Journey's School Elective: Drawing 101

For the last week of Winter Teaching Practicum, our team was split into two groups for the week.  Four members of our team chose to teach with the Student Conservation Association and the National Park Service, while the remaining four chose to work with the Journey's Independent School and teach two middle school electives.

Since I enjoyed being on outreach and in the classroom, I instantly chose to work with the middle school electives.  Not to mention, the choices that the grads were able to choose for their electives was a  'the possibilities are endless.'  This was awesome!  I automatically thought: art class!  If only many of my art teachers could see me now: using what they had taught me and me teaching others!  That goes to Mrs. Fentzloff, Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. Yarnall, and Mrs. Yount; you all would be so proud!

When we were choosing who was going to work with which program, a fellow graduate who was also interested in art joined the middle school elective and thought it would be awesome to team teach some form of an art class together for that week.

Charlie, my teaching partner, and I chose two focus on Drawing 101 within the Winter World.  This elective's goal objective was to emphasize three drawing techniques that our students can be used in field sketching.  The students would learn all three techniques by Wednesday and then on Thursday, they would be able to create a group project (all student-driven) that included what they had learned previously in the week.  On Friday, the students would have a 'Celebration of Learning' and host an art show gallery showing off all their talents, projects, and work throughout the week.

Our Path Map for the Week and the Day!

When Charlie and I were introduced to the class, we wanted our students to have full ownership of this week, including what types of drawing techniques they wanted to learn.  So we proposed, that if we bring one technique to the learning table, the students would be able to choose the remaining two that they wanted to learn during the week.  We placed a whole bunch of different types of drawings and techniques out of the tables.  Students were to spread out and place the drawings with the corresponding technique that was used to produce the drawings.

After the students placed drawings with names of techniques, such as: stippling, shading, gridding, cross-hatching, and negative space, we introduced the definitions of each technique to the class.  After the students were able to understand the basic ideas of each drawing and the techniques used, they were allowed to work together and determine the two they all wanted to learn about.

Coming to a consensus, the students chose shading and stippling as the two techniques they wanted to learn more about and explore.

Monday Drawing Technique: Blind Contour and Contour Drawing

For Monday, Charlie and I would introduce them to our technique, blind contouring, to the class.  Monday's goal objectives would learn to focus on detail of their surroundings through blind contour and contour line drawing.  Blind contour drawing is a technique that develops the artist's eye.  

Bling Contour Drawing is where an artist looks at an object they want to draw and move the pencil at the same speed as their eyes move along the object's outline.  In this technique, artists will draw an object without looking at the pen or paper.  This technique helps train an artist's motor skills to match our visual observation.  Blind contour drawing is also a great was to let go of our desire to control an image realistically and give ourselves, as artists, creative freedom.

During the two-hour class, we took the students outside to draw what they saw in the natural world as well as natural history specimens while we were in the classroom.  The toughest part of the day was reminding the students that the goal was not to look at their drawing as they were drawing their object/subject.  The goal was not to create a proportional or life-like image.  

Our Students Best Contour Drawings of the Day

Tuesday was the day where we introduced shading to the class.  Shading is a technique that allows an artist's sketches, doodles, and drawings look more realistic.  The day before we focused on detail of on outline with contour and blind contour drawings, Tuesday was about adding more to this foundation they already learned.

Tuesday Drawing Technique: Shading

By adding shading to a drawing, it gives a drawing more depth, contrast, character, movement, and emotion by adding highlights and shadows to a subject.

The class was able to explore this process by using specimens in a dimly-lit room and manipulating the light on a small object on their tables.  By using desk lights and lamps, students were able to give their objects/subjects a particular shadow or light exposure and then draw what they saw on paper.

Our Students Best Drawings with Shading of the Day

Wednesday Path Map with an Emphasis in Stippling

Wednesday brought shading to a whole new level.  Instead of blending graphite with their fingers or a blending utensil, the class was able to create shading on a drawing with the use of lots and lots of tiny dots.

One of my student's drawings using Stippling.  Avery is an incredibly talented artist!

Stippling is an ink drawing technique where an artist applies tone and texture to a drawing or image through small dots.  The depth of tone and the roughness of texture can be adjusted by varying the density and distribution of the dots.

Similar to Tuesday with Shading, students were able to draw a specimen of their choice at their desk using the stippling technique.  Our class was also given the creative freedom and ownership to draw something from their creative imagination and mind, but must include the stippling technique into their work.

Our Students Stippling Drawings of the Day

At the end of the day on Wednesday, we reminded our middle schoolers of their final project that they had all Thursday to work on.  The class was split into three groups where each group came up with final group project ideas on what they all could work on as a class or independently following the same guidelines.

