text:
Wonderstruck: Disability Awareness Through Visual Storytelling
byLea Stenson
Tears rolled down my 10-year-old face. My eyes were glued to the television screen. A knobby, glowing finger touched Elliott on his forehead. "I'll be right here." E.T.'s raspy words brought on the waterworks. This unlikely friendship between a lonely boy and a lost alien struck a chord with me. A great film brings our humanity into focus, even when it features a strange creature from a distant planet. In one of his final interviews, late film critic Roger Ebert spoke about the transformative power of film.
The purpose of civilization and growth is to be able to reach out and empathize a little bit with other people. And for me, the movies are like a machine that generates empathy. It lets you understand a little bit more about different hopes, aspirations, dreams, and fears.1
According to Dr. Jim Coan, associate professor of clinical psychology and director of the Virginia Affective Neuroscience Laboratory at the University of Virginia, we as filmgoers "immerse ourselves in the perspective of another person. And in doing that, we start to subtly accrue those perspectives into our own universe...and that's how empathy is generated."2
Film is not alone in its capacity to create empathy. Literature has long been a vehicle for messages of compassion, understanding, and friendship. A 2014 study published in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology found that reading books that feature marginalized characters improves attitudes towards stigmatized groups. Participants who read the Harry Potter series were more likely to express empathy towards immigrants, refugees and people in the LGBTQ community.3 Reading about fictional characters who face prejudice and attempt to find their place in the world helps us better understand the perspectives of others.
As a social studies teacher, I know the immense value of studying history and discussing the lessons we can learn from our collective past. It's also important to explore current events impacting our community, state, country and world. By studying the past and exploring the present, students gain the knowledge needed to shape the future. But education is more than just instilling knowledge. Young people need emotional tools like empathy and acceptance to navigate our complex world. With this unit, students will build their social and emotional intelligence through the study of disability, inclusion and identity. They will build empathy along with analytical skills as they explore a film adaptation of a book that increases awareness of disability.
There is no better time to explore these topics than 5th grade. This year marks a turning point for many students. They are beginning to explore their identities and place in the world. Hormonal changes and evolving social dynamics can lead to feelings of awkwardness and lack of belonging. Cliques are beginning to form, and those on the outside feel the sting of exclusion. While this formation of a social hierarchy seems inevitable, there are ways to counteract it. By exploring the spectrum of humanity and all the differences that make each of us unique, we can build a more inclusive community in which diversity is celebrated.
My future 5th graders were my students this past year, so I know them well. Forty-three are of Hispanic descent. Many of their parents and grandparents are immigrants from Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean. One student arrived at our school last year as a refugee after Hurricane Maria ravaged his home in Puerto Rico. Several students are mixed race, 1 is African American, and 3 are Caucasian. The group is also very diverse when it comes to cognitive, behavioral and learning differences. Some students receive reading support from our resource teacher. Several students are on the autism spectrum, some struggle with anxiety, and several students experience vocal and motor tics. Many have attention and executive function deficits that impact their learning. They are a highly creative and curious group, and many enjoy expressing themselves through visual means. Their unique abilities, needs and talents inspired me to create this curriculum unit.
Content Objectives
Wonderstruck: Disability Awareness through Visual Storytelling will explore issues around disability, inclusion and identity through the use of contemporary children's literature and film. Students will build empathy along with analytical skills as we explore Brian Selznick's graphic novel Wonderstruck and Todd Haynes' film adaptation of the book.
Wonderstruck follows two stories set 50 years apart. Rose's story, set in 1927 New York, unfolds entirely in full-page illustrations, while Ben's, set in 1977 Minnesota, is told in words. The book weaves back and forth between the two stories, eventually intertwining them in both plot and style, and ultimately revealing a familial connection between Ben and Rose. Another key connection between the two characters is revealed early on: both Rose and Ben are deaf. Ben was born without hearing in one ear, and part way through the book, he loses hearing in his other ear. Rose, on the other hand, has been deaf since birth.
Ben's Story
It's June 1977, and Ben is an 11-year-old boy living in Gunflint Lake, Minnesota. He was born deaf in one ear. Recently his mother Elaine, who was the town librarian, died in a car crash. Ben now lives with his aunt, uncle and cousins across the lake from the house he grew up in. He never met his dad, and feels compelled to find out who he is. Ben finds a book of his mom's called Wonderstruck, which is about the history of museums. He opens the book up and begins to read. He learns about cabinets of wonders, also known as cabinets of curiosities or wonder rooms. Cabinets of wonders originated in mid-sixteenth-century Europe, and were small collections of extraordinary objects, typically located in a person's home, which endeavored to categorize and tell stories about the wonders and oddities of the natural world.4 They were essentially a precursor to the natural history museums of today, but with elements of superstition alongside the science. Objects often included specimens, diagrams, and drawings from many disciplines, as well as tribal masks, shrunken heads and other items collected while traveling. These cabinets could be literal cabinets made of wood with glass doors, but oftentimes these collections filled an entire room, covering the walls and sometimes the ceiling. The Wonderstruck book featured a two-page photograph of a Cabinet of Wonders room that had been erected at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City and exhibited to the public in the 1920's.
This book fascinates Ben, as he has been collecting various items like fossils, one of his baby teeth, stones from a meteorite, and a bird skull in a compartmentalized wooden box for many years. As he is reading, he finds a bookmark with the name, address and phone number of a bookstore in New York City. He also finds an inscription on the inside of the book that is signed "Love, Danny." Ben wonders if Danny is his father and decides to call the number on the bookmark. As he is calling, a bolt of lightning strikes his house, travels through the phone line and knocks him unconscious. He wakes up the hospital and realized he is now deaf in both ears. He decides to sneak out of the hospital and run away to New York City to look for his father. Eventually he finds himself at the American Museum of Natural History. He meets a boy his age named Jamie, whose dad works at the museum. Jamie leads him to an unused storage room where he hides out. Something about the room seems oddly familiar to Ben. He notices that the wooden shelves along the wall are very ornate and decorative, uncharacteristic of a storage room. He looks down at the floor and recognizes the checkerboard pattern, but can't put his finger on where he's seen it before. He notices an old piece of fabric covering up a tall rectangular structure. He pulls off the fabric and finds a cabinet of wonders. He realizes that this storage room is actually the site of the Cabinet of Wonders exhibit that he had seen so many times in the Wonderstruck book. After exploring the Cabinet of Wonders, Ben lies down to take a nap, and ends up sleeping the whole night. The next morning he sets out to try to find his father. He locates the bookstore listed on the bookmark, and there he meets Rose.
It's October 1927 and Rose lives with her authoritarian father in Hoboken, New Jersey. She was born deaf, and does not attend school or leave the house. She is visited regularly by a tutor, who, in addition to teaching her academic skills, is attempting to teach Rose to speak and lip read so that she can better assimilate into the world of hearing people. Rose does not like this approach and wishes to learn American Sign Language instead. She feels lonely and trapped at home, and is seen sitting in her room compiling a scrapbook of news clippings featuring her idol, silent film star and stage actress Lillian Mayhew. She decides to run away to New York City to see Mayhew perform in a play. She sneaks into the theater and is discovered by Mayhew, who turns out to be Rose's mother. Mayhew is furious, and tells Rose it's not safe for a deaf girl to be out of the house alone. She locks Rose in her dressing room, with the intention of eventually sending her back to her father. Rose escapes and goes to the American Museum of Natural History. She attempts to hide out there, and is found by her brother Walter, who works at the museum. It's obvious that Rose and Walter have a warm relationship, and he understands her frustrations. He takes her back to his apartment, and promises to speak to their parents on her behalf.
Ben arrives at the bookstore and meets Rose, who is now in her 60's. After some communication challenges due to their mutual deafness and Ben not knowing sign language, Ben and Rose use a notepad to learn more about one another. Ben finds out that his father is indeed Danny. As it turns out Rose is Danny's mother, and therefore Ben's grandmother. Rose takes Ben to the Queens Museum where she tells him the story of her life. She tells him that after she ran away to New York City, her brother helped her find a school for deaf children, where she learned American Sign Language. Rose also tells Ben the story of how his parents met. He learns that Danny was a diorama designer at the American Museum of Natural History and met Ben's mother Elaine while visiting Gunflint Lake to conduct research for a wolf diorama. Ben learns that Danny died of heart failure many years back. Rose shows Ben the Panorama of the City of New York, the largest architectural model ever built, depicting the city's 5 boroughs and all 895,000 buildings. Rose was on the team that hand-built the Panorama for the 1964 World's Fair. The book ends with the blackout of 1977, and Rose and Ben looking up at the stars from the roof of the Queens Museum while waiting for her brother Walter to pick them up.
Brian Selznick was inspired to write Wonderstruck after watching Through Deaf Eyes, a documentary for PBS about the history of Deaf life in America from the 19th century to the present. He decided to write a book about two deaf characters living years apart in different parts of the country. He knew he wanted Ben's story to be set in 1977, the year of the famous blackout in New York City. Selznick had been the same age as Ben, 11, when the blackout happened and he remembers seeing the headlines in newspapers. Selznick grew up in New Jersey and visited Manhattan often as a child. His favorite spot on the island was The Museum of Natural History, and his favorite diorama there was the wolf diorama, which is set in Gunflint Lake, Minnesota. When doing research for Wonderstruck, Selznick thought about the diorama and the idea that someone from Gunflint Lake might visit the museum and discover this connection to their hometown.
Selznick knew he wanted his other character, Rose, to live in New Jersey, where he grew up. He knew that Rose would be deaf from birth, and planned to tell her story in drawings in order to reflect the way she experienced life: visually. But he was unsure of what year to set the story in. Then he remembered that films began to have sound in 1927. Prior to that, all films were "silent movies." If characters were having a conversation, words would be written on the screen on "title cards." But often most of the story was told visually, through action and facial expressions, as well a dramatic live music that was played in the theater during screenings of the movie. He decided to set Rose's story in the year that silent films became "talkies." At one point in the book, Rose sneaks out of the house to the local movie theater to watch a silent film starring her mother, Lillian Mayhew. At the theater, there are signs posted announcing that the theater will soon be equipped to show the new "talkies."
In addition to writing the book, Selznick wrote the screenplay for Wonderstruck. He had long been a fan of film director Todd Haynes, and was thrilled when he found out Haynes wanted to direct the film adaptation of his book. In a 2017 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Haynes talked about what first attracted him to Wonderstruck.
The thing that excited me was that I'd never done a movie about kids, a film kids could see. But I wanted it to be as complex, sophisticated and rich as any cinematic experience, to make something really sublime for kids. Great kids films are great films.5
Todd Haynes is known for films that take an unconventional approach to the narrative form. His 2007 Bob Dylan biopic I'm Not There features six different actors playing six different versions of Dylan at various stages in his life. Selznick's Wonderstruck plays with the narrative form through its parallel storylines. It uses visuals in an inventive way, with Rose's story being told entirely in drawings. These experimental elements make Wonderstruck an ideal novel for a director like Haynes to adapt. Haynes worked with Selznick to complete the screenplay, and many early creative decisions resulted from the collaboration of writer and director. However, Haynes took on the primary authorship role once filming was underway, in keeping with the modern role of director as "auteur." The role of film auteur, however, does not mean sole authorship, and Haynes worked closely with the cinematographer, production designer, costume designer, editor and actors to craft the film. Haynes was especially concerned with capturing the look and feel of silent films from the 1920's. He watched many silent movies in preparation for filming Rose's story in Wonderstruck. He was particularly inspired by the nighttime cityscapes of F.W. Murnau's Sunrise and the miniature models used in King Vidor's The Crowd. The Wind starring Lillian Gish was the inspiration for Daughter of the Storm starring Lillian Mayhew, the silent movie depicted in Wonderstruck.
In many ways, Todd Haynes' Wonderstruck is quite faithful to the source text. After all, Brian Selznick, the book's author, wrote the screenplay with the help of Haynes. Selznick's book contains visual elements resembling film. His pencil illustrations of Rose's story have a cinematic quality, resembling a sequence of wide shots and close-ups depicting action. There are however, some significant aesthetic differences between the book and the film. One of the key adaptation decisions was made by Selznick while writing the screenplay. He decided that Rose's story would be filmed in black and white, and would be shot and edited like a silent film, while Ben's story would be shot in color, with sound. Shooting Rose's story as a silent film reflects the way in which her character experiences life: visually.
Another important aesthetic decision was made by Todd Haynes and Mark Friedberg, the film's production designer. They had the challenge of depicting the scene where Rose tells Ben the story of her life, along with her son Danny's, taking place over a span of 50 years. Haynes and Friedberg had the idea of filming the entire sequence in miniature, much like dioramas in a museum or the Panorama of the City of New York. They worked with model makers and stop motion animators to create the sequence, using nineteen miniature sets and over 300 characters. Perhaps the most striking part of the sequence comes at the end, when puppets with photographic heads encased in lockets are used to depict Rose, Danny, Elaine and a young Ben. In creating these miniatures, Haynes used the dioramas and panorama in Selznick's book as inspiration, all the while putting his own stylistic stamp on the film. The miniatures, especially the puppets and the way they are animated, echo the use of Barbie dolls in Haynes' debut film Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story.
Filmmakers have more storytelling tools at their disposal than novelists. These tools include camera framing and movement, inventive editing techniques and use of lighting, color, production design, costumes, music and sound. One sequence in the Wonderstruck film beautifully illustrates this difference. When Ben is struck by lightning in the book, the text describes Ben picking up the phone. We see a drawing of a lightning bolt. On the next page, the text describes Ben lying on the floor staring up at the ceiling, a terrible burning smell in the air. In the film's version of this scene we see a close-up of Ben's hand turning the dial on a rotary phone. As he dials the last number, we hear a high-pitched ringing sound followed by loud crackling, buzzing and overlapping music and sound effects. On the screen we see flashes of light, negative film exposures and soft focus shots of classic cartoons and Ben's mother, cut together in quick succession. Shots are layered on top of one another to give the appearance of a double exposure. As we watch this surreal, jarring sequence it feels as if we're penetrating Ben's subconscious. All this occurs in a matter of seconds, as the lightning hits the house and travels through the phone line to Ben's ear. For those few visceral seconds, the viewer is fully immersed, feeling the jolt of lightning as it strikes Ben and knocks him unconscious. In the sequence following, we see Ben regain consciousness. His confusion and disorientation are underscored by out-of-focus shots of the doctors and fluorescent ceiling lights. The only sound we hear is an eerie ringing as Ben's aunt writes on a notepad, explaining to him that he has lost his hearing. Moments like this have the power to generate empathy in the viewer. When a well-crafted book is adapted into film, the potential emotional impact on the viewer is great. In the words of Todd Haynes, "When we fill a movie in with our emotions as spectators it becomes powerful and alive." 6
My 5th graders will engage in a close reading of Wonderstruck, both the novel and the film. They will learn to analyze both text and film, and explore the relationship between the two media. They will examine the innovative ways in which a novel can be adapted into film, as described above. Wonderstruck, with its themes of identity and the search for belonging, along with its depiction of deaf children, will serve as a jumping off point for our exploration of disability. We will learn more about deaf culture by watching the documentary Through Deaf Eyes, which is the film that inspired Brian Selznick to write Wonderstruck. The film tells the story of deaf life in America, as told by members of the deaf community. We will discuss the debate between advocates of American Sign Language (ASL) and proponents of Oralism, the education of deaf people through oral language by using lip reading, speech and mimicking of mouth shapes and breathing patterns. This debate was illustrated in Wonderstruck when Rose refused to allow her oralist tutor to teach her lip reading, and instead wanted to learn ASL. This will lead to a larger discussion of disability, inclusion and identity. We will discuss the importance of understanding and embracing diversity by exploring the perspectives of those who are different from ourselves.
In the second phase of our unit, we will continue to explore disability culture, history, theory and look at some of the specific physical and cognitive disabilities that impact people. We will explore these topics through an immersion in various media such as news articles, books, excerpts of memoirs and biographies, and video clips of documentaries and narrative films. We will continue to discuss disability, inclusion and identity. We will explore the connotations of words like "handicapped," "disabled" and "disability" and consider alternative words and phrases such as "differently abled" and "differences." We will look at the ways in which these differences can impact daily functioning and how accommodations and universal design can address these challenges. Students will participate in simulation activities that will allow them to experience what it might feel like to have a particular disability. We will explore the concept of equity and how it differs from equality. We will discuss "person first" language and why many believe it's a more accurate and respectful way to describe people. We will explore the history of disability in the Unites States, with a particular focus on the Disability Rights Movement of the middle 20th century that led to landmark legislation such as Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA).
We will read biographical and autobiographical picture books that tell the stories of people who have various disabilities. After reading these books as a class, each student will express interest in a particular book and the disability it depicts. Students will form inquiry circles based on shared interest. Each inquiry circle group will use their picture book as a jumping off point to further explore their chosen disability using various resources such as online news articles, informational books and documentary films.
Once all group members have a strong understanding of their disability, as well as the biographical story depicted in their chosen book, they will adapt that biographical story into a visual storytelling format of their choice and present their visual stories to the class.
Inquiry Circles
Inquiry circles are a form of small group project-based learning based on the ideas of authors Stephanie Harvey and Harvey "Smokey" Daniels. Harvey and Daniels describe the inquiry process as four distinct stages: immerse, investigate, coalesce and go public.
The "immerse" stage is taught in a whole class setting and most closely resembles a traditional social studies unit. Students are immersed in a broad topic (in this case disability awareness and history) and flooded with information using various forms of media such as news articles, books, excerpts of memoirs and biographies, and video clips of documentaries and narrative films. In addition to exploring the sources listed above, we will engage in a targeted study of six picture book memoirs that chronicle the lives of real people with various disabilities. We will use interactive read aloud and discussion strategies to analyze these books. Throughout the immerse stage, students will ask questions about things that spark their curiosity and make them wonder. We will have a "wonder wall" where students will post their questions as they occur to them during the immerse stage. The teacher will encourage students to ask deeper questions that focus on the "how" and "why." In a typical inquiry unit, students would look over their questions at the end of the immerse stage and narrow them down to their top three. The teacher would then look over students' questions and group students based on shared interest. These groups are called "inquiry circles". In this unit, instead of choosing their top 3 inquiry questions, students will choose the picture book memoir they're most interested in, along with a second choice. The teacher will use students' selections to create inquiry circles.
At this stage, each group will re-read their chosen memoir. After reading, they will come up with a list of questions they have about the disability that is discussed in their memoir, as well as any further questions they may have about the person depicted in the book. Questions will be divided up evenly amongst group members, and they will begin their research. They will consult various sources, including those used in the immerse stage. Students will also engage heavily in Internet research during this stage. They will be given guidance on how to discern reliable sources and avoid sources such as Wikipedia that may contain inaccuracies. The teacher will check in with groups periodically throughout this phase to provide guidance and help students stay on track to complete their research.
This is a short but important stage in the inquiry process. Students will meet in their inquiry circles to pool their research. Each student will share what they found in regard to the questions they researched. They will essentially be teaching and learning from one another in order to create a collective body of research. They will look at the ways in which their answers to various questions relate to one another. They will synthesize their findings into the key takeaways that they wish to convey to their classmates in the "go public" stage.
At this stage, inquiry groups will come up with a way to share their findings with the whole class. The "go public" component of this particular unit is unique in that students will be using their knowledge of film adaptation to translate their group's picture book memoir into a visual storytelling piece, using their disability and biographical research to inform their project. The teacher will review with students what it means to adapt a book into a visual medium such as film. Visual storytelling can take on many forms, and students will have the opportunity to choose from a wide range of visual mediums. Their options will include: short film, animation, puppet show, short graphic novel, multi-level diorama, cabinet of wonders, dollhouse, pop-up book, scrapbook, and museum exhibit. As a group, they will choose the medium that best suits their story and the talents and abilities of group members. In addition to telling the biographical story originally depicted in the picture book, the final project must include key takeaways from the group's research on their chosen disability. These key takeaways can either be included within the visual story, or as supplemental narration or informational plaques.
Students will be assessed (using a teacher-created rubric) based on creative choices made during the adaptation process, key takeaways from research on their chosen disability, and the ways in which disability, inclusion and identity are represented in the final piece. After each visual story is presented, the creators will hold a question and answer session (also known as a director's Q & A) where audience members will have the opportunity to question the directors and provide comments and feedback. After all presentations are completed, students will complete a self-evaluation and peer evaluation in regard to cooperative skills and participation.
Interactive Read Aloud
In an interactive read aloud, the teacher plans out the read aloud ahead of time with a specific purpose or purposes in mind. The purpose may be to build a particular comprehension skill, such as compare and contrast, or making inferences. The read aloud may be designed to build content knowledge, teach new vocabulary, or introduce students to the story elements such as characterization, plot development or theme. The teacher will plan to stop at certain points in the story to address a specific teaching point or ask a comprehension question. Typically I will write these questions or teaching points on sticky notes and place them in the appropriate spots throughout the story, as a reminder of where to stop during the read aloud.
Turn-and-Talk
When stopping at specific points to ask questions, the teacher may ask students to voluntarily respond by raising their hands, or may ask students to engage with one another in a turn-and-talk. A turn-and-talk simply means each student will turn and talk to the person sitting next to them and address the teacher's question or prompt. The teacher will let the students know how long they have to turn-and-talk, typically limiting talk time to 1 minute. The teacher will remind students to allow enough time for both partners to talk and to listen attentively. As students talk, the teacher circulates and listens in on conversations. This serves as a formative assessment, and often helps the teacher facilitate the next step, where she asks students to turn back to her and volunteer to share what they discussed with their partner. The teacher may strategically call on a student who she overheard giving an insightful comment or expressing a misconception. The teacher may also ask students to specifically share what their partner said during the turn-and-talk. This is a good way to assess whether students were listening closely to their partners. Turn-and-talk is designed to be a quick way for students to share their thinking with one another and the class, without interrupting the flow of the read aloud.
Think-Pair-Share
