TAP ART News Showcasing the work of the Teacher Artist Partnership

Planting 25 Trees with Tree Pittsburgh

Around our School!

Avonworth TAP Students Create Incredible Pennsylvania

Woodlands Mural!

During October and November, the TAP students were hard at work researching, sketching and painting their incredible mural for our Care Space mural. After each child selected an animal or bird native to Western Pennsylvania, they incorporated it into their painting of our PA forest environment design on six 4’X8’ panels under the guidance of TAP Teaching Artist Alison Zapata, assisted by visiting Teaching Artists Joanna Abel and Nicole Olivieri from Pittsburgh Center for the Arts. Mrs. Kolesar and Mrs. Libbon prepped the children for this colossal collaborative project with a visit with Joe Stavich from Tree Pittsburgh. This educational visit segued into a Tree Pittsburgh Tree Grant in order for the entire 3rd grade to plant 25 trees around our school! The students were immensely proud of their true environmental stewardship in action for the entire school community! Our mural will be installed & unveiled at a community celebration in the spring of 2017!! Amazing work students!!

3rd Grade Students hard

at work planting trees

for the environment

and future generations of

Avonworth children!

Issue 2: Dec. 10, 2016 Highlighting projects combining art and science concepts rooted in STEAM!

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Lorem Ipsum Dolor Spring 2016

Music Composition!

Teaching Artist/Musician Geri Smith led a songwriting workshop with the TAP students during Thanksgiving week. The students learned about the three parts of song writing: the introduction, verse, and chorus. Each class worked together to write song lyrics based on the theme Holidays Around the World. The children wrote lyrics collaboratively using the standard eight beat measure. The edited their lyrics to produce the most euphonious composition to convey their holiday message. Ms. Smith wrote two original music compositions to accompany the TAP students’ lyrics. They practiced, performed, and took part in a professional recording session with Ms. Smith! The children created original artwork to place on their very own copies of their original music on CD! We hope you enjoy listening together with your child to bring in the holidays with beautiful music from Avonworth Elementary School’s budding recording artists!

Spotlight on PA Council on the Arts Musician, Geri Smith ?

Singer songwriter Geri Smith began her musical training in classical piano at an early age. By her teens, she was playing the guitar and writing her own songs. In college, she majored in voice, but continued to study piano and arranging. Upon graduating from Music School at West Chester University, Geri chose to continue performing over being a full time music teacher. Geri is Dalcroze certified from the Juliard School of Music.

Her song “The Tears of Natalie” has been licensed by Bose for the Alfa Romeo/Fiat stereo demo. In addition to her studio projects, Geri writes, co-writes and performs music for various commericial uses. Geri performs all around the eastern PA TriState area. Venues include several appearances at the New York Songwriter’s Circle, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and the Songwriter’s Guild and the National Academy of Popular Music.