Today the graduating 8th grade students put on a Fashion Show as the final project in their Art class. Working in groups of 3 or 4 students each, they found and repurposed pieces of clothing to create "fashion forward" designs. As one group member walked the runway in the outfit (to the wild applause of the collected K-7 students), Benicia, the Middle School Art Teacher, read a script prepared by the group that explained the materials they used, the decisions they made about repurposing those materials, and the vision and idea that drove their projects. Themes varying from Steampunk to Futuristic to Concrete Jungle to Formal Wear, with styles and eras ranging from the '20s and '40s to the previously unimagined. After the catwalk, all eight groups came out and answered questions from the judges (teachers Emma, Javanne, Maple, and Chris) and audience members that explored the materials,designs, and collaborative processes in more detail. The judges then awarded a series of certificates for design aspects such as "" and ""In the language of Project Zero, this was a genuine Culminating Performance - the final piece of a unit of study in which students' understanding of specific concepts, ideas and information (in this case various aspects of fashion design) is made visible to themselves, each other, teachers, and the community. The outfits themselves spoke volumes, and combined with the written statements and the answers to on-the-spot questions (some of which showed ongoing misunderstandings and confusion on the part of students), the format of an exhibition/presentation allowed the students to share their learning with,
inspire and motivate, and feel recognition from and connection to, the entire student body and collected faculty, while having "serious fun" - a phrase Janet Stork often used to describe the joy and satisfaction that comes from working hard and feeling passionate.I have a feeling this is going to become an annual project for the 8th grade class!
No comments:
Post a Comment