Think-pair-share is similar to turn-and-talk, but allows students think time before they discuss with a partner. This strategy works well for higher-order questions that require more processing time. Think-pair-share can vary in length depending on the depth of the question being asked, but typically within the context of an interactive read aloud, students are given 1 minute to think independently, and 1-2 minutes to discuss their thinking in pairs. As in a turn-and-talk, after the time is up, students will turn back to the teacher, and some students will share their thinking with the whole group.
Stoplight Discussion
Stoplight discussions7 are the creation of Lindsay Ann, the teacher/blogger behind the blog lindsayannlearning.com. A stoplight discussion is a student led discussion strategy that works well for whole class discussion. Students sit in a circle facing each other. Each student has a red, yellow and green plastic cup. Prior to the discussion, the teacher asks a thought-provoking, open-ended question. The question may be about a text the class is reading, or a topic they have been exploring. The teacher gives students a minute or so to think on their own, and may ask them to do a "quick write" where they jot down their initial response to the prompt. The teacher will remind students that they are leading the discussion, and will stress the importance of equity and participation. The colored cups are used to signal a student's readiness to join the discussion. If a student places a red cup in front of them, it means they are processing their thoughts and aren't ready to be called on yet. If a student places a green cup in front of them, it means they're ready to jump into the conversation and would like to be called on. If a student places a yellow cup in front of them, it means they would like to take the conversation in a new direction. Calling on someone with a yellow cup can "shake up" a discussion that is getting repetitive. The teacher will launch the discussion by calling on someone who has a green cup in front of them. That student will give their response, at which point other students may switch their cups as necessary. That first student will then call on another student who has a green cup in front of them.
If the teacher feels that the discussion is becoming stagnant, and students with yellow cups are not being called on, she may jump in and call on one of them. The teacher may also intervene if the discussion is lacking equity. But the teacher should err on the side of facilitator and allow students to lead the discussion to the greatest extent possible. Students should track their own participation and reflect on it afterwards, setting goals for future discussions.
Conver-stations
Conver-stations8 are a small group discussion strategy created by high school English teacher and blogger Sarah Brown Wessling. This strategy uses movement to create dynamic student led discussions in small groups. Students typically start out in their table groups of 4-5 students. Prior to the discussion, the teacher will ask an open-ended question related to a text or topic the class is currently studying. Students will have a minute or so to think and do a "quick write" of their initial response to the question. Then each group will engage in a student led discussion around the question. The teacher will circulate throughout the room, listening in on discussions. She will encourage students to take notes on key points from their discussions, letting them know that each group will be presenting their ideas at the end of the activity.
After several minutes have passed, or when the teacher feels that the discussion needs to shift or be built upon, she will tell students to pause their conversations. She will then give them another question that is related to the first one, but with greater depth. She will tell two students from each group to rotate to the next group before launching back into a discussion. In this way, the rotating students can bring their ideas to their new group. The teacher may strategically pick introverted students or those with comprehension struggles to be the first two rotators, so that they are able to "prime the pump" and build confidence in their first discussion group before rotating to the next group. After several more minutes of discussion in their new groups, students pause again to hear the next question, which goes into greater depth on the topic. Then another two students (those who did not move in the first rotation) will rotate to the next group before discussing the new question. Each rotation provides the opportunity for both the group and the conversation to evolve. After at least two rotations/three discussions have taken place, each group will spend a minute formulating a collaborative answer to the final question, referring to their discussion notes as necessary. Each group will choose a spokesperson who will stand up and share their final answer/conclusion with the class.
Disability Simulations
During the "immerse" stage of the inquiry process, students will gain a greater awareness of disability and a deeper understanding of the experiences of individuals with disabilities. One of the most powerful tools for building empathy is simulation. Simulation gives students the opportunity to experience what it might be like to have a particular disability.
Drinking Straw Challenge
This activity involves the simulation of blindness, speech impairment, and immobile limbs and fingers. It is designed to emphasize the interactions between those with and without disabilities while working towards a common goal. The class will be divided into groups of five. Each group member will be assigned a different disability.
Student #1: no use of thumbs (tape the student's thumbs to their hands using masking tape)
Student #2: no use of dominant hand and arm (place arm behind back)
Student #3: unable to talk
Student #4: unable to see (blindfolded)
Student #5: able-bodied (does not have a disability)
Each group will be given 40 drinking straws (we will use eco-friendly paper straws) and a roll of Scotch tape. I will then explain that each group is competing to create the tallest possible freestanding structure using only drinking straws and Scotch tape. They will have 20 minutes to build their structures. The structure may not be anchored to the table, the floor or any other structure. I will monitor the groups throughout the building process, observing the students' interactions. After the 20 minutes is up, we will come back together as a group to discuss the experience. I will ask questions to guide the discussion.
What did the blind person in your group do?
Did anyone assume that the people with disabilities couldn't be active members of the group?
Did anyone ask the people with disabilities what they felt they could do to contribute?
If you had a disability in real life, how would you want people to treat you when doing something like this?
Sock Hands
This activity simulates the challenges experienced when someone has a muscular mobility disorder such as cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy or multiple sclerosis. The teacher will place students in pairs, making sure that at least one person in each pair is wearing shoes that have laces. Each pair of students will be given two pairs of thick socks. One student in each group will place two socks on each hand. That student will then attempt to tie their shoes using their sock-covered hands. The other student will observe their partner's attempt to tie their shoes. After a minute or so, the students will switch roles, so that all students have the opportunity to experience the challenge of limited muscular mobility.
How did it feel to try to tie your shoes with socks on your hands?
What was the most difficult part?
How did it feel to watch your partner struggle?
What could you do to help someone who has these challenges?
What are some other tasks that would be difficult for you to do on a daily basis?
Blindfold Challenge
In this role-playing activity, the teacher will place students in pairs or allow them to choose their partners. One student will be the person with blindness and the other student will be the guide. One student will wear a blindfold (be sure that it's secured tightly) and the guide will help the student make their way from one side of the classroom to the other and find a chair to sit down in. The teacher will instruct some groups to go out into the hallway so that the person with blindness can get a drink at the water fountain. The teacher will then have the partners change roles. After all students have experienced both roles, blindfolds will be removed and students will return to their tables for a whole class discussion.
How did it feel to be blindfolded?
How did it feel to be the guide?
What was helpful?
What was difficult?
What are some suggestions you have for guiding and helping a person with a vision disability?
This activity helps students understand what it might feel like to have an intellectual disability. A person with an intellectual disability may process information at a slower rate than their peers. People with intellectual disabilities often need complex instructions broken down into explicit steps, and may need repeated practice to retain information. In this activity, students will stand facing me. I will model three different positions: hands in air, hands on waist, and hands on thighs. Each position will be assigned an animal name that is completely unrelated to the position.
Hands in air = CAT
Hands on waist = DOG
Hands on thighs = FISH
I will lead the students as they practice each position a few times. I will then begin giving a string of commands while modeling the movements.
Hands on FISH
Right hand on FISH
Left hand on DOG
Right hand on CAT
I will give them commands again, this time without doing them myself. I may increase the complexity by telling students to widen their stance or bend at the knees. We will discuss the experience as a class.
How did it feel?
What was challenging?
What helped you succeed?
Dyslexia Simulation
Victor Widell, a Swedish web developer, created an online simulation that gives viewers the opportunity to experience what it might be like to have dyslexia. While the experience of having dyslexia varies widely from person to person, many people with dyslexia have noted the similarities between Widell's simulation and their own experiences. The simulation can be located by conducting a Google search for "Victor Widell" and clicking on the top search result, which is Widell's blog. Here Widell has posted the text from the Wikipedia page on dyslexia, and has used his knowledge of JavaScript programing to manipulate the letters so they jump around on the page. I will use our classroom projector to show this simulation to my students. We will discuss how it made them feel.
Were you able to read it?
What was difficult about it?
How did it make you feel?
What could we do to help a person who has dyslexia?
Sensory Sensitivity Simulation
This activity will allow students to experience what it's like to have sensory sensitivity. People with autism are often hypersensitive to noise, movement and touch and can become overwhelmed in sensory-rich environments. People with ADHD can also experience sensory sensitivity. A stiff clothing tag on the back of the neck or the sound of a distant faucet dripping can make it very difficult for a person with ADHD or autism to concentrate on anything else. For this activity, I will divide the class into groups of 5. I will tell students that they will each have a job to do. I will go over their jobs and tell them to wait for the signal to start. One student in each group will play the part of someone with autism. The other 4 people each have different jobs:
Student #1: You are a person with autism. You will listen to what Student #5 is reading so you can take a test on the material. Try to ignore everything else.
Student #2: Stand behind the Student #1. Rub the edge of an index card against the back their neck. You do not need to rub hard, but keep doing it over and over.
Student #3: Grab a book, lean close to Student #1 and read in a loud voice the entire time.
Student #4: Pat Student #1 on the shoulder the entire time.
Student #5: Using a normal voice, read
a paragraph to Student #1 then ask them questions about what you read. Do not try to drown out the other noises.
After all students have had the chance to be Student #1, we will discuss the experience.
How did it feel to have so much commotion going on?
Did it make you want to scream or run away?
Were you able to concentrate on the paragraph being read? What might have helped?
Hearing Impairment Simulation
This activity will allow students to experience what it might be like to have a hearing impairment. The spectrum of hearing impairment ranges from not being able to hear certain sounds to being completely deaf. Typically, having a hearing impairment means that sounds are garbled, muffled or unclear. For this activity, I will give each student a pair of foam earplugs and demonstrate how to use them. Using a tablet or smart phone connected to a speaker, I will fill the room with white noise using a white noise app. I will read a long newspaper article or book passage. I will read rapidly, using a mumbling monotone voice, running words together and pausing in odd places. I will ask students five questions about the content of what I read. I will continue to talk in a soft, mumbling voice. I will turn off the white noise and instruct student to remove their earplugs. We will discuss the experience.
Were you able to hear anything I was saying?
How did the experience make you feel?
How did it feel to be asked questions about a text you could hardly hear?
What could I have done to help you understand the passage and answer the questions correctly?
Band-Aid Activity
In an inclusive classroom, students receive differentiated instruction based on their individual needs. It's important for students in this setting to learn the concept of equity. The Band-Aid Activity helps students understand that fair doesn't always mean equal. I began using this activity with my students after hearing about it from numerous educators. It's a simple, yet effective way to teach equity to children of all ages. The teacher will start by telling students that they will be pretending to have an injury. The teacher gives an index card to each student. Each card is inscribed with an injury or ailment such as "headache," "cut on leg" or "broken arm." The teacher asks students to announce their injury to the class one at a time. After each student shares, the teacher gives them a Band-Aid, regardless of the injury. If anyone complains or questions the Band-Aid, the teacher will simply say that it wouldn't be fair if we didn't give everyone the same thing. Once each student has a Band-Aid, the class will engage in a guided discussion.
Was it equal that everyone got a Band-Aid?
Was it fair that everyone got a Band-Aid? Why or why not?
What other things in the classroom are our "injuries" like? What else can the Band-Aids be compared to?
As a variation, the teacher could give all but the last student a Band-Aid, and during the discussion could ask that student how it felt to be the only one without a Band-Aid.
The key point to impart to students is that fairness does not mean that everyone gets the same thing. Fairness means that we all get what we need, and we all need different things. For older students, the teacher may introduce the word "equity," explaining that equity means that everyone gets what they need. To further reinforce the concept, the teacher can show students visual representations of "equity vs. equality." There are many wonderful visual representations available online. To find them, simply conduct a Google image search using the words "equity" and "equality," along with either "bicycle," "baseball" or "apple tree."
Living Timeline of the History of Disability
After having gained empathy and understanding through simulation activities, students will be ready to learn about disability history and culture. We will explore the history of disability in the United States. We will work together to create a living timeline of key events and notable people, from the signing of the Declaration of Independence to the disability rights movement of the middle 20th century to the present day. We will explore the disability history timeline published by the Institute for Educational Leadership and choose 10-15 key events and historical figures that we wish to learn more about. 9 Students will be divided into groups of 2-3 students. Each group will be assigned an event or person to research further. Students will use Internet resources and disability history textbooks to gather important information about their historical figure or event. They will then create a 2-3 minute verbal sketch that conveys their information in a creative way. They could write a monologue, song, rap or an informal conversation with the audience. The group will choose one student to be the "actor" who will perform the sketch. The group will create props and/or simple costume pieces such as hats to make their historical research come to life. They will be provided card stock, scissors, tape, and markers to create these pieces. Groups will have time to rehearse before performing the living timeline as a class. The actors will line up in chronological order in the front of the room, facing the audience. They will each "freeze" in a pose of their choosing. When it's their turn to perform their sketch, they will unfreeze. When they are finished performing they will refreeze, signaling to the next actor that it's their turn to unfreeze. The actors and audience will be reminded of the importance of showing respect and sensitivity during the performance, especially in light of the fact that many of the actors will be depicting people with disabilities.
Christopher Zumski Finke, "Researchers Say Watching Movies Helps You Work Your Empathy Muscle," Yes! Magazine online, last modified October 14, 2015, http://www.yesmagazine.org/happiness/researchers-say-watching-movies-helps-you-work-your-empathy-muscle-20151014.
Loris Vezalli et al. "The greatest magic of Harry Potter: Reducing prejudice," Journal of Applied Social Psychology 45, no. 2, (February 2015): 105, accessed July 15, 2018, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jasp.12279?campaign=wolearlyview.
"Timelines: Sources from History," British Library online, accessed July 15, 2018, http://www.bl.uk/learning/timeline/item107648.html.
Kenneth Turan, "Wonderstruck' director Todd Haynes reveals how he found the deaf actress so good it gave him chills," Los Angeles Times online, last modified May 19, 2017, http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-cannes-todd-haynes-20170519-story.html.
Brian Selznick, Wonderstruck Movie Scrapbook: 1977, 11.
Lindsay Ann, "10 Student Led Discussion Strategies for Whole Class Discussion," Lindsay Ann Learning (blog), September 22, 2017, accessed July 14, 2018, https://lindsayannlearning.com/student-led-discussion-strategies/
Sarah Brown Wessling, "Conver-Stations: A Discussion Strategy," video, 00:03:20, accessed July 14, 2018, https://www.teachingchannel.org/video/conver-stations-strategy
"Disability History Timeline," Institute for Educational Leadership, 2007, accessed July 15, 2018, http://www.ncld-youth.info/index.php?id=61.
Bibliography For Teachers
Barkley, Russell. Managing ADHD in School: The Best Evidence-Based Methods for Teachers. Eau Claire, WI: Pesi Publishing, 2016.
Dawson, Peg and Richard Guare. Smart but Scattered: The Revolutionary "Executive Skills" Approach to Helping Kids Reach Their Potential. New York: Guilford Press, 2009.
Harvey, Stephanie and Harvey Daniels. Comprehension and Collaboration: Inquiry Circles for Curiosity, Engagement, and Understanding. Revised ed. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2015.
Habib, Dan, dir. Including Samuel. 2008; DH Photography. 2008. DVD.
Kluth, Paula and Eugene Marcus. You're Going to Love This Kid! Teaching Students With Autism in the Inclusive Classroom. 2nd ed. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes, 2010.
Mooney, Jonathan. The Short Bus: A Journey Beyond Normal. New York: H. Holt, 2007.
Nielson, Kim E. A Disability History of the United States. Boston: Beacon Press, 2013.
Silberman, Steve. Neurotribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity. New York: Penguin, 2015.
Turan, Kenneth. "Wonderstruck director Todd Haynes reveals how he found the deaf actress so good it gave him chills." Los Angeles Times online. Last modified May 19, 2017. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-cannes-todd-haynes-20170519-story.html.
Wessling, Sarah Brown. "Conver-Stations: A Discussion Strategy," video, 00:03:20, accessed July 14, 2018. https://www.teachingchannel.org/video/conver-stations-strategy.
Reading List for Students
Bryant, Jennifer. Six Dots: a Story of Young Louis Braille. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2016.
Jenson-Elliott, Cynthia L. Antsy Ansel: Ansel Adams, a Life in Nature. New York: Henry Holt, 2016.
Mosca, Julia Finley. The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin. Seattle: Innovative Press, 2017.
Polacco, Patricia. Thank You, Mr. Falker. New York: Philomel Books, 1998.
Rabinowitz, Alan. A Boy and a Jaguar. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014.
Selznick, Brian. Wonderstruck: A Novel in Words and Pictures. New York: Scholastic, 2011.
Thompson, Laurie Ann. Emmanuel's Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books, 2015.
Materials for Classroom Use
Alexander, Sally Hobart. Do You Remember the Color Blue? And Other Questions Kids Ask About Blindness. New York: Penguin, 2000.
Bishop, Beverly. My Friend with Autism. Arlington, TX: Future Horizons, 2011.
Cook, Julia. My Mouth is a Volcano. Chattanooga, TN: National Center for Youth Issues, 2005.
Cook Julia. Uniquely Wired: A Story About Autism and Its Gifts. Boys Town, NE: Boys Town Press, 2018.
Cottrell, Sue. Can I Tell You About Stuttering? A Guide for Friends, Family and Professionals. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2013.
De Geus, Eelco. Sometimes I Just Stutter: A Book for Children 7 to 12. Memphis, TN: Stuttering Foundation of America, 1999.
"Disability History Timeline." Institute for Educational Leadership. 2007. Accessed July 15, 2018. http://www.ncld-youth.info/index.php?id=61.
Frith, Margaret. Who Was Louis Braille? New York: Penguin, 2014.
Garey, Diane, and Lawrence R. Hott, dir. Through Deaf Eyes. 2007; Arlington, VA: 2007. DVD.
Gold, Susan Dudley. Americans with Disabilities Act. Carmel, IN: Benchmark, 2010.
Hayes, Amy. Disability Rights Movement. New York: Rosen, 2017.
Haynes, Todd, dir. Wonderstruck. 2017; Santa Monica, CA: Lionsgate. 2018. DVD.
Helsley, Donalisa. My Warp Speed Mind. Milwaukee: Mirror Publishing, 2013.
Heller, Lora. Sign Language for Kids: A Fun & Easy Guide to American Sign Language. New York: Sterling Publishing, 2004.
Lauren, Jill. That's Like Me! Stories About Amazing People with Learning Differences. Cambridge, MA: Star Bright Books, 2009.
McNeese, Tim. Disability Rights Movement. Edina, MN: Abdo, 2013.
Molineux, Eden. Something to Say About Stuttering. Alberta, Canada: Something to Say, 2016.
Moore-Mallinos, Jennifer. It's Called Dyslexia. Barcelona, Spain: Gemser Publications, 2007.
Nadeau, Kathleen G. and Ellen B. Dixon. Learning to Slow Down and Pay Attention: A Book for Kids About ADHD. Washington, DC: Magination Press, 2005.
O'Conner, Frances. Frequently Asked Questions about Stuttering. New York: Rosen Publishing, 2008.
Quinn, Patricia O. Attention Girls! A Guide to Learn All About your AD/HD. Washington, DC: Magination Press, 2009.
Robinson Peete, Holly and Ryan E. Peete. My Brother Charlie. New York: Scholastic, 2010.
Sabin, Ellen. The Autism Acceptance Book. New York: Watering Can Press, 2006.
Sabin, Ellen. The Special Needs Acceptance Book. New York: Watering Can Press, 2007.
Selznick, Brian. Wonderstruck Movie Scrapbook. New York: Scholastic, 2017.
Stefanski, Daniel. How to Talk to an Autistic Kid. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing, 2011.
Stern, Judith and Uzi Ben-Ami. Many Ways to Learn: A Kid's Guide to LD. Washington, DC: Magination Press, 2011.
Stumpf, Tobias with Dawn Schaefer Stumpf. Journal of an ADHD Kid: The Good, the Bad, and the Useful. Bethesda, MD: Woodbine Press, 2014.
Torres, A.J. and Laurie O'Hara. Why Can't I Read? San Bernadino, CA: self-published, 2014.
Welton, Jude. Can I Tell You About Autism? A Guide for Friends, Family and Professionals. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2014.
Wood, Douglas. Miss Little's Gift. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2009.
Implementing District Standards
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.1
Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
While reading Wonderstruck as a class, students will stop periodically to have whole group and small group discussions about the text, and will engage in written responses to reading. They will be citing evidence from the text during their discussions and in their written responses, where they will be explaining what the text says explicitly and drawing inferences. During and after viewing the film Wonderstruck, students will continue to analyze the story, quoting evidence from the film and novel during discussions and in written responses.
Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text.
Students will use evidence from Wonderstruck to determine the themes of the book (identity, friendship, family, belonging, empathy). They will analyze the ways in which Rose and Ben respond to challenges and how their actions and character traits relate to the themes. They will summarize the story in a way that demonstrates the book's unique narrative structure of parallel storylines.
Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., how characters interact).
Students will engage in a great deal of comparison and contrast throughout the unit. They will compare and contrast Ben and Rose, following their actions in parallel storylines, as the unique personalities of both characters begin to emerge. Students will
compare and contrast the settings of 1977 Minnesota and 1927 New York and analyze how the settings influence their respective protagonists. They will compare and contrast the book and film, paying particular attention to what additions and omissions the director made. They will compare the way the book and film address emotions and relationships, and contrast the visual choices made by the director with the visuals created by the author in the graphic novel.
Analyze how visual and multimedia elements contribute to the meaning, tone, or beauty of a text (e.g., graphic novel, multimedia presentation of fiction, folktale, myth, poem).
We will be analyzing both versions of Wonderstruck, the graphic novel and the film, which are very expressive and stylized in different ways. Students will analyze the ways in which the visuals in both versions contribute to the meaning and tone of the story. Students look at the additional visual elements that the film format provides, such as production design, cinematography, lighting, costume design and editing, as well as sound and music. They will then discuss how these elements impact the story.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.5.1
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
During this unit we will engage in many whole class and small group discussions using various strategies such as interactive read aloud, stoplight discussions and conver-stations. Some discussions will be teacher led, but as we progress through the unit, I will move to a facilitator role, allowing students to lead discussions and learn to build on one another's ideas. The stoplight discussion strategy is designed to be student led, and allows students different access points into the conversation, so that even the most reserved students can find opportunities to contribute.
Summarize a written text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
Students will summarize both the graphic novel (which I will read aloud as they follow along in their own copies of the book) and the film. They will summarize each text in a way that demonstrates its unique narrative structure of parallel storylines.
Report on a topic or text or present an opinion, sequencing ideas logically and using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.
During the "go public" stage of the inquiry process, students will present on their group's topic using relevant facts and descriptive details, telling the biographical story of a person with a disability, and demonstrating the knowledge they gained through careful research of that disability.
Include multimedia components (e.g., graphics, sound) and visual displays in presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes.
When students "go public" as described above, they do so using a visual storytelling format of their choice. Their options will include: short film, animation, puppet show, short graphic novel, multi-level diorama, cabinet of wonders, dollhouse, pop-up book, scrapbook, and museum exhibit. I will utilize my background in filmmaking, as well as the expertise of my school's new Digital Storytelling teacher, who has a background in photography and media arts, to guide the students as they create visual storytelling pieces inspired by Todd Haynes' stunning film adaptation of Brian Selznick's beautiful graphic novel.
When you are finished viewing curriculum units on this Web site, please take a few minutes to provide feedback and help us understand how these units, which were created by public school teachers, are useful to others.
THANK YOU — your feedback is very important to us! Give Feedback


