Minterm Mosaic

Miniterm students take a turn making the  mosaic table

Grouted and ready to go!

Miniterm has come and gone – the last bits of glass long since tucked away until next time.  The final memento of good times, in the form of our group mosaic table, goes up for sale along with a host of other offerings this coming Saturday, May 7 in our annual school auction.  Thanks to the groups' combined efforts, and particularly to one very determined student who spent a morning fine tuning  shapes, the table looks great.  We hope it finds a good home.

Miniterm 2011: Chihuly & The Case of the Clueless Art Teacher

Our Group with The Chihuly

 It took only 35 minutes of viewing a film featuring the inimitable glass artist, Dale Chihuly, to make a lasting impression on my students.  At the film's conclusion, I challenged my students to see if they could spot a Chihuly at the Corning Glass Museum on our visit the next day.

Fast forward through a comfy charter bus trip to Corning, and a blessedly uneventful night's sojourn at the Holiday Inn Express.  Now, picture my supposedly well-rested group sailing through the front door of The Corning Glass Museum.  I quickly spot the official looking lady behind the ticket desk and forge a path through the meager crowd to dispense with our registration.  With a sense of gratification, I hear the steady hum of excited student voices behind me anticipating their adventure of workshops and tour.  Then I hear one voice above the others emphatically repeating my name: "Mrs. Brott, Mrs. Brott," she exclaims, "did you see the Chihuly?"  Turning around to find the source, I'm thinking that these kids are really on their toes.  "Where is it?" I add, looking right and left trying to locate the corner out of which they had discovered the prize find of the trip.  "Right there," she points with a wide smile.  And there it was, as big as the Christmas tree in Whoville - smack in the middle of the lobby, neon green and soaring at least 14 feet into the air.

Talk about an epic fail for the law of glass, "Be aware of everything around you."  So, while I started off seeing the forest, my kids at least had the presence of mind to see the trees.  It's either that, or they all operate better on less sleep than I.


Some of my girls designing their  fused pieces



My student preparing glass for sandblasting







One of my students blowing glass





Miniterm and the Illustrated Laws of Glass

The illustrated version of the "Laws of Glass" originally adapted from teacher Julie May Porter of Shelbyville, KY and freely interpreted here:

Law One: Thou shalt wear safety glasses at all times

Law Two: Thou shalt wear gloves 

Law Three: Thou shalt be extremely careful
 in using all glass tools and equipment

Law Four:  Thou shalt not waste glass

 Law Five: Thou shalt be aware of everything around you
(including behind you!)

Miniterm 2011 & the Art of the Question

By Tess

Artsonia Justin8273

Since education involves the art of the question, I thought I would distill miniterm  down to a list of actual queries posed throughout the week.

1.        Most frequent question:

When do we eat?

2.        Most gratifying question: 

        Can I take my project home today?

3.        Most annoying question:

         Is this good enough?

4.        Most heartwarming question:

         I don’t want to go home yet; can I work after school till you have to leave?

5.        Most sad question:

                Where are the Band-Aids?

6.        Most random question:

          Is it easier to break your neck if you don’t have tonsils?

7.        And, just so you know that we really did visit the realm of critical thinking, we entertained the   “EQ”, or essential question:

How is a stained glass panel a metaphor for one’s spiritual life? 

(I'll post more pictures throughout the next week).

Stained Glass Miniterm: Ready, Set....Go





Mr. Lambright’s physics room, transformed into a stained glass studio for miniterm, waits for thirteen students this week and their art glass journey.  Everything stands at the ready, down to practice glass, cutting tools and safety glasses.  This weekend, cartloads of stuff shifted from art room storage to down the corridor so that other art classes can continue uninterrupted.   Needless to say, I’m grateful for Mr. Lambright's willingness to share his room with us.  His miniterm left for a camping and rafting trip down the Youghiogheny River in what looks to be snowy weather by the end of this week.   Between cutting glass, and slicing through frigid water, he’s a far braver person than I.

Miniterm - An Exploration in Glass

Student applies solder to stained glass panel constructed in miniterm

You might wonder what "Miniterm" means.  Once a year, we step outside the traditional classroom and experience one subject in-depth with our students.  This year, I'm leading a glass miniterm which consists of making a stained glass panel, an individual and a group mosaic.  Then, we take a road trip to Corning, New York for a tour of their amazing glass museum.  While there, we'll get to sandblast, fuse and blow glass in a couple of mini workshops.  So, now the planning is done.  I have to wait until after Christmas to see if there are enough people signed up to make the week financially possibile.  I just need 12 students.