Discovery Academy Theme Integrations 2012-2013
Digital Media
Digital media can include, but is not limited to: photography, digital storytelling, Glogster, blogging, podcasting, radio-broadcasting, sound and film-editing. Digital Media, presents a point of engagement for students that allows for the integration of art, literacy and curricular goals and is an easy way to explore a narrative in any subject. When students are engaged in the digital art making process, they are engaged in activities that lend themselves to all classrooms. Students must engage in research on a topic, and they must translate that research and the goals of the project into written and visual elements. Students must consider and eventually determine how to present this material. The group work here allows for students to explore various roles such as: writer, editor (copy and visual), director, actor, camera crew, sound editing & mixing, photographer, and graphic artist. Media in this respect is generally not made in isolation. This also works towards the 21st Century Skills of collaboration and communication.
Theater
At the heart of theater is the telling of a story and it allows for many thematic links to be made to many classrooms. Teachers can explore the story itself; it’s historical context (both when it was written, and when it is portraying); the skills involved in performing theatre (speaking, presenting, empathy, etc.); set, lighting, sound & costume design and building; box office (advertisement, revenue, overhead); developing a play (script writing, staging, performing, etc.); dance – body and movement. Theatre is a lot about communication and vulnerability which means there are wonderful opportunities for personal connections and reflections as well as character education.
Albany Pro Musica
Albany Pro Musica is a local professional choir; they have been working with AHS Select choir for six years preparing joint concerts. The Walden Chamber Players run a similar program with the Advanced Orchestra. Our students work with these professionals learning and preparing music which is eventually performed. Music offers a number of classroom connections: there is a lot of math in music and music theory, many songs offer historical connections and commentary, lyrics-melody-poetry, soundtracks, etc.