A RT, M USIC, AND M OVEMENT Art and music provide children with many opportunities for growth in all development areas. Creative movement and body awareness activities provide physical exercise and promote a healthy lifestyle.

A RT C URRICULUM G OALS As a teacher you will notice that much learning is taking place during art activities. Well-planned art activities develop the following: o Physical Skills o Language Skills o Thinking Skills o Emotional Skills o Social Skills o Appreciation of diversity o Basic Concepts

S TAGES OF C HILDREN ’ S A RT StageAgesDescription Scribble and Mark Making 1 to 3 Children gain control of shoulder muscles before the wrist and finger muscles. Early drawings tend to sprawl in wide loops over a piece of paper. Children first use many different types of scribbles. They progress from scribbling to patterns such as zigzags or spirals. Symbolic and Design3 to 5 There is very deliberate placement of lines and geometric shapes. Children frequently repeat shapes. Specific marks begin to represent real objects to children. Objects may not be recognizable to the others. One shape may represent many things. A circle might represent a whole body before children learn how to draw body parts. Representational4 to 7 Drawings and symbols are more accurate and recognizable to others. Children give greater attention to detail. Details such as eyelashes and earrings may appear on drawings of people. Realistic 5 to 10 Children make increasingly complex designs. Children are concerned about making people and objects look real. Drawings reflect features of people and differences in gender and skin tone. Children increasingly use perspectives and proportion, or the size relationship of the parts.

G UIDING A RT E XPERIENCES Value the process – Children learn through the process of creating art. What they learn while making art is more important than the product they create. This teaching principle is referred to as process versus product. o Encouraging creativity – Open-ended art activities encourage creativity and imagination o Respond sensitively o Accept and appreciate children’s art – Important to view art objectively. o Respect children’s art – Teachers should not redraw or complete children’s creations. o Display children’s art – Displaying children’s art increases their sense of accomplishment, pride, and self-esteem.

A RT A CTIVITIES Drawing and Coloring Painting Finger Painting Modeling and Shaping Cutting and Tearing Pasting, Gluing, and Attaching

D EVELOPING M USICAL E XPRESSION Music Curriculum Goals Physical Development Intellectual Development Lyrics – Words to songs Tempo – The speed at which a song is sung Pitch – the highness or lowness of a song Melody – or tune, of a song o Emotional Development o Social Development

M USIC A CTIVITIES Exploring familiar sounds Going on listening walks Exploring sounds in daily life Exploring the sounds of a human body Identifying the uses of music Signing with children Singing in groups Moving to music

M OTOR D EVELOPMENT AND F ITNESS Developmental skills and abilities increase rapidly in healthy growing children. Active participation is the key to children’s mastery of motor skills. The elements that make up creative movement are: Body awareness Force and time Space Locomotion – or the act of moving from place to place, children experience different ways to move Weight Moving in groups

A CTIVE P LAY A CTIVITIES Parachute Play – Bounce the balls and catch Beanbag and Balloon Play – Target Toss, moving target, balloon volleyball and balloon catch Rope and Hoop Play – Long Jump, Follow the wavy line, hoop hop, and hoop walk Balance Beams, Obstacle Courses and Mazes – Reverse walk, two-level walk, bucket toss, obstacle course and maze it Games – Simon Says, mirror game, freeze tag or statue tag