CUP: Recent pages: Projects/CityStudies

Safe Space

Fielding Hong — Wed, 25 Aug 2021 17:19:26 -0400

Projects/CityStudies/SafeSpace

Policing in schools is one of the fastest growing areas of law enforcement in the U.S. What makes a school safe? How does police presence impact school safety? How can students impact safety in their schools?

In the fall of 2019, CUP collaborated with Teaching Artist Ro Garrido and Teacher Nick Deming’s 11th grade English class at the International Community High School’s (ICHS) to explore school safety. To investigate, students got out of the classroom to speak with their peers and community members about what makes them feel safe. The group teamed up with Designer Marcela Szwarc and created Safe Space? to teach others what they learned and encourage students to get involved in school safety decisions.

Students debuted their project to their peers at the International Community High School, where they discussed their creative process, explored the future of school safety through collaborative drawing, and celebrated their hard work over snacks!

Get your own booklet here!

Check out more photos of students in action here!

Cup Home Movies The Sequel

Emma Kilroy — Thu, 19 Aug 2021 10:51:31 -0400

Projects/CityStudies/CUPHomeMoviesTheSequel

In spring 2021 CUP collaborated with Teaching Artist Susana Arellano and teachers from the International Community High School (ICHS) to create civically engaged art activities to do at home! These video resources were created to challenge the limitations of remote learning and give students space to connect with each other in a fun and engaging way. The videos are part of CUP Home Movies, a series of remote learning activities that encourage students to think critically about their relationship to their communities. All activities use basic household supplies and are accompanied by a student-friendly lesson plan. These free, easy-to-use materials can be used by any educator!

CUP debuted the new Home Movies at the International Community High School (ICHS) in the Bronx. Here’s what students and teachers had to say:

“Through [Mapping My Support Network], I noticed that so many people supported me.” – Adama, ICHS student

“The activity was interesting because it’s something that I haven’t really thought about before. It’s interesting to think about how other people see you.” – Gabriella, ICHS student

“During remote learning, some of these students rarely participate, but during this activity, these students were really engaged and produced really interesting work!” – Ms. Akilah Clarke, ICHS Teacher

Watch the videos below and download the lesson plans by clicking on the PDF icon located below each video.

Soda Census

Clair Beltran — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 18:38:02 -0400

Projects/CityStudies/SodaCensus

In 2010, New York’s Governor suggested a 1¢ per ounce tax on all sugared beverages.10th graders from the Academy of Urban Planning and Engineering worked with CUP teaching artists Valeria Mogilevich and Nikki Chung and English Language Arts teacher Aisha Haynes to explore soda consumption in the Bushwick area and to understand both sides of the NYC soda tax debate.

Students hit the streets to conduct interviews across the neighborhood and collect information from locals through their “soda census.” Using recycled soda cans and sugar packets, they developed visualizations of their data to inform others about their findings. Finally, each student took a stance on the issue, using their own charts and other peoples’ articles and data to support their arguments.

The Soda Tax Booklet presents a survey of news articles on soda taxes, student-generated survey data, and opinion essays written by students to help you make up your own mind about the soda tax. It might even help you find ways to figure out your opinion on some of the other controversial issues out there!

The booklet is a great tool for math classes, food justice groups, and teachers interested in integrating current events into their classrooms. Buy or download your own copy today!

Cup Home Movies

Fielding Hong — Thu, 11 Feb 2021 15:46:02 -0500

Projects/CityStudies/CUPHomeMovies

In the winter of 2020-2021 CUP collaborated with eight Teaching Artists to create civically-engaged art activites to do at home! All activities can be done using basic household supplies. Each activity encourages students to think critically about decision-making and power in their communities. All videos are accompanied by a student friendly lesson plan (in both English and Spanish).

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, CUP had to rethink our normal in-class City Studies projects. Based on feedback from students, educators, and family members supporting young people, we created a video series that allows teachers and students to stay safe and healthy while creatively engaging their communities and collaborating remotely.

CUP debuted these videos with teachers and students at the International Community High School (ICHS) in the Bronx. These free, easy to use lessons can be used by any educator!

“The activity was interesting! It was very fun! I don’t think other classes would have done this.” -Elda, ICHS Student

“Thank you for this wonderful activity. This is the most fun we’ve had in months!… This is a great SEL lesson and will have us smiling for days!” -Akilah Clarke, ICHS Teacher

Watch the videos below and download the lesson plans by clicking on the PDF icon located below each video.

