Transformational Art Project

We launched this project by asking “who invented/discovered Geometry? And when and where?” (pick whichever word avoids opening a can of worms for you, or use both). After a google search or perusal through available textbooks, students will undoubtedly uncover several Greek names: Euclid, Pythagoras, etc… Some students may find other names, but this research should serve as the start of a discussion. The point is to provoke incredulity and debate and certainly to build some criticality around available resources and dominate narratives. At some point, the debate leads us to wonder what Geometry actual is. In some classes, I had students write their own definition. Eventually, I shared this definition from The Algebra Project:

Geometry is the visual study of shapes, sizes, patterns, and positions that have apparently occurred in all cultures through these five strands of human activities:

1. 1. building/structures (houses, laying out a garden, …)
   2. machines/motion (crow bar, bicycle, saw, swing, …)
   3. navigating/star-gazing (How do I get from here to there? …)
   4. art/patterns (design, representations, perspective…)
   5. counting/measurement (How many?  How large is it? …)

Using this definition we then search for counter-examples to our earlier research. Honestly, the launch was one of the weaker parts of this project. I like the overall direction of it, but I need to think of some different implementation strategies for next year. In essence, I hope to challenge our class to see a bigger picture of Geometry than they probably came in with and then transition by saying our first project will focus on Strand 4: art/patterns.

We ended by making a class art gallery. Student upload examples of art forms they find – web searches are fine, but they are also invited to bring in examples from their community, families, or other classes. We collected our art gallery on a google slides template like this. As students usually do not think of music or braiding hair, I also share a presentation of some version of Bey-ometry. For more inspiration, here is a list of possible art forms – although I would emphasize the importance of students bringing these into the class rather than providing a list. It also took lots of class discussion to sort through the difference between finding specific art forms (like a Luchador Mask) and general mediums of art (like a painting or photography)

Students select what their project is going to be “about”. Ultimately I had them complete this sheet to solidify the specific change theme that they would be representing in their art. Prior to deciding their subject, they should do some community building/collaborative brainstorming activities like 4 corners, partner interviews, or some sort round-robin/gallery walk to explore aspects of change that matter to them. Some example of changes students chose for the theme of their work: wanting more racial justice, working to become closer to their families, improving their mental health, ending de-forestation, specific ways they have grown socially, ending houseless-ness, etc…

In this phase, students also begin brainstorming how they will be symbolic or metaphoric in their art work. In my experience, students struggle somewhat with this so it’s good to start early. To help, we watch this video of Ryan Coogler breaking down the symbolism and visual metaphor in a scene from Black Panther.

In this phase, students finalize their choice of art form and do a more detailed analysis of its cultural significance, its symbolism, and its mathematical structure. Ultimately, students completed this handout: TAP Phase 2 – Style, Medium, Materials.

Next time, I will also have students complete a handout with further analysis because in working through later phases of the project I realized that many students had not taken the time to fully appreciate/understand the key features of their selected art form in detail. Alternatively, I might have them annotate (visually highlight and describe) the transformations found in an example of their artwork. This would mirror what they are required to do later with their own final draft.

While students were working on this phase in regards to their selected art form, we also did a few short, whole class activities about geometric transformations. The activities/problems were created using the examples/materials the students themselves found (with a few small exceptions). Students also did gallery walks to explore the art forms and analysis from other students.

In this phase, I also felt it was important to address cultural appropriation. Some students (though no many) selected an art form from a culture different from their own. Additionally, I also wanted to make sure the project itself was not stripping art forms of their culture and context for the sake of mathematics. We used the videos below to facilitate a class discussion and then students were asked to think through potential cultural appropriation issues in their own project on the handout for this phase:
MTV’s Decoded: 7 Myths About Cultural Appropriation
Vice: What’s the Difference Between Appropriation and Appreciation

These phases are essentially drafting and feedback phases. Students began with an outline or very rough sketch that they were told did not have to be accurate. This was mainly to make sure they were on the right track conceptually. The rough and final drafts excepted accuracy. Some students went through more than three rounds of drafts and feedback, either because they wanted to or because I initiated it based on their progress. Students received feedback from me, themselves, and their peers throughout the draft process. The one-point rubric for this project can be used throughout each draft.

The idea of rough and final drafts also had to adapted for some students. For instance, one student went to numerous attempts at folding the same origami house in an effort to learn and improve the technique. Another student was producing a painting of a paisley inspired design. It would not be reasonable for this student to produce multiple paintings, so their rough draft was a pencil on canvas outline their project, and their final was the painted product.

Lastly, challenging mathematics work emerges in these phases. Students realize they need to construct a prefect pentagon, or draw a better reflection, or more accurately rotate a shape. The questions and challenges that emerge out of their artwork form the basis for deeper mathematical meaning. In some cases, these challenges can tackled in a purely problem-based ways and resolved through intentional questioning from the teacher. In other cases, they may lead the student do some independent, mathematical research. As the classroom knowledge develops students can also serve a resources for each other.

This phase essentially provides students a platform to present their final draft and their process. Students write a museum style placard and a statement of cultural acknowledgement. They also annotate their artwork by highlighting one example of each mathematical transformation and then describing the transformation. I required the description to be both mathematically and contextually accurate. So (unless necessary) students did not super-impose a grid but used units and relevant to their context (for instance, notes translated up 3 half-steps, or the braid is reflect over the invisible line that runs down the center of her head). Here is the a google slides template I used for their final product: Tap Phase 6 – Annotated Art and Reflection.