EXPLORING THE ARTS: A CURRICULUM OF THE VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS
AS A THEMATIC INTEGRATION OF THE CALIFORNIA CONTENT STANDARDS
Jacquelyn Nicole Pullano
B.A., California State University, Chico, 2003
PROJECT
Submitted in partial satisfaction of
the requirements for the degree of
MASTER OF ARTS
in
EDUCATION
(Curriculum and Instruction)
at
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, SACRAMENTO
SPRING
2010
EXPLORING THE ARTS: A CURRICULUM OF THE VISUAL AND PERFORMING
ARTS AS A THEMATIC INTEGRATION OF THE CALIFORNIA CONTENT
STANDARDS
A Project
by
Jacquelyn Nicole Pullano
Approved by:
__________________________________, Committee Chair
Karen D. Benson, Ph. D.
____________________________
Date
ii
Student: Jacquelyn Nicole Pullano
I certify that this student has met the requirements for format contained in the University format
manual, and that this project is suitable for shelving in the Library and credit is to be awarded for
the Project.
__________________________, Associate Chair ________________
Rita M. Johnson, Ed. D.
Date
Department of Teacher Education
iii
Abstract
of
EXPLORING THE ARTS: A CURRICULUM OF THE VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS
AS A THEMATIC INTEGRATION OF THE CALIFORNIA CONTENT STANDARDS
by
Jacquelyn Nicole Pullano
Statement of Problem
The current adopted curriculum in public schools across California narrowly focuses on
the core curriculum of language arts and math, excluding the visual and performing arts.
A curriculum with out the arts fails to address the common sense of childhood
development and the diversity of learning needs that a one-size fits all system ignores.
Sources of Data
The curriculum development involved research of the Kindergarten California content
standards for the core curriculum and the visual and performing arts. The thematic units
with in the curriculum were developed intentionally to align with the California content
standards for the core curriculum and to be developmentally appropriate. The project
included research of early childhood brain and mind development and Howard Gardner’s
multiple intelligences to further validate the necessity of teaching the visual and
performing arts.
iv
Conclusions Reached
The visual and performing arts can be successfully integrated into the core curriculum
and aligned with the California content standards meeting the diverse learning needs of
early childhood development. Early childhood curriculum needs to address child
development as a whole; the arts in education engage and enrich learning like no other
discipline.
_______________________, Committee Chair
Karen D. Benson, Ph. D.
_______________________
Date
v
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thank you to the master artist, for inspiring my spirit and fulfilling my childhood dreams.
Thank you to my family, for your love, support, and always letting me be myself.
Thank you to all the teachers in my lifetime that have echoed in my creativity.
vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Acknowledgments.................................................................................................................... vi
Chapter
1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 1
2. REVIEW OF THE RELEVANT LITERATURE .............................................................. 6
Theory and Practice of the Arts in Education ............................................................... 6
Early Childhood Brain and Mind Development ......................................................... 13
Engaging the Multiple Intelligences of Diverse Learners........................................... 21
3. METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................................ 38
4. REFLECTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .............................................................. 45
Appendix Exploring the Arts Kindergarten Curriculum.......................................................... 51
References .............................................................................................................................. 118
vii
1
Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
Challenge
The current adopted curriculum in public schools across California consumes
most, if not all, of the instructional time throughout the day. The problem with the
structure of the curriculum is that the content standards of the visual and performing arts
are not a part of the core curriculum. A curriculum without the arts fails to address the
multiple intelligences and the ways in which the brain develops and learns. Early
childhood curriculum needs to include tangible experiences for the student to have a
meaningful learning experience. The curriculum for Kindergarten ignores the diversity of
learners and the needs of the early childhood mind.
Importance of Project
Children must be able to experience the process of learning. A curriculum
integrating the California content standards of the core curriculum with the visual and
performing arts enriches the learning experience for the teacher and the student. The
engagement level of the teacher is as important as the engagement of the student. In
creating a thematic curriculum integrating the visual and performing arts, the teacher is a
part of the learning process and has a sense of ownership in the curriculum. This
curriculum integration streamlines the visual performing arts standards with the core
curriculum content standards, allowing for differentiated instruction for children with
varied learning abilities. The curriculum is a resource for teachers to reach the multiple
intelligences through which children learn by enriching the delivery of California content
2
standards. The project addressed the needs of early childhood development through the
integration of the visual and performing arts.
Context
The curriculum addressed the California content standards of a general education
Kindergarten classroom and was designed to be developmentally appropriate for early
childhood education of four to six years of age.
Procedure
The curriculum development involved the research and alignment of the
California content standards of the core curriculum with the visual and performing arts
content standards. The visual and performing arts include music, dance, theatre, and the
visual arts. The curriculum was created in a series of lessons within thematic units that
build skills of the visual and performing arts, providing enrichment of the core
curriculum. The unit themes were created to align with the core curriculum of language
arts and math; however, the curriculum created can be taught independently and used as
an arts resource for Kindergarten teachers. The curriculum was designed to be
developmentally appropriate for early childhood learning. The project included research
of early childhood brain development and learning needs to further validate the necessity
of teaching the visual and performing arts in an early childhood setting. In addition, the
curriculum included a broad spectrum of lessons utilizing the multiple intelligences of
diverse learners. The main curricular focus was the process of creating art and personal
reflection.
3
Main Questions
o How can the visual and performing arts be successfully integrated into the core
curriculum?
o How does teacher choice in curriculum creation enrich and engage multiple
intelligences and brain development for diverse learners?
o How does teaching the visual and performing arts foster life long learners in
students and teachers?
Throughout the curriculum creation process the literature that supported the
project’s main questions and guided the focus of developmentally appropriate use of
the visual and performing arts for early childhood included the Theory and Practice of
Arts in Education, Engaging the Multiple Intelligences of Diverse Learners, and
Brain and Mind Development of Early Childhood. Literature reviews included
authors and experts in the educational field to support the use of the visual and
performing arts in the development of life long learners. Literature reviewed for this
project included Howard Gardner, John Dewey, Elliot Eisner, Donald Arnstine, John
Berger, Herbert Kliebard, Jun’ichiro Tanazaki, Eric Jensen, Arthur D. Efland, and
Thomas Armstrong Ph.D.
Research
The curriculum development involved research of the California content
standards for the core curriculum and for the visual and performing arts. The lessons and
units were created intentionally as an arts curriculum to incorporate the core curriculum
of language arts and math content standards. The project also involved research and study
4
of the current curriculum of a general education Kindergarten classroom and used
opportunities to integrate the arts. In addition the research included brain development of
the early childhood focus group to further reinforce and validate the use of the visual and
performing arts in a developmentally appropriate curriculum creation.
The Future
The project of creating a thematic curriculum in the arts that aligns with the core
curriculum standards is a foundation for teaching the arts in education. The teacher can
build on personal artistic knowledge and curriculum development in the arts across the
grade levels through the experience of the project. Curriculum development can be used
throughout a teaching career, creating a life long learner and advocate for the arts in
education. The integration of the visual and performing arts into the core curriculum can
be a valuable resource for professional growth. The continued research and use of the arts
in education will foster a love for learning in both teachers and students. Educating
through the arts is an opportunity to impart knowledge that has value in all facets of life.
Inform
The experience of the project created an opportunity to learn and grow on a
personal and professional level. Arts in education create opportunities to share valuable
knowledge beyond the classroom. The visual and performing arts provide for growth
within a community that touches the human spirit. There is a need for creative thought
and diverse perspectives. The knowledge may start in the classroom, but will resonate
within our minds like ripples in the water that become greater than ourselves. A leader of
the arts in education values the knowledge they have gained from an experience and
5
captures every opportunity to impart that knowledge to students, teachers, administrators,
and communities alike.
Definition of Terms
Art Opportunities: Additional visual and performing arts resources that can be
incorporated into base lessons.
Base Lesson: A lesson format starting point of reference for teachers using the visual and
performing in a progressive series.
Core curriculum: Language Arts and Math
Progressive Series: Teacher created curriculum as an extension of base lessons that build
on the core curriculum skills through the visual and performing arts.
Teacher choice: The curriculum allows teachers to choose visual and performing arts
integration into the core curriculum.
Limitations
The project limitations included creating an arts curriculum that did not get
implemented within classroom setting. The challenge with that limitation in this project
was that the lessons would not be modified and adjusted until taught by a classroom
teacher in an early childhood setting.
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Chapter 2
REVIEW OF THE RELEVANT LITERATURE
The arts in education are an essential part of meeting the diverse learning needs of
children and healthy human development. The literature of leading experts, scholars, and
advocates for the arts in education has been reviewed in this chapter. The first section
reviewed the theory and practice of the arts in education, highlighting the importance of
providing experience through many mediums to reach every child’s learning needs and
potential. The second section reviewed the early childhood brain and mind development,
distinguishing between the development of the brain and mind; justifying the use of the
arts in education as developmentally appropriate especially in the early childhood years.
The third section reviewed engaging the multiple intelligences of diverse learners,
exploring human development through the many ways children learn. This section also
explored the need for human beings to make meaning through experience and how
meaning is represented within culture. This chapter reviewed literature supporting and
advocating for the arts in education, providing a solution to the current and growing
problems in America’s public educational system.