e hungry humans have been keeping the humble domestic chicken for their meat and eggs since before history was even recorded. Which is a good thing, of course, because we all know the simple, true joy that chickens give us so often. From Japanese yakitori to classically Southern-fried, roasted whole in the oven, smoked slowly over apple or hickory wood, ground into sausages or mixed in with mayonnaise for chicken salad, the ways in which to prepare this beloved bird, as well as the cultures that have long enjoyed them -- seem innumerable.
And, like our noble pals the cow, pig, lamb and duck, there's so much more of this animal to enjoy than just its large, preferred cuts. Of course, we adore our chicken breasts, legs and thighs as much as anyone else (if not more), but we also savor everything else that this fine, feathered friend has to offer. We wouldn't want to waste anything, now would we? Best of all, many of these often unsung poultry parts are simply bursting with flavors and textures. Here are some of our very favorites, along with some friendly suggestions on how you might like to prepare them for yourself and friends.
Liver The chicken's liver, small but packed with that classic iron-rich flavor, is a quintessential part of world gastronomy. Inexpensive and easy to prepare, we're most fond of sautéing the livers with salt, pepper and onions, then grinding into a course, crumbly chopped liver suited for eating on toast or sandwiches, especially with some sweet cornichon on the side. And if you want to take it further, add a little Cognac and some herbs (or perhaps some black truffles?), and puree into a decadent mousse.
Hearts Make sure, when you buy a beautiful, whole organic, free-range chicken, not to reach inside the cavity and throw out what you find inside. We heart chicken hearts! Especially when they're seasoned simply with salt and pepper -- or sometimes with a dusting of cayenne pepper -- and then skewered and grilled over a charcoal flame. Like duck hearts, they make an excellent appetizer or snack.
Necks While you can use the necks, along with the heart, gizzards, liver and other chicken organs to make a classic giblet gravy, we love to slow cook the necks in a little stock, wine and root vegetables until the meat is falling off the bone. A wonderful way to use one of our favorite kitchen tools, the Crock Pot.
Gizzards The gizzard, a specialized organ found in the chicken's digestive track used to help it grind up food, is beloved in the American South. Not that we need much of an excuse to bread and deep fry anything, the nutty, crunchy gizzards fry up perfectly in hot oil. Top them with some basic white country gravy, and y'all will come back for more every time.
Fat If you happen to be cooking your chicken using a vertical roaster -- or a beer can, for that matter -- don't forget to reserve the fat that drips down from the carcass for later. Chicken fat, or schmaltz, as it's called in Jewish cuisine -- has numerous delicious uses in the kitchen. Excellent for sautéing (especially in chopped liver, as above), you can also use the schmaltz to "butter" your bread before toasting for a rich accompaniment to any meal.
Bones Again, wanting to leave nothing to waste, don't forget to save all of your bones to make chicken stock, which keeps for a tremendously long time when frozen. Trust us; next time you or a loved one is under the weather, some chicken soup -- or chicken and dumplings -- made with your own homemade stock will seem worth its weight in penicillin.


