The creation of an African hut centered around the students understanding how a community is built. The students in different grades acted as an African community in the development of the home. Each grade, class and student knew that their effort would be recognized and was needed. It was stressed that each job was important, and that they must work together to create a solid structure and incredible installation. Ms. O'Neill developed the plan. The architects helped figure out where to put it, how it would stand, and how to designate classes to certain tasks based upon the skills they had already acquired in the art room. Mr. Amarnick's 4th grade class became the elders of the community, and their job was to plan with the architects so that each class after them would understand their part in the creation. The architects presented a lesson about elevations, plans, structure, and foundation. From that point on, the plans were implemented and the hut was built. Mr. Ross's class printed the bark texture on craft paper with sponges. Ms. Ross's class glued the paper onto the tubes. Ms. Petteway's class and Ms. Weiss's class created African Rain Forest animals. Ms. Williams's class twined the tubes into panels of five. Ms. Schiff's class tied the panels into a chain that was bent into a wall. The architects came in to suggest revisions for how to better create a tension that would enable the tubes to stand and the roof to hold up. The students brainstormed new ideas based on the architectural concepts they had learned. Two steel circular bands were inserted in the top and bottom of the tubes. Students in Ms. Williams's, Ms. Petteway's and Ms. Temons's class helped create the environment. (Excerpted from Charity O'Neill's "Africa in the Art Room")
African Hut Enlargement: (99k)| Conference Room |
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