The Hexagon Project
The mission of the Hexagon Project is to spread the meaning of interdependence through school- and community-created artwork.
"Independence used to be the ticket for liberty. But today, security and freedom, whether it’s in the Arab Spring, whether it’s in Iraq or whether it’s right here in the United States, means working cooperatively and interdependently with others."
Benjamin Barber
Visit the hexagon project website to learn all about it!
Project #1
We will compare the concepts of independence and interdependence by exploring our history, current events, and ourselves.
Options:
Use the declaration of independence in part or whole;
Explore the concept of interdependence.
Click HERE to see a gallery of student work.
As a background for illustration. Cut large or small pieces to arrange in the background. Use marker, pen, paint, or colored pencils to illustrate a message about interdependence.
Use parts or pieces to represent OBJECTS in collage about explanation or understanding of interdependence.
Show how language in the declaration of independence can be re-interpreted in our current times and how it supports interdependence.
Show how language in the declaration of independence can be re-interpreted to promote interdependence.
Use parts or pieces of the declaration of independence to represent IDEAS in your explanation or understanding of interdependence.
Use parts of the declaration of independence to create a black-out poem about interdependence.
1. After exploring the materials on the Hexagon Project website, take a look at your copy of the declaration of independence.
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2. Brainstorm ideas regarding the concepts and language.
Think about these questions:
How can you make a translation from independence to interdependence?
Is there a correlation between independence and interdependence?
How does interdependence strengthen diversity, equity, or technology?
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3. Choose an option from the hexagons above. Use your sketchbook to develop ideas and practice different techniques before committing to a final product.
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4. When you have a clear understanding or message and a plan to convey it with visual imagery, use the hexagon template as your format. Gather materials from the classroom as necessary.
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Project #2
We will create a mural of hexagons to be installed in public commons for Indigenous Peoples' Day, in collaboration with county schools.
After exploring creation stories, maps, and relationships, create a hexagon that addresses your ideas of connection between places and people.
For Teachers:
1. After exploring the materials on the offical Hexagon Project website, take a look at the lesson framework. Consider the five threads of the Standard Model for Indigenous Learning: Place, Storytelling, Intergenerations Interaction, Experience, and Interconnectedness. The framework offers many paths towards project implementation and can be adapted for relevance and need.
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2. Equip students with tools and time. Arts integration provides a window for students to find understanding, but the making is the final step in a longer process.
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Click the red hexagon to access a shared image gallery