One day, I received an e-mail from Lauren La Rose of The Canadian Press, saying that she was working a on story related to unique wedding proposals. She noticed that I commonly feature the proposal stories of how my couples get engaged. Erin and Brian's proposal story especially caught her eye.
I love getting to know my couples, who they are, what they like, and what they do for fun. What I especially like hearing about is how they met, how they got together, and how they got engaged. In the way that they (or just he or just she) tells their story, I find that you really get to know their unique personalities and characteristics. For some, that means that it's an intimate moment, for others, it means that it's a moment shared in public — whatever the case, it's always the best when it's a reflection of your relationship, not someone else's relationship.
An important thing to note: small and intimate does NOT equal uncreative. In fact, a small and intimate proposal can be very creative and elaborate! Something like this might be perfect for you!
Why do I share my couple's stories with you?
1) They are real people with real stories: they're not just pixels on a screen.
2) Their story is a significant and important part of who they are and their relationship: it's significant and important to me as well.
3) To inspire men (and not discourage them) to love their significant other. Soon-to-be-grooms, be encouraged by these stories! As men, no matter how much we want to be lazy, do nothing, and don't want it to be true, in healthy relationships, we set the attitude and altitude for the relationship. Sometimes we just need to be reminded and refreshed as to the important role we have.
Even married men still have to pursue their wife, be creative, take her out for dates, and make sure that she feels loved!
P.S. Did anyone see this article in the hard copy newspaper print version?
I was out of town for the past few weeks, so I haven't even held a newspaper in a while!


