Teachers often feel that the biggest obstacle towards integrating arts into teaching is a perceived lack of artistic skill or ability. And while I would never encourage a teacher to teach something that they are not comfortable with - if the teacher is uncomfortable the students will be uncomfortable, darn those mirror neurons - there are foundational elements of the arts that we are already doing everyday. Plus, arts integration is about the process, not the product.
A great place to start is with elements and principles of art forms. These are the foundations that create every work of art. An element of visual arts is drawing a line (it doesn’t even have to be straight); an element of music is clapping a rhythm (unintentional syncopation still counts); an element of dance is walking (chewing gum simultaneously is not required).
Many state education departments include these in their state learning standards which is both a great resource but also a way to pad your lesson plan with meeting a few extra standards. I have included a copy of Pennsylvania’s at the end of this article.
Principles are then just the various ways elements can be put together in order to make it mean something or be representational.
So it’s the KISS idea. Keep It Simple, Sweetheart. Don’t discount the power (and needed creativity) of creating maps or drawing stick figures to represent vocabulary words (visual arts). Tap into students’ natural dramatic flair by asking them to role play historical figures or story characters (theater). Have them match the speed of a movement to the various states of an element or compound (dance). Create a sound that represents the function of an organ, put the sounds together to create a song that represents a system of the body (music). There should be no expectation of skill level or technique, but rather a student’s own creative pathway to making meaning or increasing understanding of academic material.
Here are the elements and principles as listed in the PA State Standards which are listed exactly the same from Kindergarten to 12th grade. I refer to this when I am stuck finding a way to connect a subject to an art. Sometimes just looking it over shakes an idea loose!
PA State Standard - 9.1.5/8/12.A
Know and use the elements and principles of each art form to create works in the arts and humanities.
Elements
Dance: • energy/force • space • time
Music: • duration • intensity • pitch • timbre
Theatre: • scenario • script/text • set design
Visual Arts: • color • form/shape • line • space • texture • value
Principles
Dance: • choreography • form • genre • improvisation • style • technique
Music: • composition • form • genre • harmony • rhythm • texture
Theatre: • balance • collaboration • discipline • emphasis • focus • intention • movement • rhythm • style • voice
Visual Arts: • balance • contrast • emphasis/focal point • movement/rhythm • proportion/scale • repetition • unity/harmony
PA State Standard - 9.1.5/8/12.B
Recognize, know, use and demonstrate a variety of appropriate arts elements and principles to produce, review and revise original works in the arts.
Dance: • move • perform • read and notate dance • create and choreograph • improvise
Music: • sing • play an instrument • read and notate music • compose and arrange •improvise
Theatre: • stage productions • read and write scripts • improvise • interpret a role • design sets • direct
Visual Arts: · paint · draw · craft · sculpt · print
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