Right Brain Initiative Residency

This program offered by: Red Yarn

RESIDENCY GOALS
Students will learn folk song lyrics and write original lyrics, using rhyme, meter, and other poetic devices, and expressing knowledge through creative writing.
Through group singing, students will cooperate, collaborate, and learn musical skills like pitch, melody and rhythm.
When building and operating puppets, students will make design choices, learn to be resourceful with everyday materials, and translate feelings into movement.
By studying and adapting folk songs, students will enhance their understanding of history and their empathy for people in different times, places and cultures.
Students will gain confidence in their bodies and voices through performance.
As students are exposed to several art forms at once — music, puppetry, writing and more — they will learn that arts disciplines are connected to each other, to academic subjects, and to everyday life.

WORK WITH STUDENTS
The central elements of Red Yarn’s residencies and performances are music and puppetry. Students learn a folk song, rewrite the lyrics to connect to curriculum, make puppets of the song’s characters, and put on a musical puppet show. By expressing their unit knowledge with original song lyrics, then by translating the story into a visual/sculptural medium and an embodied performance, students express their comprehension in several ways.

They learn skills like singing, rhythm, crafting with fabric, paper and recycled materials, public speaking and performance. Through active participation, teachers help guide the residency and learn new strategies for helping students creatively interpret texts.

Questions? 

If you have questions or would like more information about this program or the Right Brain Initiative, please contact:

Ryan Higa
Senior Education Manager
503-225-5900 x703
[email protected]

 

Details

Program Model: In Class

Art Form(s): Folk Music

Curriculum Connections: Social Studies

Grades: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, K, Pre-K

Program Requirements: None.

Instruction Language(s): English

Min. Residency Sessions/Classroom: 3

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Red Yarn

About the Artist

Red Yarn

Andy Furgeson, aka Red Yarn, is a musician, puppeteer and educator from Austin, Texas, based in Portland since 2005. After several years working in after school programs and playing music for grown-ups, Andy decided to combine his passions for education and music by creating Red Yarn. Since going full-time as a family performer and teaching artist in June 2012, Andy has performed 250 shows per year, taught music and puppetry to thousands of students, and touched the lives of countless families with his songs, puppets, and positive messages. With seven albums, extensive touring, and videos galore, Red Yarn is taking his creative folklore project to a national scale. Andy lives in North Portland with his wife and singing partner Jessie Eller-Isaacs (an English teacher at Cleveland High School), their two young children, and a basement full of critter puppets.

"Red Yarn is not only an amazing artist and musician, he knows how to work with young learners. He challenges them, builds confidence, helps them identify art in the world...all while having so much fun! I recommend this experience highly." K-5 Teacher

Learn More about Red Yarn
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