Theory and Practice of the Arts in Education
The theory and practice of art in education has been researched by many
advocates for the arts in education. Through this research many arguments have been
made for the arts from a variety of perspectives, each presenting the urgency for change
in our current educational system. In this section, the key elements of these arguments
will be presented and interconnected to the importance of the arts in education.
7
The arts in education have long been argued as an integral part of education and
the learning process. The learning process must include meaningful experiences.
Experiences become tangible understandings that can be interconnected to all disciplines.
There is no substitute for the value of a real experience. Education can and should happen
with experiences that develop meaning for the learner.
John Dewey presented art as an experience in and of itself. Dewey described
having an experience as the relation between the doing and the undergoing; the esthetic
and artistic cannot be separated from an experience. The experience itself is the process
that occurs along the way and not simply the end product. An experience is perception in
relation to the esthetic and artistic relationship. Pattern and structure are part of an
experience that qualifies the perception. The act and process of doing is the experience
(Dewey, 1934). In order for a meaningful learning experience to occur, the connection to
the material being taught must be solidified. Education must be taught in this way to
foster the value and reward of learning for what it lends to the mind and development as a
whole.
It is quite possible to enjoy flowers in their colored form and delicate fragrance
with out knowing anything about plants theoretically. But if one sets out to
understand the flowering of plants, he is committed to finding out something
about the interactions of soil, air, water, and sunlight that condition the growth of
plants. (Dewey, 1934, p.2)
The importance of understanding what is being taught must be an investigation into the
workings and connections of the process. Every discipline presents complexities that
8
cannot be understood completely without an investigation that explores beyond the
surface material. Therefore, the importance of understanding the process is a vital
component to a meaningful learning experience.
The interconnection between the artistic and aesthetic, indeed, cannot be
separated. Together, they are the fine threads that lend an understanding to the whole
composition of the learning process. Jun’ichiro Tanizaki also emphasized the necessity of
aesthetics and the artistic as a whole.
For the beauty of the alcove is not the work of some clever device. An empty
space marked off with plain wood and plain walls, so that the light drawn into it
forms dim shadows within emptiness. There is nothing more. And yet, when we
gaze into the darkness that gathers behind the crossbeam, around the flower vase,
beneath the shelves, though we know perfectly well it is a mere shadow, we are
overcome with the feeling that in this small corner of the atmosphere there reigns
complete and utter silence; that here in the darkness immutable tranquility holds
sway. (Tanizaki, 1999, p.20)
The delicate balance of the shadows and light sustain the harmony of the experience. In
relation to Dewey, the experience is created only by the combination of the elements. The
experience cannot exist with out the threads of understanding (Dewey, 1934).
In creating an experience through the artistic and aesthetic, it is important to note
that each experience is unique. The perspective of the one who endures the experience,
gives different meaning and value to the experience itself. No one experience will be
perceived in the same way, for humans are constantly building on prior knowledge.
9
One’s own personal experiences shape people into who they are and how they see the
world. One perspective is never the same as another, although the circumstances of a
particular experience may be the same.
The hue may differ from room to room, but the degree of difference will be ever
so slight; not so much a difference in color as in shade, a difference that will seem
to exist only in the mood of the viewer. And from these delicate differences in the
hue of the walls, the shadows in each room take on a tinge peculiarly their own.
(Tanizaki, 1999, p.19)
Perspective lends itself to individual learning experiences. John Berger (1972)
introduced the idea that seeing comes before words and that what is seen is affected by
what one believes. Perspective changes the art itself. Art can be seen through different
eyes in a different setting, therefore taking on a whole new meaning. Where and when the
art is seen and who is seeing the art determines the meaning and value of the art. The
meaning and value of the art is a matter of perspective (Berger, 1972). The perspective
taken on any experience is unique to the viewer. However, perspective can be skewed
based on what is presented or what is being represented. For example, if only a portion or
section of a portrait is viewed, the meaning and value of the whole experience is changed.
“The meaning of the image is changed according to what one sees immediately beside it
or what comes immediately after it” (Berger, 1972, p.29). The perspective of the viewer
and context in which the art is viewed determines the experience. There is not a
separation of the artistic and aesthetic for an experience, but an individuality of
perspective that gives each experience personal value.
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The value gained in an educational experience through the arts opens the mind to
different ways of thinking. Creating a real experience through practice is a philosophy
Donald Arnstine has argued is essential to school curriculum. Using the philosophy and
values of John Dewey, Arnstine approached these ideals through curriculum. “The
knowledge and skills presented by the schools are to be acquired by students. But they
cannot be acquired other than mechanically and on a short term basis unless they are
found meaningful by them” (Arnstine, 1967, p.340). Arnstine argued that in order to
acquire skills in a meaningful sense, the knowledge and skills must be presented in a
context where appropriate dispositions have been formed (Arnstine, 1967). In order for
the appropriate dispositions to be formed, the teacher must provide the tools to build on
prior knowledge and experience. The teacher also must be involved in the development
of the learning experience. The teacher must have an understanding of what knowledge
and skills are relevant to the subject matter being taught. The learning process itself
reflects personal and social values based on the curriculum that is developed to reach
these experiences (Arnstine, 1967).
The development of meaningful learning experiences inevitably includes the
selection of the knowledge of most worth. The teacher’s choice in curriculum embodies
personal and social values, as they are undeniably a key player in selection. The role of
education in the nineteenth century loosely defined curriculum where the teacher was
expected to teach the social role and was used as an instrument to define a united
community. The curriculum orthodoxy of that time was represented by mental discipline.
As education evolved in the twentieth century, a standard for curriculum began to emerge
11
(Kliebard, 1992). With the standardization of education and curriculum selection, the role
of the teacher has become merely a vehicle in the delivery of a social norm. Educators
must question the purpose of the knowledge being taught and make connections to the
aesthetic learning conditions. The students must learn how to learn through experience.
An aesthetic experience in learning requires a thought process where the student
is engaged in the learning experience. Students need to connect to what they are being
taught and become independent learners. The arts can be a learning experience that is
connected to a wide range of subject matter across the curriculum. Students should be
exposed to all mediums of learning in school and learn to be thoughtful learners. Each
student should not be held to the same general standards. In order for there to be equality
in opportunity, students should have experiences within all subject matter to make
connections as independent learners (Arnstine, 1967).
Elliot Eisner (1998) also argued that experience is necessary for meaningful
learning to occur. He proposed the idea of multiple forms of literacy and many ways to
approach a subject. Eisner also presented the idea that diversity in learning experiences
should be embraced. The “one size fits all” approach to education is an injustice to the
multiple intelligences (Gardner, 1983) that all human beings possess. Eisner insisted that
students must make connections to what they learn in order to develop meaning. Art in
education is a valuable tool in creating and reaching a meaningful learning experience
(Eisner, 1998). Through art in education, students are given the opportunity to experience
and imagine. Art in education creates opportunity for diverse learners, lending credence
to the multiple ways that human beings communicate.
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I argue that there is persuasive evidence for the existence of several relatively
autonomous human intellectual competences, abbreviated hereafter as “human
intelligences.” These are the “frames of mind” of my title. The exact nature and
breadth of each intellectual “frame” has not so far been satisfactorily established,
nor has the precise number of intelligences been fixed. But the conviction that
there exist at least some intelligences, that these are relatively independent of
one another, that they can be fashioned and combined in a multiplicity of adaptive
ways by individuals and cultures, seems to me to be increasingly difficult to deny.
(Gardner, 1983, p.8)
The arts in education allow for the experiences that begin the meaningful connections to
ways of thinking. Teaching the arts engages the student and the teacher to be thoughtful
thinkers. The experience of art offers the possibility of multiple ways of thinking and
approaching otherwise complex and abstract concepts.
The arts in education provides for a meaningful experience for the teacher and the
student. Visual learning is a crucial component to teaching and formation of not only
meaning, but also creation of visual forms. The arts in education nurture the human
development of mind and body relation, providing valuable tools to students and teachers
to think beyond the words in print (Eisner, 1998). The arts enhance the thinking process
through experience and create well-informed, passionate learners.
Eisner (1998) argued that there are multiple ways of knowing and learning:
If there are different ways to understand the world, and if there are different forms
that make such understanding possible, then it would seem to follow that any
13
comprehensive effort to understand the processes and outcomes of schooling
would profit from a pluralistic rather then a monolithic approach to research.
( p.124)
Both teachers and students must be “artistically engaged” in all forms. Education must be
delivered equitably to all learners. Through art, teachers and students alike can be
enlightened to the development of their own mind and achieve greatness along all
spectrums of life.
It is not enough to merely teach what is given. It is human nature for students to
ask questions and seek knowledge beyond what is simply put in front of them. The
purpose of learning is to experience the meaning in many ways. Valuable connections
can be made to each subject beyond the obvious. The aesthetic connection to the content
begins the process of inquiry and understanding.
