Mars Estates Elementary Grade 4 Baltimore County Public Schools

1. Mars Estates ElementaryGrade 4Baltimore County Public Schools Kathryn Heuston *

2. Action Plan

3. Action Plan Artifacts Although I was unable to present work from MATI, click here to view a PowerPoint presentation connecting reading and art that I presented to faculty at a summer PD. Above: Display case at the front of the school exhibiting work from fourth grade Mama Miti reading integration. Read display description here. Left: This is a collaborative display in the BCPS ESS building that included art works from arts integrated lessons. Other participating schools included Essex Elementary and Hawthorne Elementary.

4. Action Plan Artifacts These are artworks in displays from one first grade class that I was granted additional time to work with using arts integration. Although we have integrated many subjects, usually we integrated reading, drama, and visual art. These are visual art examples. Click here to view a drama and reading performance.

5. Action Plan Summary Considering the development of Arts Integration (AI) in my school, this year presented many opportunities as well as struggles in regard to my action plan. I will not be the first person to say that this year has been a particularly stressful one for teachers in general. With the onset of new curriculum, technology initiatives, new teacher evaluations, and a brutal winter, teachers have had their plates full. With that being said, it was somewhat difficult to introduce new ideas regarding AI, as they were perceived as another “thing” on their plates. With that being said, I plan to readdress the idea of presenting about AI to my faculty next year during the fall with the hopes that there will be more time during faculty meetings. Another setback in by action plan was my inability to get a group of teachers together for MATI. This year I applied for a transfer to another school for reasons regarding opportunity, not because I do not absolutely love where I teach (which I do). Because I was unsure of which group of teachers I would be working with next year until after the MATI deadline, I did not pursue gathering a group of teachers to make an investment in attending MATI. On the other hand, there were some fantastic opportunities that came out of my action plan this year. Right at the beginning of the year, I was able to be proactive enough to procure a slot of time in my schedule to work specifically with one first grade group and their teacher using arts integration to support our curriculums. Although we established this during the course of a challenging year, she has appreciated how the AI has helped support her in addressing parts of the curriculum that she was told to “condense” or deliver in an expedited way. This unique opportunity also opened more doors to being able to display arts integrated learning throughout the school and beyond. Each time we set up a display or performance, I created a blurb or note about the process of the learning. At the end of this year, we also intend to have a “tea”, inviting parents to see the benefits of arts integrated learning.

6. Kathryn Heuston Unit PlanFinding Strength, Grade 4 Click here to view the unit plan. Above is a student holding her completed work in front of a bulletin board in my class room that exhibits all of the unit process visuals. Click on the picture to read the directions posted. These are examples of completed student puppets. Click here to view a performance!

7. Lesson 1Connection: Visual Art, Music, and Reading Click here to view Lesson 1. Above is a song using ostinato about friendship as a source of strength. Left is a list of ideas of things that help students overcome obstacles. These were brainstormed as a class. Above are two examples of collages illustrating a source of strength. The student on the right indicated family and the student on the left indicated nature.

8. Lesson 2Connection: Visual Art, Reading, and Drama Click here to view Lesson 2. Above is the PowerPoint Slide that I used for the interview drama process. Left is the handout that students used to plan their character. Click here to view a communication board that I made to support students with special needs in making a choice about a character and communicating that choice.

9. Lesson 3Connection: Reading, Visual Art, and Poetry Click here to view Lesson 3. Click here to view sensory poem handout. Above are two student works in progress at the end of lesson 3. You can see the variety of student problems solving approaches! Above are images of students at work during lesson 3.