Digital Media: Mindfulness

In Digital Media class we had a chance to visit the wellness fair yesterday ahead of our Mindfulness and Social Emotional Learning animation project.  Students will choose one of the aspects of wellness that we learned about to focus on in the next stage of the project.

Digital Media: March One Second Everyday

In Digital Media our final project for the quarter will be to assemble the 1 Second Everyday videos which we have been taking all month in March.  Above is an example that I created this weekend in Seattle.  You can add music and other elements such as title and credits.  It's due tomorrow so arrange the videos first then leave time to edit and add music.

Studio Art: Gratitude Project

In Studio Art we will begin work today on this year's Gratitude Project by creating a thank you note for someone who deserves our appreciation.  It can be in any media but should show some sign or symbol for appreciation on the front and have a short statement on the back.

We will complete them tomorrow and give then away during the spring break,  This is the first step in the project this year and will be the final grade for the quarter.

Mindful Arts at the Seattle NAEA Conference

I'm just back from the NAEA Conference in Seattle where I had the opportunity to present a workshop on Mindful Arts and incorporating Social Emotional Learning in school.  Below are some of my favorite resources that were mentioned in the workshop.  I'll be sharing additional resources including some of the apps and programs that were mentioned such as: Morphi, Paper, Gelli printmaking, Storycorps, and Challenge Day in the near future.

I had a great time in Seattle connecting with educators and learning new techniques and it was also great getting a quick taste of the city itself.  Pike's Place Market was a great place to eat and walk around and the Space Needle Park was terrific, I wish I had more time!

Nor'Easter 4

via GIPHY

Happy Spring! Today we welcome Nor'Easter 4 so I don't expect we will make it through the school day based on the forecast. I'm hopefully flying out to Seattle tomorrow (cross your fingers) and all projects will be due on Monday.

Studio Art: Paper Bead Jewelry

In Studio Art class we have created 25 paper beads so it is now time to turn them into Paper Bead Jewelry.  Above are a few examples of what is possible and you will have some freedom to be creative.  Each student should create 1 paper bead bracelet and 1 additional piece (it can be an additional bracelet, a necklace, or earings- any time of wearable art works).  The bracelet is due on Wednesday and the 2nd piece is due on Monday.

Digital Media: The Interview Project

"My advice would be writing is everything"
As you may know in addition to teaching I also work as a journalist and occasionally have opportunities to interview actors, writers, directors, musicians, and artists for magazines and blogs. In each interview I try to ask a question that might aid my students and throughout this month I'll be sharing some of the advice I've heard from some of the people I've interviewed each Friday.

We'll start it off with actor and screenwriter Jonah Hill; I'm sure most of you are familiar with Jonah from his roles in films such as: Superbad, Knocked Up, Get Him to the Greek, Funny People, and Moneyball (for which he was recently nominated for a Oscar and Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor) but in addition to acting he's also a prolific screenwriter. I had a chance to sit down with him at the Fox offices last year while he was promoting the independent film Cyrus from the Duplass brothers which also stars John C. Reilly and Marisa Tomei and I asked him about his advice:


Mr. Needles: I teach film and screenwriting in high school
and wanted to ask on behalf of my students what advice do you have for people who want to succeed in the business?
Jonah Hill: My advice would be writing is everything. You know being an actor and not being able to write is one of the scariest things in the entire world, I know this from friends of mine who are actors and don’t write because a lot of time as an actor, especially starting out you spend 99.9 to 100% of the time unemployed so if you can focus on writing everyday and getting better at writing- you should spend every day getting better at what you are trying to do. If you’re an actor and you want to act there’s not going to be movie parts for years unless you are one in a billion so find some friends who are into writing, write a play with them, and then you guys put it up where ever you can: in someone’s house or at a party or something or whatever, borrow a family members camera make a short film, read plays out loud with your friends… every day should just be spent moving forward at getting better at what you are trying to do. That’s my advice and that’s what I did, I just didn’t waste any day when I wasn’t writing or acting even in the few years of unemployment, you know, you just have to fill that time with things that are positive towards your goal.

Here's a link to more from the interview: Short and Sweet NYC

Film: Research Presentations

In film class we will continue to present our research on screenwriters to the class and take the next step of attempting to interview the writers we researched.  When we are finished we'll begin doing table reads to help edit our screenplays.

Studio Art: Creating Paper Beads

In Studio Art we will learn to Create Paper Beads this week and then make them into jewelry next week.  Below is a short tutorial video on how the process works, it's pretty simple.  First you will measure and draw out your beads then color them then cut and assemble them.  25 Paper beads will be due by the end of class on Friday.

 

AP Art: Heckscher Museum's Long Island Best Competition

Congrats to Anna Koke and Ilysa Sirota from our AP Art class whose artwork was accepted into the 2018 Heckscher Museum's Long Island Best Competition.  Their work will be on display in the museum through Sunday April 15.  Anna's painting above based on a Rubens Santoro landscape painting (left) of the Grand Canal in Venice also won an Honorable Mention award for painting.

2018 YAM Flag Design Winner

Congratulations to Ilysa Sirota on winning the 2018 NYSATA Youth Art Month Flag Design contest. Her design for the theme of Art Builds Community was chosen as the winner for New York State and will be displayed at the 2018 National Art Education Association's Annual Conference in Seattle later this month!

Snow Day

Yesterday was a Snow Day and today we have a 2 hour delay so we will have abbreviated classes today and it will affect the due date in classes except for AP art where the due dates remain.

Creative Mindfulness: Social Emotional Learning and The Arts

I had a terrific experience presenting at the ECET2NJPA Convening this weekend in New Jersey, here's a few resources, links, and reminders that we referenced in the workshop.  Below are a few of the suggestions for ways to stay creative for educators that aren't time consuming.

I share the Calm app and webpage which I like to use in class, it's a great way to begin using meditation in the classroom but you can also just use the calming background and music and guide the meditation like I did in the workshop.  I also shared my 1 Second Everyday video (you can follow the link to my YouTube page to watch it and visit the 1SE webpage to find more information about doing it yourself.  We also watched an amazing clip from Choir! Choir! Choir! so follow the link to learn more about them- I really recommend singing with them if you ever get the chance, it's an amazing experience.  I shared another C!C!C! favorite below so enjoy and continue making film for fun and creativity!

Studio Art: Illustration Friday- Piano

Today in Studio Art our Illustration Friday assignment is due on the theme of Piano.  These need to have some color element and be a complete sketchbook page.

AP Art: LI Best art due today

The artwork for Heckscher Museum's LI Best contest is due today for students in AP Art.  Make sure the art is framed, wired, and ready to hang with the entry form taped to the back.  Best of luck to everyone who enters.

Studio Art: Doodle For Google

Today in Studio Art and Digital Media class it's our last day to upload the Doodle For Google designs for the 2018 competition.  Above is a fantastic design created by Gabby in Digital Media class and drawn in Photoshop using the wacom tablet.

Art Honor Society: Youth Art Month, Yearbook Design and Induction

Today in Art Honor Society will be planning our Youth Art Month activities, continuing work on our murals, unpack the newly received artist trading cards from around the world, completing our Yearbook Page Design, and finalizing our Induction plans.  We'll also take a new group photo, above is an image from our first meeting of the year!