Snack Attack

Clair Beltran — Fri, 30 Oct 2020 11:34:45 -0400

Projects/CityStudies/SnackAttack

New York City public school students eat almost 1 million meals every day! These meals are pretty healthy. But, many students get a lot of their calories from unhealthy junk foods – and they’re buying lots of those in school. Who decides what foods are available in schools? How do these foods impact our health? How can students be involved in school food choices?

In the summer of 2019, CUP and Bronx Health REACH collaborated with Teaching Artist Susana Arellano and students from the Comprehensive Model School Project 327 (CMSP 327) in the Bronx to investigate school foods. Students got out of the classroom to document food options in the neighborhood, survey community members, interview stakeholders working on the issue, and create art to show what they learned.

Students created Snack Attack to help other students get involved in their school food choices.

Get your own booklet here!

Check out the Spanish language version, Ataque de los Snacks, here!

Check out more photos of the students in action here!

Peel It Back

Fielding Hong — Fri, 14 Aug 2020 10:50:27 -0400

Projects/CityStudies/PeelItBack

In New York City over 1,800 elementary public school classrooms had hazardous levels of lead paint, based on a 2019 inspection done by the Department of Education. How does lead in schools impact the school community and who is most impacted? Who is responsible for monitoring the impact of lead in schools?

In Winter 2020, CUP collaborated with Teaching Artist April Wen and students at the International High School for Health Sciences to peel back the problem with lead paint in NYC Schools. To investigate, students tested sites throughout their school to monitor lead levels, interviewed medical professionals and community stakeholders working on the issue, and created stop-motion videos to process their findings.

The group gathered what they learned and created the video Peel It Back to teach others about how to prevent lead poisoning and what they can do if lead is impacting their school or community.

Check out the video below!

Prison Profits Who Pays The Price

Fielding Hong — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 16:48:28 -0400

Projects/CityStudies/PrisonProfitsWhoPaysThePrice

It costs over $70,000 to incarcerate one person for one year in New York state. The New York City government spent $3.7 billion on jails and prisons in 2017. Why does it cost so much to keep people in prisons and jails? Who profits from prisons and jails? Where does the money come from?

In December 2018, CUP collaborated with Teaching Artist Marianna Olinger and students from the Bushwick Leaders’ High School to understand the cost of prison, who profits from it, and who pays for it. To investigate, students used art to create maps of the prison system, surveyed community members, and interviewed key stakeholders working on the issue. This booklet is a guide to what students learned about the true cost of prisons and jails.

Students debuted their project at the Bushwick Leaders’ High School, where they presented their project to freshman students and discussed how it impacted their perspective on prisons.

Get your own booklet here!

Check out more photos of the project process here!

Pay Up

Fielding Hong — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 16:17:20 -0400

Projects/CityStudies/PayUp

The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that workers in New York City are cheated out of almost $1 billion every year to wage theft! Across New York State, workers lose almost $3 billion every year to wage theft! What’s wage theft? How does wage theft impact New Yorkers? How can we protect against wage theft?

In the fall of 2019, CUP collaborated with Teaching Artist Stephanie Echeveste and Teacher Grace Beniquez’s 11th grade Internship class at the International Community High School’s (ICHS) to explore wage theft and how it impacts local communities. To investigate, students got out of the classroom to speak with their peers and community members, created art, and interviewed key stakeholders working on the issue.

The group gathered what they learned and created Pay Up! to teach others about wage theft and what they can do to make sure employers pay up!

Get your own booklet here!

Check out more photos of the project here!

Whose Art

Fielding Hong — Mon, 02 Mar 2020 11:15:18 -0500

Projects/CityStudies/WhoseArt

Since 1983, New York City has spent $41 million on art in public spaces such as parks, public plazas, streets, and sidewalks. Who decides public art? Where does the money come from?

In the fall of 2018, CUP collaborated with Teaching Artist Ilaria Ortensi and Teacher Lexi Scholes’ literacy class at the International Community High School in the Bronx to dig deep into the world of public art. To investigate, students created sculptures, interviewed key decision makers, and surveyed community members about the art they would want to see in their neighborhood. Students created the booklet Whose Art? to inform other communities on how they can bring public art into their neighborhoods.

Students debuted their project at International Community High School, where they discussed what they learned from their creative process.

Get your own booklet here!

Check out more photos of the project process here!

A Bet On Debt

Fielding Hong — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 09:43:31 -0400

Projects/CityStudies/ABetOnDebt

In New York City, more than one in six adults – about 1 million people – have at least one student loan. Collectively, these New Yorkers owe $34.8 billion! What should students and their families know before taking out a loan to pay for college? How do student loans impact your future?

