Over 70 South Middle School students learn about art and visit Storm King Art Center

Over 70 students in Mr. Dennis Maher and Mrs. Sien Moore's English classes at South Middle School participated in activities in the classroom that related to sculptures at Storm King Art Center one day and experienced the sculptures in real life the next day.

Throughout the day, students in multiple classes had an opportunity to create their own sculpture while incorporating elements of things they learn in their English class. Students were asked to sit back to back. One student was given a figure that had hardened to a certain shape and design. Their partner was given soft Play-doh.

The students worked together to create a similar figure to what was handed out. The student with the figure in tact used descriptive words, similar to ideas they read in class, like similes and metaphors to describe their pieces in hopes of having their partner create a matching set. Students then switched roles. Afterward, students reflected on the exercise and the role they found to be easiest or most difficult. Similes and metaphors that seemed most popular among the students were food, candy, and emojis.

Next, students looked at photos of sculptures in preparation for the next day. Students discussed their thoughts and impressions on the sculpture and were asked to use descriptions and metaphors to articulate their thoughts.

Octavius Didley, 8^th grade student at South Middle School blew both the School Partnership Educator from the Storm King Art Center and his teacher away with a brilliant metaphor of the Storm King Wall by Andy Goldsworthy. Mr. Didley described the art sculpture as a metaphor for life. The sculpture is a stone wall that winds up over a hill and finally down into the water below. Sometimes the bend in the wall are elongated and sometimes they appear to be quick and narrow. Mr. Didley related the wall to times in life where things feel particularly winding as well as the ups and downs in life.

The next day, over 70 students and 8 teachers traveled to the Storm King Art Center to see the sculptures in person. South Middle School has a partnership with the Storm King Art Center that welcomes students and their teachers to tour the grounds throughout the year.

Click here for pictures from the two days

ATTENTION: Are your scholars or colleagues doing something great? Please contact the district Communications Team at communications@necsd.net. We’d love to visit your class or event and/or post your pictures and recap to highlight the amazing accomplishments throughout our district!