2016-2017 Projects
Time and Space Project
In this interdisciplinary project between Math 2 and Humanities 10, students investigated the essential question, "How do you know what you know?" with an emphasis on creating an immersive, thought-provoking art-based experience with which the audience engages to unfold their own interpretation of a narrative. This project occurred in three stages: Stage 1 laid the philosophical foundation of this project, as students read Flatland and Slaughterhouse Five as a preliminary investigation into time, space, the fourth dimension, and the importance of asking the right questions. Stage 2 started with a visioning retreat to Meow Wolf in Santa Fe, NM, which provided the professional model and "Dream Big!" inspiration my students needed to see this project through. Stage 2 also included classwide planning and designing for our final exhibit, including the narrative storyline, blueprints of the physical space (including walls!), and artwork for the space. Finally, Stage 3 consisted of the physical building of our exhibit, which culminated in SHATTERED: A Narrative Art Exhibit, at Animas High School's All-School Exhibition on April 27, 2017.
Flatland Project
In Stage 1 of the Time and Space Project, students engaged with rigorous texts in their Math 2 and Humanities 10 classes to start answering the TSP essential question: How do you know what you know? In Math 2, students read the novella Flatland and watched its two film adaptations, Flatland: The Movie and Flatland: The Film as an introduction to the concept of space as the fourth dimension and to begin preliminary investigations into planar and solid geometry. Class discussions drew comparisons and contrasts between our world and that of Flatland. In the final art piece, students used mathematical tools to create geometric art pieces that represent their personal interpretation of the themes of Flatland.
In this interdisciplinary project between Math 2 and Humanities 10, students investigated the essential question, "How do you know what you know?" with an emphasis on creating an immersive, thought-provoking art-based experience with which the audience engages to unfold their own interpretation of a narrative. This project occurred in three stages: Stage 1 laid the philosophical foundation of this project, as students read Flatland and Slaughterhouse Five as a preliminary investigation into time, space, the fourth dimension, and the importance of asking the right questions. Stage 2 started with a visioning retreat to Meow Wolf in Santa Fe, NM, which provided the professional model and "Dream Big!" inspiration my students needed to see this project through. Stage 2 also included classwide planning and designing for our final exhibit, including the narrative storyline, blueprints of the physical space (including walls!), and artwork for the space. Finally, Stage 3 consisted of the physical building of our exhibit, which culminated in SHATTERED: A Narrative Art Exhibit, at Animas High School's All-School Exhibition on April 27, 2017.
Flatland Project
In Stage 1 of the Time and Space Project, students engaged with rigorous texts in their Math 2 and Humanities 10 classes to start answering the TSP essential question: How do you know what you know? In Math 2, students read the novella Flatland and watched its two film adaptations, Flatland: The Movie and Flatland: The Film as an introduction to the concept of space as the fourth dimension and to begin preliminary investigations into planar and solid geometry. Class discussions drew comparisons and contrasts between our world and that of Flatland. In the final art piece, students used mathematical tools to create geometric art pieces that represent their personal interpretation of the themes of Flatland.
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SHATTERED: A Narrative Art Exhibit
Stage 2 of the Time and Space Project kicked off with a team visioning retreat to Meow Wolf and the Santa Fe University of Art and Design in Santa Fe, NM. On this trip, students unpacked the meaning of beautiful work and prepared for their trip to the Meow Wolf exhibit by investigating three essential questions:
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After Osprey Week and Spring Break, Stage 3 consisted of the final four weeks of the project leading up to All-School Exhibition. My 35 students converted our Commons space into an immersive art exhibit, beginning by building 12'x8' walls to enclose our space and then dividing that space into three sections. Each room had its own unique lighting, soundtrack, artwork, and other details linking each room to the exhibition narrative about Markus Lynch.
2015-2016 Projects
Animas Escape Room
5/2/2016: Animas High makes math, biology fun with escape room
Check out the Geometry of Anatomy Escape Room on the front page of the Durango Herald!
In this interdisciplinary project, groups of students will design, construct, and run an escape room, in which participants must discover clues and solve a battery of geometry-, biology-, and logic-based puzzles to escape from the room in a limited amount of time. Student voice and choice will govern all aspects of this project, from marketing and fundraising to scripting a scenario, developing clues and puzzles, and creating the escape room set. In addition to building students’ geometry and biology content mastery, this project is meant to teach and encourage culture-building, PAPER, and the Habits of a Mathematician. Students will develop 21st century skills such as critical thinking, teamwork, and complex problem-solving in an effort to create an experience that fosters those same skills in escape room participants.
5/2/2016: Animas High makes math, biology fun with escape room
Check out the Geometry of Anatomy Escape Room on the front page of the Durango Herald!