In the spring of 2019, CUP collaborated with Teaching Artist Elizabeth Peralta and Grace Beniquez’s internship class at the International Community High School (ICHS) in the Bronx to dig deep into the issue of student loan debt and its impact on students and their families. To investigate, students got out of the classroom to speak to community members, interviewed stakeholders working on the issue, and created art to visualize the potential pitfalls of student loans.

Students created the booklet, A Bet on Debt, to teach others what they learned and to help other students and their families navigate the complicated world of student loans and debt.

Get your own booklet here!

Check out more photos of students in action here!

Scary Ok With It Good

Clair Beltran — Tue, 20 Aug 2019 14:16:35 -0400

Projects/CityStudies/ScaryOkWithItGood

Is Bushwick safe? Where do people in the neighborhood feel safest? What would the area need to be safer? And does everyone agree? 10th graders in Aisha Haynes’ English Language Arts class at the Academy of Urban Planning and Engineering worked with CUP teaching artist Jonathan Bogarín to find out the many perspectives on safety in Bushwick.

Students got out of the classroom and conducted interviews with manicurists, church employees, barbers, small business owners, bakers, florists, and organizers. They acted out local stakeholders’ opinions, tableux vivant-style, and used their photographs to create neighborhood dioramas.

Together with graphic designer Nikki Chung, the crew produced a series of posters that juxtapose different neighborhood views of safety. The posters can be used as a model for visualizing competing stakeholder perspectives.

Check out the posters here.

Test

Elijah Bobo — Thu, 15 Aug 2019 13:45:07 -0400

Projects/CityStudies/Test

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Care Aware

leigh taylor — Wed, 26 Jun 2019 16:06:21 -0400

Projects/CityStudies/CareAware

In New York City, nearly 600,000 people don’t have health insurance. Around half of those people can’t receive coverage because of their citizenship status. To address this need, Mayor Bill de Blasio proposed a plan to guarantee affordable health care for every New Yorker, regardless of their citizenship status. This plan is called NYC Care.

In the spring of 2019, CUP collaborated with Teaching Artist April Wen and Andre Machado’s science class at the International High School for Health Sciences in Elmhurst, Queens to investigate Mayor de Blasio’s proposed plan to provide health care for all New Yorkers. To investigate, students got out of the classroom to speak to community members, interview stakeholders working on the issue, and create art to visualize how this change could impact their community.

Students created this pamphlet to teach others what they learned and to help other students and their families navigate the complicated world of health care.

Get your own booklet here!

Check out more photos of the students in action here!

The Bronx Is Blossoming

Fielding Hong — Wed, 26 Jun 2019 12:24:01 -0400

Projects/CityStudies/TheBronxIsBlossoming

Who has access to nature in the city? Who decides?

In the summer of 2018,CUP, in collaboration with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), partnered with Teaching Artist Hugo Rojas and public high school students from around the South Bronx to investigate these questions.

Students photographed the neighborhood, created stop-motion animations, stenciled the area with spray chalk. They conducted community surveys, interviewed key stakeholders, and used WCS’s, Visionmaker.nyc to create digital renderings of what nature in the Bronx could look like in the future.

The team used design and art to break down the information they gathered and collaborated with designer Kevin Cadena to create a website to teach others what they learned, sharing their visions for nature in the South Bronx!

Check out their final website, The Bronx is Blossoming, here!

See photos of the students in action here!

And for more on the project and students’ process, listen to a podcast produced by summer intern, Katie Lan, here!

Is Suspension The Solution

leigh taylor — Tue, 12 Feb 2019 15:58:54 -0500

Projects/CityStudies/IsSuspensionTheSolution

In New York City there were over 36,000 suspensions in 2018, an increase of four percent from the previous year. How do suspensions impact the school community? What alternatives do students have to suspensions?

In the fall of 2018, CUP collaborated with Teaching Artist Ro Garrido and the International Community High School’s 11th grade to learn about suspensions and their impact on school communities. To investigate, students got out of the classroom to speak with their peers and community members about school suspensions. Students created Is Suspension The Solution? to teach others what they learned and to help students, educators, and families navigate school suspensions.

Students debuted their project at the International Community High School, where they discussed their creative process and how to use the guide book.

Get your own booklet here!

Check out more photos of the project process here!

