Opening Day visit by 8th grade a HUGE SUCCESS!!!

The New Year means intermester week in the middle school which also means an art history lecture to augment the studies of early American history of the 8th grade at Dwight-Englewood.  A quick trip over the George Washington Bridge and the 8th graders are soon led to the world reknowned Metropolitan Museum of Art and the opening day of the newly installed American Wing!!!!

First, lunches outside in Central Park, just beware of the bears...

Students enjoyed this masterpiece by Frederick Church and even made reference to the movie, the Mission...sometimes these kids amaze me and then other days, like this week, they are simply amazing!!!!

 

Students are led in small groups by teachers through each room and have time to explore on their own as well.  The time is divided between painting, sculpture and the 'period' rooms.

As in an experience at D-E, students are encouraged to think deeply, question and develop inferences based on all of their knowledge from each part of their rich education.

In the 'Oxbow' their science teacher even had them naming the different cloud formations.

A good pace, even time to take a moment to reflect on the overwhelming amount of visual information.

The 'crown jewel' of the renovation can be seen from nearly ever corner and gallery...Washington Crossing the Delaware was truly impressive, whether you were a teacher who has been so many times before or this was the very first brush with that momentous, symbolic retelling of the early days of this country.

During the pre-trip lecture, students watched parts of the video below that documents the elaborate recreation of the original frame...

and we also discussed 'reality' vs. 'propoganda' in artwork (to quote one student) and looked at a comparison of a newer version of Washington Crossing the Delaware which was also unveiled this week at the NY Historical Society in Manhattan.  See the full article below...
NY Times, 'Crossing the Delaware, More Accurately'

What a fabulous time at the Met,...an annual event that never seems to get old...especially in a year when the Met reinvented the American Wing itself!!!!