Each group stood before the rest of the class and presented their ideas on group final projects.  After a silent vote, the class came to a consensus of each student will create their own independent final project by following the same guidelines below shown in the photo.

Thursday Final Project Requirements

All Thursday, our class came in ready to work on their pieces.  They all worked so incredibly hard, adding in the different techniques they had learned, as well as their own creative touch.  Charlie and I were beyond blown away with what each student chose to draw, which technique(s) were used, and how they visualized it on their paper.

Our Students Final Project Drawings!!

Friday was the day!  After a whole week of creatively working hard, our class was finally able to show off their talent.  The class presented to the rest of their middle school groups showing what they had done all week and their final projects.  Charlie and I could clearly see how proud our class was of their creations.  Telling them to be careful when looking at their portfolios, and if they had any questions about who drew what and how, 'they should ask them and not pick up the artwork.'  It was adorable.  I know I was so proud of Charlie and my class.  Felt like a proud momma duck and all her ducklings!  haha.

It was by far my favorite week of teaching.  Being in a classroom really makes me feel the most comfortable (weird since I used to love field teaching) and being able to teach art was such a great experience!

I know for my summer capstone (spoiler alert) I was able to join the Teton Expressions in Nature and Art!  I can only imagine what you are thinking, of course, so perfect for theChristybel!  But yes, being able to try out this elective week was such a great start to only how awesome this summer is going to be teaching art and natural history outside in the Tetons.  And I can totally use this lesson plan that I used this past week and tweak/embellish it for the summer!

Pretty darn excited for summer and very, very, very! thankful to be done with my 5-week Winter Teaching Practicum!

Onto a Well-Deserved Spring Break!

TheChristyBel

Friday End of Week Gallery of all Three Techniques, Final Drawing Project, and their Portfolios

Bringing the J-Factor

I am so sorry everyone! I know I have not been very productive on the blog in awhile.  I have been extremely busy with class and teaching....who knew graduate school would be so busy?!?

But I just wanted to stop by and say, I AM ALIVE and well...SURVIVING.

I will post some new entires soon regarding some of the things I have been up to.  But until then...it's time to incorporate some throwbacks with the present!

TheChristyBel in her Alter Ego 2011 Super Suit!

Yes, I was teaching in the field on cross country skis with the Alter Ego 2011 Super Suit on!

Lux Aeterna in Wyoming!

More updates to come, everyone! Hang in there!

Xoxo,

TheChristyBel

Harford Day School - My East Coast Family

This week I was able to work with students that were coming from a place that is very near and dear to my heart, the EAST COAST!  And to be more precise, about 45 minutes southeast of Newark, DE, in Bel Air, Maryland.  It was really exciting to hear that the Teton Science Schools work with students not only visiting from the western states, but even the east coast.

Not going to lie, but why the heck did my schools when I was growing up ever consider these outdoorsy, nature experiences?!? Sure, Delaware Nature Society was awesome to go to for a week, but to go across country...wow!

Although, outside of teaching, this week was one of the most challenging experiences I've had out here: as far as getting work done for other classes, trying to balance some personal things, trying to visit with friends who were in town, as well as trying to separate my personal privacy and teaching lives, was incredibly hard. I definitely struggled a lot with this close-community lifestyle. Being on this campus, there is no boundary between your private life and your school/teaching life, even when you try to separate them, both will be intermixed whether you want it to happen or not.

But anyways, this blog is not for me to go and discuss things that are bothering me.  This blog is solely to express highlights and the exciting challenges that have crossed my path while here in the west...so let's get back on track!

This past week, I was team teaching in the field with Heather, another fellow graduate student. I think this week was by far one of my favorite weeks teaching, despite it being crazy and stressful in other areas. Teaching this week was inspiring. I was really nervous to work with Heather, since she is incredibly energetic and silly - and I feel that I am no where near her level of excitement; but after the first day of just working on lesson plans together, I realized I can walk into our first program day with no worries. Then when teaching in the field with her, I felt as if we were very balanced as far as work load and worked off our strengths to help provide our students with positive experiences.

Snow Sculptures - Designing Your GYE Animal with Winter Adaptations

Not to mention the students we were working with this week were the best students we could have asked for.  I mean, I would not expect anything less coming from the Mid-Atlantic!  All of them were incredibly energetic, engaged, supportive of one another, and just positively awesome all around.