text:
Mixx Facebook Twitter Digg delicious reddit MySpace StumbleUpon LinkedIn Viadeo
Chinese leaders invite citizens into their 'home' to vent
By Steven Jiang, CNN
Many flock to new website
Netizens are allowed to leave message for China's leaders
Some question whether China's top leaders will really see messages from citizens
Beijing, China (CNN) -- In the center of the Chinese capital, next to the Forbidden City, stands a sprawling compound enclosed by tall walls and shrouded in deep secrecy.
Zhongnanhai, once the emperor's backyard with ornate buildings dotting the shores of artificial lakes, now serves as both home and office to China's top leaders.
In the real world, try approaching the red gate with even the slightest suspicion -- lingering just a bit too long or taking a few more photos than a usual tourist -- uniformed and plain-clothed security agents will feel no qualms tackling you with full force and whisking you away in a waiting police van.
In cyberspace, however, the leaders have just become a lot more accessible.
The official Communist Party newspaper, People's Daily, launched an interactive website last week aimed at bridging the communication gap between Chinese people and their leaders.
Log onto the "Directly to Zhongnanhai" home page, an animated graphic of the compound's main entrance greets you with the gate springing open, revealing a famous slogan -- "Serve the People" -- written in the distinctive style of Chairman Mao's calligraphy.
Once inside, visitors are free to browse through recent activities of the most senior Communist Party cadres -- the 27 men and one woman who effectively rule the land -- and leave anonymous messages for any of them, including President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao.
Chinese netizens have flocked into the virtual leadership compound, leaving thousands of messages on the board within several days.
While there are some light-hearted complaints over losing national sports teams, most posts seek the leaders' attention and help in solving problems affecting people's livelihood. People's posts on the site range from challenges in finding jobs or paying medical insurance, to rampant corruption and soaring housing prices.
Some pleas are personal. "President Hu, I was born in the 1980s but still can't find a wife. I don't dare think about getting married because I can't afford to buy a home," vented a poster signed as "hh."
Others vent their frustrations bluntly. A netizen named "Hauyu" asked: "Corrupt Leader, can you really see these messages?"
State media has hailed "Directly to Zhongnanhai" as another sign of greater political openness, but analysts are more divided on its significance and impact.
"The government has been aware of the power of the internet for some time and it has become a major way for the Party to gauge public opinions," said Jeremy Goldkorn, founder of the popular China media website Danwei.org.
Goldkorn cited two much-publicized live Internet chat sessions between netizens and Hu and Wen.
"Although politically incorrect messages will surely be censored on this board, there may still be a genuine feedback mechanism even for those posters," Goldkorn said.
Other observers are more skeptical.
Beijing's need to reduce mounting social tensions is unmistakable. By the government's own admission, more than 3 million people were involved in some 60,000 "mass incidents" in 2003 nationwide, the most recent year official data was made available. Many independent observers consider the figure seriously underreported."
"This new website is just a show," said Michael Anti, a prominent political blogger and news commentator. "The leaders won't see the messages and probably don't trust the accuracy of anonymous posts."
"The Party has always relied an internal system of opinion collection," he added. "Even with this site, they will still depend on the traditional gatekeepers -- the People's Daily editors, in this case -- to filter through the information."
China maintains one of the world's most extensive Internet filtering and censorship systems, blocking popular social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and Youtube.
"Directly to Zhongnanhai" is certainly well protected by the so-called Great Firewall of China. In the Frequently Asked Questions section, the website's administrators promise to vet all messages within 30 minutes during their office hours.
They have also banned 26 categories of comments outright, including "anything that would damage state honor and interests" as well as "rumors that could disrupt social order and stability."
Today's five most popular stories
Fine art from an iPhone? The best Instagram photos from 2014
After IVF shock, mom gives birth to two sets of identical twins
Inside North Korea: Water park, sacred birth site and some minders
10 top destinations to visit in 2015
What really scares terrorists

