Shadowcatcher Project

KSO and Portage Northern High School Collaboration
January - May, 2007

Portage Northern High School students in the International Baccalaureate (IB) classes in the humanities areas will explore issues of Native American Indian history, culture, arts, and current events in a project that is linked to the KSO Concert Shadowcatcher.

Project participants

PNHS students in the following classes:

• IB Knowledge of Learning
• IB Social Studies History of the Americas
• IB Art
• IB Music

Guest Speaker
Calvin Hill, a Native American minister and speaker, will talk with students and discuss issues of identity, stereotypes, and current issues.

Student Creative/Academic Response
Students will create a visual installation project responding to their academic learning and using visual arts skills. The installation will include humanities elements including reflection papers, pictures of Calvin Hill’s visit, and artistic presentations. These installations are the “exam” and will be viewed and evaluated by an IB examiner. Students will meet with examiner to defend their work

KSO Concert
Students will be given discount price tickets to the KSO Concert Shadowcatcher. This project would link with visual arts and music high school classes, Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra concert which features Shadowcatcher by Eric Ewazen (music inspired by photographs of Native American Indians) and residency of composer Eric Ewazen. 

Display: The Edward Curtis photographs, several of which will be displayed in the Miller lobby during the performance.

The Shadowcatcher Project is made possible in part by a grant from the Michigan Humanities Council, an affiliate for the National Endowment for the Humanities.