|
|
|
Grants  art$TART 2004-05 Funded Partnerships 2004-05 Van Duyn
|
|
|
| Van Duyn Elementary - "The Art of Community"
|
|
Students operate puppets of Vasilisa
and her mother. |
Students explored cultures from around the world through the study of mask and puppet theater in the fairy tale "Cinderella". The project was a collaboration among Open Hand Theater, the Syracuse City School District and the Soling Program of Syracuse University. S.U. students who were taking a course on “The Art of Community” participated.
The arts program was completely integrated and for three months the third grade curriculum was driven by this project. The student enthusiasm and excitement invigorated the learning process.
|
Starting with the oldest known version (from China), each week we traveled around the globe following a family of stories that we know as “Cinderella.” In each country we explored aspects of the local culture, musical instruments and music, puppetry, geography, and physical environment.
Students prepared a Thinking Map (a visual organizational and categorizing tool that Van Duyn School has been trained in) identifying character traits within the folk tales. They also wrote an original piece comparing and contrasting versions of the story.
Starting with simple shadow puppets, the puppetry and theater arts skills developed, culminating with work on their final pageant production of a Russian variant “Vasilisa the Beautiful”.
|
The hounds of death come for Vasilisa's mother |
The wicked stepsisters |
The Story: After Vasilisa's mother dies, her father marries a woman who has two daughters. They treat Vasilisa badly and make her do all the work, but the memory of her mother helps Vasilisa. While her father is away, her stepmother and sisters banish Vasilisa to the forest where the feared witch Baba Yaga lives. After imposing many trials, Baba Yaga eventually helps her. The wicked stepsisters are banished, and eventually Vasilisa marries the czar.
|
The oral story telling, reading, comparing and exploring of the different story variations fuelled an active language arts program. The third grade world studies came alive as we followed some of the ancient trading and migration routes, following and watching the story and culture adapt and change. Parents were invited to participate at the beginning of the project and again at the end.
The Van Duyn audience watches
"Vasilisa the Beautiful."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Partners for Arts Education inspires learning and leadership for arts in education in Central New York and throughout
New York State. We provide funding and support to deepen and enrich educational experiences in and through the art
for students, teachers and artists.
|
Partners for Arts Education 501 West Fayette Street Studio 221 Syracuse NY 13204 315 234 9911 Fax 315 234 9912
Email Us
|
|
|
|
Website Design and Technologies Provided by Information and Communication Technologies Group, LLC |