Week of Sept 1st - 4th | "Community" & Creative Process

Welcome to IDEAS Project Block! We are excited to begin the school year with several creative explorations that will encourage new and divergent thinking about the world...these will provoke and inform the directions of our project proposals. Allow all of these experiences to transform current thinking! 


MICRO PROJECT "Community" & CREATIVE PROCESS

How can we improve our community?

Who are we as a community of thinkers, innovators?

TUESDAY>>

While we do not formally meet as IDEAS Project Block today (and we will meet with advisors this week), we will be growing as a community at IDEAS Academy. The time reflecting on these experiences will inform the upcoming projects.

[NOTE: Advisors please check medical information of advisees today. We will be leaving the building on Wednesday and Thursday.] 

WEDNESDAY >>

Today is all about exploring our local community, practicing Thinking Routines with the Language of Thinking, and dialoguing about the broader concept of "community" for interpretive projects-in-a-day on Thursday.  Each advisory group will be adventuring to part of Sheboygan to look closely, make their thinking visible, and learn more about one another. By the end of the day, each group will have a list of possible driving questions.

THURSDAY>>

We will devote the entire day to exploring our relevant, driving questions about "Community" through the phases of the creative process, the same process we will use throughout this semester in IDEAS Project Block. We will end the day at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center.

FRIDAY>>

We will engage in some creative play to further explore the theme of "community" but also as a way of arranging ourselves into groups by art forms for next week's mini-project. In our new groups, we will discuss the spaces and norms necessary for week-long project success. 

Friday, March 20th | Thematic Statement (and...)

Who are we as a community of thinkers, innovators?
What's the theme of my project?

Please use today to create thematic statements and to continue developing a ritualized week in disciplinary groups. In addition to feedback (from Thursday), consider the who, what, when, where, why, and how of workshops, professional models, exploration and play, and other weekly needs of the group.  Groups will be sharing out the details of their ritualized week next Wednesday.

DO NOW: What is the generative topic within your project? Share out to the group.
(Note - This is the beginning of a thematic statement)

THEMATIC STATEMENTS: Each student should will create a Thematic Statement and include it in their Google Drive folder for Project Block and Language Arts. These statements are good fuel for the creation phase and titling your projects. Moreover, they provide a greater context for what makes your work meaningful beyond the project and for your audience.

Fill out Materials Request Form for Stuart!

As a group, determine the best use of remaining time. Do students need more time to create a library of professional models? Should there be more conversation about the expectations and commitments to feedback? It is a good time to outline that ritualized week? What will be part of that week, based on what we need for our discipline and our projects?

Advisors should plan to look at a professional model of choice on Monday.

The Week of March 16-20th | Transition to Creation Phase

Researching and designing an argument for your topic through the Research Paper should prepare you with the intellectual fuel for the creation phase of your project. Of course, it is not as simple as this. Some researching, revising, and envisioning is still needed. Some is ongoing. With the hope that individuals and groups will interpret plans for their needs and continue a discussion on Habits of Learning, this week is designed to give everyone the contemplation and accountability needed for this transition. 

Objectives:

• Students will use reasoning to synthesize their research for themselves and a specific audience, creating an original argument, thesis, and claims.
• Students will reflect on their Habits of Learning and Work.
• Students will observe and analyze professional models in related disciplines.
• Students will create and share connections between their research and art from.
• Students will envision a process for their creation phase, including accountability in the form of feedback, deadlines, and publishing.

MONDAY>>

The status of the group will drive the week. Determine and share out the status of each project. Develop plan to make multi-faceted work environment work. Writing and revising is a must for the majority of people. Utilize the writing center, and not just during Project Block.

Foci: Reasoning to synthesize research; Reflecting on habits; Envisioning a process

TUESDAY>>

Today is about approaches for collecting and interacting with professional models, as a one step toward the creation phase. Time for soul-searching, for those who are still envisioning their own art forms.

Foci: Observing and analyzing professional models; Connecting research and art form; Envisioning a process

WEDNESDAY>>

This is the absolute deadline for bridge papers. As disciplinary groups, we will use questioning to realize some new and challenge existing connections between research and art forms.

Foci: Observing and analyzing professional models; Connecting research and art form; Envisioning a process

THURSDAY>>

Here's that conversation about feedback. Disciplinary groups will generate formats, conditions, and timelines for feedback. These will be shared out to other groups. The planning, timelines, and making will begin to take shape.

Foci: Connecting research and art form; Envisioning a process

FRIDAY>>

Thematic statement workshop. Given all of the thinking, planning, envisioning...what is the essence of the project? These statements will be a driving force for the creation phase.

Foci: Solidifying the connections between research and art forms

REMINDERS

Research Paper was due on March, 13th
Writing Center is open. Schedule appointments.

Give your project a meaningful title.

Molly will collect EoL details soon! 

EoLs are May 26th and 28th!