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
public class Car
{
    public string Model { get; set; }
    public int Speed { get; set; }
    public Car(string model, int speed)
    {
        this.Model = model;
        this.Speed = speed;
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The National ME/FM Action Network is a Canadian, registered, non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the recognition and understanding of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia through education, advocacy, support and research.
The National ME/FM Action Network addresses issues that affect patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and/or Fibromyalgia.
Increase awareness in the general public and in the medical community.
Distribute educational material to medical professionals, patients, educators and the general public.
Advocate for better services for patients.
Work with government departments to further advance awareness and address research needs.
Keep members up to date on recent developments nationally and internationally through the quarterly newsletter and email updates.


What is In-Home Personal Training ?
In-Home Personal Training allows you to train in the comfort and privacy of your own home. I provide the equipment for your workout or if you already own any fitness equipment it can be utilized. No matter how small your space or backyard is there is always a way to create a successful workout.
Full Focus personalized programs are tailored specifically for you and your goals. Whether you require a Personal Trainer for weight loss, motivation, rehabilitation, strength and conditioning, sports specific training or general fitness, Full focus PersonalTraining sessions give you the attention you need.
Where will I do my training sessions?
Full Focus Personal Training is a mobile personal training service. I am able to train you at a local park, in your lounge room, backyard, garage or office.
What equipment do I need in order to train?
You need no equipment because Full Focus Personal Training provides all the equipment necessary for your training sessions. Equipment includes resistance bands, free weights, medicine balls, fit balls, skipping ropes and more.
All cancellations must be received within 24 hours either via email or phone. Failing to do so may result in being charged for the full session.
Monday to Friday 7am to 7pm. Weekends subject to request and availability.
A typical personal training session with Full Focus Personal Training runs for 45 or 60 minutes. However Full Focus Personal Training does offer shorter or longer sessions depending on your schedule and goals.
Do I have to train alone?
You have a number of options. Full Focus Personal Training offers one-on-one sessions, training in pairs or small groups. Training with a friend or in a small group may provide you with additional motivation plus you pay a reduced rate per session.
How long is the first initial consultation?
It is about 60 minutes.
Can I have a group session?
Packages more that 5 sessions can be paid in advance. Cash or cheque is welcome for single sessions on the day. Full Focus Personal Trainingoffers a free, no obligations initial consultation for all new clients with no joining fee.
Full Focus Personal Training works around the areas of Ivanhoe,Eaglemont, Rosanna, Alphington, Fairfeild, Kew, Hawthorn, Clifton hill, Northcote, Thornbury, Preston, Fitzroy and Brunswick.


Original Kurzfassung: Music is a self-evident crucial part of the human experience across cultures, with artefacts dating as far back as the last Ice Age. Music is, as well, an essential aspect of human communication, profoundly influencing the meaning of communication, perception, and behaviour. Music?s critical role is recognised in many disciplines, including anthropology, sociology, psychology, neuroscience, medicine, and marketing. The objective of this Issues and Opinions paper is to discuss theoretical insights concerning the effects of music stimuli, and to describe how that insight applies to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) contexts. As ICT becomes ever more ubiquitous, and as background music becomes ever more an integral part of ICT interfaces, including music in IS research presents increasing theoretical and practical importance.