Teachers should be the facilitators of thoughtful minds, giving each student the
gift of independent thought. Only through an experience can this ideal manifest into a
useful life tool. For when the student moves into a different medium, they must be able to
use the tools of thought that they have developed. A teacher is not just a mode to which a
mandated curriculum is given to be delivered to the masses, but the teacher is the mode in
which a thoughtful mind begins to move out of the box and into the universe of
incalculable knowledge and discovery.
Early Childhood Brain and Mind Development
The development of the early childhood mind is an essential component in building a
solid foundation for future learning and for healthy human development as a whole. In
14
this section, the key elements of early childhood brain and mind development will be
explored in connection with the importance of the arts in education.
Through research of the brain and the development of learning processes, the arts
in education have been credited for supporting developmentally appropriate early
childhood learning. The visual and performing arts provide a platform for creative
thought and meaningful learning.
Eric Jensen explored the use of the arts in connection with brain development in
that the arts promote the development of valuable human neurobiological systems.
The arts enhance the process of learning. The systems they nourish, which include
our integrated sensory, attentional, cognitive, emotional, and motor capacities,
are, in fact the driving forces behind all other learning. (Jensen, 2001, p.2)
Studies have shown that the context of activity changes how the brain responds. Motor
learning creates new synapses in the cerebellum. When the learning environment is
enhanced and a challenge is presented, higher levels of proteins are produced associated
with learning and memory (Jensen, 2001). The arts enrich the learning environment and
build valuable problem solving skills that create self-directed learners and thoughtful
thinkers.
Art-making students will be willing to explore uncertainty, delaying closure or
early solutions in favor of sustaining judgment and enhanced process. Students
will learn alternative thinking. They will be more willing to explore opposing
ideas, multiple perspectives, and unexpected points of view. They’ll become more
15
compassionate about other’s feelings. They’ll appreciate better other cultures and
alternative ways of thinking. (p.116)
The development of fine motor, sensory, cognitive, and emotional skills are essential to
healthy human development. Through the arts, these vital skills of the thinking process
are nurtured and enriched.
The brain and mind must be enriched and exposed to the experience of doing;
challenging the minimal with complex activities. John Dewey in Art As Experience wrote
of the connection between the doing and the undergoing as a necessary relationship. “An
experience has a pattern and structure, because it is not just doing and undergoing in
alternation, but consists of them in relationship” (Dewey, 1934, p. 45). This relationship
is essential for early childhood brain development in learning to learn through
experience. The correlation of sensory stimuli and the way in which the brain retains
information is a valuable tool in the learning process. “The sensory satisfaction of eye
and ear, when esthetic, is so because it does not stand by itself but is linked to the activity
of which is the consequence” (Dewey, 1934, p. 50). The early childhood mind grows and
builds on prior knowledge and experience. The correlation among an aesthetic experience
of teaching the arts and the way the brain learns fosters the notion of learning with a
purpose. The arts in education create the necessary components for meaningful
experience to reach the wide range of diverse learners through the enriched development
of brain functions.
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Eliot Eisner presented an argument of cultural relevance for the arts in education.
His writings suggested that minds are constituted of cultural influences in contrast to
brains that are biological.
Brains, in contrast to minds, are biological. Brains are given by nature; minds are
cultural, they are the result of experience and the kind of experience the child
secures in school is significantly influenced by the decisions we make about what
to teach. (Eisner, 1998, p.45)
It is not just the biological development of the brain that must be considered, but the
thought processes that fuel the development of the mind. The experience that Dewey
referred to as a relationship of the esthetic, is essential, then, in both brain functions and
the mind thought process. “The artist knows through sight and through feel. A unified
body and mind must be fully engaged with the material at hand to have a basis for
making such judgments” (Eisner, 1998, p. 48). The engagement of the brain and mind
working in a relationship for esthetic learning experiences contributes to healthy human
development. The human development in early childhood is a delicate balance of an
enriching environment with a variety of forms of representation. These together increase
the array of cognitive abilities that students develop (Eisner, 1998).
The early childhood brain and mind must be nurtured and developed together.
The visual and performing arts engage the mind, present challenge, promote creativity,
and foster the basic development of skill sets needed for future learning.
The development of early childhood artistry is a natural ability where the mind
becomes a canvas for unrestricted imagination and expression. In Howard Gardner’s Art,
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Mind, and Brain: A Cognitive Approach to Creativity, the development and expression of
the early childhood mind is seen as parallel with the artistry of the adult mind. Gardner
studied the similarities of the expressive and creative mind within children between the
ages of two to seven. Gardner noticed a shift of thought processes and understanding in
children after the age of seven, where cognition and development becomes literal,
described as the literal stage. This stage of development abandons the notion of
whimsical imagination, where there is a shift in understanding and representation of
forms.
Children age eight, nine, or ten are far less likely then their younger counterparts
to produce copious collections of drawings, paintings, clay figures, or threedimensional constructions. Children of these ages are also far less likely to
produce charming or intriguing figures of speech. Moreover, this decline in
quantity is accompanied by decisive shifts in attitudes. These children reject the
impressionistic or abstract works of art produced by others, even as they voice
hostility to figures of speech. “You can’t say a tie is loud, because ties don’t make
noise.” This attraction to realism and literalism, this distaste for fanciful and
adventurous, has so impressed certain observers that they have defined a “literal
stage” in artistic development in the early years of school. (Gardner, 1982, p.94)
In essence Gardner proposed that there is a window into the mind and brain development
at the early childhood stage of life. The mind is pliant and open to expressive forms,
where after this occurrence, the window closes.
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The mind and brain then begin a new way of understanding the world in a literal
sense. Gardner explored this unique opportunity for development and learning. He
captured the necessity for arts in early childhood development and compared the
universal norms of artistry and the adult mind.
Taken together, these various trends suggest that before children reach the literal
stage they are very close to the wellsprings of creativity and that they share some
similarities with gifted adults in both the processes and the products of artistry.
Young children and the arts seem attuned to one another, but, at least in our
culture, a wedge appears to be driven between them following the entry to school.
(Gardner, 1982, p.94)
Gardner’s suggestion that this creativity window closes after age seven, is simply a
recognition that the mind and brain are in a unique stage for artistry. Not to state that
children past this age window do not possess formative artistic qualities, but they have
entered in to a different developmental stage of understanding and meaning.
In order to understand the impact and significance of early childhood artistic
activity, there must be a constant in early childhood development.
During the period from age two to seven children learn to speak, to draw, to
gesture, to handle systems of mime, number, and music. Moreover, they
accomplish this feat of learning with such speed and efficacy that it seems
reasonable to view them in their entry into school as fluent symbol using
creatures. (Gardner, 1982, p.95)
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The use and understanding of symbols at this developmental stage is a key element of
consistency within children. The symbolic representation used by children in early
childhood is qualitatively the connection found among gifted adult artists. This
representation and symbolic knowledge, Gardner referred to as “first-draft” knowledge of
certain procedures and norms of artistic practice (Gardner, 1982).
According to philosopher Nelson Goodman, a drawing functions as an aesthetic
symbol. “Symptoms of the aesthetic” are referred to as replete and expressive properties.
Symbols in this context of understanding reflect meaning in artistic works. When
referring to the replete symptom, the drawing exhibits and highlights the various
potentials of line-such as the thickness, shading, and texture. The symptom of
expressivity views the drawing as an expressive symbol where it conveys specific moods,
expressions, or emotions (Gardner, 1982). The insight into early childhood artistry and
symbolic representation maintains the unique developmental stage of children age two
through seven. The cognition and artistic expression of the early childhood brain and
mind allow educators an exceptional opportunity to foster creativity for a healthy human
development.
Arthur D. Efland in Art and Cognition: Integrating the Visual Arts in the
Curriculum examined cognition in respect to Piagetian and Vygotskian perspectives.
Efland presented an integrated theory of cognition about symbol processing, sociocultural
perspectives, and the view that individuals construct their own views of reality (Efland,
2001). The comprehensive functions of the mind and brain together are not completely
20
known; however, leaders in educational research overwhelming endorse the arts for
human development of learning processes.
The view of the mind to be advanced is thus to be a threefold one: First, mind is
characterized as a symbol-creating and processing function, with the symbols
themselves being created in the brain to represent knowledge or reality. Second, it
is portrayed as a sociocultural practice among interacting individuals, and third, it
is portrayed as the meaning constructed from one’s experience. (Efland, 2001,
p.54)
Through this integration of mind, culture, and experience the arts in education provide
the foundation and tools for meaningful learning.
In early childhood the brain and mind develop through sensory and tactile
mediums. “The main difference in the stages of learning was the forms of representation
available to the learner for use in constructing knowledge. Learning in early childhood is
largely grounded in the senses and thus instruction at this level would make use of
concrete objects” (Efland, 2001, p.58). The learning process uses symbols as
representation based on prior knowledge, personal experience, and cultural influences.
When taken into account, each aspect works within one another, creating the relationship
of the aesthetic. In early childhood development, the window of opportunity that Gardner
referred to as the “Golden Age” of creativity, will close, making way for a different
understanding of the world (Gardner, 1982). Early childhood offers a unique perspective
of the world and imaginative thought when compared with the exceptional minds of
21
artistic adults. Picasso as quoted in Gardner stated, “I used to draw like Raphael, but it
has taken me a whole lifetime to learn to draw like a child” (p. 89).
