New Haven Independent

Gina Roh-Smith (pictured) came to the school on Wednesday to help the kids expand their understanding through applying different kinds of intelligence “” in this case kinesthetic intelligence, or incorporating their intellectual understanding of sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks right into their bodies.

Marjorie Drucker, the environmental resource teacher at the environmentally-themed school, said the visits of outside artists offer “a creative way to teach to the test” “” meaning the Connecticut Mastery Test, which requires students to know some rudimentary facts about state geology.

Three piles of rocks (like these metamorphic examples) were placed at the edge of the stage. All of them “” including brownstone, granite, traprock and pegmatite — come from different parts of Connecticut.

Incorporating the slogans and movement that another Barnard partner, Solar Youth, taught the kids in an earlier program, Roh-Smith divided the kids into two groups. The group in the “audience” chanted, “Layers and layers, layers and layers, what!” as they motioned layers with their hands (pictured) and the kids on stage tried (some successfully) to layer parts of their bodies on top of each other.

Then the kids on the floor chanted; “Hot magma coming through!” accompanied by swirly motions (pictured), and the kids on stage tried to “feel” the heat in their bellies and then move accordingly.

The third chant was “Heat, heat and pressure!” accompanied by the kids pushing forward with their hands upraised.

Then the groups switched.

“The more senses you can engage,” Drucker said, “the more [the knowledge] becomes a part of you.”