-7:30
Holiday Show (Repeat performance of show from Greene Tree Lighting event for a private audience at the Schuster Center. We will resume Hairspray rehearsal following this brief event.)

FRI, DEC 9

4:30-5:30
Baltimore Kids
4:30-6:30
Any cast member (not a Baltimore Kid) who has not yet learned choreography for “You Can’t Stop The Beat”
* To be clear: any cast member who is not a Baltimore Kid who has not yet learned choreography for “You Can’t Stop The Beat” will join us from 4:30-6:30. In addition, the Baltimore Kids will join us from 4:30-5:30 for the first hour of that same session.

SAT, DEC 10

10:00-1:00
Rehearsal (Tutti minus Baltimore Kids)
1:00-2:00
Lunch break
2:00-5:00
Press photos (All cast members, orchestra and PAs) – THIS TIME HAS MOVED TO BETTER ACCOMMODATE MORE STUDENTS.  
Rehearsal (Tutti minus Baltimore Kids)

SUN, DEC 11

1:00-5:00
Rehearsal (Tutti; Baltimore Kids 1:00-2:00)

MON, DEC 12

4:30-8:30
Act One (focus on understudies)(Tutti minus Baltimore Kids)

TUES, DEC 13

4:30-8:30
Act Two (focus on understudies)(Tutti minus Baltimore Kids)

WED, DEC 14

4:30-8:30
Dance and vocal rehearsal (Tutti minus Baltimore Kids)

THURS, DEC 15

4:30-8:30
Rehearsal (Tutti minus Baltimore Kids)

FRI, DEC 16

Dark

SAT, DEC 17

10:00-5:00
Rehearsal (Tutti; Baltimore Kids 10:00-11:00)

SUN, DEC 18

11:00-2:00
Rehearsal (focus on understudies)(Tutti minus Baltimore Kids)
*The Winter Dance is this evening. Watch for more info on musemachine.com!

MON, DEC 19

4:30-8:30
Rehearsal/Sitzprobe
*The “Sitzprobe” is an in-concert version of the show with the orchestra.

DEC 20—Jan 2

Winter Break
Happy Hanukkah!
Merry Christmas!
Happy Kwanza!
Happy New Year!

January

TUES, JAN 03

4:30-9:00
Rehearsal (focus on understudies) (Tutti minus Baltimore Kids)

WED, JAN 04

4:30-5:30
Notes for Understudy Performance (Tutti minus Baltimore Kids)
5:30-8:30
Understudy Perofrmance
*This is the tentative Understudy Performance. Families of the understudy cast are invited to attend. Non-flash photos are welcomed; NO video. Entire cast must attend.

THURS, JAN 05

5:00-10:00
Rehearsal: primarily Act One spacing (Tutti; Baltimore Kids 5:00-8:00)
*From this date forth, all rehearsal are held at the Victoria Theatre except January 09.

FRI, JAN 06

5:00-10:00
Rehearsal: primarily Act Two spacing (Tutti minus Baltimore Kids)

SAT, JAN 07

10:00-10:00
Tech Rehearsal (Act One X2) with costumes and make-up (Tutti)
*Dinner provided between rehearsal.

SUN, JAN 08

10:00-10:00
Tech Rehearsal (Act Two X2) with costumes and make-up (Tutti minus Baltimore Kids)
*Dinner provided between rehearsal.

MON, JAN 09

4:30-8:30
Rehearsal (Tutti minus Baltimore Kids)
*This rehearsal is in the Muse Studio.

TUES, JAN 10

5:00-10:00
Rehearsal with tech, costumes and make-up (Tutti)
*All remaining rehearsals and performances are in the Victoria Theatre; Tutti!

WED, JAN 11

5:00-10:00
Rehearsal with tech, costumes and make-up (Tutti)

THURS, JAN 12

Performance: Opening Night
6:00: Call
7:00: Curtain
10:00: End

FRI, JAN 13

Performance
7:00: Call
8:00: Curtain
11:00: End

SAT, JAN 14

Performances
2:00: Call
3:00: Curtain
*Dinner provided between performances
7:00: Call
8:00: Curtain
11:00: End

SUN, JAN 15

Performance
1:00: Call
2:00: Curtain
5:00: End

“The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho

Developed by Dawn Stamper
Beavercreek High School, Beavercreek
Senior Language Arts
Grade Level: 12

Summary

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is one of the best-selling books in history. The story of Santiago, the shepherd boy, on a journey to realize his “Personal Legend”, has inspired people all over the world to live their dreams. In this lesson, the teacher, Dawn Stamper, uses this book and the struggles of two artists presented by Muse Machine to demonstrate that the achievements are sweet, but the struggle gives them deeper meaning and real happiness. Other teachers can use this lesson to inspire them to seek meaning for students from the everyday struggles of all of us.