The implications of the arts in early childhood brain and mind development are
essential in building a foundation for learning. Not just one approach to the arts must be
taught in the early childhood classroom, but the correlation of many for a meaningful
aesthetic experience. Meaningful learning is necessary to healthy brain development in
children. Through the arts the fine motor, sensory, cognitive, and emotional skills of the
brain are developed in a unified relationship with the mind.
Engaging the Multiple Intelligences of Diverse Learners
The human mind is complex. The brain as a physical counterpart of thinking
requires attention to its diversities among human beings. The brain and mind together
must be nurtured and observed by educators as an integral manifestation of a variety of
factors. The study of the brain and the mind in human development has been a continuous
study for researchers in the field. There seems to be a wide spectrum of complexities
within studies of the mind and the brain, however the enrichment of these diversities
within the development of the brain and mind have prompted theories of individual
learning intelligences. In this section, the key elements of multiple intelligences will be
explored in connection with the importance of the arts in education.
In Howard Gardner’s Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences,
human cognitive development is explored in depth, recognizing individual intelligences
and the structure in which they develop. Gardner’s theory builds on earlier views of
cognitive development and approaches to understanding human intelligence. Gardner
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credits Piagetian theories of human cognition development as an important building
block to later works, however points out flaws in his monolithic approach to
understanding human cognition development. Gardner studied the symbol systems
approach in effort to uncover the structure of development within each particular symbol
system (1983). His studies have led to a widely accepted approach to understanding how
the brain learns and how educators can better meet the needs of diverse learners in the
classroom.
The theory of multiple intelligences challenges educators and researches alike to
develop and implement ways of teaching for understanding by recognizing individual
needs. The intelligences that Gardner refers to in Frames of Mind are the original
foundation for his studies. As scholars of the theory have proposed additional
intelligences over the years, Gardner has maintained focus to his original proposal set
(1983). In addition to the specific intelligences proposed, Gardner pointed out “Our
intelligences are being separately defined and described strictly in order to illuminate
scientific issues and to tackle pressing practical problems” ( p.70). The theory suggests
the various intelligences to be understood as “sets of know how” procedures for doing
things, in that all human beings have the potential of each intelligence (1983).
Linguistic Intelligence as described by Gardner is exemplified in poetry. The
work of a poet has a special clarity to the core operations of language. “Linguistic
competencies, in fact, the intelligence- the intellectual competence- that seems most
widely and most democratically shared across the human species” (p.78). Language is at
the core of human society. Gardner highlights four aspects of linguistic knowledge; the
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rhetorical aspect of language, the mnemonic potential of language, language in its role of
explanation, and the potential of language to explain its own activities. These four
components of language are a pre-eminent instance of human intelligence (1983).
The development of linguistic skills is uniquely human in that they develop out of
culture and environment. “The syntactic and phonological processes appear to be special,
probably specific to human beings, and unfolding with relatively scant need for support
from environmental factors” (p.80).
The brain and language development in children are especially dependent on one
another. Children begin babbling in early life and continue to acquire linguistic skills of
communication throughout the early years of life. Through observation of their
surrounding environment, they pick up on linguistic codes in order to effectively
communicate their needs.
Other scholars , such as Kenneth Wexler and Peter Culicover, have made further
claim that children would not be able to learn language at all if they did not make
certain initial assumptions about how the code must-and must not-operate, such
assumptions presumably being built into the nervous system. (p.80)
Gardner continued to explain that children that demonstrate difficulties with language
particularly struggle with auditory discrimination. “The ability to process linguistic
messages rapidly-a pre-requisite for the understanding of normal speech-seems to depend
on an intact left temporal lobe” (p.84). Language within the brain is a natural intelligence
of human beings. Cross-cultural linguistic variations are also definitive factors of
Linguistic Intelligence. The value within a particular culture for literacy may differ from
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another; however this does not discredit the innate human trait of Linguistic Intelligence.
Linguistic Intelligence can be manifested through a variety of means including symbols,
numbers, pictures, and verbal expressions (1983). Linguistic Intelligence is expressive of
human nature. All human beings possess the potential of this innately known ability.
Musical Intelligence emerges the earliest in human development. As described by
Gardner (1983), the study of Musical Intelligence may lead to an understanding of music
and its relation to other forms of the human intellect. In the same way Gardner explained
the exemplification of Linguistic Intelligence by the example of poetry, he explained in
the same manner for music, an intelligence exemplified through composition. The
composer of music carries out the musical talent quite naturally, without the need for
words. The process of creating music is in the doing and not thinking. The composer
creates music through natural ability, understanding the integral workings of musical
components. The composer works with tones, rhythms, and the overall sense of form and
movement. The composer decides the repetition, harmonic, melodic, and rhythmic
variations. These all together are necessary for the composer to realize his conception
(1983). For the composer, the musical talent begins at infancy, as for all human beings in
the development of musical competence.
During infancy, normal children sing as well as babble: they can emit individual
sounds, produce undulating patterns and tones sung by others with better then
random accuracy. In fact, it has recently been claimed by Mechthild Papousek and
Hanus Papousek that infants as young as two months are able to match the pitch,
25
loudness, and melodic contour of their mother’s songs and that infants at four
months can match rhythmic structure as well. (p. 108)
Musical competences in the early years of life seem to be a natural development within
humans. The natural musical inclinations of infancy and the first two years of life are
important insights to understanding the development of Musical Intelligence within the
scope of human development.
Throughout the world culture plays an important role in musical competence. The
Anang of Nigeria introduce infants as young as a week old to music and dancing. Small
drums are made for the children and by the time they are two, the children will join
groups where they learn singing, dancing, and playing of instruments. At the age of five
the children can sing hundreds of songs, play several percussion instruments, and perform
intricate dances (1983). “In some contemporary cultures, musical competence is highly
prized: in China, Japan, and Hungary, for example, children are expected to gain
proficiency in singing and, if possible, in instrumental performance as well” (p.110).
Culture plays a significant role in musical competence; however culture in itself does not
dictate Musical Intelligence. In fact Gardner’s argument of Musical Intelligence
concluded that a surprising variety of neural representations of musical ability are found
in human beings.
First of all, there is a tremendous range of types of degree and musical skill found
in the human population; since individuals differ so much in what they can do, it
is conceivable that the nervous system can offer a plurality of mechanisms for
carrying out these performances. Second, and relatedly, individuals may make
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their initial encounter with music through different media and modalities and,
even more so, continue to encounter music in idiosyncratic fashion. Thus, while
every normal individual is exposed to natural language primarily through listening
to others speak, humans can encounter music through many channels: singing,
playing instruments by hand, inserting instruments into the mouth, listening to
records, watching dances, or the like. Even the way in which written language is
represented neurally reflects the kind of script used in one’s culture, the various
ways in which music can be processed cortically probably reflect the wealth of
ways in which humans have found to make and absorb music. (p.119)
Musical Intelligence develops diversely among individuals, however it is a natural
component of human life and expression. It is important to nurture musical competence
in the early years of life. “As an aesthetic form, music lends itself especially well to
playful exploration with other modes of intelligence and symbolization, particularly in
the hands (or ears) of highly creative individuals” (p.126). As Musical Intelligence is
often connected to Logical-Mathematical Intelligence, Gardner’s own analysis of the
core operations in other areas find no connections and assert that Musical Intelligence
should be recognized as an autonomous intellectual realm.
In contrast to linguistic and musical competences, Logical-Mathematical
Intelligence does not originate in the auditory-oral sphere. This form of thought involves
the world of objects; confronting objects, ordering and reordering them, and assessing
quantity. The development of logical-mathematical competence occurs at this preliminary
point (1983).
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Gardner (1983) built his theory of logical-mathematical understanding primarily
from Swiss developmental psychologist Jean Piaget. “In Piaget’s view, all knowledgeand in particular, logical mathematical understanding which constituted his primary
focus-derives in the first instance from one’s actions upon the world” (p.129). During
infancy, there is a fascination with objects and exploration. The infant has casual
connections to the objects, a moment to moment experience. After the first eighteen
months of life, the child develops an appreciation of the objects and is aware of the
objects when they are missing, a term known as object permanence. As development
continues, a young toddler will begin to recognize a set or classification of the objects.
The child at this stage can associate small quantities, however cannot distinguish density
or spatial extension. The child can count in a number series, essentially a Linguistic
Intelligence. As the logical-mathematical development continues, at the age of four or
five, the child begins to understand the meaning of quantity in relation to objects and
numbers. At the age of six or seven more complex operations become possible. The child
can understand basic numeric operations such as to compare, add, subtract, multiply, and
divide (1983). The developmental process of Logical-Mathematical Intelligence begins
with the child’s interaction with the material world of objects.
The development of meaning within mathematical and logical competence
continues as the child is able to move beyond the objects as the actions become
internalized. The child is now able arrive at the same conclusion mentally.
