2004 - 2005 PROJECTS

 

Bayview Community School  Mahone Bay  WWII Radio Play Project
World War II came alive for 61 grade 8 students through the re-telling of the stories and memories of the people in the surrounding community who lived through the war.  Students conducted interviews, wrote memoirs, connected local and global events and interpreted their own experiences through producing and performing a ‘radio play.’ Artist: Reid Campbell

Evangeline Middle School  New Minas  Cirque Evangeline Circus

Based on the ‘Adaptations and Natural Selections’ component of the science curriculum, students in grades 7-9  developed an original circus inspired theatrical production.  The project began with a series of workshops to develop physical and theatrical skills, followed by script development and rehearsals.  The project will culminate with a performance for the school and community members.  Artist: Mike Hirschbach

Evelyn Richardson Memorial Elementary School  Shag Harbour  ERMES News

45 grade 6 students created, wrote and published their own newspaper.  The ERMES News focused on topics that arose in the core curriculum that have links to community issues, people and places.  This project was also linked to the Hillcrest News.  Artist: Darcy Rhyno

Hillcrest Academy  Shelburne  Hillcrest News

28 grade 6 students created, wrote and published their own newspaper.  The Hillcrest News focused on topics that arose in the core curriculum that have links to community issues, people and places.  This project was also linked with the ERMES News. Artist: Darcy Rhyno

Kings Edgehill School  Windsor  Elegant Symmetry: Nature and the Harmony of Math

This project celebrated the elegant mathematical symmetry observed in nature.  Linking natural observation, art journals, mathematical formulae and symbols, 90 grade 7-9 students created a two-story mobile accompanied by mounted explanations of the mathematical inspiration of the art form.  Artist: Rose Vaughan

MacLennan Junior High School  Westmount  I’m a Seed, Not a Weed

This school shares their name with J.S. MacLennan, a historical figure in Cape Breton whose family estate has been established Petersfield Provincial Park.  The project examined the connections between the park and the science curriculum, focusing on the geography, culture and natural history of the park.  These discoveries were the source of inspiration reflected in a dramatic presentation composed and performed by 58 grade 7 students.  Artist: Bev Brett

Newport Station District School, Newport Station  Postcards to Beulah
Mrs. Beulah States is a most respected member of the local Black Community who presented her stories of growing up in Hants County to the students.  Students in grades 4-6 created an oversized scrapbook, which included her biography, stories, old photographs and the student’s responses to Mrs. States’ stories in the form of postcard drawings and messages.  Artist: Rose Vaughan

North Queens Elementary  Caledonia  The Forests and the Trees

Students in grades 1-6 learned about three perspectives on the forests of the Biosphere Reserve.  The teachings of various interviewees were recorded in a video documentary.  The students enacted their learning through dance, music and theatre.  Local involvement included the Mi’kmaq community of Wildcat First Nations, Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site, the Southwest World Biosphere Reserve, and the Mersey Tobeatic Research Associations.  Artists: Todd Labrador and Shalan Joudry

Park West School  Halifax  Park West Premiere Productions: Science 8 videos

Park West Premiere Productions was a multi-disciplinary project that involved grade 8 students in community partnerships as they worked to created short educational science videos.  It used a visual arts platform to engage students in learning and self-expression through the medium of digital video.  Students interviewed and spent time with local professionals that related to the topics of their videos (for example the Saint Mary’s University Chemistry department, the Family Vision Clinic in Clayton Park, The X-Ray Tech and Nuclear Medicine departments at Dalhousie, etc.).  Artist: Ariella Pahlke

Pentz Elementary School  Pentz  “Exploring and Mapping a New World”: a dynamic and animated account
Grades 5 and 6 students brought to life (with animation) the early history of Nova Scotia concentrating on the arrival of the first French settlers on Nova Scotia’s South Shore, the mapping of the coastline by Samuel de Champlain, the relationship between these first explorers and the Mi’kmaq and the Mi'kmaq culture. The project took final form with a completed multimedia (CD and online) presentation.  Artist: Ronnie Scullion

Petite Riviere Elementary School  Petite Riviere  Superstars of our Environment

Students focused the spotlight on local species of plants and animals, highlighting those at risk – “The Superstars of the Environment.”  They developed an informative and educational campaign to preserve the ‘stars,’ creating posters, models and poems to get the messages out to the public.  77 students in Primary to grade 6 presented their posters, models and poems to inform and educate the community.  Artist: Ronnie Scullion

Pugwash District High School  Pugwash  Stitch in Time

Students explored the life and times of pioneers through research, visual art, acting, writing and the making of an untraditional quilt using traditional methods learned from community members.  Building upon students’ sense of community, elders educated students from grades 7 and 10 in the ways of the past through storytelling and demonstrations of their crafts during a Sew-In to share their skills and history of their craft with the students (for example, individuals who quilt, hooked rug, make fish nets, etc).  Artists: Mary Purdy and Archan Knotz

Sambro–Ketch Harbour Elementary School, Sambro  Sea and Soundscape – Heritage & Hope in a Vanishing Village
Students in grades 4-6 embarked on an all age, cross-curricular investigation of the history, heritage, and future of their village.  A unique and non-traditional, visual and musical soundscape was developed and incorporated all of the emotional and spiritual aspects of the students’ research.  Many members of the community, young and old, in the gathering of information, artwork, photographs, artifacts, memories, stories, and songs.  Artist: Daniel Oore

St. Agnes Junior High School, Halifax  Cultural Performance- Art, Drama and Music

Students in grades 7-9 launched a drama club and worked towards putting on a community cultural performance in the school, involving social studies, visual arts, drama and music.  Artist: T.H. Hatte

William King Elementary, Herring Cove  Herring Bone Bulletin – An Arts Publication

Students in grades 5 and 6 planned, produced and distributed the Herring Bone Bulletin, an art based publication that highlighted and celebrated the visual literacy in the school community.  The publication was also distributed in the community.  Artist: Melissa Marr

Graham Creighton Junior High & Rockingstone Heights Middle School  How Do We Live Well Together?

Through music, drama and visual arts, 30 grade 8 and 9 students from Graham Creighton Junior High and Rockingstone Heights creatively presented their responses to the question 'How do we live well together?' at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia.  The students worked on this ArtsSmarts project in collaboration with the African Canadian Services Division of the Department of Education.  Artists: Sauntay Grant, Dani Oore, Avery Crawley