STATEN ISLAND, NY - ROSSVILLE -- Quick, a pop quiz: What is an amphora and a krater?
OK, you're excused if you thought it might have something to do with a hole in the ground; perhaps a new kind of Staten Island pothole.
But some mighty sharp and talented third-graders at PS 56 can set you straight.
Both are ancient Greek vessels made of clay. Used to carry wine, water and olive oil, they were intricately decorated with artwork of Greek gods and goddesses, we're informed by these 8- and 9-year-old art-history students.
Under the guidance of teacher Connie Kenney, they've been studying the art and culture of ancient civilizations, including Rome, Egypt and Greece.
Mrs. Kenney, herself an artist and avid traveler, said she developed the curriculum for a program she calls "History Through the Arts" based on her own experiences. Over the years she's expanded the lessons to include students from kindergarten through fifth-grade.
"I believe children can expand their knowledge about life in the real world through reproduction of the arts of other countries," she said.
Combining social studies with art, Mrs. Kenney first has her students research and write about some aspect of daily life in ancient times, and then focus on items commonly used by people and representatives of that civilization. Hence the focus on the two Greek vessels, the amphora, with its oval shape, narrow neck and two jug-handles, and the wide-mouthed, round-shaped krater.
For the Greek project, Mrs. Kenney had her students study the shapes and artwork found on the two types of vessels and then draw and paint a life-size picture of each, complete with the detailed artwork that made each one unique.
The kids had fun with the project, and brought their artwork to show us when they came to the Advance recently for a class tour of the newspaper. We were impressed.
"We designed amphoras and kraters. They were used to hold wine, water and food," explained third-grader Gary Fishkin.
"The clay used for amphoras was red and orange, and the designs were painted in black," continued classmate John Paul DePetro.
"Some of the designs were of egg and dart, Greek key, and Acanthus leaves, and others had Greek gods and goddesses, or people in everyday life," added Krystal Peluso.
Emily Coumoutseas' artwork had special meaning to her. She said her family is Greek, and the art project "helped me learn more about my culture."
And Dominick Vira said his studies made him want to travel to Greece some day.
As of this writing, students are studying the art and culture of ancient Egypt. We bet the artwork to that will be just as impressive.