Connecticut Office of the Arts Higher Order Thinking (HOT) School Program, in partnership with the Talcott Mountain Science Center (TMSC), presents a Professional Development day designed for Arts and Science Educators.

Science and Art are often considered entirely different worlds inhabited by practitioners with nothing in common. Nothing could be further from the truth. Inspired by TMSC’s Inspiration to Innovation (i2i) Challenge, this professional development day collaboration will provide hands-on experiential learning in brain research, arts and science integrated workshops providing a framework for encouraging creativity and critical thinking while exploring the intersections between the arts and STEM subjects.

Participants will be invited to join the 2017 i2i challenge, which is open to CT students grades K-8. Using ‘Things with Wings’ that are found in nature as inspiration, create or illustrate a work of art, an engineering concept or a functional item. All entries will be featured in a special exhibit at the New Britain Museum of American Art

Enjoy an interactive keynote and workshop with Dave Burgess, author of Teach Like A Pirate, sharing ".. a unique blend of outrageously energetic performance art and magic, mixed with an inspirational message of how and why to become more passionate in the classroom." "...don’t expect a presentation filled with fluff, theory, and a boring PowerPoint; Dave demonstrates and models engagement strategies as if the audience is his class and leaves no doubt about how to apply techniques in the real-world." 

In the afternoon enjoy the Strong Arts workshop of your choice featuring Wesleyan University Arts Faculty:

• West African (Ghanaian) dance workshop
• Sumi-e, Japanese ink brush painting
• Music workshop on Gamelan performance
• A survey of master prints at Wesleyan’s Davison Art Center
• Solkattu, a South Indian method of rhythmic training

At the New Britain Museum of American Art

Viewing great works of art becomes an active adventure in this participation-based workshop. Teaching Artists Thomasina Levy, musician, and Leslie Johnson, writer, combine their creative skills to help participants produce musical and written responses to masterpiece paintings and sculptures. This workshop builds skills of literacy while encouraging appreciation of the arts. Designed to support Common Core Literacy Standards, this collaborative program engages students in critical thinking, interpretation, and expressive writing. Participants discover how the synthesis of visual art, music, and language can invigorate learning.

Exploring Art Masterpieces with Music & Poetry is easily applied in classrooms, museums and professional development seminars. Thomasina and Leslie have conducted this workshop for students at all grade levels, as well with educators, schools and museum staff for professional development.