Today in Brooklyn: Students Create Life-size infographics

Today the CafCu team is in Crown Heights Brooklyn with students at PS221. 5th graders are continuing work in CafCu's ARTS+ACTION Program, where they are about to start construction on puppets made from used plastic foam lunch trays. This project is especially timely, because the school does not currently have a full-time art teacher due to budget cuts. 

In the photo, a student explains her puppet design idea to the class. Students' design presentations follow a group socratic discussion that explores why plastic foam is good and why it is bad, as well as the life cycle of plastics. 

Their discussion lead to the creation of several anti-hero charaters, expressed by one student as a split-faced design, called "Dos". She tells the class that the two sides represent the good and bad aspects of using plastic foam in the cafeteria. 

Puppet design and construction is an amazingly interdisciplinary project. On top of bridging the divide between climate change and cafeteria waste, this program utilizes art, personal expression, language arts, data analysis, and personal ethics. Students are developing teamwork skills, listening to others, and making memorable connections to ELA and math. Go PS221!

Stay tuned for more updates about the ARTS+ACTION Project.

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