Student Performance Tasks

In his book The Alchemist, Coelho states that “It’s the simple things in life that are the most extra-ordinary; only wise men are able to understand them. In this lesson students will learn to look at simple things in a new way in order to gain new or deeper meaning.

Part One- Seeing the simple as something more
The first part of the lesson will be a simple improvisation game.

This game stimulates imagination by encouraging multiple answers for the same question.

To begin, students stand in a circle. The teacher shows the prop to the students, saying “what could this prop be?” Students then pass it around the circle, turning the prop into something and stating what it is.  It can be anything except what it truly is.

Once students are comfortable with the concept we will do the same activity but this time in pairs. Two students will come to the front of the class and be given a simple object or prop.  They will then proceed to create a scene using the prop as whatever they can imagine it to be other than what it truly is.

Part Two- Making the simple into something extra- ordinary
Each student will randomly select a “simple” item from the box.  They will then use the provided art supplies to create something extra- ordinary from their simple item.  They must assign some kind of meaning to their project and be prepared to explain their “wisdom”.

Part Three- Simplistic Wisdom
Produce a written response which depicts how Coehlo’s quote, “It’s the simple things in life that are the most extra-ordinary; only wise men are able to understand them” can be applied to your life.  Choose something or some concept that is “simple” yet valuable to you.  Explain specifically why/ how the item or concept is simple yet valuable and how you came to your understanding, wisdom, or enlightenment about the item or concept.

 

 

Non-Arts Discipline

English Language Arts

Content Statement

Enduring Understandings:
• Students will discover that it is the simple things in life that often provide the most meaning.
• Students will learn the difference between concrete and abstract, and create meaning of their own from that which is not definite.

Strand/Process

CCS W.11-12.3 (A,B,C,D,E)  RL 11-12.4

 

Essential Questions

Is it possible to give a simple concrete thing or idea multiple, abstract meanings?

 

Content Elaborations

Students will learn:
• To think abstractly
• To verbalize their imagination
• Give meaning to the simple

 

Expectations for Learning

Students will demonstrate this learning by:
• Improv
• Visual art
• Writing

 

Instructional Strategies

Students will be engaged and supported in learning by:
• Group work and paired learning

 

Assessment (Pre and/or Post)

Students will know how well they are learning by:
• Verbal praise and/or criticism
• Assesment of writing using a rubric with samples

 

Materials & Resources

Materials list for Teachers:
• The Alchemist – Paulo Coelho
• Visits with and presentations by Muse MAchine artists Justin Howard and Scott Gibbs

Materials list for Students:
• The Alchemist – Paulo Coelho
• Various art supplies

 

Key Vocabulary

Improvisation
Abstract
Concrete

 

 

Career Connections

• Acting
• Writing
• Art

 

Diverse Learners

• We will start in a circle so everyone participates together, then move to pairs.

 

Interdisciplinary Connections

• This lesson could easily fit into a Psychology, Art, ELA, and Performing Arts Making connections

 

Technology Connections

“10 Powerful Life Lessons from the Alchemist”

 

Home/At Work Connections

• Students will complete a short written essay connecting their performance, art piece, and the quote from Coehlo.

Does Culture Influence Art or Does Art influence Culture?

Developed by Michelle Forshaw
Ascension School, Kettering
Music
Grade Level: 6

Introduction

Throughout history people have been influenced to create not only by their familial clans but by the materials available in their regions. In this lesson the teacher, Michelle Forshaw, challenges her students to think about why the instruments used in the Spanish culture evolved in the manner that they have. Not only are they asked to research the history of an instrument from this culture, they are asked to build one for themselves using what is available to them.

They quickly learn that in order to creatively solve a problem, artists must often abandon their initial approach—which stems from past experience and re-conceptualize the problem. A rich hands-on experience is the result!

Student Performance Tasks

  1. Teacher introduction
  2.  Students watch a YouTube video displaying and discussing a variety of Latin instruments.
  3. Students spend one class day seeing an array of Latin instruments, or their classroom instrument equivalents. Each student takes an instrument and plays a Latin-inspired rhythmic line in a small group. After each group has practiced, then the class puts all parts together.
  4.  Students brainstorm and discuss what materials they can use to create their own Latin American-inspired instruments.
  5.  Students gather and bring in found items from home that can be used to create an instrument.
  6. Students write a paragraph about their instrument and include the following information:
    • Instrument name
    • What real instrument inspired the creation
    • Which world instrument family it belongs to
    • How to play it
    • Why the student chose that instrument.
  7.  Give a presentation to the class including the information above.
  8.  Writing an index card with abridged information from the paragraph to use during presentation and to attach to instrument while on display.
  9. Repeat above activity playing rhythms on like-instrument groups, but this time on the students’ created instruments.

