smART Program Profile

Morgan Road Elementary, Juan Cruz Lauren Unbekant, 
and the CNY Institute for Aesthetic Education
“The Puerto Rico Project”

Partners: Juan Cruz, visual artist, Lauren Unbekant, actress, 3rd grade faculty, art and music specialists, and CNY Institute for Aesthetic Education.

Students: 75 3rd grade students

BIG IDEA: To learn that many approaches to exploring the characteristics of a culture can lead to student understanding of a lifestyle different than their own.

Action: Exploration of shape as an element for symbolic meaning, for development of rhythms, and expression of attitude culminating in a mural installation.

Planning: Many planning sessions from May 2000 to May 2001 occurred. An additional professional development planning series was attended three times in October.
Implementation: Students explored shape concepts in music and art classes while Puerto Rican artist Juan Cruz met with students to discuss his homeland. He set up wood cutting tools and began work on a shape-based installation with student visits. Lauren Unbekant physically and dramatically led students through body shape exercises in response to their works of art. Classroom teachers maintained thematic lessons on Puerto Rico and shape.

The artists each met three times with students. Extra meetings to observe Juan at work added to student contact time.

Evaluation: Three modes for evaluation have been used; reflection (individual and group), expression through works of art completed, and testing with teacher-made models.