Integrating+the+Arts+Across+the+Curriculum

//INTEGRATING VISUAL ARTS ACROSS THE CURRICULUM //
 There are many types of arts-integrated activities. Some examples are project- or problem-based, or thematic projects that require collaboration and incorporate content across the curriculum.
 * Art across the curriculum what is it? **

 The key goal of integrating the Arts with other subjects is to reinforce specific skills and content across the curriculum through hands-on arts activities. When students are making or creating things that incorporate content from other subject areas, they are better able to integrate and retain what they are learning.
 * What is the Goal? **

 Integrating the Arts with Other Subjects combines can be achieved by when the teacher thinks creatively themselves. Creating and planning activities that help engage arts activities with content from other subject areas, such as math, science, language arts, social studies, and technology. A teacher can begin by collaborating with other teacher, forming a team teaching practice and bond helps extends both the learning of the student and the teacher.
 * How can it be achieved? **

 If one were to refer to the multiple intelligence theory of Howard Gardner we would see that integrating Visual Arts with other subjects works because students are able to use different strategies and learning styles to explore a variety of subject areas. Those who struggle at one subject may excel and visual arts. Not only it provides students with a creative outlet and encourages them to think outside the box. Presenting students with a chance to explore subjects through visual arts may increase their desire to learn, and broaden their learning experience.
 * Why Does It Work? **


 * Related Resource: **

**VISUAL ARTS ACROSS THE CURRICULUM - A PROJECT STUDY **
 In great Britain students, classrooms, teachers, and different members of the community came together across many different subjects using visual arts as the key subject. The entire learning experience had teachers and students share in an ongoing learning experience together. Many hands on experiences were explored during this program and guest speakers, students and teachers provided support to individuals who needed the extra support during the process. Formal and informal evaluation was used on students, and students also provided feedback to each other, about the project and the process itself through its entirety

 The focus of this project was on Caribbean-Style carnivals, also containing a fusion of west African and European and eat Amerindian traditions.


 * Subject and learning styles that were explored and incorporated with the Visual Arts Curriculum: **

 Visual Arts - Students made masks, costumes, etc and explored various mediums. They used wire, plaster, paint, to create, sculpt etc traditional pieces that would be worn or used in a carnival setting. Students learned from guests of various backgrounds who volunteered to share their knowledge and experiences with students.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Breakdown of Project within the Curriculum **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Students were exposed to guest speakers who shared complex cultural practices with deep historical and social roots, they shared their personal, political and as well their cultural meanings behind carnivals. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> These learning experiences also provided minority perspectives <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> - Issues around education for a culturally diverse society, possible effects on self esteem and self expression on individuals were explored.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Historical and Cultural Curriculum **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Students were given proper dance lessons again by Caribbean decent guests.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Dance **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Students explored calypso, chutney, rapso and steel band music.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Music **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Creativity** - the important pedagogical approaches to creativity included:
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Adequate space and time
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Fostering self esteem and self worth
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Offering learns mentors in creative approaches
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Involving young people at a higher level of thinking
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Encouraging the expression of ideas through wide variety of expressive and symbolic media.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Encouraging the integration of subject areas through topics holding meaning and relevance to the lives of young people.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Costumes, masks were designed together as classes. Children were motivated and engaged enthusiastically in a joint enterprise and developed shared ways of doing things. They worked as team but teachers lead, and provided scaffolding and steered the class.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Cooperative Learning: **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Everything I've done has been cross-curricular. In literacy my objective is to create poetic rhyming. I am listening to calypso music. Tomorrow is geography we will be looking at different carnivals around the world and costumes around the world. Artistically we are to change the colours of the costumes in one of the paint box programs. (Herne, Burgess-Macey, Rogers, pg 275)
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Quote form a student involved in project: **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Mathematics, Science and Art Integration
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|"Mathematics] and [|art] have a long historical relationship. The [|ancient Egyptians] and [|ancient Greeks] knew about the [|golden ratio], regarded as an aesthetically pleasing ratio, and incorporated it into the design of monuments including the [|Great Pyramid],[|[][|1][|]] the [|Parthenon], the [|Colosseum]. There are many examples of artists who have been inspired by [|mathematics] and studied mathematics as a means of complementing their works. The Greek sculptor [|Polykleitos] prescribed a series of mathematical proportions for carving the ideal male nude. [|Renaissance] painters turned to mathematics and many, including [|Piero della Francesca], became accomplished mathematicians themselves." (Wikipedia)

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Why Integrate Visual Arts and Mathematics? An informative slide show: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Integrating the Intuitive Disciplines of Mathematics and Art Education]

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lesson: The Golden Mean Project - Design in Nature <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Grade Level: High School (grades 10-12) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Golden Mean
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">UNIT: Golden Mean - Math/Science Integration **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Project: The Number 5 - Marker design <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Grade Level: Elementary (Grade 2) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Pastel Number Design
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">UNIT: Design - Art/Math Integration **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> The **Arts/Math Integration Project**, through the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, resulted in a cross-discipline focus in various areas of Mathematics with a connection to artistic projects. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Math/Arts Integration Project

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Cybermuse** offers a variety of lesson plans related to the integration of Math and the Arts <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Seeing Math in Art