Non-Arts Discipline

Social studies, science, writing

Content Statement

Enduring Understandings: Geography influences needs, culture, opportunities, choices, interests, and skills.

Progress Points:
Language Arts

  • Explain how main ideas connect to each other in a variety of sources

Science

  • Demonstrating science knowledge

Social Studies

  • Using what is available is a hallmark of every society

Strand/Process

Research and write about another culture

Arts Discipline

General Music

Content Statement

Enduring Understandings: Music is a universal language. Music expresses human experiences and values. Music expands understanding of the world, its people, and one’s self. History and culture influence music.

Progress Points:

  • Perceiving/Knowing/Creating
  • Producing/Performing
  • Responding/Reflecting

Strand/Process

World Music

Essential Questions

What can we learn about a culture through its art forms? What instruments are used in Latin American music?

Content Elaborations

Students will learn:

  1.  About Latin American instruments & ways to construct their own using found objects.
  2.  How to use existing classroom/Latin instruments & their newly created instruments to play Latin rhythms.

Expectations for Learning

Students will demonstrate this learning by:
1. Creating an instrument inspired by a real Latin American instrument.
2. Playing rhythms on existing and students’ newly created instruments.

Instructional Strategies

Students will be engaged and supported in learning by:

  • Watching an informational video
  • Playing Latin rhythms on classroom instruments
  • Writing about their instruments
  • Actively creating one of their own.

Assessment (Pre and/or Post)

Students will know how well they are learning by:

  • Connecting the instrument they are creating to an existing one, and by how well it looks and sounds when they are finished.
  • Using their newly created instruments in place of classroom instruments to play Latin rhythms learned at the beginning of the unit.

Materials & Resources

Materials list for Teachers:

  1. YouTube video link
  2. Latin rhythm sheet

Materials list for Students:

  • Found or recyclable items from home
  • Rice
  •  Lentils (or other dry beans)
  • Staples
  •  Tape
  • Paper/pencil
  •  3×5 Index card
  • Other items students may wish to use to decorate or detail their instrument creations.

Key Vocabulary

Latin America
Instruments: Maracas, claves, bongos, conga drums, tambourines, guiro etc.
Instrument families
Found
Upcyclable
Idiophone
Membranophone

Career Connections

  • Creative thinking—How am I going to accomplish this task?
  • What instruments are used in other world cultures?
  • How can creating an instrument help me become a better student musician
  • Understand other cultures better?
  • Why did the people use the materials that they did?

Diverse Learners

  • Simpler rhythmic parts will be given to students who struggle more with demonstrating rhythm. Music is the original differentiated subject!
  • Students can be as simple or creative as each is able to do so on their instruments as long as each student does his/her best.
  •  Students are allowed to ask for assistance from each other, as long as each is completing his/her own work.

Interdisciplinary Connections

  • Students need to know where Latin America is—geography
  • Students need to construct a sound instrument that still allows for resonance and vibration—science
  • Students need to be able to write about and communicate about his/her instrument—writing and language arts
  • Students need to understand how to implement the media and materials that they have chosen to use—visual art
  • Openness
  • Exploration and play
  • Working with images

Technology Connections

  • Students watched a video on YouTube that demonstrated, described, and explained various Latin American instruments.
  • The rhythms that students played on classroom instruments were found online.

Home/At Work Connections

  • Students were instructed to look around their houses for found, upcyclable items that could be used to construct an instrument.
  • Students ensured any such items were clean, and then brought them to school to use in the project.
  • Additionally, students were allowed to bring any other items to help them with the construction of their instruments, such as decorative paper, extra tape, etc.

Who Are We?

Developed by Paula Hutsell
Brookville High School, Brookville
Spanish
Grade Levels: 11-12

Introduction

Finding one’s identity is an important pursuit during the high school years. It seems to come easily to some and is more difficult for others, but it is a quest for everyone during that time in their lives.  This lesson not only focuses on that journey, but asks students to do so in another language, namely Spanish, using multi-media used by students in their everyday lives today.  The young people in Ms. Hutsell’s classes are asked to examine an authentic piece of art and the message of the artist, through their own photographs and to present their opinions all in Spanish!

