COTA Class Creates A Kindness Play

Community Outreach Through The Arts

Kim Daniel and Whitney Snow

kdaniel@maclay.org wsnow@maclay.org

"COTA," or Community Outreach Through The Arts challenges students to examine their community and its needs, then address those needs through arts initiatives. Students will collaborate to create art projects that directly and positively impact both the Maclay and Tallahassee communities. This class seeks to ingrain a spirit of service and empathy fitting of a Maclay Maraurder. It will be a chance to make a creative and artist impact on the community and have fun while doing it.

Grades will be split evenly between class participation and projects. Students will be tasked to create arts projects and short pieces of theatre. Students will be asked to research their communities and its needs in order to best aid and assist them. Participation and effort in class and projects are paramount.

Conduct is based on respect and participation. The Maclay Honor Code emphasizes honor, respect, and accountability. These ideals are the cornerstone of the Maclay community and our class.

Student’s Name:_______________________________________________

Parent’s Name:_________________________________________________

Date:__________________________________________________________

Stage 1-Desired Results
Understandings:  (not facts, but the major concepts you want them to remember 10 years from now) Students will understand that… Community Service should be to the benefit and desire of the community it serves and is best when sustainable and/or repeatable.	Essential Questions:   (your hook to promote inquiry) How can community service best address the unique issues of a community? In what ways will a project benefit the greater good? How can a “design mind” approach benefit c.s. projects?
Knowledge:	Skills:
Students will know…  ex:  vocab, terminology, definitions, key facts, formulas, critical details, important events and people, timelines  (Nouns) -Community Service -Sustainability -Donation -Charity	Students will be able to…  ex:  skills needed such as decoding, computation, listening, speaking, writing, comparing, analyzing, investigating, note taking, group work  (Verbs) -Research and develop community service projects on a small scale.
Stage 2-Assessment Evidence
Performance Tasks:  (ex:  projects to explain, interpret, apply, give perspective, show empathy or self-knowledge) -Show empathy -Understand “design mind” -Apply “design mind” approach to comm. service	Other Evidence:   (ex:  tests, quizzes, homework)
Stage 3-Learning Plan
Learning Activities to Achieve Objectives:   (bullet points of major activities, techniques, strategies, estimated timeline) -View If You Build It documentary -Discuss phases of “design mind” -Answer questions regarding “design mind” and it’s benefits - Research of communities and development of project ideas
Resources
If You Build It documentary on Amazon Prime, Docurama
Stage 1-Desired Results
Understandings:  (not facts, but the major concepts you want them to remember 10 years from now) Students will understand that…	Essential Questions:   (your hook to promote inquiry)
Knowledge:	Skills:
Students will know…  ex:  vocab, terminology, definitions, key facts, formulas, critical details, important events and people, timelines  (Nouns)	Students will be able to…  ex:  skills needed such as decoding, computation, listening, speaking, writing, comparing, analyzing, investigating, note taking, group work  (Verbs)
Stage 2-Assessment Evidence
Performance Tasks:  (ex:  projects to explain, interpret, apply, give perspective, show empathy or self-knowledge)	Other Evidence:   (ex:  tests, quizzes, homework)
Stage 3-Learning Plan
Learning Activities to Achieve Objectives:   (bullet points of major activities, techniques, strategies, estimated timeline)
Resources
Stage 1-Desired Results
Understandings:  (not facts, but the major concepts you want them to remember 10 years from now) Students will understand that…	Essential Questions:   (your hook to promote inquiry)
Knowledge:	Skills:
Students will know…  ex:  vocab, terminology, definitions, key facts, formulas, critical details, important events and people, timelines  (Nouns)	Students will be able to…  ex:  skills needed such as decoding, computation, listening, speaking, writing, comparing, analyzing, investigating, note taking, group work  (Verbs)
Stage 2-Assessment Evidence
Performance Tasks:  (ex:  projects to explain, interpret, apply, give perspective, show empathy or self-knowledge)	Other Evidence:   (ex:  tests, quizzes, homework)
Stage 3-Learning Plan
Learning Activities to Achieve Objectives:   (bullet points of major activities, techniques, strategies, estimated timeline)
Resources

"COTA," or Community Outreach

Through Arts Class

Challenges students to examine their community and its needs, then address those needs through arts initiatives. Students will collaborate to create art projects that directly and positively impact both the Maclay and Tallahassee communities. Visual and Performing Arts strategies will be used in a service learning model. This class seeks to ingrain a spirit of service and empathy fitting of a Maclay Maraurder. It will be a chance to make a creative and artist impact on the community and have fun while doing it. Class is open to 7^th and 8^th graders.

Co-Taught by:

Kim Daniel, MS Visual Arts Teacher

Whitney Snow, MS Theatre Arts Teacher

SMILE IT FORWARD KINDNESS ACTIVITIES FOR COTA CLASS

These printable cards can be given out to friends and family that may need a little smile or can be used as a fun random act of kindness project, which is the way that we used them.