Exploring the Aspen Community - Frost Cracks & Other Markings

Our middle school students that we got to teach with this week were from about 45-minutes from Newark, Delaware!!!!!! From Bel Air, Maryland! This was beyond a treat for me. Being so stressed and exhausted, having a little bit of 'home' was something I needed and looked forward to while in the field. The students were incredibly engaged, supportive of their instructors and fellow peers, and just a positive and welcoming bunch of people to be in the field with! Plus, they were absolutely hilarious!

Kathryn Basking in the Beautiful View at Taggart Lake

I know I definitely bonded with them over their week here on the Kelly Campus and definitely could relate to their place back home, since many of the parks and places they talked about during conversations were really familiar for me. There were times where they would talk about a place that they enjoyed going to for hiking or climbing, and I would thinking in the back of my head, 'Yep, I know exactly where that is and I've definitely been there before!' I loved that connection and sense of familiarity from home; not to mention making those same feeling here with them in this place as well.

Heather & My Wonderful
'Beige Lightningy Womboing Fox-A-Saurus Rexes'

The students were so engaged and really into any of the activities and games we threw at them. Not to mention, the chaperones (one teacher from the Day School and a parent/board member of one of the visiting students and Day School) were so awesome! I love when chaperones and adults come to the school and fully support the instructor's vision of experience. I mean, we also enjoy feedback and suggestions as well, but these chaperones were just very trusting of us as instructors and valued any activity, game, discussion, and experience we had with their students. I really enjoyed chatting with them during and after program time - they gave great insight towards their students and the backgrounds each student had as well as insight regarding the independent school life of Harford Day. I may secretly want to move back to the East Coast and work at this school!!!! Ok, I definitely do! haha.

Hanging with the Elk on the Refuge

With Our Tour Guide, Justin, and His Awesome Cowboy Mustache

Willow Stewardship & Community Service

Our Students Rocking It at Cross-Country Skiing

Seeing many of these students thrive in the winter and the deep snow was really exciting. Since I come from the very same place that they are coming from, it was great and inspiring to see how well and how quick they adapted. They were like mini-role models for me.

Field Research Day - Testing Snow Density

I LOVE THESE STUDENTS FROM BEL AIR!

Addie Being Awesome

Playing Alaskan Baseball

Stranded in Jackson - Day Two
Visiting the National Elk Refuge & Grant Teton National Park Visitor Center 

The one stressful, but yet beautiful part of this teaching experience with Harford Day School was that the day they were supposed to leave, they got snowed in and their flight was cancelled. The Tetons received this really big snow storm that caused many of the Kelly Campus and Grand Teton National Park roads to be completely shut down and closed until the snow and wind subsided.

On a side note, I was driving back from town the morning the students were supposed to leave and the snow drifts were so bad, that Little Blue (my car) drove and got stuck TWICE in really deep snow banks. I had to get a passing car to help tow me out TWICE. Then when I got to the pull out at the base of Ditch Creek Road, I had to evacuate my car and leave it there, since she could NOT drive back to campus with the paper-white views and building snow banks and really strong winds.

So, yea....crazy winter storm. Also, the Kelly Campus was having two new schools come in and we had no room for the students of Harford Day School to still be housed here. So, two of the grads (myself and Charlie) were asked to go to still oversee Harford as we moved them from the Kelly Campus to the Jackson Campus (for additional housing). Being off a program time and now into a facility rental time, Charlie and I entertained the students with two extra day and nights of some movie time, sightseeing around the town of Jackson and Miller Butte, attending the National Museum of Wildlife Art, and having community time on the JC. As much as the students were really homesick, they were incredibly positive and supportive to each other when we had to tell them not only once, but twice that their flights were delayed.

Stranded in Jackson - Day Three
About to Go Home With an Artistic Wrap-Up

Placed Their Pieces of Art Together!

But we found ways to keep them occupied and entertained. The one thing that Charlie and I did was have them make a communal drawing. Where each student was given a piece of an already made poster, and they were to recreate it in their own way - and by the end, they could place all the pieces together and make the overall drawing with each of their individual parts. The students did a beautiful job and wanted to donate this to the school in order to fundraise to help pay for the additional expenses that they spent during their extra days in the Tetons! Such an awesome team!

Best Group of Students to Be Stranded in Jackson With!
Forever in My Heart, Harford Day School

From Left to Right Top Row: Addie, Kathryn, Claire, Jenny, Hudson, Forrest, Hayes, Marc
From Left to Right Bottom Row: Abigail, Betsy, Kiersten, Lexi, Hudson, Abby, Mason, Erik, Mason

Best School Group Ever!
Love them to bits!
TheChristyBel

XC Skiing To Granite Hot Springs

Friday, I went to a dance performance hosted by Dancer's Workshop (where I dance).  The performance were by the Gallim Dance Company.  It was a really awesome and interesting performance.  Included dancing with cardboard boxes and some really awesome, intricate combinations of modern and contemporary dance.  It was such a treat to see them perform that night.

