Poetry and HS Interdisciplinary Curriculum
“Let Freedom Ring”

Partners: Georgia A. Popoff, poet, and Oswego High School faculty including John Armstrong (music), Lucia Cataldo (librarian), Michael Lynne (art), Melissa Martin (graphic/computer graphic art), and Carrie Shuba (English).

Students: Five 9th grade classes, approximately 35 senior level music theory and art students.

BIG IDEA: To take a common theme expressed in one format and transform it in a variety of media, beginning in English Language Arts, then transitioning through Musical Composition, Visual, and Performing Arts during a 5-day residency over a 3-month period.
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Action: Ninth-grade students wrote poems on the theme of “Let Freedom Ring,” then senior level students reinterpreted selected poems in their media, culminating in a day and evening of performances for the school and the general public.

Planning: The artist and faculty met for two 3-hour initial planning sessions and several subsequent sessions as needed throughout the residency.

Implementation: The 9th grade students wrote poems for the final project of their poetry unit on the center theme of freedom, partially as a response to September 11, 2001. The work reflected questions regarding freedom and what constitutes it, along with developing metaphor to express personal feelings regarding the theme. Of these, approximately 35 were selected for the project and presented to the art and music students to choose from for expression in their own media. A multi-media “cyber-café” was created for the performance with many of the poets reading their work, along with the musicians performance and the visual art displayed. A chapbook of the poetry was also published.

Evaluation: In the final performances, students created a fully integrated experience of visual, musical, and poetry/spoken word, expanding the connection among the arts, seeing the arts as a way of giving voice to their views and emotions, to truly “Let Freedom Ring.”

Partners for Arts Education advocates for the role of the arts in every aspect of a child’s educational life. The partnerships we showcase recognize the artistic & educational integrity of teacher, artist, & student. We believe this is possible & necessary for all learners, & we provide the support & evidence to make it happen!