Deductions, tautologies, syllogisms, and the like are true, not just because they
happen to confirm a state of affairs in the world, but also because certain rules of
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logic must apply: two pile remain the same, not because the count revels them to
be identical, but rather because you haven’t added or taken anything away, and
therefore, they must remain the same. (p.132)
At the ages of seven to ten, the child understands concrete operations, but is still
restricted to physical objects. The final stage of mental development occurs in the early
years of adolescence, where the child becomes capable of formal mental operations.
Now he can operate not only upon objects themselves, and not only upon mental
images or models of these objects, but also upon words, symbols, or strings of
symbols (like equations) that stand for objects. He is able to state a set of
hypotheses and to infer the consequences of each. Where his once physical
actions transformed objects, now mental operations transform sets of symbols.
(p.132)
The sequence of development in Piaget’s research of logical-mathematical cognitive
growth from sensory motor, to concrete, to formal operations, is recognized as the best
trajectory of child development. However, Gardner (1983) disagreed with Piaget in that
this development pertains to other domains of intelligence. Gardner also stated that the
developmental process is more of a gradual and heterogeneous progression than
originally believed by Piaget. The development of logical-mathematical competences are
the foundation within all forms of thought in the mathematical and logical world, as they
are one in the same. “Underlying even the most complex mathematical statements, one
can find simple logical properties-the sorts of intuition that the child is beginning to
display as his operational thinking unfolds” (p.135) Children need to explore the world
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they live in as Logical-Mathematical Intelligence develops in young children through
exploration and tangible experiences.
The realm of Spatial Intelligence is closely connected to and grows out
of observation of the visual world. Spatial Intelligence centers around the capacities to
perceive the visual world accurately, to transform and modify based on initial
perceptions, and the ability to re-create aspects of a visual experience even in the absence
of relevant physical stimuli. In relation to Musical Intelligence that encompasses
abilities of pitch and rhythm, and Linguistic Intelligence that encompasses syntactic and
pragmatic abilities, Spatial Intelligence also emerges with multiple connections among
related capacities. Spatial skills are considered a part of or a piece of other
abilities (1983).
…spatial intelligence entails a number of loosely related capacities: the ability to
recognize instances of the same element; the ability to transform or recognize a
transformation of one element into another; the capacity to conjure up mental
imagery and then to transform that imagery; the capacity to produce a graphic
likeness of spatial information; and the like. Conceivably, these operations are
independent of one another and could develop or breakdown separately; and yet,
just as rhythm and pitch work together in the area of music, so, too, the
aforementioned capacities typically occur together in the spatial realm. Indeed
they operate as a family, and use of each operation may well reinforce use of the
others. (p.176)
Within a child’s mental development, Piaget’s concrete operations theory evolves where
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the child develops a more active manipulation of images and objects. The child can
reverse mental operations, known as decentralization. The child is able to conceive a
situation from a different perspective or rotation of angle based on physical
stimuli(1983).
Visual-spatial processing occurs in the right hemisphere of the brain. It is
important to understand how individuals with visual disabilities relate spatial experiences
with imagery restrictions. John Kennedy of the University of Toronto explained, “There
is a perceptual system common to both the tactile and the visual modalities: insights
gleaned by normal individuals from a combination of these modalities prove accessible
to the blind from the tactile realms alone”(p.185). The interconnectedness of experiences
among Spatial Intelligence extends far beyond the obvious. Individuals naturally draw
relations to their surrounding environment and the experiences encountered throughout
life.
Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence is the ability to use the body in highly
differentiated and skilled ways expressively with goal directed purposes. It is the capacity
to work skillfully with objects, involving fine motor movements of fingers and hands and
gross motor movements of the body (1983). Gardner relates these skills to swimmers,
dancers, actors, athletes, inventors, and the like. The skillful control of body within these
realms exemplifies Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence. Culturally, dance is a mature
expression of body and emotion. “We can define dancing as culturally patterned
sequences of nonverbal body movements that are purposeful, intentionally rhythmic, and
have aesthetic value in the eyes of those for whom the dancer is performing”(p.222).
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Dance utilizes the whole body and mind in a synchronistic expression of emotion. The
time, placement, and spatial relation of each movement are carefully executed by the
dancer. The attention to detail in the bodily movement of the experience works in relative
unison with the mind.
Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence can be exemplified within the actor as well. The
actor must use the whole body to mimic or express the desired action.
These “born mimics” who are perhaps gifted with a high potential in the area of
bodily intelligence, can watch a scene but once or twice and pick up the most
salient and most individuating features, while other individuals who behold the
same scene numerous times still prove far less accurate and acute in their recreations. (1983, p. 227)
The actor is able to express powerful emotions using the body as an athlete is able to
execute powerful motions with a sense of coordination, rhythm, and timing. The athlete is
able to recognize spatial patterns and take advantage of them quickly and accurately. The
inventor also excels in the use of body particularly the hands with other materials. The
capacity to transform and manufacture objects is a characteristic of the human species in
utilizing the body. Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence, like Logical-Mathematical
Intelligence and Spatial Intelligence, is an object related intelligence, where the body is
the object (1983). Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence involves the body and mind working
together, where uniquely human characteristics emerge interpersonally yielding
confidence, determination, and motivation to succeed.
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The realm of personal intelligences offer an insight to understanding the
humanistic characteristics that evolve in life, known as the sense of self. Gardner
(1983) examined the development of human nature within both Intrapersonal and
Interpersonal Intelligence. Intrapersonal Intelligence turns inward, accessing feelings,
and the range of emotions. A distinction between these feelings can be drawn, attaching
humanistic labels and symbolic codes. The Intrapersonal Intelligence guides
understanding of these emotions and, in turn, guides behavior. The other, Interpersonal
Intelligence, turns outward, with the ability to make distinctions between the emotional
output, motivations, and intentions of other human beings. Each form of personal
intelligence has a variety of differentiation among individuals based on environment,
culture, and experience. All human beings are unique in their understanding of life in
relation to their own perspective. The personal intelligences are reflected in human
behavior, which is directly related to circumstances of life.
The development of personal intelligences can be observed in the first year of life,
where a new child forms an attachment to the mother and the mother to the child. The
innate need to form a bond of well-being between mother and child is a necessary
component to knowledge of self. “The absence of such a bond signals difficulty for an
individual’s eventual ability to know other persons, to rear offspring, and to draw upon
this knowledge as he comes to know himself (p.244). Sense of self continues through
infancy as the child begins to correlate feelings with specific experiences. The child can
associate feelings with particular individuals as well. The child from age two to five
begins to associate symbols to himself. “Words pictures, gestures, and numbers are
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among the multifarious vehicles marshaled in service of coming to know the world
symbolically, as well as through direct physical actions upon it and sensory
discriminations of it”(246). The use of symbols has explicit implications for the
development of the personal intelligences (Gardner 1983).
The emergence of symbolization in the young child’s personal development
through culture provides unique experiences for an individual and their relation to
others. The exploration of different roles through play give the child a sense of self
within a community.
Through talk, pretend play, gestures, drawing, and the like, the young child tries
out facets of the roles of a mother and child, doctor and patient, policeman and
robber, teacher and pupil, astronaut and Martian. In experimenting with these role
fragments, the child comes to know not only which behavior is associated with
these individuals but also something about how it feels to occupy their
characteristic niches. (p.246)
The cultural environment of a child is reflected in the Intrapersonal and Interpersonal
Intelligences throughout the formative years. The child makes connections to the world
in the beginning stages of understanding themselves and others.
As the child continues personal growth through early childhood, personal
relationships and social behaviors emerge as the child begins to acknowledge intentions
and motivations of others. The six, seven, and eight year old may question personal
adequacies as they develop their knowledge of self. Through middle childhood, social
sensitivity and a better sense of personal competencies become the forefront of personal
34
development. The child develops deep personal relationships and friendships leading to
a deeper understanding of personal knowledge. Through adolescence, the personal
growth continues through relationships of value. The adolescent seeks individuals that
appreciate him for who he is, opposed to what physical possessions he might offer. This
period of human development is where both forms of personal intelligence are brought
together for a sense of identity and a sense of self (Gardner, 1983).
“Indeed it is through the learning-and use-of the symbol system of one’s culture
that personal intelligences come to assume their characteristic form” (p.274). The
intrapersonal and interpersonal intelligences evolve out of the innate quest to find
meaning and understanding of self and life. Human development within the personal
intelligence realm provides prospective and purpose within individuals which extends
outward to the understanding of the human species as a whole.
The multiple intelligences theory challenges educators to meet the diverse
learning needs of children. Thomas Armstrong, Ph.D. addressed the diverse learning
abilities of children. In his book In Their Own Way, Armstrong referred to Gardner’s
multiple intelligences and addressed the challenges with schools and teaching methods.
Within the current education system students are all too often labeled as learning
disabled because they do not fit the mold of a “normal child.” Armstrong addressed the
overwhelming misdiagnosis of children and stressed that schools are not meeting the
diverse needs of children.
There is a group of children totally unable to keep up with the charade, mostly
because their own unique ways of learning clash so severely with the narrow
35
ways that the schools go about educating them. This group has earned a couple of
unjust labels in recent years: learning disabled (LD) and attention deficit
hyperactivity disordered (ADHD). (Armstrong, 2000, p.6)
The symptoms that are associated with these labels are too general and subjective,
creating a phenomenal increase in misdiagnosis among children. It is imperative to
provide a learning environment that engages the full potential of the child.
