Herkimer Jr./Sr. High School students in the social emotional artistic learning class are creating wood coins with images and messages that are meaningful to them.
It’s a new lesson that Herkimer Jr./Sr. High School art teacher Heather McCutcheon just developed this school year. Students design their coins digitally using iPads or a web-based program, and then use a Glowforge laser printer to engrave their designs on the wood coins.
Once McCutcheon thought of the idea for the lesson, she knew she had to develop it into a full lesson for the social emotional artistic learning class because she considers it a perfect fit for the class.
“I think it goes right along with the whole class – really trying to find out who we are and what we stand for,” McCutcheon said, noting that in addition to visual arts, the class also utilizes arts such as poems, songs and lyrics for self-expression. “It’s about using the arts to learn more about who we are and our identity.”
The social emotional artistic learning class includes 13 students in grades 9-12 and has a lot of flexibility built into it. Some students are scheduled to attend every day, and others are scheduled for every other day. Also, some students take the class the whole school year, and others take it for half of the year. Additionally, the class is first period to help give students a buffer before their core classes in case they’re running late or need time to get going for the day.
McCutcheon used scrap pieces of thin wood from other projects to pre-cut the wood coins for the project. After students finish their two-sided designs with images, their initials and an inspirational message, they send the designs to the Glowforge for laser printing/engraving. The printing takes about five minutes per side. After that, students color the coins with paint, markers or colored pencils.
“Students were challenged to create a coin that shares a positive message for themselves,” McCutcheon said. “These coins are unique to each student. The thought is they can keep them in their pockets to remind them of this message.”
Herkimer junior Savannah Manno created a design with a rainbow and butterflies, along with a message: “Want the rainbow? Deal with the rain.” She said the message is meaningful to her “because if you want to be happy, you have to deal with the bad parts too.”
Manno said she enjoyed the project.
“It’s interesting to see it put in the Glowforge and then color it,” she said.
Junior Byanca Rowe said she liked the project as well. She developed a design of a heart with a bandage on it on one side and a clock on the other side. Her message was: “Time heals.”
“I like the quote because basically it’s true,” she said.
Freshman Isabella Buchanan’s design featured flowers and a message: “Earth laughs in flowers.”
“I like flowers,” she said.
She thought the lesson was fun because it was a chance to do something different.
“I liked it,” she said.
Senior Gracie Tutty made a design featuring books and a message of: “A well-read woman is a dangerous creature.”
“I really like books,” she said. “I really like reading.”
Tutty asked if her coin could be turned into a keychain, and McCutcheon agreed to use the Glowforge to punch a hole in the coin to help make it into a keychain for students who want a keychain version.
“I like that I can do that,” Tutty said.
Junior Katie Batara’s design features an image of a woman painted and the message: “Prove them wrong.”
“I just like the quote,” she said.
She said it will be nice to have the coin to look at.
Senior Destiny Luck decided to turn her coin into a gift for her boyfriend. The design includes hearts on both sides and the message: “You’re amazing.”
Luck said she enjoyed the project including using the Glowforge. Her favorite part was creating the design.
“I think that’s the fun part,” she said.
Senior Emily Gabruk has butterflies and flowers on her design along with the message: “One day at a time. Set yourself free.” She said the message was just something she thought about.
“It just came into my mind, and then the butterflies and flowers because I like butterflies and flowers,” she said.
Gabruk said one of her favorite parts of the project is that after making the designs, you get to see them engraved into the wood coins.
“Just to see how it comes out,” she said. “It’s pretty cool.”
Herkimer Jr./Sr. High School social emotional artistic learning students work on their wood coins with positive messages on them for a project. In front, from left: freshman Isabella Buchanan, junior Savannah Manno, senior Gracie Tutty and junior Katie Batara. In back: senior Destiny Luck.
Herkimer Central School District freshman Isabella Buchanan poses with the coin she made in her social emotional artistic learning class.
Herkimer Central School District junior Savannah Manno poses with the coin she made in her social emotional artistic learning class.
Herkimer Central School District senior Gracie Tutty poses with the coin she made in her social emotional artistic learning class.
Herkimer Central School District junior Katie Batara shows the coin she was designing on her computer in her social emotional artistic learning class.
Herkimer Central School District senior Destiny Luck poses with the coin she made in her social emotional artistic learning class.
Herkimer Central School District senior Emily Gabruk shows the coin she was designing on her computer in her social emotional artistic learning class.
Herkimer Jr./Sr. High School art teacher Heather McCutcheon operates the Glowforge laser printer in her social emotional artistic learning class, in which she challenged students to create designs to be engraved into wood coins featuring images and messages that are inspirational to them.
Herkimer Jr./Sr. High School social emotional artistic learning students are creating wood coins with images and positive messages on them. Here are some printed coins and some other pre-cut circles ready for their designs to be engraved using a Glowforge laser printer.
A wood coin designed by Herkimer Central School District freshman Isabella Buchanan is engraved in a Glowforge laser printer in her social emotional artistic learning class.
A wood coin designed by Herkimer Central School District freshman Isabella Buchanan in her social emotional artistic learning class.
A wood coin designed by Herkimer Central School District junior Savannah Manno in her social emotional artistic learning class.
A wood coin designed by Herkimer Central School District senior Gracie Tutty in her social emotional artistic learning class.
A wood coin designed by Herkimer Central School District senior Destiny Luck in her social emotional artistic learning class.
A wood coin designed by Herkimer Central School District junior Byanca Rowe in her social emotional artistic learning class.