Learning Chinese through art
02.25.10
Molding clay in an art class is nothing new. In fact, it's as old as including art classes in education.
However, learning Chinese culture by molding clay is unique and one of the ways Tech Valley High School is different than traditional educational settings.
Freshmen in Ed Coolidge's art class began this week working on clay sculpture as part of a project that will also teach them Chinese culture. The project combines the obvious lessons in art with cultural lessons on Chinese art that will coincide with what the students are learning in their Mandarin Chinese lessons.
The students will eventually create "Chinese vessels" that depict a form of Chinese art, said Coolidge.
In creating the art, the students will examine ancient Chinese artifacts and learn the history behind them, as well as the importance of the art in the Chinese culture.
