I had mentioned in my last post that I have a first- time offered class that is the Cardinal Print Shop. Last Semester I had a first-time offered class of Video Game Design. I have a lot that I did with that class and what I want to do with both of them, is blog what I did with the classes so if you want to do it with your class, you will have some of my information as well as see some things that I crashed on. Each group reacts differently and what works or doesn't with one group may not or may, work with another. The Video Game Design Class I will blog about probably during the Summer when I have more time. This one is about the Cardinal Print Shop.
Cardinal Print Shop - This was set up as the vision of the previous Art Teacher and the Shop Teacher. Mr C. Mr C. has successfully set-up and established Cardinal Manufacturing. It involves the whole department where students learn skills (and positive behaviors) through their Middle and High School classes and in their Junior year can apply to be in the program the following year. Students in the program create and repair things for the school and community and distinguish themselves with their attitudes and skills so whatever they go into, the program listed on their resume gives them a plus. Even if they do not go into manufacturing, they are positive, responsible workers and leaders. With Cardinal Manufacturing built up as much as it has there are even scholarships for the students involved. The Print Shop is being set-up to be similar in perspective with helping the students develop some printing skills but also positive attitudes and hopefully scholarships in the future.
So, this is where I come in. I was asked to take the Art Teacher position right before school started. The Art teacher had gotten another position. He was just setting up this class and most of the information about this class came from Mr. C. I had subbed for the previous Art Teacher and he lives close to me so I am able to email or call him with questions. My background is that I have done silk-screen printing - which right now is what most of the class will be for now. I learned how when I took a class at a quilt shop and used it for quilting and cards. At one long-term position, I built some silk screen frames from heavy-duty unused meat trays and have taught silk screen printing to 5th graders at 4 schools. I have taken college classes with printmaking so I feel very comfortable teaching this. The other part is that I have had several businesses - selling honey, crafts, paintings with online sales from 3 stores. This initial class will be researching and setting up the details and starting to print. I am having the students research and report information back and we will make decisions as a group. Even purchases will need to be made on a vote basis.
I have set aside $2000 from my budget for materials and equipment for this class. What I have in my backroom already are stretcher bars and a roll of screen material. There were quite a few silk screen frames without the screen in an upper storage area, but they look like something I may use for a different project and start this class with fresh stuff. There also is quite a bit of fabric and other silk screen ink. On one of the carts in the room, was a machine. When I researched it, it turned out to be a thermal printer from the late 1950s early 1960's. The way it makes silkscreens is pretty slick. When I asked the past Art Teacher about it, he said that it needs refurbishing. I had also found out that the prepared screen material is quite high and often in the US, it is out of stock for a long time. I found a roll in the upper storage room still in the package. One of the things the students will need to decide is if it is worth the cost of refurbishing and the purchase of materials to make the screens. If not, should I list it on ebay and then put the money from it back into the class funds. This is less mess and you are not dealing with painting on the emulsion on screens before developing with light.
Second Semester - first day of class, started on Tuesday.
1) I did the regular intro about what the class is about, rules, goals. I will be having the tech dept send them links to download the Adobe suite. It told them they need to share their resources - each know something different computer and otherwise, and if they can help somebody out, then they should.
2). I divided the groups into teams of 4 and had them research different places to have t-shirts printed, the methods and the costs. They had to choose 2 local and 2 online POD. There was quite a range of prices and costs. I then had them report to the class what they found out. It seems like many of them are more of an iron process vs the silk screen method, so we will have to explore that more.
3) Michaels had a one day sale on buy one, get one free on the t shirts so they were $1.99 each. I had the students vote if we should spend the money on a shirt for each student in the class and they said "yes". I went out and got the shirts. Part of the shirt deal is that they will be able to print their own shirt but also evaluate the shirt and ink, how it holds up with washing probably the right way and wrong way. We will need to see if it needs to be heat set and then vote on heating machine/ iron if it does.
4) I gave each group a three-ring binder to put their information in. With their initial research, I had them each do one company and put their name on the evaluation sheet. I don't have dividers for them, but that may come or they will have to make their own.
5) After spending the money on the shirt, I wanted to have a treasurer to keep track of outgoing and incoming money. We may be buying shirts and then getting paid back for materials and shirts later. I want the bookkeeping to be something that the whole group learns about. The treasurer position was taken on by a group of Seniors with them knowing it was not just one person, but rather that any can do it and step in if the main one was gone. They needed to find and download the ledger paper and set up their books.
6) Assigned a group as Secretary - the same as above. We need somebody/group to keep track of the decisions and activities of the group. These positions can be like a club also or like a business.
7) Orders - a third binder and group for orders We already have a few orders that I will be doing this week so we need to have a binder and sheet made up for the information. They were tasked with creating an order form. It has to have the date, who wants it, quantity, colors, sizes, if they are providing the shirts or if we are etc. The orders we have already are - The Spanish Club, MS Robotics Club, the Model RR Club, the History Club, and I think maybe one more at this point. We are starting this class in the Spring Semester so there may have been more orders in the fall, but this year, they can set things up for another time.
8) Because a girl whined about wanting to make something and my goal is to take them through the silk screen process, I got out my small silkscreens and demonstrated that and how to use paper patterns to demonstrate it. I have different plastics in the room already and xacto knives to have them learn to cut stencils and use that method also. I want them to try out, research, evaluate the different ways to get at what they want to do. I am trying to take them step-by-step through the process and not let them push me faster than I want to teach them. I also have a little bottle of diazo to try and some screen filler. I bought my own Cricut because there was a sale and the one at school didn't connect to my computer. I have cut some stencils from home. I will be testing the History club screen with that stencil. For now, the History Club is the only stencil I have to make. The other ones were made by the previous Art Teacher.
One of their research projects - once they have hand-cut some stencils - is to research and decide on the different cutters and plotters that we should research. They will evaluate the home ones such as the Silouette, Cricut and Brother machine as well as plotters.
I have to consider grading issues and with the research and groups, I don't want to give the same grade to a student that just sits and does nothing. I am designing it so they have work they need to do as an individual and then discuss it as a group. I have a sitter already that I need to talk to. With the research they did, I had them put their name on it so I can give them credit for what they have done. I know I have some shy ones and if it is ok with their group, another student can present the research that the other one did. They will be evaluated on their stencils, projects and prints.
Looking ahead to this second week, this is what I am planning on. I know things may flex and change, but that is how it goes.
M - I have a premade stencil for the Robotics Club. When I tested it because it looked funny, there were some areas that printed that shouldn't have. I will be demonstrating how the block filler works, et it dry and then print the stencil again. They will be working on their silk screen print with the paper block-out/stencil.
T - May let them test print. If they want to try another thing, that is good. I have to work out the Spanish Club stencil with the president who is in our class and did some silk screen printing with the past Art Teacher. There is one premade stencil of the logo, there will be separate stencils for the letters. She is having the shirt printed front and back. I will need to buy the t shirts for this one and get reinbursed. I have a stencil cut on the Cricut for the History Club so will show the student how to weed the letters. I cut it on Oracel. I hope it sticks on the screen permanently. I put it on the outside of the screen instead of the inside. This will be out test of the material.
W- The advisor for the Robotics Club is coming with her shirts to print. I will be doing it after school so if they want to come they can. . They can work on their test prints. If they want to make cards or something from their prints, that is fine.
Th/F - pretty much printing. If they finish, I can go over making a blockout stencil from clear contact paper. Discuss the reversal of the letters.
I will be reporting on how it went issues that came up, problem-solving etc.
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