text:
Tuesday December 13th, 2022 In (e)mission (im)possible, 2022, Climate Change, Educação Ambiental, Portugal By AIDGLOBAL Admin
CALL TO ACTION: registrations for the "(e)mission (im)possible" online course are now open!
Due to the climate inaction that is leading us to an average global temperature rise of +2.7 degrees by the end of the century, the climate emergency requires immediate action to be taken and implemented in all sectors of society. In this unprecedented challenge, the role of Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid becomes crucial as ...
Thursday October 6th, 2022 In (e)mission (im)possible, 2022, Climate Change, Educação Ambiental, Portugal By AIDGLOBAL Admin
A day to decarbonize the third sector, Rome, Italy
On September 22nd, we concluded our event, "(e)mission (im)possible: Supporting the protagonism of international cooperation and the third sector in the fight against climate change," at the Botanical Garden in Rome, Italy. It was the first multiplier event of our (e)mission (im)possible project, implemented through our network of 7 European NGO and university partners. The event was ...
Thursday June 9th, 2022 In (e)mission (im)possible, 2022, Climate Change, Educação Ambiental, Portugal By AIDGLOBAL Admin
Madrid was the meeting place for the "(e)mission (im)possible" partner organizations
The second kick-off meeting of the European project "(e)mission (im)possible" was held between the 16th and 17th of May, in Madrid, in which the representatives of the partner entities took part. The aim was to develop the structure and visual identity of the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), a certified online course, available in 5 ...
Monday May 30th, 2022 In 2022, Climate Change, Education, Madeira, Porto Santo Without Marine Waste, Portugal By AIDGLOBAL Admin
Porto Santo is fighting to reduce marine waste
In the last 20 months, cleaning campaigns have been carried out in Porto Santo Island, as part of the "Porto Santo Sem Lixo Marinho " project, with the participation of about 561 volunteers, of which 352 were adults and 209 were children/youth. The increasing amount of marine litter, especially plastic, in coastal areas and beaches ...
On March 22, 25, 31 and April 29, four cleaning campaigns were held with the 8th-grade classes of the B+S School Professor Dr Francisco de Freitas Branco. The actions aimed to raise the students' awareness of the marine litter problem and the need to continuously promote the Ocean's protection. The activities are carried out under ...
Monday May 2nd, 2022 In 2022, Climate Change, Loures, SDGs, PAB_LivingLab, Portugal By AIDGLOBAL Admin
Municipality of Loures inaugurates Children's Park that lights up with the movement of children
A very special recreational area for children, in Loures, has been created. On April 29th, the Municipality of Loures opened a Children's Park as part of the "PAB_LivingLab ― Vive a Descarbonização no Parque Adão Barata", a project funded by the EEA Grants Environment Program, whose objective is the adoption of sustainable lifestyles. The decarbonisation ...
Thursday April 7th, 2022 In 2022, Climate Change, Loures, SDGs, PAB_LivingLab, Portugal By AIDGLOBAL Admin
Municipality of Loures promotes Sustainable Mobility Under the project PAB_LivingLab
Workshops that teach citizens how to ride a bike without neglecting its maintenance are one of the activities that aim to mobilise citizens to adopt behaviours compatible with sustainable development. Between April 2022 and March 2024, the Municipality of Loures promotes a set of sustainable mobility workshops developed within the scope of the project, "PAB_LivingLab ...
Wednesday April 6th, 2022 In 2022, Climate Change, Loures, SDGs, PAB_LivingLab, Portugal By AIDGLOBAL Admin
Workshop on Air Quality and Green Space Management brings together 26 participants
The initiative took place on March 30, under the project "PAB_LivingLab - Vive a Descarbonização no Parque Adão Barata". On the morning of March 30, the Municipality of Loures held a workshop on the importance of air quality and its relationship with the management of green spaces, which took place in the Environmental Education Center, located in ...
Monday March 14th, 2022 In 2022, Climate Change, Loures, SDGs, PAB_LivingLab, Portugal By AIDGLOBAL Admin
Local shops located meet to discuss concerns associated with sustainable production and consumption
The meeting took place at the Auditorium of the Adão Barata Park Building (PAB) in Loures. It is the first of a series of dynamic sessions with this Working Group, in the scope of the PAB_LivingLab – Vive a Descarbonização no Parque Adão Barata project. On March 10th, the first meeting of the Working Group that will ...
Monday February 21st, 2022 In 2022, Climate Change, Education, Madeira, Porto Santo Without Marine Waste, Portugal By AIDGLOBAL Admin
There are already 36 establishments in Porto Santo with the "Porto Santo without Plastic in the Sea" Label
The first informal certification Seals, promoted under the "Porto Santo Without Marine Waste" project, were delivered on were delivered on 23 June 2021 to the committed restaurants, hotels and shops to adopting good practices and meeting a set of targets in terms of reducing potential marine waste. The presentation of the informal certification Seal and ...
1 2 3 Recentes


"My guy can install those..."
Will you really be around if "we need service down the road??"
More than once, we've heard from discouraged business owners that adding GPS to their company vehicles caused some grumbling among their employees. But most of the time, the grumbling goes away when those same employees learn how GPS can back them up. Hearing about it is one thing, but watching it play out is entirely another.
"We Fix $6 Hair Cuts"
I saw this hilarious commercial a while back. As commercials go, you see the same commercial like 49 times, and every once in a blue moon while you are brain sleeping through it for the 50th time, something clicks.
So this commercial starts out with Dan in his small family owned barber shop. Dan's been there forever, has a steady business with a reputation for doing good work, and life is good. Then a fancy dancy large chain barber shop opens up down the block.
Why is that guy walking around my truck taking all of these pictures?
Many customers and drivers may have had this thought while an MME tech was completing an install, so here is the explanation to the question that has been burning in the back of your mind: Why all the pictures?
Why are you always harping on quality?
If you've perused our site or talked to any of our people, you have probably seen or heard the word quality more than once. Yeah, quality is all well and good, you might think, but why is it such a big deal? Maybe you don't really care about superior workmanship, as long as the system works and your fleets' downtime is minimized. Many people think that way.
Years ago, I had the privilege of working with a Quality Assurance Manager at a much larger company.


Beautiful Kitchen Designs Glamorous Maxresdefault is part of great design ideas. Beautiful Kitchen Designs Glamorous Maxresdefault was created by combining fantastic ideas, interesting arrangements, and follow the current trends in the field of that make you more inspired and give artistic touches. We'd be honored if you can apply some or all of these design in your home. believe me, brilliant ideas would be perfect if it can be applied in real and make the people around you amazed!
Beautiful Kitchen Designs Glamorous Maxresdefault was posted in August 18, 2018 at 3:48 am. Beautiful Kitchen Designs Glamorous Maxresdefault has viewed by 74 users. Click it and download the Beautiful Kitchen Designs Glamorous Maxresdefault.
Kitchen, Beautiful Kitchen Designs was posted October 15, 2017 at 9:23 am by Prospecttube.com . More over Beautiful Kitchen Designs has viewed by 11660 visitor.


School Day: 7:45 a.m. - 2:12 p.m.
This is an important message from Superintendent Troy Ferguson, St. Francis Area Schools.
Due to heavier than forecasted snowfall overnight and many unplowed roads this morning, a two-hour delay for the start of school has been announced for Tuesday, February 12.
Morning Early Childhood Programs are canceled and morning Kids Connection is delayed two hours.
Our priority is to ensure the safety of our students and staff while maintaining the integrity of the school day. Ultimately the decision to send your child to school is yours as a parent. If we hold school and you are uncomfortable sending your child to school due to weather conditions, please verify your child's absence and we will count the absence as excused.


text:
Q: Rendering all the world universities in a react input field - stack size exceeded error I have the following component for an input to select a university. We have more than 9000 options covering all the universities in the world. I have listed only 4 in this example.
import React, { Component } from "react";
import { Input } from "reactstrap";

class Universities extends Component {
    constructor(props) {
        super(props);
        this.state={
            Universities : [
                <option value= "1 December University of Alba Iulia">1 December University of Alba Iulia</option>
                ,<option value= "2nd Military Medical University">2nd Military Medical University</option>
                ,<option value= "3rd Military Medical University">3rd Military Medical University</option>
                ,<option value= "4th Military Medical University">4th Military Medical University</option>

            ]
        }
    }
    render(){
        return(
            <div>
                <Input
                type="select">

                    {this.state.Universities}
                </Input>
            </div>
        )
    }
}
export default Universities;

If I add all the 9000+ options (even if they are assigned to a variable in the state or imported from a universities.js file), I get the error
Uncaught RangeError: Maximum call stack size exceeded at shouldFilterFiber

What is the best solution to add more than 9000 options to an input of type select to solve this problem?

A: The call stacks refers to functions that are called so the problem shouldn't exactly be the 9000+ options, but how the function shouldFilterFiber works. Maybe it does too much recursion or calls too many other functions without executing them. I suppose this would work with only 4 options, like the code you show here. So  that tells me that the function calls functions based on the amount of input and then does recursion through all the input.
This is just theory, I sadly have no clue about js. Maybe someone else can give you a more explicit solution

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
View All Services by Alpha
Cybersecurity Hotline
Client Service Commitment
Statewide Reach
Lexwork International Network
Legal Basics Videos
Newsletters Sign-up
BizTech Law Blog
Elder Law Blog
Equine Law Blog
Fosterfashion Blog
Michigan Bankruptcy Blog
Michigan Labor & Employment Law Blog
Tax Law Blog
Your Family Law Advocate Blog
Summer Associate Life
Life as an Associate
Aspiring Attorneys
Professional Support Staff
Former Foster Swift Attorney Receives Lifetime Achievement Award
LANSING, Mich. – Long time Foster Swift Attorney Frank H. Reynolds received the Thomas E. Brennan Lifetime Achievement Award at the Ingham County Bar Association's (ICBA) Annual Dinner on November 14.
The Thomas E. Brennan Award is given to lawyers who have made a significant and longstanding contribution to the advancement or improvement of the justice system and the betterment of the legal profession in the State of Michigan, while also having attained professional excellence as demonstrated by accomplishments in the law or service to the profession during his or her career.
The Lifetime Achievement Award may be given in any one year. However, the award is given only in those years when it is determined that an exceptionally worthy recipient has been nominated.
Frank received his law degree from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School and a Master of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Michigan State University. During his 30-plus year legal career, his practice focused on state and federal criminal defense and professional licensing cases. Reynolds successfully defended many high profile cases in Ingham County and throughout Michigan. Over the course of his career, he has tried more than 250 cases.
He has received numerous awards and recognitions, including induction into the American College of Trial Lawyers, held leadership positions in the local and state bar associations, received numerous selections as Special Prosecutor, and an appointment by former U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice, William H. Rehnquist, to the Magistrate Judge Education Advisory Committee of the Federal Judicial Center.
While a talented litigator, Frank's passion is teaching and developing young professionals. He has presented and lectured across Michigan to educational, charitable and legal organizations, including adjunct professorships at both Western Michigan University Cooley Law School and Michigan State University College of Law. He retired from his practice at Foster Swift in 2018.
General & Commercial Litigation
Copyright © 2020, Foster Swift Collins & Smith PC | Home | Online Invoice Payment | Site Map | Contact | Terms of Service | Privacy | Site by Firmseek


