Greetings! Today’s blog comes to you LIVE from the balcony of the Kindergarten Smorgasboard World Headquarters! We’ve been in our home for two years and we finally have our balcony complete!!!! You know where I’ll be this summer!
(Does anyone get my reference to How To Get Away With Murder?! LOVE THAT SHOW!)
One question I get asked almost daily is how do you get away with doing so much art. First things first…it’s beyond sad that we have to think of art as something “we get away with” in our classrooms. I mean…really??? Is there a downside to art in the classroom???
Here’s my favorite quote on art and creativity in the classroom:
“creativity is as important in
education as literacy and we
should treat it as such.”
-Ken Robinson, creativity expert
Here are my tips for “How To Get Away With Art”
Alibi 1: Writing!
My first answer is always this: tie it to a standard. The easiest way to do that ?? WRITING!!!! Do an art project and then have a writing activity to go with it. BAM! You did writing and the art is how you published your writing. Common Core even mentions publishing writing so there ya go!
Alibi 2: MATH!
That’s right! Do art in math!! Patterns…shapes…colors…all are natural elements of art and math! BUT if you need something more specific….
Subtracting….how many gingerbread men did you eat. Let students create gingerbread men…then write a subtraction story.
OR making 10! Hearts on a rainbow…or petals on a flower…or seashells on a beach…leaves on a tree…all fun, simple art projects that can be used to practice making 10!
Alibi 3: Following Directions (Speaking and listening standards!)
If you’re like me…I forget that Common Core has speaking and listening standards…but art is the perfect way to meet those standards. Especially following directions!
Following directions and allowing students to do authentic art (fewer patterns and craftivities…) is perfect for following directions.
This lobster for example…I gave them paper and gave directions for each piece. They had to listen and follow directions to make the lobster! BAM!
A great art project is to use Draw Write Now! There are 8 books in the set. You give directions and the kids draw the pictures. There is also a handwriting component that has students writing a fact about the picture. So you get speaking and listening and some informational text!
Alibi 4: Comprehension
Use art to practice comprehension. We make little art projects from our stories and use them to retell the story! BAM!
Or use art to record learning (comprehension!)
Alibi 5: Community
Art builds community and teamwork!
We created these by working as a team. These led to great discussions about teamwork, helping out, and what makes us special!
Alibi 6: Assessment
We use art projects to assess our learning!
We make turkeys to assess sight words!
And Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Trees to assess letters!
Our most recent example: Sheep In A Jeep. We made a Jeep and then had to write ee words. Art. Assessment. Literacy. BAM!
Same concept but with AR words. Make a pirate. Write AR words. Art. Assessment. Literacy. BAM!
And we all know the importance of research to support our decisions so here are some links to some great articles on the benefits of art in the classroom:
“certain forms of arts
instruction enhance and
complement basic reading
skills, language development
and writing skills”.
-Ruppert 2006
Students who study art are 4 times more likely
to be recognized for academic achievement
and 3 times more likely to be awarded for
school attendance
• Art and music programs are mandatory in
countries that rank highest for math and
science test scores
• In Chicago, a study found that schools
participating in an art partnership made huge
strides in closing the gap between high and low
income students
If you want to see a PD session I did on art you can click the picture to download the PDF file of the presentation! Lots of ideas to integrate art and lots of fun art ideas!
