Blue-Print Collaborative Project

OBJECT OF THE PROJECT

To help students use dialogue and brainstorming to come up with ideas on how to make objects that are laying around outside and would typically be looked at as trash or not useful and make them into something useful

TARGET GROUP

High School Juniors and Seniors from Coatesville School District (ages 16-18)

Type of school: Suburban/urban large public school

Type of class:  Art Class

PROCESS

1. Contact Ms. Worth at Coatesville Area School District to discuss setting up a schedule to present the project to the group
2. Suggest various objects disposed of that they may want to collect 
3. Have the group start to dialogue
4. Group will brainstorm to see what direction they want to go in.
5. Documentation of ideas placed on index cards for easy reference
6. Give students deadline to collect objects that will be used in project
7. Have objects photographed as they appear, continuing to create and record dialogue
8. Document the process through video recordings and digital photos
9. The group will decide on the results they are seeking and map it out
10. Throughout the process the students will have a written record of the steps they are taking
11. A binder will be kept with the written record and photographs
12. The students will use Home Access Discussion Board to discuss ideas while away from class.  This will become a blog.
13. The class will work as a group on  making the objects into useful items
14. An exhibition will be planned at the school for students and teachers from other classes to participate in dialogue about what they are viewing

NOTE: The project will develop according to the direction the students take it in 

MEDIA USED

I am planning on using video recordings of the process as well as written documentation that will be displayed.  Photographs will be used to show before and after as well as the actual display of the finished objects.

READINGS REFERENCED

Grant Kester’s book Conversation Pieces was used to guide me through the process.  I looked at some of the ideas discussed in his book in which groups were used.  I wanted to use a group that could benefit from looking at things differently and finding creative ways to reinvent things.  The idea was to impact on this target group in order to help them look at the items and be creative in recycling them into something useful or aesthetic and to create dialogue that was evident throughout the process.