Behind The Lens III
The Peace Project:
A Service Learning Initiative
Connecting Students To Each Other And To Their World
Pioneer Middle School
Plymouth-Canton Community Schools
Project Description: Pioneer Middle School will create a community of peace within the Plymouth-Canton School District by implementing an interdisciplinary project that will expand beyond the walls of Pioneer and connect the elementary schools to the larger Plymouth-Canton community. Peace is a global concept that the entire world can embrace. It transcends age, race, economic status and gender. It is the very fiber on which this country was created and we believe it is an important concept to embrace and examine through education. Eighth grade students from Pioneer Middle School will study the concept of peace across the curriculum through their language arts, social studies, and art classes. They will gain a deeper meaning of this concept and the impact peace has on the community in which they live.
This year’s project will begin with a celebration of International Peace Day. Pioneer has invited nationally renowned author and creator of The Peace Book, Todd Parr, to come and share his book with our community on September 23, 2008. During his visit, Todd will speak at Pioneer Middle School, Farrand Elementary School, and speak at an evening presentation and book signing at 6:00 p.m. on September 23, 2008, at Barnes and Noble Bookstore in Northville, MI.
To learn more about Todd Parr visit his website at ToddParr.com.
During that same week on Thursday, September 25, 2008 eighth graders will travel to every elementary school and read The Peace Book to the second graders. The students will continue their collaboration by creating their own Peace Book. Second graders will be empowered to use their imaginations to define the concept of peace. The project will help students focus on the elements of community, exploring cultural and historic notions of identity, strengthening writing skills and expressing thoughts and feelings through the visual arts. We believe there is a strong connection to the elementary social studies, language arts and visual arts curriculum. The students will gain a deeper understanding of who they are, what a community is, the important role they play in the community, and the impact they have on the world around them. As a culminating project, each classroom will be able to publish their own “peace” book. The collection of Plymouth-Canton Peace Books will be on display in the spring at Plymouth Community Arts Council in conjunction with the Behind the Lens art exhibition in late May of 2009.
In collaboration with Todd Parr, students will be traveling to New York City on April 3, 2009 to carry their message of peace to the Big Apple. Students will be reading and passing out copies of The Peace Book to people on the streets of Manhattan (Fifth Avenue, Central Park and Union Station). In addition to The Peace Book, people will also be receiving a peace “goodie bag” that will contain promotional material from the following organizations: Shelterbox, United Nations, UNICEF, One, Pennies for Peace, Project Vote Smart and Amnesty International.
There are many more peace projects in the works for the 2008-09 school year. The following is a list of events that will take place throughout the school year related to this year’s theme:
|
Date |
Time |
Location |
Event |
|
9/21/08 |
———- |
————— |
International Peace Day |
|
9/22-9/26 |
All day |
Pioneer M.S. |
International Peace Week |
|
9/23/08 |
8:30-10:30 |
Pioneer M.S. |
Todd Parr Visit |
|
9/23/08 |
2:00 p.m. |
Farrand E.S. |
Todd Parr Visit |
|
9/23/08 |
|
Barnes and Noble |
Todd Parr Visit -Haggerty/Six Mile |
|
9/25/08 |
9:30-11:00 |
|
Service Learning Project: 8th graders visit second grade classrooms to read The Peace Book and create Todd Parr inspired artwork. |
|
9/26/08 |
8:00 a.m. |
P.M.S. Courtyard |
Peace Pole Dedication |
|
11/8/08 |
12:00-? |
Plymouth High School |
Peace Summit sponsored by Interact (high school Rotary) Focus on Clean Water and Peace |
|
January 2009 |
After School |
Plymouth-Canton |
The Community: As Seen through Black and White Photography and Interviews |
|
10/10/08 |
9:00 a.m-1:30 p.m. |
Detroit |
Art and Community: The Heidelberg Project and Downtown Detroit (Students bring cameras) |
|
March 2009 |
After school TBA |
Pioneer M.S. LRC |
Faculty Presentations A Closer look at NYC: Art, Theater, Music, History, Science, Engineering, Poetry and Culture. |
|
March 2009 |
After school |
Pioneer Middle School |
Taking Pictures: Learning the basics of digital Photography Photographer Matt Cifaldi, Canton High School |
|
March 2009 |
After School TBA |
Pioneer LRC |
Peace and Prosperity in NYC BGSU Professor Timothy Messer-Kruse |
|
March 2009 |
After School TBA |
Pioneer LRC |
Peace and Prosperity in the Greater Detroit Area Professor Martin Hershock UM-Dearborn |
|
4/1/09-4/4/09 |
All day |
NYC |
8th Grade Trip to New York City The Big Apple: Tour and Photojournalism Project |
|
4/1/09 |
Morning |
NYC |
Students will pass out copies of The Peace Book and promote non profit organizations that address global issues. United Nations, Shelterbox, One, Oxfam, UNICEF, Project Vote Smart, Amnesty International, Pennies for Peace. |
|
|
|
The Plymouth Arts Council |
Behind the Lens III: A Photojournalism Project Displaying the Photographs, Poetry, Reflections and Art. |
|
Summer 09 |
————— |
Starbucks, Plym. |
Behind The Lens-Traveling Art Exhibit |
|
Fall 09 |
————— |
Comm. Fin. C.U. |
Behind The Lens-Traveling Art Exhibit |
|
Fall 09 |
————— |
Compuware, Det. |
Behind The Lens-Traveling Art Exhibit |
|
Winter 09 |
————— |
Plymouth Library |
Behind The Lens-Traveling Art Exhibit |
