Arts Integrated Unit Planning as… Creative Process……

Arts Integration is a collaborative process of implementing artistic techniques, literacies, and habits across multiple disciplines to investigate authentic problems, deepen conceptual understandings, and elevate the role of creativity and artistry in teaching and learning.

What is the most important thing you want your students to take away with them? As humans? As 21st century citizens? As artists? As learners? Think BEYOND the SKILLS they are going to learn, beyond the curriculum guide, beyond the walls of the classroom….. Start with inquiry and not with the project/product in mind…..

Getting to the BIG IDEA… List topics that you teach between October 15 and January 15 Focus more on ideas and themes than skills/projects Find connections across disciplines (art/non-art) that hold possibilities for inquiry Create a phrase/statement that captures the relationship/concept that students may investigate

Topics – Language Arts (plot), abstract art Big Idea: Past experiences inform future interpretations Topics - Math (fibonnaci), music Big Idea: Nature is formed within organized patterns Topics – Dance (time), Science Big Idea: Habitats exist in space and time Topics – Theatre (intention), History Big Idea: Many forms of government together create One World

Example: Brainstorming Kindergarten: feelings Art: personal expression, self portrait Big Ideas: Feelings are expressed in unique ways in my community

Kindergarten Big Idea: Feelings are expressed in unique ways in my community Evocative Question: How do different groups of people communicate emotions in my community?

Characteristics of a Powerful EVOCATIVE QUESTION Does it matter on an individual, community, and/or global level? Can it generate a lot of thinking, exploring and discovering? Is it a topic people care about? Is the answer open-ended? (not Yes/No) Does it support multiple perspectives? Will it matter, be useful, and still be important 20 years now? Does it challenge students’ misconceptions and misunderstandings? Does it have the potential to grab student imagination and engage the students in problem-solving? Does it excite you?

Big Idea: Past experiences inform future interpretations Evocative Question: How might past experiences impact the way we interpret future possibilities? Big Idea: Nature thrives within organized patterns Evocative Question: Which patterns exist within our neighborhood? Big Idea: Close Observation of Environment Evocative Question: How is time experienced in diverse habitats? Big Idea: Many forms of government create one world Evocative Question: How do governments resolve differences?

If yes, YAY! If not, revise it!

Now what? What AI project will allow students to investigate the evocative question? What Non-arts standards and Arts standards will you teach? How will you assess in both the arts and non-arts and through the arts/non-arts? How will you ensure that students share and refine their answers to the evocative question?

Now what? Use the LINKS provided to you Refer to the resources from the AE and AI Leads Communicate with Linda if needed Play, experiment….trust the process…..creativity counts!

For October!! Complete the AI Blueprint Develop a draft of the AI Lesson Plan Choose one aspect to put on its feet…….. Sparking interest Deepening inquiry Acknowledging and Assessing Understanding (of the evocative question Contact Linda if you have a question!!! Linda.Krakaur@gmail.com