The Arts in the Elementary Classroom: A Visual and Performing Arts and Content Delivery Guide

1. The Arts in the Elementary Classroom: A Visual and Performing Arts and Content Delivery Guide Produced by: San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools Project Coordinator Bonnie Tillotson Written by Patty Larrick

2. Some assumptions that guided this document •Generalist classroom teachers CAN teach the arts and the arts CAN be taught. • Teachers have to just start somewhere-- and build their content, methodology and skills over time. • There are enormous resources out there to help. • The VAPA strands and standards provide the big ideas and sequential content needed to guide lesson/unit selection. • Sequential instruction is the most essential pedagogical concept in arts instruction. • Teachers don’t have to teach the arts alone -- artists have a role.

3. Pause to reflect… Is there a statement on the previous slide that you strongly agree with? Is there a statement that you strongly disagree with? Do you have a burning question about any of the statements? Take a moment to process and discuss. Here are the statements again…

4. Some assumptions that guided this document •Generalist classroom teachers CAN teach the arts and the arts CAN be taught. • Teachers have to just start somewhere-- and build their content, methodology and skills over time. • There are enormous resources out there to help • The VAPA strands and standards provide the big ideas and sequential content needed to guide lesson/unit selection. • Sequential instruction is the most essential pedagogical concept in arts instruction. • Teachers don’t have to teach the arts alone -- artists have a role.

5. What is new and different about this Guide? • THE BREADTH OF TOPICS:covers the complete range of topics important to beginning, strengthening, sustaining and expanding an arts program. • THE RE-VIEWED STANDARDS: a new way of seeing the standards as a guide to sequential instruction. • THE POWER OF THE WEB:the role of the web and other sources for rich content and methodology for all the arts. • THE FOCUS ON EXISTING LESSONS AND UNITSand what a teacher can do to make them their own. • THE MODELS FOR YEAR-LONG INSTRUCTIONAL PLANS • SHOWCASING STUDENT WORK

6. Now, let’s flip through the Table of Contents PART ONE > DETERMINING WHAT TO TEACH > MODIFYING AND ADAPTING EXISTING LESSONS > SEQUENCING LESSONS PART TWO > THE POSSIBILITIES OF INTEGRATED INSTRUCTION > PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS PART THREE >INSTRUCTIONAL TIME:PLANING FOR A SCHOOL YEAR PART FOUR >SHOWCASING STUDENT ACCOMPLISHMENT > QUALITY ARTS INSTRUCTION FORADMINISTRATORS > PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IMPLICATIONS

7. Diving in… Pages 1-94 Follow along in your copy of the guide and keep your eyes open for interesting ideas! PART ONE • DETERMINING WHAT TO TEACH, pp. 1-65 • MODIFYINGANDADAPTING EXISTING LESSONS, pp.66-83 • SEQUENCINGLESSONS, pp. 84-94

8. What will I find there? • DETERMINING WHAT TO TEACH, pp. 1-65 • Sources for arts lessons, including the Worldwide Web • Things to think about when choosing lessons • What’s the mission of the source? • How do I tell a good lesson from a bad one? • How well does the lesson address standards? • AND • A new way of looking at the arts standards!

9. Lesson Selection Criteria _____ Does the lesson address one or more of the VAPA Content Standards and/or does it have the potential to do so? _____ Is it clear what students will be able to do or understand as a result of studying this lesson? _____ Is the lesson clear enough so that you can tell what your students would have to already know in order to be successful with this lesson? _____ Is the topic or idea worth the study? Does it matter? _____ Are the activities of the instructional sequence logical and coherent and in alignment with the stated objectives? _____ Will the “products” or “demonstrations” students produce indicate whether or not they have learned the key concepts, processes, or techniques? _____ Is reflection, critique, or self-assessment a part of the lesson as written? _____ Is in-depth learning promoted? Is it more than a description of an activity? _____ Does the lesson allow for exploration and unique solutions (as appropriate)? _____ Can you determine what teaching methods would support student success? _____ Does the lesson have the potential to be modified or adapted as necessary? _____ Would/could this be an engaging lesson for your students? _____ How could this lesson become part of a unit of study? Here are highlights of the great resources you will find in Part One

10. Reading the Standards • UNDERSTANDING THE STRANDS • (THE BIG IDEAS) • ARTISTIC PERCEPTION • CREATIVE EXPRESSION • HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT • AESTHETIC VALUING • CONNECTIONS, RELATIONSHIPS & APPLICATIONS

12. The “Re-Viewed” Content Standards Charts

13. NOW THAT YOU HAVE A LESSON, WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH IT? • The rest of Part One, pp. 66-83 explains how to • MODIFY • ADAPT • SEQUENCE • existing lessons.

14. THE KEY IDEAS: • SEQUENCED ACTIVITIES BECOME LESSONS. • SEQUENCED LESSONS BECOME UNITS OF INSTRUCTION. • SEQUENCED UNITS BECOME CURRICULUM.

15. Pause to reflect… That was a lot of new information… What’s one thing that connected with work that you already do? What’s one idea that you want to know more about? Do you have a burning question or issue? Take a moment to process and discuss.