TEACHERS: DANIEL AND SNOW

GRADES: 7^TH AND 8^TH                                     2018-2019 SCHOOL YEAR

SUBJECT: COMMUNITY OUTREACH THROUGH THE ARTS

EACH NINE WEEKS, A NEW GROUP OF 7^TH OR 8^TH GRADE STUDENTS WILL BE CHALLENGED TO CREATE COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS THROUGH AN ARTS BASED LENS. WE WILL VIEW DOCUMENTARIES AND SHARE STORIES OF SUCCESSFUL YOUTH COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS. THE STUDENTS WILL RESEARCH THE MACLAY AND TALLAHASSEE COMMUNITIES AND FIND PASSION AREAS IN WHICH TO CREATE ARTS-BASED SERVICE PROJECTS TO ENHANCE AND ENRICH THE COMMUNITIES. EACH NINE WEEKS WILL PUT EMPHASIS ON THE MARAUDER MOMENT FOR THAT QUARTER-KINDNESS, HONOR, RESPECT, AND ACCOUNTABILITY-RESPECTIVELY. STUDENTS WILL GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR COMMUNITIES AND A GREATER APPRECIATION FOR SERVICE.

The following is a list of potential projects, both student and teacher generated. This is an initial list and will grow as more ideas are generated.

·         ON CAMPUS RAKS (Random Acts of Kindness)

·         Interactive Play to Perform for Pre-K and Early LS based on children’s books that examine each of the Marauder Moments

·         Recycling Play/Video to be Shared Across Campus in collaboration with Mrs. Cornais

·         Animal Shelter Drives

o   Making Food and Water Bowls

o   Donating Food and other pet supplies

·         Homeless Shelter Projects

o   Making Pillows

o   Making Felt Blankets

·         New Blood Borne Pathogens video for Nurse Rillstone

·         Singing for Folks in a Retirement or Assisted Living Community

·         Potential Partnership with Distinguish Young Gentlemen

·         Empathy Bracelets for Youth Cancer Patients

·         Potential St. Jude Partnership

·         Empathy Bracelets for Hospice Patients and Families  

**Work In Progress - fluid as the needs of our school culture changes due to things like hurricanes (Michael).

Check out these sweet notes that were sent to our students from a class that they performed for in our lower school. Melted our heart!

Had to include this song as it was a hit during the performances!

Kindness is our word for the quarter and I think this sums it up!

Love this! Check it out...

We are ready for National Cupcake Day - December 15, 2018 - but did you Know that National Chocolate Cupcake Day is today?

Ever heard of National Cupcake Day? Check out this link below:

 http://www.holidayscalendar.com/event/national-cupcake-day/

National Cupcake Day is a holiday which falls annually on December 15th and celebrates the single serving cake that’s baked in a paper or aluminum cup and topped with icing or other cake decorations. The cupcake has been widely loved in the United States since the 19th century and is a common site at birthday parties, office parties and anywhere else where a small cup-sized cake may be appreciated. This holiday shouldn’t be confused with Chocolate Cupcake Day which falls on October 18th. Since it is October 18, just thought we would do a quick post to make you aware of this fun day!

While cupcakes were most certainly made and enjoyed during most of the 17th and 18th centuries, and are probably related to English Fairy Cakes, it wasn’t mentioned until about 1796. That’s when it appeared in a cookbook of American Cookery that was written by Amelia Simmons. However, it wasn’t referred to as a cup cake but as simply a “light cake to bake in small cups.” The original recipe for these small cakes called for half a pound of butter, half a pound of butter, two pounds of flour, one glass wine, nutmeg, cinnamon, emptins (a type of yeast) and rose water. In 1828, Eliza Leslie wrote the book “Seventy-Five Receipts for Pastry, Cakes, and Sweetmeats” that also contained a recipe for a small cake, but in that volume, she does indeed refer to it as a cupcake – which is believed to be the earliest written reference to that term.

All throughout the 19th century, the cupcake began to evolve. They started out as small cakes that contained ingredients that were measured out using a standard cup–hence, the name cup cake. The name signaled to the baker how to make the cake by using cups, much like the way a pound cake tells a baker how much each ingredient should weigh. Eventually, they would become known as 1-2-3-4 cakes because they contained four ingredients: one cup of butter, two cups of sugar, three cups of flour and four eggs. These small yellow cakes were somewhat plain and were more like a lighter pound cake than a modern cupcake. However, these small cakes weren’t originally the size of cups, like modern cupcakes are today. No, they were a little larger. It wouldn’t be until a little bit later that they actually became cup-sized cakes.

Unfortunately, while the history of cupcakes seem to be well documented, the history of National Cupcake Day isn’t. It’s currently unknown when this holiday was created or who created it. Whomever it is, they should be thanked for giving us a day that gives us all an excuse to eat more cupcakes.

Fun Cupcake Facts

• Cupcakes used to be baked in teacups
• Cupcakes are commonly known as Patty Cakes in Australia
• Many early cupcakes were savory and covered in lard or gravy
• Just about any layer cake recipe can be made into cupcakes

We used many patterns and colors with this fun 2 day lesson. We were also celebrating our school turning 50. Take a look below. I hope you enjoyed the history of the cupcake!

Need an idea for left over tempera paint?

Have you ever tried to figure out how not to waste the left over paint? This lesson was pretty cool as it helped students learn to manipulate the paint. Just grab some paper, painter's tape and left over paint and create! Viola....Yes, I did this at the end of the 9 weeks. I love the way they are all so different!

Other Ideas:

 https://www.buzzfeed.com/peggy/all-teachers-hate-glitter

https://www.deepspacesparkle.com/what-to-do-with-leftover-paint/
https://www.theartofed.com/2017/05/15/6-ways-to-use-up-leftover-paint/