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Fifth Graders Go Full STE(A)M Ahead With Cyanotype Projects
In late May, St. Luke's Class of 2030 headed outside for a hands-on, cross-curricular activity about photographic cyanotypes. Upper School photography instructor Jeorge Yankura and fifth grade science teacher Jessie Samuel explained the connection between chemistry and the cyanotype process in photography. “Cyanotypes consist of the combination of several different chemical compounds that are light-sensitive,” Yankura said. “In black and white photography, silver is the primary metal used to create the gray and black tones. In cyanotypes, the metal used is iron, which is why the image is blue.”
After a teacher demonstration, the fifth graders gathered leaves or other natural objects. Then, they went to work using special photographic paper, sunlight, and a water tray to rinse the paper. "This allowed the students to see the chemical reaction in front of their own eyes while creating a unique piece of artwork,” Yankura added.
Students learned everything from the proper safety precautions to preparing, processing, and drying cyanotype images in this joint STE(A)M project (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics).
St. Luke’s School is a secular (non-religious), private school in New Canaan, CT for grades 5 through 12 serving over 35 towns in Connecticut and New York. Our exceptional academics and diverse co-educational community foster students’ intellectual and ethical development and prepare them for top colleges. St. Luke’s Center for Leadership builds the commitment to serve and the confidence to lead.
