Through Partnership with Seattle Public Schools Area Middle School Students Get Hands-On Science and Art Experience at Chihuly Garden and Glass

Refined from a 2013 pilot program, "Science of Glass" curriculum fulfills STEAM science standards and culminates in a visit to the exhibition for all district sixth grade students

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Chihuly Garden and Glass

Apr 28, 2014, 05:40 ET

SEATTLE, April 28, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Chihuly Garden and Glass and Seattle Public Schools are continuing a partnership to offer area sixth graders a "science of glass" curriculum. Broken into three parts and fulfilling Science Technology Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) standards, students learn the properties of glass, including relationship to color, light, architectural structure and patterns.

Seattle area sixth graders view the science of glass in the renowned Glass House at Chihuly Garden and Glass. (PRNewsFoto/Chihuly Garden and Glass)

To develop the program, Chihuly Garden and Glass collaborated with an Instructor Advisory Group, including science and art instructors from Seattle Public Schools. The program was refined based on teacher and student feedback gathered from a 2013 pilot program and now all Seattle Public Schools sixth graders will have the opportunity to learn directly from the curriculum, which brings together elements of physical, life and earth sciences, as well as engineering. In their visit to the exhibition, kids are prompted to observe, describe, speculate qualities of color, properties of form and elements of structure, connecting back to their in-class lessons.

"We are pleased to continue this great relationship with Chihuly Garden and Glass in which our sixth graders have the opportunity to see firsthand the relationship between art and science," said Jose Banda, Superintendent of Seattle Public Schools. "What a wonderful opportunity for our students to experience these relationships that tie into what they are learning in the classroom."

Credited with advancing the medium of glass, Chihuly is known for working in grand scale and technique. From suspended ceiling installations like the Fiori di Como at the Bellagio in Las Vegas to hanging Chandeliers over the canals of Venice, Chihuly has had to invent technical solutions to create such structures. With its expansive installations of Chihuly's signature glass series and large architectural installations, Chihuly Garden and Glass, when coupled with the curriculum, is well suited as a learning resource for both the arts and sciences.

"Students are so excited by the work they see when they arrive but it's the scale and complexity of Dale Chihuly's work that draws them into a sense of curiosity and wonder," said Michelle Bufano, Executive Director, Chihuly Garden and Glass. "They engage with the work on an intimate level while, through the curriculum, they are challenged to explore academic concepts of science, engineering, and art. It's really been such a great experience to be part of creating a new way to bring the arts and sciences together."

To further arts engagement for youth and adults within Seattle and the Northwest Chihuly Garden and Glass partners with several local non-profit organizations including Pratt Fine Arts Center, Pilchuck Glass School, ArtsFund and Seattle Public Schools. As part of its partnership, Chihuly Garden and Glass will provide complimentary admission and transportation to the exhibition for all students in the sixth grade throughout the Seattle Public Schools system.

About Chihuly Garden and Glass

Chihuly Garden and Glass provides a look at the career of artist Dale Chihuly. Located at Seattle Center, the exhibition features an Exhibition Hall offering visitors a comprehensive look at Chihuly's significant series of work. Visitors will also enjoy the centerpiece Glasshouse - a dramatic structure housing a suspended 1,340-piece, 100-foot-long glass sculpture -- and the Garden, which is a backdrop for a number of monumental sculptures and other installations. Also housed in the Exhibition Hall is the Collections Cafe, featuring pieces from Chihuly's collections including carnival chalk ware, vintage accordions, vintage radios and cameras and The Bookstore, showcasing the works of local artisans and a variety of books and materials relating to Chihuly's artworks. For more information visit: www.chihulygardenandglass.com.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140428/81349

SOURCE Chihuly Garden and Glass