This lesson provides a sequence of activities that can be used in other classrooms by teachers who wish to present a multilayered lesson that reflects real life learning. All or parts of this lesson may inspire other instructors to produce their own multidimensional lessons.

Student Performance Tasks

  • Class will develop the rules that will be followed during class.
  • Class will collaborate through brainstorming. The theme, mood and message of the collage.
  • Students will improve photography skills, and take or find appropriate pictures for the collage.
  • Students will work in groups to create and then present their collage.

Non-Arts Discipline

Spanish 3 & 4

Content Statement

Enduring Understandings

Critical and Creative Thinking, Literacy

Progress Points

  • Convey meaning using writing processes and presentation strategies.
  • Plan a range of texts and presentations by brainstorming ideas and choosing vocabulary, phrases and sentence patterns.
  • Organize thoughts and choose resources.
  • Produce initial drafts/presentations while keeping audience, context and purpose in mind.
  • Revise and edit texts/presentations using tools that promote reflection on meaning, form and mechanics.
  • Produce final drafts/presentations with aesthetic appeal using tools that help to convey meaning.
  • Rehearse presentations using a range of delivery strategies.
  • Use appropriate techniques to cite sources and avoid plagiarism

Strand/Process

PRESENTATIONAL COMMUNICATION: Communicate in languages other than English, both in person and via technology. Learners present information, concepts, ideas and viewpoints on a variety of topics to audiences of listeners, readers or viewers for varied purposes. Learners demonstrate linguistic and cultural competence through academic endeavors, creative undertakings and artistic expression. Learners use their understanding of culture to convey messages in a manner that facilitates interpretation by others where no direct opportunity for the active negotiation of meaning exists.

Arts Discipline

Visual Arts

Content Statement

Enduring Understandings

Critical and Creative Thinking, Literacy

Progress Points

  • Understand and articulate the Intrinsic worth and public value of arts and cultural participation.
  • Draw on a variety of sources to generate, select and evaluate ideas to create personally meaningful products.
  • Apply reasoning skills to communicate key ideas expressed in their artworks and the works of others and use appropriate criteria and language to critique the works.

Strand/Process

Perceiving/Knowing & Responding/Reflecting

Essential Questions

Who are we?

Content Elaborations

Students will learn how:

  1. To discuss a piece of artwork.
  2. To identify universal themes in works of art.
  3. To identify the tone of a piece of work and how that tone influences the viewer.

Expectations for Learning

Students will demonstrate this learning by:

  1. Writing about authentic works of art and photographs.
  2. Presenting their opinions through interpersonal and presentational communication.

Instructional Strategies

Students will be engaged and supported in learning by:

  • Devised Theatre – Connecting content Theatrically. Lucinda McDermott
  • Guidelines for giving and receiving group feedback on Art,  Lucinda McDermott
  • Improve games. Black Box Improv. Justin Howard
  • Improve activities. Edutopia
  • Creating a Classroom of Laughter
  • How to take better photos, PowerPoint – Katie Kerry

Assessment (Pre and/or Post)

Students will know how well they are learning by:

  • Photography skills will be documented through a digital portfolio app, Seesaw
  • Pre-Test: analyze a photo or painting displayed in the room
  • Post-Test: analyze a photo or painting posted online in digital portfolio. Present the work to the class.

Create and present a collage that:

  • Answers the essential question, Who are we?
  • Displays the theme personal and public Identities.
  • Makes viewers feel proud.
  • Makes views think that students are unique

Materials & Resources

Materials list for Teachers:

  1. Access to internet
  2.  Large paper for mounting collage
  3. LCD Projector
  4. PowerPoint: Photography
  5. Access to YouTube
  6. Free Seesaw account

Materials list for Students:

  1. Access to internet
  2. Ability to take and upload pictures
  3. Free Seesaw account

Key Vocabulary

Theme
landscape
portrait
scene of daily life
historical religious mythological scene
still life

Light
direct / indirect light
shadow / reflection
contrast

Color
bright / dim colors
light / dark colors

Perspective
the foreground / background
Vanishing Point

Composition
the focus
division of space
the vertical-horizontal-diagonal line
geometric shapes circle, rectangle, triangle, etc.

Meaning
the tone
the symbolism
allegory
interpretation

Career Connections

  • Photography
  • Advertising

Diverse Learners

Students that do not have a smartphone will be provided an iPad and a camera.
All quizzes and work may be resubmitted for full credit.
Tutoring is available after school.