Belfast's award winning hospitality, thriving cultural scene, fascinating tours, recent history and charming and welcoming people make it a "must visit" city for any Hen Party. An ideal destination for those with energy to burn or for that matter, for those that want to slow down the pace of life and just do a gentle stroll. Belfast is the perfect city to explore on foot.
Walkers and cyclists share the same "Lagan towpath" as they follow the river Lagan and discover a rural sanctuary only a few miles from the city centre.
Billed as one of the top and most popular destinations in Europe, it has every thing an adventurous or even low key Hen party would want, from world class golf courses to cycling the lagan towpath and walking the Belfast hills, Hen Parties are spoilt for choice when it comes to activities.
Belfast could be called Adventure land as it is the perfect place to get the blood pumping as Hens enjoy an action packed break. However, on the other hand if the choice is to go at a slower pace it is easy to soak up the atmosphere at one of the local sporting and without breaking sweat and experience the fun and hospitality that Belfast is famous for.
Be the Hens adrenaline junkies or just on the starter pack, the city and the surrounding area has a lot to offer, from Rock climbing and abseiling to kayaking and canoeing, the combination of mountains and sea allows endless activities to suit all groups.
Every once in a while, the impossible seems like the right thing to do, so here is a chance for the Hen Party to do, maybe not the impossible, more the improbable and soar above the city and surrounding countryside in a helicopter. Corporate helicopters are available for hire for groups and Hen Parties. If the girls want to go all swanky, but are nervous of flying, then chose option B and spend an afternoon skirting the coast in a luxury yacht.
Options are great and Hen Parties will be spoilt when it comes to choice.
Choose between ten pin bowling, Archery, rock-climbing, abseiling, paintballing, golfing, horse riding and quad biking. Add to all that, American pool and ice skating and the list goes on.
Throughout the year there are numerous concerts and musical at some of Irelands best theatres and centres, in particular the waterfront concert hall, a magnificent venue to witness any event.
For the historical Hens there are plenty of museums, art galleries, beautiful buildings and the fabulous Belfast city hall to explore and admire and while in the vicinity, take a ride in the "Belfast eye" situated next to the city hall.
While walking is the best way to view the city, there is hop-on, hop-off bus tours for the less energetic.
After dark, the awaking and sensuous Belfast comes out to play. The city has many great clubs and pubs and excellent hotels and a marvellous range of award winning restaurants.


text:
WORLD'S BEST PASTEL & COLORED PENCIL ARTISTS: TEDDE, NAN, PELTIER, PEI, LEWIS, VILLON DE BENVENISTE AND HOWARD
Pastel, chalk, crayon and colored pencil artists from Italy, China, USA and Great Britain win big in Category 5 of the 2018 AMERICAN ART AWARDS.
This year the American Art Awards (www.AmericanArtAwards.com), juried by the 25 Best Galleries & Museums In America (listed below), had online art images in 50 categories submitted from artists in 59 countries: Afghanistan, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, El Salvador, England, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Great Britain, Greece, Haiti, Iceland, India, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Serbia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, UK, Ukraine, USA, Venezuela.
The 1st Place to 6th Place winners in all 50 categories will be revealed in the news about a category a day — stretching into November, making this one of the longest winner announcements of any art competition in the world.
LUCA TEDDE
Born in Cagliari (Italy) in 1976.
As a child I was very fascinated by "street portrait artists" but I didn't have a school education in art so I trained myself to become a portrait artist with a lot of practice and observation.
I've been working for 20 years with graphite and charcoal, trying to get the most realistic if not even hyper-realistic results. I'm in love with human faces and my constant thought while I'm drawing is to transfer the inner essence of a person to the paper, so that the viewer can share an experience with my portraits that is not just related to the appreciation of the mere technique involved but far beyond that.
Until I discovered soft pastels, my portfolio was basically made of graphite and charcoal portraits, one of them published on the "Amazing Pencil Portraits 2" collection by Platte Productions Publishing (USA) and I had the chance to work on commissions received from several countries around the world. I enjoyed participating to collective exhibitions and artistic events during the last 5 years, winning awards for my graphite portraits.
In the last few years I attended private courses to learn the technique of soft pastels, a medium born in France in the late 15th century and used in the centuries to follow by great artists such as Rosalba Carriera, Maurice Quentin de La Tour and Edgar Degas, just to name a few. With this technique, my art is getting known even more and already won awards like at the first International Pastel Exhibition in Italy in 2017 and at the International Marchionni Prize in 2018.
At the moment, I work on a commission basis and teach drawing and portrait classes in long-term courses and 3-day-workshops all around Italy.
Web: http://www.lucatedde.it
CATEGORY 5. PASTELS/CHALK/CRAYONS/COLORED PENCIL — HUMAN FIGURE
1ST PLACE LUCA TEDDE ITALY www.lucatedde.it "La Musa In Fiore" 50x70cm Soft pastels on Pastelmat.
2ND PLACE ZHENG NAN CHINA 709582313@QQ.COM "Listen To The Waves" 39.3X27.5" Pastel on paper.
3RD PLACE MANDY PELTIER USA www.mandypeltier.com "See Me" 9x12" Colored pencils on sanded paper.
4TH PLACE-TIE FABANG PEI CHINA wubiyingbonny@gmail.com "Pamir Mom" 22x30" Pastel.
4TH PLACE-TIE JANE LEWIS GREAT BRITAIN www.janelewisartist.com "Double Portrait" 20x27.5" Pastel on hand-made paper.
5TH PLACE MARY VILLON DE BENVENISTE USA wwww.MaryVillonDeBenveniste.com "Yves Famchon" 18x24" Oil on linen.
6TH PLACE-TIE FABANG PEI CHINA wubiyingbonny@gmail.com "Kyrgyz Hunter" 22x30" Pastel.
6TH PLACE-TIE MARY VILLON DE BENVENISTE USA www.MaryVillonDeBenveniste.com "Charlie" 19x28" Pastel on paper.
6TH PLACE-TIE JULIE HOWARD USA www.organic-pastels.com "Dream Job" 24x36" Soft pastels.
This year's 25 Best Galleries & Museums asked to vote on art were:
BEST IN ALABAMA — ALABAMA CONTEMPORARY ART CENTER
BEST IN ARKANSAS — FORT SMITH REGIONAL ART MUSEUM
BEST IN CALIFORNIA — REVOLVER GALLERY
BEST IN COLORADO — COLORADO FINE ARTS CENTER AT COLORADO COLLEGE
BEST IN FLORIDA — LIK FINE ART MIAMI + LIK FINE ART KEY WEST
BEST IN ILLINOIS — TRICKSTER ART GALLERY
BEST IN KANSAS — BIRGER SANDZEN MEMORIAL GALLERY
BEST IN KENTUCKY — E&S GALLERY
BEST IN LOUISIANA — NEWCOMB ART MUSEUM
BEST IN MASSACHUSETTS — BOSTON SCULPTORS GALLERY
BEST IN MISSISSIPPI — THE OHR-O'KEEFE MUSEUM OF ART
BEST IN MISSOURI — UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI MUSEUM OF ART AND ARCHEOLOGY
BEST IN NEBRASKA — KIECHEL FINE ART
BEST IN NEVADA — THE METROPOLITAN GALLERY OF LAS VEGAS ART MUSEUM
BEST IN OHIO — LEE HAYDEN GALLERY
BEST IN OKLAHOMA — JOSEPH GIEREK FINE ART
BEST IN OREGON — JORDAN SCHNITZER MUSEUM of ART
BEST IN PENNSYLVANIA — JAMES A. MICHENER ART MUSEUM
BEST IN SOUTH CAROLINA — MARY MARTIN GALLERY OF FINE ART
BEST IN SOUTH DAKOTA — SOUTH DAKOTA ART MUSEUM
BEST IN TEXAS — ART ON 5TH
BEST IN UTAH — THE LEONARDO
BEST IN WASHINGTON — MARYHILL MUSEUM OF ART
BEST IN WEST VIRGINIA — WEST VIRGINIA STATE MUSEUM
BEST IN WISCONSIN — MUSEUM OF WISCONSIN ART
Enter art at www.AmericanArtAwards.com
Farewell 2018, Hello 2019
Seb Chan
Artist Spotlight: Owen Normand
Artsted
Rebuilding History: Can technology help restore architectural masterpieces?
Adriana Ochoa Arévalo in Retórica
How to spread joy through art?
The Art of Anna Hyatt Huntington
Lain Hart
Bauhaus in the U.S.
AS | MAG in AS | MAG
Warriors & Weddings Photographer Beyond Jack Arent's Lens
Kaitlyn Pratt in Boulevards New Media
Cindy A. Nguyen


text:
Co-produced by the Centre and Gagglebabble as part of Festival of Voice this part murder mystery/ part musical had plenty of twists and turns.
For this production our Rehearsal Room 3 was turned into a huge cruise ship (the Empress of the Sea) with the audience being seated in a 1950s inspired mock-cinema arrangement.
The technically ambitious production delivered breath-taking projections and full 3D sound which gave audiences a truly multi-sensory experience.
The entire show was delivered with accessibility at its core - particularly for people with impaired vision - with plenty of description and lit in a way that enabled the whole audience to enjoy the performance.
Using a see-through screen in front of the stage, the cast blended live action, shadow-work, silhouettes and computer-generated projections with an original live score, fronted by 9Bach's Lisa Jên.
What transpired was a thrilling ride through the darkness of the human psyche, inspired by Alfred Hitchcock and Ernest Lehman's unfinished script, 'The Blind Man'. A story about friendship, perception and betrayal.
Listen to a podcast review from our Radio Platfform presenter, Heather.
We believe in the transformative power of the arts to bring about positive change.
Audiences and communities are at the heart of everything we do.
We create our own productions, festivals and events with a strong voice at its heart.
We're here to create joyful, life-enhancing experiences for young people in Wales to tell their stories and to be creative.
How we're nurturing talent and amplifying diverse voices by supporting artists and creatives.
Our board of trustees and senior management team steer our strategic vision.
Our youth council provides space and an opportunity for young people to have their voices heard.
We are home to eight cultural organisations including Welsh National Opera and BBC NOW.
The latest news, views and stories. Discover how we're keeping our creative spark alive.
Find out more about our current job offers, employee benefits and what Cardiff has to offer as a city.
Discover what we're doing to ensure that our culture and attitudes are actively anti-racist.
We are proudly bilingual in everything that we do.
From the poetic inscription to the materials used; the story of our iconic building.
Find out how we're reducing our environmental impact and becoming a more sustainable business.
Take a look at some of our highlights from the past year.