Whats On Your Plate

aska mukuti — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 13:33:17 -0400

Projects/CityStudies/WhatsOnYourPlate

There are over 1,700 public schools in New York City, making it the largest system of public schools in the United States. SchoolFood, the supplier of food to NYC schools, serves about 850,000 meals every school day and offers specific menu choices, such as the Alternative Food Program. Who decides what food is on the menu? How can you influence the food choices at school?

In the spring of 2017, CUP and Community Food Action at New Settlement Apartments collaborated with Teaching Artist Elma Relihan and public high school students from the Comprehensive Model School Project (CMSP 327) to get the scoop on the Alternative Food Program. To investigate, students got out of the classroom and into the cafeteria, surveying community members and interviewing key decision makers on the Alternative Food Program. Students created What’s On Your Plate? as a guide to school menu choices and how communities can get involved in the type of food served at public schools.

Students debuted their project at CMSP 327’s library, where they presented their poster, demonstrated their interview skills, and shared their creative process with middle school students.

Get your own poster here!

Bottled Up

aska mukuti — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 13:25:27 -0400

Projects/CityStudies/BottledUp

People all over New York City are pushing shopping carts full of bottles, but why? Where are they going with all those cans?

In the Fall of 2015, CUP collaborated with teaching artist Leon Anthony James and Sean Haberman’s Global History Regents Prep class at the Academy of Urban Planning and Engineering in Bushwick, Brooklyn to find out more about the New York State Returnable Container Act, a.k.a. the Bottle Bill. This law was created to reduce litter and to encourage recycling, but how does it impact our communities?

To investigate, students created screenplays about the people known as “canners” who redeem 5 cents per bottle collected, then interviewed the co-founder and former canner of the Bushwick recycling center Sure We Can. They created this printed postcard to share what they discovered about the life of a bottle in their neighborhood.

Bottled Up debuted at the Academy of Urban Planning and Engineering, where students presented the postcard, discussed their creative process, and explained the impact of canning.

Get your own postcard here!

New School On The Block

aska mukuti — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 13:23:32 -0400

Projects/CityStudies/NewSchoolOnTheBlock

In November of 2014, Mayor Bill de Blasio released a School Renewal Program for 94 of New York City’s lowest performing schools. The Academy of Urban Planning and Engineering in Bushwick, Brooklyn is one of these schools. What is the plan for these 94 schools? What is the future of the Academy of Urban Planning and Engineering and its students?

In the fall of 2015, CUP collaborated with Teaching Artist Aubrey Murdock and Aisha Haynes-Harrison’s 10th grade English class at the Academy of Urban Planning and Engineering to figure out what it means to be labeled a “Renewal School.”

To investigate, students brainstormed ways they noticed their school had changed since 2014, then interviewed a panel of experts from the school’s own administration, a representative of the Coalition for Educational Justice, and a Community School Coordinator. They created a booklet to help other students and schools understand the School Renewal Program and what people think about these new changes.

New School on the Block debuted at the Academy of Urban Planning and Engineering, where students presented the booklet, discussed their creative process, and explained how to be more involved in your school.

Get your own booklet here!

Making Change

aska mukuti — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 13:19:30 -0400

Projects/CityStudies/MakingChange

How do you change a public space, like a street? What does it take? Where do you start?

In the Spring of 2015, CUP teaching artist Douglas Paulson worked with students from the Municipal Art Society’s youth program Designing Change to investigate how to create change in Brooklyn’s Brownsville neighborhood on Belmont Avenue, a four-block commercial strip with lots of storefronts. Students explored where to gather information, who to communicate an idea to, and how to work with city organizations and building or property owners.

Students interviewed elected officials, city agencies, and business owners on how to change public spaces in Brownsville or elsewhere in New York City. Students created silhouettes, drawings, and designed a poster that demonstrates the step by step process to make change to a public space.

Making Change debuted at the Paul Cooper Center, where students presented the poster and discussed their creative process.

Get your own poster here!

Test Ride

aska mukuti — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 13:18:19 -0400

Projects/CityStudies/TestRide

Over 2 million students take the SAT every year, but why? How do SAT scores relate to college admissions? What is it like to take the test? Who benefits from the SAT?

In the Spring of 2015, CUP collaborated with teaching artist Max Allbee and curious students from Lyons Commnity School in East Williamsburg to look into standardized testing, focusing on the SAT. They knew from their own test-taking experiences the ups and downs of the SAT, and wanted to know more about the background and future of the test.