In this interdisciplinary project, groups of students will design, construct, and run an escape room, in which participants must discover clues and solve a battery of geometry-, biology-, and logic-based puzzles to escape from the room in a limited amount of time. Student voice and choice will govern all aspects of this project, from marketing and fundraising to scripting a scenario, developing clues and puzzles, and creating the escape room set. In addition to building students’ geometry and biology content mastery, this project is meant to teach and encourage culture-building, PAPER, and the Habits of a Mathematician. Students will develop 21st century skills such as critical thinking, teamwork, and complex problem-solving in an effort to create an experience that fosters those same skills in escape room participants.
2014-2015 Projects
Periodic Table Project
In this two-week project, students of the Action Faction will work together to create a personalized Periodic Table of Elements in which each tile represents one student's interpretation of the background and application of a specific element. Students will conduct brief research on the Periodic Table and use that information to produce a creative writing piece and visual representation of their element.
Who Dunnit? A Murder Mystery at HTHCV
In this interdisciplinary project, students will design, manage and curate a living exhibition that walks visitors through a staged murder mystery. Students will investigate and become experts in ethics, forensics, and pattern analysis to create interactive and scientifically and mathematically accurate crime scenes. Using the perspectives of various social philosophies, they will implement an agreed-upon system of project design and implementation, in whatever way they see most equitable. This will include the communal development of a thoughtful story arc, and the systems of leadership and accountability within committees. Students will also use visual literacy to produce engaging and powerful scenes that engage people to use evidence to attempt to solve the mystery. Each student will play a role in creating and performing the exhibition, as well as curating a space to represent our process over the course of the semester.
In this two-week project, students of the Action Faction will work together to create a personalized Periodic Table of Elements in which each tile represents one student's interpretation of the background and application of a specific element. Students will conduct brief research on the Periodic Table and use that information to produce a creative writing piece and visual representation of their element.
Who Dunnit? A Murder Mystery at HTHCV
In this interdisciplinary project, students will design, manage and curate a living exhibition that walks visitors through a staged murder mystery. Students will investigate and become experts in ethics, forensics, and pattern analysis to create interactive and scientifically and mathematically accurate crime scenes. Using the perspectives of various social philosophies, they will implement an agreed-upon system of project design and implementation, in whatever way they see most equitable. This will include the communal development of a thoughtful story arc, and the systems of leadership and accountability within committees. Students will also use visual literacy to produce engaging and powerful scenes that engage people to use evidence to attempt to solve the mystery. Each student will play a role in creating and performing the exhibition, as well as curating a space to represent our process over the course of the semester.
2013-2014 Projects
Torture on Trial
Students will investigate the history of torture and the experience of trauma as the result of the actions of other human beings in the context of war and political and social persecution. They will first explore stories of survival and resilience from their family histories, and then learn about systems of justice and punishment and the role of chemistry as an instrument of suffering and destruction. The team will then work collaboratively to create a living experience for Dia de los Muertos that will allow visitors to examine the instruments and context of torture from different historical periods through the mediums of art and speech.
Water We Doing?
Students will work closely in small groups to research a local water issue and implement a course of action that will make a positive change in response to that issue . Students will engage in the scientific research process and investigate an environmental issue by which they are personally impacted to propose and test viable, replicable solutions that could have global implications. Action plans will be submitted as applications for the Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge.
Chemistry of Food Fair
Students will design and present interactive exhibits that showcase the role of chemistry in our experience of the preparation and consumption of food. In groups of 3, students will research food topics in relation to science and create an exhibit that includes 1) an informational tri-fold presentation board, 2) a hands-on display, food samples, game, or demonstration, and 3) post-presentation questions that quiz visitors on what they've learned about the chemistry of food!
Students will investigate the history of torture and the experience of trauma as the result of the actions of other human beings in the context of war and political and social persecution. They will first explore stories of survival and resilience from their family histories, and then learn about systems of justice and punishment and the role of chemistry as an instrument of suffering and destruction. The team will then work collaboratively to create a living experience for Dia de los Muertos that will allow visitors to examine the instruments and context of torture from different historical periods through the mediums of art and speech.
Water We Doing?
Students will work closely in small groups to research a local water issue and implement a course of action that will make a positive change in response to that issue . Students will engage in the scientific research process and investigate an environmental issue by which they are personally impacted to propose and test viable, replicable solutions that could have global implications. Action plans will be submitted as applications for the Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge.
Chemistry of Food Fair
Students will design and present interactive exhibits that showcase the role of chemistry in our experience of the preparation and consumption of food. In groups of 3, students will research food topics in relation to science and create an exhibit that includes 1) an informational tri-fold presentation board, 2) a hands-on display, food samples, game, or demonstration, and 3) post-presentation questions that quiz visitors on what they've learned about the chemistry of food!