Gallim Dance Performance Ticket & Program!

Saturday morning, I woke up really early (about 6am) to get myself up and ready for a full day of cross-country skiing with people Teton Science Schools community.  It was a blistering cold, windy, and snowy day in store for us.  Our goal was to ski 9-miles to the Granite Hot Springs south of Jackson.  I had not been back to the hot springs since Luke and I had gone back in September so I had no idea what to expect for this travel in.

It Was So Snowy, You Could Not Even See the Gros Ventre Mountains!

The decision to ski in was not optional.  They close the road up to the hot springs when the snow comes in and the only way to get to the hot springs is by either cross country skis, snowmobiles, or dog sled.  How cool is that?!

The Crew Trekking Through to the Hot Springs!

Leslie, one of our Grad Faculty & I

A Little on the Snowy & Chilly Side...

 Out ski began pretty late that we had expected: we were aiming to get onto the trail by 9:00 am MST, but there were two slides (small avalanches) along the road to the trailhead and we had to wait to for the plow to go through and plow the snow off the road and the road that leads to the Granite Hot Springs Trailhead.  So by the time the roads had been plowed, we were hitting the trail by I think 10-10:15 am MST.

A Snowy Cross-Country Ski!

The ski in was really fun and tiring.  The one thing that I found hard was as the fast snowmobiles were soaring past us cross-country skiers, was trying to breathe with all the smog and exhaust from the snow mobiles.  

When we finally got to the hot springs, it was a little past 1:00pm MST.  It took up about 3-3.5 hours to ski in.  It was totally worth the ski!  Doug Wachob, one of our TSS Grad Faculty who organized this awesome trip supplied us with some delicious hot stew and treats for lunch.  After rejuvenating ourselves with energy, we grabbed our bathing suits and went in the hot water!

The Natural Hot Springs Were Converted into a Pool
The Hot Springs Water Just Replenishes the Pool

It was such a cool experience to be in our bikinis and bathing suits while it was below 30 degrees and snowing!  Sure I have gone in hot tubs while it has been cold out back east, but to do this very same exact idea in a natural hot spring was pretty cool!

Can You See the Steam Rising From the Hot Springs?

Such a Snowy Hike Up!

So Much Snow Accumulation on the Creek Rocks!

Getting Ready to Cross-Country Ski Back!

On our way back, the snow was getting heavier and it was getting darker.  Luckily a few of the staff's friends had snowmobiled in and we worked some magic and get them to snowmobile us back to the trail head!  I had never been on a snowmobile before, so that experience was pretty over the top awesome as well!

The whole trip was pretty awesome in general: cross-country skiing more than I ever have, swimming in hot springs while it's snowing!, and then riding a snowmobile!  What more fun could a girl ask for on a snowy day!

The Cross-Country Skiing Snow Bunny!

I want to definitely do that again!
TheChristyBel

Field Education: Whitefish Bay High School

Last week, I was Morning and Evening Programming where I met with our program's students every morning and evening to do activities that reflected the field programming's days and topics.  It went pretty well, however, I would prefer not to do these programs because I felt that I was not getting to know my students really well, nor did I feel that I had enough dedication and time with my students.  So I would prefer to actually be in the field with them for 8+ hours a day instead of about an hour in the morning and 2 hours in the evening.

So this week, I was able to work in the field with Joe and lead about 9 high school students around the GYE all week!  I was a little nervous about going from teaching wee-younger human beings to young adults, but this group Joe and I had were beyond exceptional!

Welcoming The Wisconsinites to the Tetons.

Not only was I nervous about teaching high school students, but also incredibly nervous teaching high school students to cross-country ski!  Since I was an incredible beginner to this new activity, I wanted to make sure that not only were my students feeling comfortable about being on skis, but I wanted to make sure I was going at a pace that was comfortable for them as well.  Like I said these students Joe and I had were beyond exceptional.  Not only did they excel at learning to ski, but they were quite content at the pace we kept during the field program time.

Introduction to Communities

Monday was Introduction to Communities: Introducing them to all the different plant communities of the GYE as well as incorporating team building activities into the day was lots of fun.  The students definitely had a great time skiing around, learning about sagebrush, willows, conifers, and the aspens, while playing in the snow.

Teton Magic School
Props Miraculously Appear Out in the Field When We Need Them

Success!