The emergence of a new kind of learner has been taking place across the country
over the past three decades, and the schools appear to be all but blind to this plain
fact. Rather then taking the time to discover something about the phenomenon,
the schools choose instead to label millions of these youngsters as disabled
learners or ADHD students and ignore the learning potential in millions of others.
(p186)
The multiple ways in which children learn and develop cannot be reached through
a one size fits all approach. The human mind and brain need to be engaged through
multiple forms of representation. The arts in education provide a multisensory experience
for learning and a way in which all students can reach their inner potential.
Elliot Eisner in The Arts and Creation of Mind addressed the idea that humans are
meaning-making creatures, in that all humans wish to create meaningful experience. It is
human nature to seek understanding of life and purpose. The mind develops through
experience and the qualitative forms of intelligence. Eisner (2002) referred to the mind
development in cultural terms in that how one experiences the environment influences
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how the world is perceived. The mind and the sensory system are connected through
experience.
Our sensory system becomes a means through which we pursue our own
development. But the sensory system does not work alone; it requires for its
development the tools of culture: language, the arts, science, values, and the like.
With the aid of culture we learn how to create ourselves. (p.2)
The development of multiple intelligences within the human mind depends on the
interaction and engagement of all the diverse mediums of experience. “Teaching the arts
is very much concerned with helping students learn how to see the interactions among the
qualities constituting the whole” (p. 76). The visual arts allow children to make meaning
with their world, as children develop understanding of symbols through words and
pictures. Music stimulates multisensory learning and engages the humanistic qualities
and cultural diversities of children. Theatre engages the child in play, imaginative
thought, problem solving, exploration of relationships, and cultural understanding.
Dance allows children to express emotion, body movement, and experience mind and
body synchronization.
Some meanings are “readable” and expressible through literal language; other
meanings require literary forms of language; still others demand other forms
through which meanings can be represented and shared. The arts provide a
spectrum of such forms –we call them visual arts, music, dance, theatre-through
which meanings are made, revised, shared, and discovered. (p.230)
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All elements of the arts engage the mind and body creating an aesthetic experience,
meeting the needs of diverse learners.
The arts in education engage children in the learning process, creating life long
learners. Healthy human development depends on meaningful experience and interaction
with the surrounding world. Educators must restore the arts in education, for the future of
our children, culture of our nation, and survival of healthy human development.
This chapter focused on the theory and practice of the arts in education, early
childhood brain and mind development, and engaging the multiple intelligences of
diverse learners. The theory and practice of the arts in education supports providing
experience through many mediums in order to reach the learning needs of every child.
Early childhood brain and mind development research supports the arts in education as
developmentally appropriate in the early years of childhood, providing a distinction
between the brain’s biological development and the mind’s development of meaning and
understanding. Engaging the multiple intelligences of diverse learners also supports the
arts in education as a valuable tool for reaching the many ways in which children learn
and develop. The arts in education provide a solution to the many challenges educators
face in the public education system and allow children to see the world from multiple
perspectives without limitations to the possibilities of what our minds can imagine and
dream.
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Chapter 3
METHODOLOGY
This project in an Alternative Culminating Experience for a Masters of Arts in
Education: Curriculum and Instruction with an Elective Emphasis on Arts in Education.
It follows Pathway III: Developing a curriculum, program, or performance related to arts
education or arts in education. This project of curriculum development for early
childhood learning in a general education Kindergarten classroom provides tangible
learning experiences in the visual and performing arts while enriching the core
curriculum of language arts and math. The curriculum is intended as a resource for
teachers to reach the multiple intelligences (Gardner, 1983) through which children learn
by enhancing the delivery of the California content standards. The curriculum integrates
the California content standards of the core curriculum with the visual and performing
arts, enriching the learning experience for the teacher and the student. The curriculum
provides teacher choice for integrating art opportunities where the core curriculum and
the visual and performing arts content standards are aligned.
In education, the narrative provides for details of experience and tells the stories
of personal experience. The classroom as a setting embodies the experience of learning,
curiosity, trial and error, inspiration, and reflection for both student and teacher. The
experiences offer meaning and understanding that extend beyond the classroom. Humans
are by nature social story tellers and meaning making creatures. There is an innate
necessity to share our stories and find meaning within the microcosm to be able to
understand the macrocosm. Teachers are always studying ways to accommodate the
39
diversity of student needs. Like scientists, they develop methods of accommodation for
student needs; they apply them in the classroom and document the results, reworking the
details if necessary. Each student brings their personal stories when stepping into a
classroom. The experiences that unfold there are formed on the background knowledge
that both teacher and student bring. Each experience is an opportunity to progress in
learning and understanding. It is essential that the teacher continuously build on the
knowledge that is constructed in order to provide the necessary experiences for the
classroom community as a whole. The narrative is a vital tool in education; it is necessary
to guide the implementation of curriculum that meets the diversity of student learning
needs (Clandinin, 2000).
Chapter three will tell the story of this project and the educational journey that I
have taken in its development. Narrative inquiry as a research method was used in this
project because the stories and experiences of a teacher are necessary to the genesis of
this project for the arts in education and in classroom practice; therefore, chapters three
and chapter four will be written in the first person.
The sources and information used in the development of this project included the
California content standards for Kindergarten, discarded art curriculum, teacher art
resource books, research and collection of music and dance steps, university courses in
theatre arts, participation in professional development opportunities, including the
California Kindergarten conference with an emphasis on the arts in education, and
developmentally appropriate curriculum.
40
Personal History
When I think back to all of the memorable experiences in school, I remember the
heartwarming music lessons, choir practice and performances, engaging art projects that
fostered creativity, entering and winning drawing contests, the school musical, and dance
drill team. These experiences in my life as a child in school helped form my views of the
world today. I remember these experiences the most because the arts challenged me and
allowed me to explore my own creativity. The arts provided opportunities to express the
person inside that people other than my family rarely saw. I was a shy and quiet child,
observant and curious about the world around me. Artistic opportunities in school
allowed me to excel and be recognized for my accomplishments and gave me a sense of
inner confidence. I credit the arts in my own life for the experiences that shaped the
person I am today.
As an adult and a teacher myself, I know the impact the arts in education can have
on children for the rest of their life. There is something special about these experiences
that they stand apart from others. The memories of these experiences are vividly
ingrained in the very core of who I am. When I talk to my siblings about their best
memories of childhood, the arts again emerge. The arts enrich our existence and purpose
as human beings. The experiences of the arts resonate throughout our lives because they
have made an impression on our human development as a whole.
The curriculum development of this project progressed out of my teaching
experiences in early childhood learning. Children enter into Kindergarten with a wide
range of knowledge, abilities, and skills. Some children have had preschool, for others
41
Kindergarten is their first school experience. Every child is unique in their experiences
and abilities upon entering the Kindergarten classroom. The expectations for
Kindergarteners to meet California content standards through the state mandated
curriculum are often not age appropriate for early childhood development. The early
childhood years are formative years that set the foundation for learning and success in the
years of school that follow. This curriculum development project was designed as a
developmentally appropriate early childhood learning resource for Kindergarten teachers
(See Appendix for Exploring the Arts Kindergarten Curriculum).
The lessons within the curriculum are intended as an introduction to the visual
and performing arts. The curriculum provides a starting point of reference for teacher
created lessons. The curriculum has four units, one unit for each of the visual and
performing arts of visual arts, music, dance and theatre. The curriculum was created for
early childhood development appropriateness particularly for the Kindergarten grade
level, ages four to six.
For each unit, the first lessons are introductory to basic concepts of the arts. The
lessons were created as a progressive series of “base” lessons. These base lessons provide
a framework that aligns the California content standards for the core curriculum of
language arts and math. The California content standards are addressed within the
framework of each base lesson. The base lessons were designed to be extended by
incorporating the visual and performing arts. Each unit includes an “art opportunities”
section for the teacher. This section is a quick reference for teachers on different ways to
incorporate the arts into the base lessons. The art opportunities reference also provides for
42
a teacher choice in curriculum selection, allowing for the flexibility to align the arts with
core curriculum themes.
The purpose of this curriculum development is not only to provide Kindergarten
teachers with an arts resource that align the California content standards of the core
curriculum with the visual and performing arts, but also to provide a tool that facilitates
teacher interest and engagement in their own learning as well. The teacher can take
ownership in the curriculum and the lessons being taught, while also fostering and
exploring educational curiosity in the unique and special qualities that the arts in
education provide.
The process of curriculum development depends extensively on experiences in the
classroom. Each lesson was developed based on the experiences I have had teaching
Kindergarten. The state mandated core curriculum is lacking in essential elements that
are needed for early childhood learning. The project of curriculum development in the
arts was inspired by the overwhelming need to teach to the students in a way that was
developmentally appropriate. In my experience, students in early childhood need tangible
experiences to enrich their development. The arts in education can provide the
experiences that children in Kindergarten need. Each lesson in the project provides a
tangible, age appropriate experience that enriches the core curriculum.
