THE WOLFSONIAN-FIU CELEBRATES 'PAGE AT A TIME' AND 'ARTFUL CITIZENSHIP' STUDENT ARTWORK

Six unique books created by Miami-Dade County Public School students will be on display in the lobby of The Wolfsonian–Florida International University from Thursday, May 6 through Sunday, June 6, 2010. The exhibitions, which are free and open to the public, are the final product of Page at a Time and Artful Citizenship—two long-running interdisciplinary arts-education programs created by The Wolfsonian in collaboration with Miami-Dade County Public Schools.   

On a yearly basis different schools participate in Page at a Time, a program jointly taught by classroom and art teachers, in conjunction with Wolfsonian staff members and core teachers. The students who participated this year created unique books exploring a variety of issues ranging from personal tributes, to recent earthquake disasters in Haiti and Chile, and the power of family; to topics in civic life. The books are entirely student-created, from the text to the artwork, to the varied formats, and are made out of diverse materials including cloth, plastic tarp and clay. As part of the preparation for creating the books, the students visited The Wolfsonian a number of times, received tours of the collection and participated in hands-on activities in history, language arts, and visual arts. The students then worked collaboratively in their classes to identify a conflict and develop a visual concept for addressing the subject, including deciding on a format for their book. Each student then created his or her own page of the book as part of the class project. 

This year’s participating schools are: Biscayne Gardens, Hialeah Gardens Middle School, Hialeah High School, Norma Butler Bossard Elementary, and South Pointe. Page at a Time—the book—is also available as a print-on-demand catalog titled Facing Conflict: 10 Years of Page at a Time. The seventy-page catalog documents the first ten years of the program, including photographs of all books produced in that time as well as an in-depth look at five of the books. The catalog was produced through support from Citi Foundation. To learn more about Page at a Time, visit its website, www.pageatatime.org

The Wolfsonian is also celebrating the artwork of elementary students participating in Artful Citizenship, an arts-integrated social studies and language arts curriculum that provides students with the tools to be informed and engaged citizens as they explore the role art and design play in shaping the world. 

The program, implemented by Southside Elementary this year, moves beyond the standard school texts and delivers an empowering experience by using art to teach students about the world around them. As they look and talk about art in engaging and meaningful ways, they learn to “read” visual images, enhance their analytical skills, and improve their understanding of the role that images, messages, and symbols play in their daily lives. Using objects from The Wolfsonian’s collection, such as maps, paintings and propaganda posters, the curriculum helps students explore and develop characteristics of “good citizenship,” including cooperation, tolerance, conflict resolution and active engagement with the community. 

Page at a Time and Artful Citizenship are very strong interdisciplinary programs and great models for museum-based education. During the programs, students learn about specific topics such as history, visual arts, and writing, as well as art books, museums, and the interconnections between these topics. Students then apply their new knowledge to a creative project,” notes Kate Rawlinson, The Wolfsonian’s assistant director for education and public programs. “It’s invigorating for the educators and a great experience for the students and their families.” 

The Page at a Time program is made possible by Carnival Foundation, with special thanks to the Miami-Dade County Public Schools. 

The Artful Citizenship program is funded by the Children’s Trust. The Children’s Trust is a dedicated source of revenue established by voter referendum to improve the lives of children and families in Miami-Dade County. With the support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners. 

About The Wolfsonian–Florida International University

The Wolfsonian is a museum, library, and research center that uses objects to illustrate the persuasive power of art and design, to explore what it means to be modern, and to tell the story of social, historical, and technological changes that have transformed our world. The collections comprise approximately 120,000 objects from the period of 1885 to 1945—the height of the Industrial Revolution to the end of the Second World War—in a variety of media including furniture; industrial-design objects; works in glass, ceramics, and metal; rare books; periodicals; ephemera; works on paper; paintings; textiles; and medals. 

The Wolfsonian is located at 1001 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach, FL. Admission is $7 for adults; $5 for seniors, students, and children age 6 -12; and free for Wolfsonian members, State University System of Florida staff and students with ID, and children under six. The Wolfsonian, presently on a Summer Schedule through September 15, 2010, is open Thursday from noon-6pm; Friday from noon-9m; Saturday and Sunday from noon-6pm; and is closed Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Contact  305.531.1001 or visit www.wolfsonian.org for further information. 

The Wolfsonian receives ongoing support from The Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners; the City of Miami Beach, Cultural Affairs Program, Cultural Arts Council; the William J. and Tina Rosenberg Foundation; Continental Airlines, the Official Airline of The Wolfsonian–FIU; Bacardi USA, Inc.; and Arrowood Vineyards & Winery.

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