On Tuesday, the program's topics of Fire & Ice, we traveled to the Bradley-Taggart Trailhead and hiked to Taggart Lake.  Our students really enjoyed it.  As we drew the terrain, geologic cross-section during our hike, the students were able to depict the landscape's story.  They discovered how the terrain was uplifted and sculpted throughout its early stages of life and how the fauna has gone through its' own transformation through fire.

Hiking the Bradley-Taggart Trail to Taggart Lake

Identifying Trees

Our students were so incredibly positive, energetic, funny, and full of entertainment.  They were all about photographing and capturing all moments of their Teton experience.  Of course, there were jumping shots and summit posing included!

My Chartreuse Squirrely Bison Ladies!

My Chartreuse Squirrely Bison Gentlemen!

Learning about the Tetons' formation and glaciers, our students were able to construct not mountain out of sand like at the beach, but out of snow!  We got the students to dig up and carve their own Teton Mountain Range at Taggart Lake.  Talked about how the glaciers formed, and asked them to identify parts of the glacial process on their Teton representation.

Sculpting the Tetons for Fire & Ice Day

Beautiful Day for a Hike

Wednesday, the students were able to explore Jackson Hole from a cultural point of view.  Experiencing an elk sleigh ride in the snow was a fun experience, however it was pretty chilly that day!

So Majestic.

Snow, Sleighs, and Elk Oh My!

A Bromantic Brawl

While on the tour, the students were able to ask their sleigh ride guide about the National Elk Refuge, its history, its purpose in the community and for the wildlife, ramifications, issues, and relationships that the refuge has within the community with different community stakeholders.  This opportunity to be on the refuge helped prepare them for a Elk Feeding Mediation evening program later that night.  After the sleigh ride, the students were able to visit the National Wildlife Art Museum.  This was a great way for students to reflect and synthesize how others see wildlife in a creative and artistic perspective.  The museum journal prompts we provided to the students as they toured through the museum at their own pace, allowed them to dig deeper into the meaning behind many of the works of art and the messages the artists portrayed within them.

Visiting the National Art Museum

Thursday was their Research Day.  These students come from a school that is incredibly focused on their academics and success into their college journeys.  There were two main goals that Joe and I wanted to get across to our students during this day: 1.) Allow them to take full ownership of their project including how their data is obtained by them (not given to them) as well as 2.) Give them as much time to explore and enjoy the snow experience on skis and snowshoes.  

Adventuring to Our Research Site

The students conducted a silent conversation in the classroom to reach a consensus about what their topic of their research project should be.  They came to a conclusion after an hour discussion about how they wanted to determine how much of impact they have on the snow from their recreational endeavors of snowshoeing and cross country skiing on our campus and trails.  It was concluded the reason behind this project was to not only see how much snow was compacted on the trail by them as outdoor recreation enthusiasts but also how much they can impact and affect the Subnivean level organisms and species that reside under the snow during the winter season.

Measuring Snow Density

During their project, snow density samples were taken in snowpits that cross-sectioned into individual snowshoe tracks and cross-country trails that had been created by all eleven of us to represent a full group using a path.  Their snow density samples were taken at the top, middle, and bottom of their cross-section snowpit.

Getting Up Close & Personal in the Snow

The students had a great time being in the snow and being able to collect their own data on this subject matter.  They had explained that while in class, they are usually given the problem and the data collected, and it is their job to interpret and analyze the data.  By them being given the chance to obtain the data themselves, they felt like they had more involvement, responsibility, and ownership over the question they were trying to determine.  Excellent!  Students should feel that their involvement is more meaningful when they are given full ownership of a project!  Goal completed!

Snow Science Research at Upper Meadow

After they had analyzed their data to see if snowshoeing or cross-country skiing had a bigger effect on the Subnivean ecosystem based on compaction through snow density, they discovered that the impacts in density levels were the same for both recreational snow activities.  Even though there was no significance between the two types of activities, the students learned what parts of the methods could be made better, how they would change their project, and overall, enjoyed their experience of participating in science research out in the field.

Human Knot in the Snow

The high school students from Whitefish Bay are beyond incredible.  These students exceed concepts of community and share their optimism and support not just for themselves, but for each other, and their faculty and instructors.  The students that Joe and I had in our team were so extraordinarily brilliant, thoughtful, and fun.  They brought so much energy and curiosity to the table and enjoyed and conversed with us to explain their needs and what they wanted out of their week with us.

Whitefish Bay High School at Taggart Lake

A Pretty Awesome Week With a Talented Group of Students!

TheChristyBel