Interdisciplinary Connections

Artistic Thinking Connection

Divergent and Convergent thinking:
– Brainstorming techniques were used to:

  • generate and narrow down class rules
  • determine what it means to lead and to follow
  • what aspects were to be used to represent ourselves through photography

– Convergent thinking was used to

  • narrow photos
  • place photos onto collage

Technology Connections

Digital portfolios

Home/At Work Connections

Students will gather photos
Students will study vocabulary
Students will prepare to present a picture from the collage

Word Transformation Painting

Developed by Julie Crace
Springboro High School, Springboro
Visual Arts
Grade Levels: 9-12

Introduction

Albert Einstein claimed that words did not have much to do with his thought process. Instead, it was visual and kinesthetic images that assisted him in formulating his mathematical and scientific concepts. In this art lesson the teacher, Julie Crace, asks students to find an inspiration from writing and bring it to life in the form of a painting. They must use the rules of art to incorporate an inspirational word into a reflection of themselves. Other teachers may use this lesson as an inspiration for their own instruction by considering ways to motivate students to think “outside the box.”

Student Performance Tasks

  1.  The students will choose a famous artist to research and will find a quote from the artist that relates to their personal experiences. They will journal about their connection with the artist.
  2. The students will choose a word from their journal. They will then draw the word vertically on paper using pencil. The letters should overlap each other. The letters represent the lines in the piece.
  3. The students will draw a shape by closely tracing around the word including all of the curves and edges.
  4. Teacher will show how a light source can create value variation by shining a light on different 3-D forms.
  5. They will draw the shape onto tracing paper and then transfer the contour of the shape onto the canvas. The teacher will discuss what make a dynamic composition and each shape must touch at least 2 sides of the canvas.
  6. The students will paint the shape using various shades and tints to create the illusion of form. They will then paint the background using a complimentary color. The class will put together the pieces by choosing the placement of their piece in conjunction with the rest of their classmates to create one large collaborative art installation.

Non-Arts Discipline

Language Arts

Content Statement

Enduring Understandings: Students will understand that artists get inspiration from many sources. Art is a personal or individual response to an environment.

Progress Points: After researching quotes from different artists, the students will choose one that has special meaning or connections to their lives. They will then journal about the significance of the quote and how it relates to them. They will then choose one word from the journal entry to use for their word transformation painting.

Strand/Process

Journaling

Arts Discipline

Visual Arts

Content Statement

Enduring Understandings: Artists use elements of art and principles of design to organize visual communication. The students will gain an understanding of the elements of design; line, shape, space and color theory. They will demonstrate how the combination of these elements all can be used to create an interesting composition.

Progress Points: Step by step demonstrations of how lines can become abstract shapes. These shapes then can be given the illusion of 3-D form by using shades and tints. The negative space around the form will be painted using complementary colors to create contrast.

Essential Questions

How are art elements and design principles used to organize and express ideas? How do artists express their feelings using the elements and principles of design? What is the difference between positive and negative space? How words make us feel? How do artists use words to convey different ideas/feelings?

Content Elaborations

Students will learn about line, shape, form, space, color theory, use of language, and famous artists.

Expectations for Learning

Students will demonstrate this learning by creating a word transformation painting through the use lines, shapes, and color.

Instructional Strategies

Students will be engaged and supported in learning by making personal connections to a famous artist and creating a work of art has hidden meaning.

Assessment (Pre and/or Post)

Students will know how well they are learning by teacher reinforcement throughout the project, class critiques, and rubrics.

Materials & Resources

Teachers will create examples and share with the students. We will also use 3-D forms.

  1. Materials list for Students:
  2. 8” X 10” canvas
  3.  9” X 12” drawing paper
  4. Tracing paper
  5. Pencils
  6. Acrylic paint
  7. Chrome Books
  8. Sketchbooks

Key Vocabulary

Elements of Design:
Line, Shape, Form, Color Theory,
Negative/positive space

Career Connections

  • Journalism
  • Creative writer
  • Interior design
  • Studio artist
  • Muralist

Diverse Learners

One on one instruction as needed.
Modification as needed.

Interdisciplinary Connections

Artistic Thinking Connection
Students will be able to work with images and be able to connect the seemingly unconnected.
English, literature, creative writing, painting
Flexible perspective: Most students seen hesitant to look at a problem or situation in more than one way. They seem to look at situations linear or two-dimensional perspective. This method was used by Bing Davis with the quilt lesson, by asking us, as a group, to decide placement of our pieces into the entire class display of the quilt.

Technology Connections

Online articles from sites such as Edutopia – Arts infused Project Based Learning: Crafting Beautiful Work
Students will research an artist on chrome books.

Home/At Work Connections

Journaling
Combination of journaling with weekly sketch assignments