Creating Constellations of Change with Students and Teachers: A PT2050 Showcase
Feb
27
2025
Feb
27
2025
Description
In October 2024, Drama for Schools recruited 11 middle and high school students and four seventh-grade teachers from Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders (ARS) to explore local climate change issues through a Student-Teacher Learning Community (STLC) led by a team of six UT drama and arts integration specialists. Through both in-school and out-of-school workshops facilitated through drama-based climate resilience activities, this team applied their learning to co-design and facilitate new projects across the seventh-grade curriculum, culminating in a school-wide festival.
In “Creating Constellations of Change with Students and Teachers: The Climate Justice with Youth Project at Ann Richards School,” you will learn about the project and participants’ reflections on the emotional and cognitive outcomes from their work over a semester together, exploring aspects of resiliency, belonging and climate change literacy in schools.
This 75-minute long session will feature representatives from the ARS STLC, including ARS students, seventh-grade teachers and the Drama For Schools facilitation team. They will showcase highlights from the December 2024 Climate Resiliency Arts Festival, discuss the impacts of their work on students and the ARS community, and demonstrate samples of their arts-based methods for exploring climate issues with youth.
Register for this and other sessions happening throughout the three-day Planet Texas 2050 annual symposium, which explores diverse and intersecting aspects of resilience. Presenters from multiple universities representing more than 20 academic disciplines will be joined by practitioners and community-based leaders from Austin and beyond.
Katie Dawson uses the arts to increase equity, access and belonging in education. She is a Provost’s Teaching Fellow at UT Austin, heads the Drama and Theatre for Youth and Communities M.F.A program and the Creative Collaborations for the Project Texas 2050 Climate Resiliency interdisciplinary research project.
Lynn Hoare is an applied theatre artist working at the Center for Imagining and Performing Justice, where she uses arts-based methods to foster connection and belonging. Lynn is also a co-founder of the Performing Justice Project which creates original theatre with young people about gender and racial justice.
Gabrielle Lewis is a teaching artist, dramaturg and performer from Round Rock, Texas. She earned a B.A. in theatre from Augsburg University and M.F.A. in drama and theatre for youth and communities at UT Austin. Her teaching, artistry and scholarship embody a healing-centered approach with learners of all ages.
Location
William C. Powers Student Activity Center
2201 Speedway
Legislative Assembly Room (2.302)
Parking: Brazos Garage