The first endeavor in this project was to collect data and resources that amplified
the purposes within this project. I discovered, after a lot of back and forth with ideas on
how to organize this project, that I would start with the California content standard
alignment for the core curriculum of language arts and math and then incorporate the
43
visual and performing arts. This justifies the use of the arts within the classroom, as well
as provides all of the elements that I intended to address in this project of curriculum
development.
Drawing from previous classroom experiences, I was able to create lessons that
can be a foundational setting for countless arts integration opportunities. As a teacher, I
am also aware that time is limited to three hours a day for most Kindergartens, which
does not leave a lot of time for extra curriculum. With that limitation in mind, the
curriculum was created to accommodate a busy and often short day in the classroom. The
units and lessons were created to stand alone where each lesson could essentially be
taught for enrichment of the core curriculum individually or as a progressive series. This
allows for teacher discretion for pacing, where state mandated curriculum sets time tables
to complete units and lessons, often causing pressure for the teacher and students to move
forward and not taking into account that every child learns differently and at a different
pace. The curriculum in the arts can be used as a reinforcement of skills and adjusted to
student abilities. The arts curriculum allows teachers to choose the lessons to
accommodate their student’s learning needs. The teacher is able to make judgments for
his/her teaching strategies based on what he/she observes within the classroom
community.
The thematic curriculum also provides a reflection section after each lesson. The
students can share and talk about their artwork. The teacher will ask questions and
comment on each child’s work. The teacher can refer to the reflection questions and
comments page within the curriculum to help guide the reflection section in the lesson.
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The reflection piece allows students to talk about their work and evaluate the experience.
In order for both the teacher and students to make meaning of their experience in the arts,
it is important to reflect on what has been learned in each lesson.
In conclusion, the curriculum development process is the journey that emerged
from my personal experiences as a Kindergarten teacher. The curriculum tells the story of
my quest to incorporate the arts in education by aligning the content standards and
enriching the core curriculum with the arts. Through the arts in education the diversity of
student needs can be reached. The arts provide unique experiences that engage early
childhood development and human development as a whole. Humans are natural story
tellers, the stories of the arts in education impact and shape the people we become.
Children remember the experiences in the arts for their whole life because the
experiences impart perspective and meaning to the world around them.
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Chapter 4
REFLECTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This project in curriculum development has enriched my own teaching
experiences and has allowed me to grow professionally and personally. The project
success for me has been the experience of learning and acting as my own advocate for
teaching the arts in education. The personal journey that I have taken from start to finish
has empowered me as a teacher to feel confident in my own teaching and learning skills.
The curriculum development project challenged me to think differently and, in turn,
changed the perspective that I once held about teaching. I have learned from this
experience how important it is for teachers to reflect on their own teaching practices and
how their choices impact their students learning potential.
The process of curriculum development was difficult. I struggled with the many
possibilities of incorporating the arts in education and eventually had to design base
lessons as starting points. I can imagine that I am not the first teacher who wanted to
incorporate the arts into the classroom but just did not know where to start. This
curriculum project was designed as a starting point and teacher resource for integrating
the arts in education. Once I was able to design base lessons for a progressive series, the
project seemed to take flight, meeting the purpose that I originally intended for the
curriculum. In my experience a lesson should be taught and then fine tuned for changes
or edits. This project’s obstacles are that it was not taught in a classroom setting so that
adjustments could be made. Like any curriculum there are likely to be hiccups along the
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way, but this curriculum was designed to be a progressive and cumulative experience for
teachers to develop their own skills in teaching the arts.
Many teachers are afraid to divert away from the state mandated curriculum, and I
too, am guilty. Through this project I had to reflect on my own teaching philosophies and
perspectives on learning. The process of curriculum development and the experience
itself allowed for me to explore my own creativity, therefore challenging my own
teaching practices. Throughout the curriculum development, I found my self analyzing
the smallest of details and aligning each lesson with the original purpose of the
curriculum. For example, I started with an idea for a lesson, and as the lesson progressed
I had to make many changes reflecting back on my original purpose for the project. I
found myself excluding many lessons that I originally wanted to include, but these
although a great arts resource, did not align with the projects purpose. I found through
this process that the integration of the arts was easy and fun, but the integration of the
standards was more difficult. There were many good arts lessons that I felt served as a
developmentally appropriate teaching tool for the growth of the whole child; however the
standards integration into the lessons obscured the arts lesson itself. I had to strike a
balance between integrating the arts and the standards together, fulfilling the original
purpose of the project. This was the most challenging process for me and where I learned
the most about myself as a teacher. I had to reflect on my own teaching practices and the
way I am expected to teach the core curriculum. I explored my own creativity through
reworking the details and developing new ways to incorporate the arts and the standards
47
equally. The project has gone through many changes along the way, but I can imagine
that any curriculum worth teaching evolves to meet the diverse needs of children today.
As a resource for teachers, my hope is that this project will prove worthy of
personal successes for teachers and students where the teacher can take an ownership in
the curriculum and student learning will be enriched. The early childhood environment
must enable the children to explore and experience the process of learning. This
curriculum integrates the California content standards of the core curriculum with the
visual and performing arts, designed to meet the diverse learning needs of all students.
Through the arts in education, children learn using a variety of mediums to express the
learning concept. The project provides teachers with introductory methods to teaching
and learning the arts. The curriculum development project justifies the use of the arts in
education by meeting the California content standards and the multiple intelligences
through which children learn. The project engages the whole development of the child
and stands as a foundational resource for early childhood educators.
The recommendation for using this curriculum is for the teacher to create a
portfolio or collection of the base lessons for each unit of visual arts, music, dance, and
theatre. The curriculum was designed to be a progressive series, therefore intended as a
foundation to begin teaching the arts in a Kindergarten classroom. The portfolio will
provide the teacher with an arts resource that will progress into a teacher-created
curriculum that is personalized to each particular teacher. The project will become their
own, instilling a sense of pride and engagement in the curriculum that is being taught.
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In addition to personal and professional development for the teacher, it is recommended
that the curriculum be shared within the teaching grade level team and with the school
staff. This project can be used as a professional development tool with in schools,
perhaps beginning with the grade level team and progressing toward staff participation
from other grade levels.
The basis for this curriculum development was the California content standards,
allowing a teacher of any grade level to use the same principle of base lessons developed
to meet the grade level standards and then successfully develop a cumulative curriculum
in the arts. The professional development would essentially be an in depth study of the
grade level content standards and then an application of creative thought relating to the
arts in education. Teachers need to take initiative to grow professionally and challenge
themselves as educators. This project offers a creative opportunity for educators to reflect
on their current teaching practices and redefine the future of education.
For the future of this project, I intend to continue my journey, using the arts
curriculum in a classroom setting reworking the details as necessary, building upon the
foundation that has been set. Throughout the curriculum development process, my own
personal beliefs about early childhood learning have changed. This project enabled me to
produce a resource of opportunities through the arts to reach the many ways in which
children learn, effectively providing a different approach to teaching and learning in the
classroom. My hope for the future of this project is that it will reform teachers’
philosophies by empowering the early childhood teacher with the confidence and tools to
set forth with the attitude that all students can learn through the arts in education.
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Education needs new and innovative ideas and solutions to the growing obstacles
that teachers are faced with in the classroom setting. The students need teachers to
advocate for their educational needs. Children need to be exposed to more than words on
paper; they need to associate the meaning of the words through experience to facilitate
understanding. The arts provide tangible opportunities to teach and learn with meaning.
The current educational system is suffocated by politics and policy dictating what
students need while being far removed from the reality of a classroom setting. Teachers
are on the front lines of education and are closer to what students need through their
everyday experiences. Teachers need to be more than systematic interpreters of
educational politics; teachers must strive to change the system that is clearly broken by
challenging themselves to reach new standards for education. The arts in education
provide teachers with the tools they need to perpetuate success for all students by creating
meaning and experiences in learning. As educators, teachers have a tremendous
responsibility and opportunity to meet the needs of diverse learners. The one-size fits all
approach does not work and is not creating a successful learning environment for
children. Children are naturally curious about their world and need to explore and have
meaningful experiences. The arts demand human beings to be reflective of their
experiences and to redesign the mind and its way of thinking. The arts, learning, and
thinking develop in unison creating thoughtful thinkers and well developed human beings
that can confidently face the overwhelming challenges of the world.
The children are the future of our world, and they will grow up to be the people
we have taught them to be. Everything they do will reflect what they have experienced
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and learned in their lives. Their character will be the measure of their personal
development as a human being. The children we teach are the children that lead. If their
education has been enriched by the arts and their development has been nurtured by
meaningful experiences, then as educators we can be confident that our students will be
successful in becoming life long learners and valued human beings that can reach the
dreams that echo in their heart.
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APPENDIX
Exploring the Arts Kindergarten Curriculum
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Visual Arts Thematic Unit
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Art Tools
Base Lesson 1-Paint Brush
Materials:
One 8 ½’ x 11’’ paper per student (shape pattern template)
One paint brush per student
One small cup or container per student (optional)
Pictures painted using paint brushes
(Additional materials will vary from lesson to lesson)
Preparation: This lesson uses a paint brush as an art tool. Each lesson for introducing
other art tools (i.e. pencils, markers, chalk, paint, etc.) will follow in the same format.
