K

Artist: Alison Zapata

In Murals, Murals, Murals, visual artist and muralist Alison Zapata can design projects for your students by painting large scale murals to reinforce content-area learning. Working with concepts, design, and paint, Alison can help students collaborate to visualize and create mental images that are an essential component of reading comprehension. The residency culminates in an an unveiling event for students, teachers, parents and the community. Alison is an educator and professional artist known for her portraits and community murals in and around Pittsburgh. She holds a BA in art education from Carlow University.

Artist: Jennie Stephens

Jennie Stephens combines the exciting world of children's literature with visual art in this fun-filled residency. Each session brings a new theme, book, and hands-on art-making exploration. From picture books to poetry, this program explores the possibilities and connections between literacy and art in themes such as Rhythm/Sound, Feelings, the Ocean, Imaginary Animals, and Gardens. Each theme will have a list of 5-10 age appropriate books from which to choose. Using a variety of art materials and techniques, children and teachers will discover new ways to bring learning to life!

Artist: Attack Theater

Attack Theatre's workshops use a unique approach to integrating kinesthetic learning into the curriculum to stimulate students' creativity. Movement activities are carefully crafted to help students understand specific curriculum concepts, such as structure, sequencing, transitioning, literal vs. abstract, adding details and setting the tone or mood. Workshops may kick off with a performance program that provides an exciting glimpse into the world of dance and movement. Co-founders and Artistic Directors of Attack Theatre, Michele de la Reza and Peter Kope, choreograph and perform in Pittsburgh as well as in major cities around the world.

Artist: Barbara Russell

Focusing on teachers' lesson plans, Barbara Russell employs dramatic techniques to enrich classroom instruction. Her Drama Techniques workshops may include creating a play based upon a theme from the curriculum, describing and distinguishing elements that make something dramatic (i.e., techniques of narration, improvisation and prop endowment), or simply activating imaginations through theatre exercises which then lead to exploring curricular topics. Barbara is a former elementary school teacher who combines 35 years of professional theatrical experience with a knowledge of how children learn. She was a long-time comedic partner of the late Don Brockett (Brockett and Barbara), and performs regularly on Pittsburgh stages.

Artist: Kelly Lyons

In Building Creativity, architectural educator Kelly Lyons will help you to take any school subject out of the textbook! Architects determine what our communities look like, from the buildings they design to the cities they plan. Through hands-on projects and three-dimensional representation, architecture workshops encourage abstract thinking and exploration of conceptual ideas using age-appropriate techniques. Call today to find out how architecture can make your lesson plans come alive! Kelly is the program director of Architecture Explorations, the K-12 outreach program of the Carnegie Mellon School of Architecture. She holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Carnegie Mellon and a Master of Education from Duquesne University.