MICHIGAN CITY — Pine Elementary School will use a new $10,000 two-year grant from the Indiana Arts Commission to help third-grade students create a book about the Indiana Dunes and dances to go along.
The school will work with Melli Hoppe from Arts for Learning.
Arts for Learning had the idea, so Hoppe said she contacted Pine's fine arts magnet coach, Julie Schmidt.
The original idea was for third- and fourth-graders to be involved, but the program may only be enough to cover third grade, Hoppe said. However, teacher development will begin this spring and summer for third- and fourth-grade teachers.
The teachers will learn about how to put dance into their curriculums, will learn about making books, and will attend workshops at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, she said.
The grant is only for 2014-15 and 2015-16, but the state commission hopes the program can continue, she said.
Students will be able to study any aspect about the dunes that interests them, as long as the topic has some type of movement or visual element that can be connected to dance.
Hoppe said the program will be exciting because students will base their projects on where they live and learn more about the place. Then they will learn creative expression in writing and dance.
Topics to study include plants, birds and ecology, she said.
Hoppe has experience conducting environmental programs in schools and connecting writing to dance, she said. She is originally from Michigan City, but lived in Indianapolis for 25 years before moving back to the area two years ago.
Schmidt said the school is already putting together the contacts for its teacher training.
"We are thrilled to have this opportunity for our students and staff. Melli is full of wonderful energy, ideas and experience. We look forward to working with her as we dance our way through the dunes," she said.
The research will be done with the help of Westchester Township History Museum in Chesterton.
Copyright © 2024 The News Dispatch