16. Moving on… Follow along in your copy of the guide and keep your eyes open for interesting ideas! PART TWO, pp. 95-114 • THE POSSIBILITIES OF INTEGRATED INSTRUCTION • PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS

17. INTEGRATION THE CRITICAL ISSUE OF BALANCE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS FOR INTERDISCIPLINARY LEARNING FROM AUTHENTIC CONNECTIONS: INTERDISCIPLINARY WORK IN THE ARTS (Why reinvent the wheel?) INTEGRATION AS INQUIRY: THE CAPE*EXAMPLE *CHICAGO ARTS PARTNERSHIPS IN EDUCATION

18. PARTNERSHIPS & COLLABORATIONS • FINDING QUALITY PROVIDERS • GUIDELINES FROM CREATIVE COLLABORATIONS • THE ARTS FOR LEARNINGWEB LIBRARY • OTHER WAYS OF REACHING OUT

19. Selection Criteria for Arts Assemblies and Performances The performing group or individual artist under consideration: • Is part of an established provider’s selected and vetted school performance groups (where geographically appropriate or possible); • Offers content that is in all regards appropriate for the age and experience level of the selected audience of children; • Provides a study guide or background information to help teachers prepare students well before the scheduled performance; • Can explain how the performance addresses VAPA content standards • Represents a particular cultural or ethnic art form authentically, (if applicable); • Has lesson plans or activities that extend the content of the performance; Most important of all, does the performance align with the goals of the school’s arts education plan or for the arts program or other priorities established by teachers for their students? Here are highlights of the great resources you will find in Part Two

20. Developing a Docent Program (on the “Meet the Master” Model) The program must be built upon a solid foundation. Here are some of the things needed to create such a program: • Select the art form focus for the program;• Research available instructional support materials such as >large reproductions of art >CDs of selected music >children’s books about the life of artists/composers >other visuals as appropriate; • Determine the artists/composers to be included – start small – five or six to begin, and then maybe develop a new portfolio every year; • Find/develop background materials about the artists or composers that will be sufficient for the docent to use for 30 – 50 minute sessions with ideas that will be engaging for students; • Select/develop the hands-on lessons – use the standards as a guide – many times lessons are developed for a grade range, (K-3 and 4-6) using any of the standards from that range; • Recruit parent and community volunteers who love kids and are interested in the art form;

21. Pause to reflect… That was a lot of new information… What’s one thing that connected with work that you already do? What’s one idea that you want to know more about? Do you have a burning question or issue? Take a moment to process and discuss.

22. Forging ahead… Follow along in your copy of the guide and keep your eyes open for interesting ideas! • PART THREE, pp. 115-144 • • PLANNING FOR A SCHOOL YEAR • The Challenge of Instructional Time • Year Long Model Plans Based on: • Thematic Connections from Standards • Creative Delivery Systems • School-Wide Themes • Partnerships and Special Programs

23. Model Plans in the Guide • Year-long plans based on arts connections… • A Sample Kindergarten Plan • A Third Grade Arts Centered Plan • • A Year Long Plan Based on creative scheduling • • Year Long Plan based on school-wide themes • • A Plan based on Partnerships & Special Programs

24. Thematic Approaches Here are highlights of the great resources you will find in Part Three

26. Pause to reflect… That was a lot of new information… What’s one thing that connected with work that you already do? What’s one idea that you want to know more about? Do you have a burning question or issue? Take a moment to process and discuss.

27. Last, but not least… Follow along in your copy of the guide and keep your eyes open for interesting ideas! PART FOUR • SHOWCASING STUDENT ACCOMPLISHMENT • A BRIEF GUIDE TO QUALITY ARTS INSTRUCTION FOR ADMINISTRATORS • PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IMPLICATIONS • REFERENCES

28. SHARING STUDENT LEARNING IN THE ARTS • The “Art IS Education” Model • Process Documentation • Issues of Product and Process • Assessment Approaches • Communication and Arts Events

29. A BRIEF GUIDE TO QUALITY ARTS INSTRUCTION FOR ADMINISTRATORS • THE PRINCIPAL AS INSTRUCTIONAL LEADER • LOOKING AT VISUAL ARTSINSTRUCTION • LOOKING AT PERFORMING ARTSINSTRUCTION What is the teacher doing? What are the students doing? (Checklists)

30. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IMPLICATIONS • • THE GUIDE AND ARTS EDUCATION PLANNING • • WHO SHOULD USE THIS GUIDE? • • FINDING AN ENTRY POINT

31. Guide for Administrators WHAT IS THE TEACHER DOING? In the first few minutes, the teacher is: » Gathering the students around art images, examples, a white board or flip chart or a big table set up with materials; » Talking about past lessons and visual arts experience and what they will be doing today, asking questions, listening to student response and exciting children about the work to come. WHAT ARE STUDENTS DOING? In the first few minutes students are: » Looking, listening and talking about their own experiences and giving their own opinions about artwork, artists or art ideas and processes; » Asking questions or making predictions about the new lesson and about what they will be doing. Here is one highlight of the great resources you will find in Part Four

32. Pause to reflect… That was a lot of new information… What’s one thing that connected with work that you already do? What’s one idea that you want to know more about? Do you have a burning question or issue? Take a moment to process and discuss.

33. This presentation was created by Bonnie Tillotson, VAPA Coordinator for the San Bernardino Superintendent of Schools with additional material by Robert Bullwinkel, VAPA Coordinator for the Fresno County Office of Education This work was funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation through a grant to the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association’s Arts Initiative. All images are non-restricted. This work may be used free of charge for all non-commercial applications. Please give appropriate credit as listed above.

34. The Arts in the Elementary Classroom: A Visual and Performing Arts Content Delivery Guide Produced by: San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools Written by Patty Larrick Project Coordinator Bonnie Tillotson