The class interviewed author and National Public Radio (NPR) Lead Digital Education Reporter Anya Kamenetz as well as educator and Associate Provost for Enrollment Services at the Teachers College of Columbia University Dr. Thomas P. Rock, to find out why the SAT is the dominant test used for college admissions. They made this foldout poster to break down the SAT and highlight the perspectives they researched.

Get your own poster here!

Block Party

aska mukuti — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 13:17:28 -0400

Projects/CityStudies/BlockParty

Making a change in a public space can be really complicated. You don’t usually know who to talk to or who owns what! Where do you start if you want to add a bike lane, or put in a public plaza on your block?

To find out, CUP teaching artist Douglas Paulson worked with students from Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City and College Now at the Borough of Manhattan Community College. The group examined public spaces on their block, and interviewed an MTA representative, the executive director of a nonprofit organization, and a community board member.

The group broke down the interviews and illustrated conversations between community members to show step-by-step processes to go through for making changes in public space. To share what they learned with others, the illustrations were turned into a colorful and interactive website called Block Party.

Click here to see the website!

Happy Meals

aska mukuti — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 13:11:09 -0400

Projects/CityStudies/HappyMeals

Fast food chains are all over New York City, and they employ thousands of workers. What rights do fast food restaurant workers have in this large workforce? What rights should they have?

In the spring of 2014, CUP teaching artist Chelsea Wagner worked with two ESL classes at the Academy of Urban Planning and Engineering in Bushwick to find out. Students took a field trip to restaurant chains in the neighborhood and interviewed a community organizer and a fast food worker. They created a not-so-happy meal postcard explaining wage rights on one side, and the right to unionize on the other.

Get your own postcard here!

Mean Streets

aska mukuti — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 13:10:34 -0400

Projects/CityStudies/MeanStreets

With the mayor kicking off the new Vision Zero project, a plan to reduce traffic fatalities to zero, road safety is a hot topic. But with bikes, cars, pedestrians, and buses all competing for New York City’s streets, how can we avoid fatal accidents? Where do we start?

In the Spring of 2014, Yelena Boroda’s Urban Studies class at the Academy of Urban Planning and Engineering, along with CUP teaching artist Aaron Reiss, set out to explore transportation safety in New York City. They saw a lot of unsafe things going on at the Myrtle/Wyckoff intersection in Bushwick, and wanted to know how to change them.

The class interviewed representatives of advocacy groups, people on the street, a Community Board district manager, and staff from the NYC Department of Transportation to find out who is in charge of transportation safety. The class made a booklet to show what they learned.

Get your own booklet here!

Government In Plain Sight

aska mukuti — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 13:07:36 -0400

Projects/CityStudies/GovernmentInPlainSight

How do federal, state, and city laws affect our everyday lives? Where can the government be found on the ground? And what’s the right role for different levels of government to play? With a presidential election on the horizon, and the appropriate role of government in our lives as the hot topic, Jorge Sandoval’s 9th grade US History class at the Academy of Urban Planning and Engineering set out to answer these questions with the help of CUP teaching artist Stephen Fiehn.

Students looked for evidence of government intervention in their wallets, on the street, and interviewed local businesses about the role of government in their stores. They chatted with Citibank about financial regulation. They dropped by El Cibao restaurant to learn about letter grades. They pressed the pharmacy on prescription rules. After follow-up research on agencies like the FDA, the USDA, and the FDIC, students offered their own opinions on the role of the government in our everyday lives.

The group created this booklet as a teaching tool for history, government, and civics classes. “Government in Plain Sight” lays out activities that teachers can do with their students to better understand the impact that government has on everything from canned soup to big banks. The students presented their work to sixty of their peers who were about to take the US History Regents exam, a test that teems with questions on the concept of federalism.

You can see the booklet here.

Step Right Up

aska mukuti — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 13:05:53 -0400

Projects/CityStudies/StepRightUp

In the spring of 2012, students from Natalie Pardo’s 11th grade English Language Arts class from the Academy of Urban Planning and Engineering collaborated with CUP and teaching artist John Dalessi to explore the steps to build power in New York City – specifically, how to become a City Council Member.

The group interviewed Antonio Reynoso, Chief of Staff for City Council Member Diana Reyna (of Council District 34 in Bushwick). Reynoso is also a 2013 City Council candidate for the 34th District. After becoming experts in the art of creative metaphors, they took all we had learned from our interview and research and created visual metaphors for the steps that are essential to running for City Council.

The group created a booklet as an introduction to what it takes to get elected to city government. They presented their work to other 11th graders at the Academy of Urban Planning and Engineering.