Learning Community 9A had a wonderful field trip to the Detroit Institute of the Arts on February 1st. 89 students and 10 chaperones had an opportunity to see six galleries, focusing on an investigation of several themes related to World History and English Language Arts. And thanks to the DIA's extensive digital exhibits, students who were unable to accompany us downtown enjoyed a day of virtual art exploration from the classroom.
One of the highlights of the visit was seeing Rivera Court, Diego Rivera's mural depicting the advances and costs associated with the Industrial Revolution, which students will be studying this quarter in World History. Students learned a great deal from the docents on hand in this exhibit. Another impressive piece was a brilliantly colored Iranian Qur'an dated from 1450. Students were asked to consider what they felt makes this a classic piece of art as a segue into their Writ Lit topic for 3rd quarter about classic literature.
The students also thoroughly enjoyed the chance to sample two hot chocolates (one with cinnamon and cloves and the other with a hint of chili), thanks to the special exhibit "Bitter|Sweet: Coffee, Tea, and Chocolate."
If we can count on their reflections, each student saw an exhibit with which they connected. We hope that for students who have been to the DIA before, this field trip gave them an opportunity to see some of the pieces they might have overlooked in the past, and for those who have never been, we hope this gave them reason to go back. For residents of Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb Counties, admission is free!
