ARTS INTEGRATION FOR ELEMENTARY
AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS
Allen Trent
University of Wyoming
[email protected]
ARTS INTEGRATION FOR ELEMENTARY
AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS
 Workshop
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Overview:
Begin studio project – relief sculptures
Discuss Art Integration – definitions,
rationale, models
Sample interdisciplinary projects –
Faith Ringgold story quilts; Weaving
projects; Nevelson relief sculptures
Paint artwork + geometry worksheet
LOUISE NEVELSON - (1899 – 1988)
Russian
Sculptor; worked in
New York
Known for wood relief sculptures
*A relief is a sculptured artwork
where a modeled, three
dimensional form projects out
from a flat background
LOUISE NEVELSON STYLE RELIEF
SCULPTURE/MAGNETIC STUDIO PROJECT
 Use
wood pieces and white glue to create a
relief sculpture.
 Let glue dry (view/discuss slides).
 Paint sculpture black or white.
 Glue magnets to back (done).
 Sign and date on back.
 Review questions and artist’s statement
prompts.
INTERDISCIPLINARY
(VISUAL) ART INTEGRATION
 Interdisciplinary
art integration –
Curriculum and instruction that
connects visual arts areas (art
production, art criticism, art
history…) with other academic
disciplines (Language Arts, Math,
Science, Social Studies…)
Integration
approaches &
examples from participants?
WHY INTEGRATE?
 Art
is an essential component of
general education
 Teacher as curriculum developer
 Meaningful connections across
disciplines
 Art experiences provide our students
with another way of knowing,
explaining the world
WHY INTEGRATE?
 Addresses
“standards” in a
“standards-driven” environment
 Efficient
 Constructivist; Allows for multiple
answers/perspectives
 Open-ended, problem
solving/critical thinking
STATE OF THE ARTS IN EDUCATION IN U.S. :
 Literature
documents multiple benefits of
arts education: cognitive development (see
e.g., Eisner 2002); academic achievement
(see. e.g., Critical Links, 2003); acquisition of
knowledge and skills for citizenship (see e.g.,
Leshnoff, 2003; Silvers, 2003).
 In U.S. - time and emphasis on the arts in
schools has decreased (see e.g., Academic
Atrophy: The Condition of the Liberal Arts in
America’s Public Schools, 2004, or Hetland
et al. 2007)
APPROACHES TO ART INTEGRATION (BRESLER, 1995)
arts serve the basic academic
curriculum; arts "spice" up other subjects
(songs for states, planets; spelling collage)
 Affective: feelings evoked by and attitudes
towards art; incorporates creativity, mood
and self-expression (calming music, draw
what you imagine)
 Social: emphasizes function of the school
community (PTO/art show; holiday music)
 Co-equal: arts as an equal partner,
integrating arts-specific content with basic
curriculum (today’s project – art & math)
 Subservient:
ART INTEGRATION EXAMPLES
(ELEMENTARY & TEACHER ED)
Art/Language
Arts –
Stone Crazy; Story Quilts
Art/Social Studies –
Navajo Weavings
Art and Math/Geometry –
Relief Sculptures
STONE CRAZY
[EXCERPTS]
By Tracy Gallup
Once I read a poem that said
Go inside a stone.
Since I am partial to stones,
I think about that a lot.
Some stones capture the sun’s light
and turn it into rainbows.
FAITH RINGGOLD
 Story
Quilts –
 Text
 Image
 Border
 Children’s books: Tar Beach, Dinner
at Aunt Connie’s, If a Bus Could
Talk: The True Story of Rosa
Parks…
WEAVING
 Weaving
is combining threads or
strings to make a fabric or cloth. The
warp are the vertical threads, the
weft threads are the filler/horizontal
threads.
 Many cultural groups have long
traditions as weavers. For example,
the Navajo Tribe is famous for its
beautiful weavings.
Cardboard
Loom Weavings
INTEGRATING ART AND MATH:
THE NEVELSON PROJECT
Unit
Concepts/Topics:
Louise Nevelson; relief sculpture;
symmetry; asymmetry;
measurement; scale drawing;
perimeter & area; 2D vs. 3D;
geometric solids; writing (artist’s
statements, project journals)
LOUISE NEVELSON STYLE RELIEF
SCULPTURE/MAGNETIC STUDIO PROJECT
 Use
wood pieces and white glue to create a
relief sculpture.
 Let glue dry.
 Paint sculpture black or white.
 Glue magnets to back (done).
 Sign and date on back.
 Review questions and artist’s statements.
 Gallery walk!