SAFE SPACES /
SAFE SOUNDS
The Inspiration
Reaching English Language Learners at Westbrook Middle School through an integrated arts lesson,
taught by teacher candidates at Maine College of Art.
Lesson was inspired by a new book by Barb Rosenstock, The Secret Kingdom.
The Project
The 5th grade students at Westbrook Elementary School made wind chimes from recycled materials, using the criteria of creative problem solving to create sounds, making meaning of the sounds using the prompt safe spaces, while integrating and evaluating information presented in diverse media.
Instructional Resources
Students were provided with visual provocation of various "safe spaces," such as a church in France, a mosque in Abu Dabi, and a Buddhist temple in Tibet, all accompanied with "safe sounds" that can be found in those spaces. Other resources were table toppers, listing three steps to understanding the task for the day, daily schedules (seen under "Processes"). and multiple copies of the text for students to draw inspiration.
Table toppers for Day 1-3
The Process
The Materials and Our Space
The Installation