2012-2013 Projects
Periodic Table Project
The goal of this project is to construct a personalized periodic table that illustrates our growing knowledge of and mastery over the elements. Each student will be assigned an element from the periodic table, conduct some brief research to identify key information about their element, and then use that information to produce a creative writing piece and visual representation of their element.
>> Want more? View the carbon tile and krypton tile.
Flatland Project
Students will read the novella Flatland and watch its two film adaptations, Flatland: The Movie and Flatland: The Film, to investigate the character of and relationships between dimensions, shapes, angles, and perspectives. Students will write a short reading response to the novella and write a comic strip that tells the story of Flatland.
Scenes of War: Chemical Warfare Edition
In this interdisciplinary project, students learned about societal and scientific perspectives of warfare. In chemistry, students explored the science behind weapons of mass destruction. Students also explored history through primary source accounts of three wars in history in which weapons of mass destruction were utilized. Students then wrote a scene proposal for how to portray these intimate scenes using miniature sculptures. With their groups, they selected the best scenes to create and then used photography techniques to capture the perspectives of warfare.
>> Want more? View the Scenes of War project blog.
Ethics of Science
The purpose of this project is for students to explore and formulate opinions about science and the nature of the pursuit of knowledge through an investigation of the Essential Questions. Students will learn about past scientific inventions, discoveries, and research studies and their contributions to human welfare as instruments of both good will and evil intentions. In small groups, students will then research a scientific issue or study that is currently under debate and use what they have learned about past issues to brainstorm possible extreme outcomes and the effect of the outcomes on individuals, communities, and the world at large. They will come to a consensus on the nature and value of the research study and present their findings in a live, creative performance on the evening of Festival del Sol on March 21.
Tessellations Project
Students will create a tessellation that demonstrates their knowledge of the properties of geometric transformations, such as translations, rotations, and reflections.
>> Want more? View student work samples 1-5 and student work samples 6-9.
Chemistry of Food Fair
Students will design and present interactive exhibits that showcase the role of chemistry in our experience of the preparation and consumption of food. In groups of 3, students will research food topics in relation to science and create an exhibit that includes 1) an informational tri-fold presentation board, 2) a hands-on display, food samples, game, or demonstration, and 3) post-presentation questions that quiz visitors on what they've learned about the chemistry of food!
The goal of this project is to construct a personalized periodic table that illustrates our growing knowledge of and mastery over the elements. Each student will be assigned an element from the periodic table, conduct some brief research to identify key information about their element, and then use that information to produce a creative writing piece and visual representation of their element.
>> Want more? View the carbon tile and krypton tile.
Flatland Project
Students will read the novella Flatland and watch its two film adaptations, Flatland: The Movie and Flatland: The Film, to investigate the character of and relationships between dimensions, shapes, angles, and perspectives. Students will write a short reading response to the novella and write a comic strip that tells the story of Flatland.
Scenes of War: Chemical Warfare Edition
In this interdisciplinary project, students learned about societal and scientific perspectives of warfare. In chemistry, students explored the science behind weapons of mass destruction. Students also explored history through primary source accounts of three wars in history in which weapons of mass destruction were utilized. Students then wrote a scene proposal for how to portray these intimate scenes using miniature sculptures. With their groups, they selected the best scenes to create and then used photography techniques to capture the perspectives of warfare.
>> Want more? View the Scenes of War project blog.
Ethics of Science
The purpose of this project is for students to explore and formulate opinions about science and the nature of the pursuit of knowledge through an investigation of the Essential Questions. Students will learn about past scientific inventions, discoveries, and research studies and their contributions to human welfare as instruments of both good will and evil intentions. In small groups, students will then research a scientific issue or study that is currently under debate and use what they have learned about past issues to brainstorm possible extreme outcomes and the effect of the outcomes on individuals, communities, and the world at large. They will come to a consensus on the nature and value of the research study and present their findings in a live, creative performance on the evening of Festival del Sol on March 21.
Tessellations Project
Students will create a tessellation that demonstrates their knowledge of the properties of geometric transformations, such as translations, rotations, and reflections.
>> Want more? View student work samples 1-5 and student work samples 6-9.
Chemistry of Food Fair
Students will design and present interactive exhibits that showcase the role of chemistry in our experience of the preparation and consumption of food. In groups of 3, students will research food topics in relation to science and create an exhibit that includes 1) an informational tri-fold presentation board, 2) a hands-on display, food samples, game, or demonstration, and 3) post-presentation questions that quiz visitors on what they've learned about the chemistry of food!