Cultural identity, community development, and public policy through the lens of creative practice. Addresses arts advocacy strategies and integrates interdisciplinary connections across social and professional sectors.
A project-based lesson where students design and conduct a mini-ethnography of a diasporic musical community, synthesizing theoretical frameworks into a research presentation.
Applying post-colonial theory to late 20th-century global pop, exploring how formerly colonized nations reclaimed and remixed colonial instruments to assert cultural identity.
Investigating the impact of political displacement on 20th-century composers, examining how exile and the search for 'homeland' manifest in musical style and creative output.
An analysis of the collision between African rhythmic structures and European harmonic traditions in the Americas, focusing on the genesis of syncretic genres like Jazz and Habanera.
Students trace the organological evolution of string instruments along the Silk Road, exploring how pre-modern globalization facilitated trans-cultural musical flow between East and West.
Concludes with an analysis of how streaming algorithms and metadata influence modern song structure and the sociological phenomenon of the 'end of genre.'
Explores the recording studio as a primary compositional tool, moving from Musique Concrète to multi-track recording and the ontological shift from score to recording.
Investigates the separation of sound from its source (schizophonia) and how early recording limitations influenced performance practice and the concept of the 'definitive performance.'
Examines how the physical evolution of instruments during the Industrial Revolution, such as the cast-iron piano frame, dictated Romantic era orchestration and the rise of the virtuoso.
Analyzes the shift from oral tradition to fixed notation and how the technology of 'writing' music enabled new levels of polyphonic complexity while altering musical memory.
A synthesis lesson where students participate in a blind listening challenge to categorize excerpts into correct eras.
Cover the radical shift in the 1900s where composers broke traditional rules of harmony and rhythm.
Investigate how music shifted towards intense emotion and storytelling (Program Music) during the Romantic era.
Introduce the Classical era's obsession with order, symmetry, and clear melody through Mozart and Haydn.
Explore the ornate style of the Baroque period through the works of Bach and Vivaldi, focusing on polyphony and harpsichord.
Concludes with a focus on non-naturalistic staging techniques for documentary theatre, culminating in a presentation of student documentary shorts.
Explores the controversial technique of composite characters, balancing the need for dramatic economy with the ethics of authentic representation.
A workshop-based lesson on the technical art of editing raw transcript data into rhythmic, dramatically impactful stage speech.
Focuses on archival research as a source for drama, teaching students how to bridge historical gaps and transform dry documents into compelling scenes.
Investigates the history and ethics of verbatim theatre, focusing on interviewing methodologies and the legal/ethical frameworks of representing real subjects.
This lesson explores the psychological impact of colors and how they influence human emotion and perception in art and design.
A deep dive into the 1963 film Charade, exploring its unique blend of romantic comedy and suspense, the fluidity of identity, and the use of visual metaphors. Students analyze genre conventions, irony, and symbolism through a cinematic lens.
A comprehensive culminating research project where students explore a specific theatre style or 'ism'. Students produce a research-heavy Dramaturgy Portfolio, a Creative Design Pitch Deck, and a final Presentation with a visual aid.
A visual-guessing game lesson where students identify famous artworks based on close-up details of hands. This lesson focuses on observation skills and art history recognition.
A comprehensive exploration of the 1960s thriller 'Charade', focusing on the intersection of genre conventions, character deception, and cinematic visual motifs. Students will analyze how the film balances suspense and romance through its visual language and shifting character identities.
A project-based lesson where students create a 30-second kindness PSA, focusing on the technical mastery of camera angles, the rule of thirds, and professional delivery standards.
An exploration of Augusto Boal's Theatre of the Oppressed, covering its historical roots in Brazil, key techniques like Forum and Image Theatre, and its ongoing role in global social justice movements.
Mastering Forum Theatre, the role of the Joker, and applying these techniques to solve real-world social problems.
Deep dive into Image Theatre techniques, using the body as a language to explore internal and external oppressions.
An introduction to Augusto Boal, the origins of Theatre of the Oppressed, and the transformative concept of the 'spect-actor'.
The culminating phase where students stage a scene and compile their final production portfolio.
Students transition from analysis to design, creating set blueprints and costume concepts.
Focuses on the playwright's context and the deeper thematic structures of the chosen contemporary drama.
Students select a contemporary play and begin their analytical journey through character and theme exploration.
A comprehensive introduction to film analysis, covering cinematic techniques, genre studies, and historical evolution to help students decode the language of cinema.
A practical project where students apply their knowledge to design a retail store, including product selection, floor layout, visual merchandising, and a promotional plan.
An introduction to the foundational skills of the retail industry, covering customer service techniques, cash handling, inventory management, and the professional communication required for successful sales.
A comprehensive lesson for senior art students on the business and promotion of their work, featuring case studies like Meow Wolf and Exodus Ensemble. Students will learn about personal branding, pricing, and the 'Art of Asking' to build sustainable creative careers.
A specialized lesson focusing on the impact of monumental scale in sculpture, guiding students through the engineering challenges of creating 'larger-than-life' works using recycled materials.
A comprehensive exploration of ceramic technology's evolution from prehistoric pottery to modern industrial applications, spanning over 20,000 years of human innovation.
A 25-minute intensive lesson for film and photo students covering copyright law, music licensing for festivals, public domain via Steamboat Willie, and personal portfolio protection.
A comprehensive exploration of John Coltrane's 'My Favorite Things' for IB Music, focusing on modal jazz, structural innovation, and the 'Exploring Music in Context' Area of Inquiry.
A comprehensive look at the 1937 Degenerate Art exhibition in Nazi Germany, exploring how art was used as a tool for propaganda and the suppression of modern expression.
A lesson exploring the power of satire and political comedy through the lens of Ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes, featuring modern connections and a creative script-writing activity.
Students compile their findings from previous lessons into a professional one-page 'Impact Report' for a fictional town council. They must select the most convincing economic and social data to argue against a proposed budget cut.
Students are introduced to basic concepts of how arts are funded (grants, taxes, private donations). They compare different models to understand the stability and risks associated with each, gaining insight into why advocacy is necessary.
Students examine research summaries linking arts education to higher test scores, lower dropout rates, and improved mental health. They practice synthesizing this information to create fact sheets that could be used to persuade school administrators.
Working in small groups, students analyze real-world case studies of cities that invested in arts districts. They look at data regarding tourism numbers, job creation, and property values to understand the 'multiplier effect' of arts spending.
Students explore the difference between art's internal value (joy, expression) and its instrumental value (economy, grades, health). They classify different benefits of the arts into these categories to build a vocabulary for advocacy.
Students role-play as legislators and lobbyists to debate a local arts bill. They must negotiate competing interests to pass a budget that supports the cultural sector while addressing public concerns.
Students study 'Creative Placemaking' and its impact on neighborhood rejuvenation. They analyze the 'Bilbao Effect' and discuss the ethical implications of gentrification versus community revitalization.
Students learn the technical skill of grant writing by developing a Logic Model. They practice translating abstract artistic goals into measurable outcomes required by professional funders.
This lesson investigates the history of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the debates of the 1990s. Students analyze the friction between artistic freedom and public tax dollars through primary source analysis and debate.
Students examine the three main revenue streams for arts organizations: government grants, private philanthropy, and earned revenue. They compare the stability and risks of these models through a hypothetical budgeting challenge.