This lesson is an introduction to art tools and how to use them. This is a base lesson in a
progressive series.
Teacher Choice: As the lessons and skills progress, “art opportunities” can be
incorporated into the lessons.
Purpose: The students will learn about tools used in art that will progressively build on
language arts and math core curriculum, while incorporating the visual and performing
arts.
Learning Objectives: The students will be able to identify the art tool presented in the
lesson and its proper uses. Students will identify shapes and patterns using a variety of
mediums.
Procedure:
 The teacher will display a picture painted with a paint brush and ask students how
they think the artist created this picture and what kind of materials were used.
 The teacher will show the students a paint brush and explain that a paint brush is
an art tool used usually with paint to create works of art.
 The teacher will explain demonstrate how to use a paint brush (the teacher can
pretend to dip the paint brush into a container and carefully wipe off excess on to
the edges).
 The teacher will use the shape pattern template to demonstrate how to gently
swipe the brush on to the surface, tracing over the template and saying the shape
patterns aloud.
 The teacher will explain that after using an art tool such as a paint brush, that it
must be cleaned (the teacher can pretend to wash the brush and pat it dry with a
paper towel).
 The teacher will have students use a paint brush (dry with an empty container to
dip) in the same way.
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
The students will practice the procedure of using a paint brush in the same way
the teacher demonstrated (dip, wipe on edges, paint and say the shape patterns,
rinse, and pat dry with a paper towel). The students will continue the procedure
several times.
Reflection:
 The students will show, read, and discuss their work with the class.
 The teacher will ask reflection questions, give positive feedback, and talk about
the arts.
California Content Standards Alignment
Language Arts
Reading: 1.2, 1.3, 1.17, 1.18
Writing: 1.3
Listening and Speaking: 1.1, 2.1
Math
Algebra and Functions: 1.1
Measurement and Geometry: 2.1
Statistics, Data Analysis, and Probability: 1.2
Mathematical Reasoning: 1.2
Visual and Performing Arts
Visual Arts: The standards for this progressive lesson will vary for each lesson based on
teacher choice art opportunities used.
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Shape Pattern Template
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Self Portrait
Base Lesson 1- Drawing
Materials:
One 8 ½’ x 11’’ paper per student
Chart paper
(Additional materials will vary from lesson to lesson)
Preparation: This base lesson of drawing self portraits is a progressive series that is
taught once a month from September through June. This lesson is a good assessment tool
for documenting drawing and writing progress throughout the school year.
Teacher Choice: As the lessons and skills progress, “art opportunities” can be
incorporated into the lessons.
Purpose: The students will create self portraits that will progressively build on language
arts and math core curriculum, while incorporating the visual and performing arts.
Learning Objectives: The students will be able to identify, write, and draw lines and
shapes (letters, numbers, and words as the lessons and skills progress).The students will
create self portraits that correspond to writing using a variety of mediums.
Procedure:


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




The teacher will explain to the students that they will be making self portraits by
drawing lines and shapes.
The teacher will discuss with the students the different body parts that they will
learn to draw and the lines and shapes that they will use to create a self portrait.
The teacher will write a list on the chart paper and demonstrate the type of line or
shape that can be used for the body part (i.e. a circle for the head, a curvy line for
the mouth).
The teacher will draw a self portrait sample using the shapes and lines discussed
and then have students begin their own drawing.
The students will number each drawing in sequence (i.e. Self Portrait #1).
The teacher will title the drawing “This is me in (name of month).” The title can
be student writing as skills progress throughout the year.
The teacher can teach the Alphabet Book Cover Base Lesson-4 to create a book of
the progressive self portraits after the final drawing to provide a visual depiction
of the student skill progression.
The “art opportunity” used in this lesson is drawing; however, the picture can be
created in a variety of ways, where the teacher chooses the “art opportunity” to
incorporate.
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Suggestions: As writing and drawing skills progress, additional details of drawing can be
taught. When teaching the first few lessons, introduce basic concepts such as for the first
lesson you may want to just have them draw the head, adding body parts in progressive
lessons. Additionally, “art opportunities” can be integrated into progressive lessons as
student skills progress.
Reflection:
 The students will show, read, and discuss their work with the class.
 The teacher will ask reflection questions, give positive feedback, and talk about
the arts.
California Content Standards Alignment
Language Arts
Reading: 1.2, 1.4, 1.5, 1.17, 1.18
Writing: 1.3, 1.4
Written and Oral English Language Conventions: 1.1
Listening and Speaking: 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.3
Math
Number Sense: 1.2
Measurement and Geometry: 1.2, 2.1
Mathematical Reasoning: 1.1
Visual and Performing Arts
Visual Arts: The standards for this progressive lesson will vary for each lesson based on
teacher choice art opportunities used.
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Rainbow Step Book
Base Lesson 1-Color and Number Sequence
Materials:
Three 8 ½’’x 11’’paper (per student)
1’’ strips of colored construction paper (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple) for each
student (two extra sets for teacher examples)
Crayons or markers
Glue
Preparation: The teacher will prepare for each student three pages of 8 ½’’ x 11’’ papers
placed one-inch apart and folded and stapled to make six page step books. The teacher
will also prepare one-inch colored construction paper strips for each student. The teacher
will create a sample book for students to reference.
Purpose: Students will create an artwork incorporating core curriculum.
Learning objectives: Students will be able to write and identify colors, sequence and
order colors and numbers, write complete sentences, illustrate and author a book of
colors.
Procedure:
 The teacher will introduce the lesson to students by explaining that every book
needs and author and illustrator and that the students will make a rainbow book of
flowers and numbers.
 The teacher will read the sample book to the students.
 The teacher will ask students what they noticed about the book.
 The teacher will explain the process of making the book and order of colors in the
rainbow.
 The teacher will demonstrate how to glue each colored strip to the edge of each
page (creating “steps” and the front cover as a rainbow).
 The teacher will demonstrate writing for each page (e.g., I see one red flower).
 The teacher will demonstrate the illustration for each page that matches the
sentence, color, and number sequence.
 The teacher will distribute materials and display sample books for student
reference.
 The students will begin the rainbow book.
 The teacher will monitor student work.
Reflection:
 The students will show, read, and discuss their work with the class.
 The teacher will ask reflection questions, give positive feedback, and talk about
the arts.
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California Content Standards Alignment
Language Arts
Reading: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5. 1.15, 1.17, 1.18
Writing: 1.1, 1.3.1.4
Written and Oral English Language Conventions: 1.1
Listening and Speaking: 1.1, 1.2, 2.1
Math
Number Sense: 1.2, 1.3
Algebra and Functions: 1.1
Visual and Performing Arts
Visual Arts: 2.0, 2.2, 4.1, 4.2, 4.4, 5.0
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Alphabet Book Progressive Lessons
Basic Materials: (Individual lessons may require additional materials)
A variety of blank paper
Chalk
Crayons
Markers
Pastels
Soft lead pencils in a variety of colors
Glue
Watercolor paints
Tempera Paints
Yarn
Scissors
Pastels
Wax paper
As the alphabet book lessons progress from beginning basic skills to more advanced
skills within the curriculum, the teacher can incorporate a variety of art opportunities into
the lessons providing for teacher choice in curriculum.
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Alphabet Book
Base Lesson 1-Letters
Materials:
One 8 ½’ x 11’’ paper per student
(Additional materials will vary from lesson to lesson)
Preparation: This lesson is for the letter “Aa”. Each letter in the alphabet will follow in
the same format, completing a page for each letter and creating and alphabet book. The
front cover and back cover will also be completed in a separate lesson.
Teacher Choice: As the lessons and skills progress, “art opportunities” can be
incorporated into the lessons.
Purpose: The students will create an alphabet book that will progressively build on
language arts and math core curriculum, while incorporating the visual and performing
arts.
Learning Objectives: The students will be able to identify and write letters of the
alphabet using a variety of mediums.
Procedure:
 The teacher will explain to the students that they will be creating an alphabet
book.
 The teacher will demonstrate writing capital and lower case letter “Aa” on an 8
½’ x 11’’piece of paper.
 The teacher will talk about the types of lines used to write the letter.
 The teacher will demonstrate the “art opportunity” that will be used in this lesson.
Reflection:
 The students will show, read, and discuss their work with the class.
 The teacher will ask reflection questions, give positive feedback, and talk about
the arts.
California Content Standards Alignment
Language Arts
Reading: 1.3, 1.5, 1.6
Writing: 1.3, 1.4
Written and Oral English Language Conventions: 1.1
Listening and Speaking: 1.1, 1.2, 2.1
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Visual and Performing Arts
Visual Arts: The standards for this progressive lesson will vary for each lesson based on
teacher choice art opportunities used.
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Letter Template
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Alphabet Book
Base Lesson 2-Sentences
Materials:
One 1’ x 11’’ paper per student
Glue
Chart paper
Preparation: This lesson is for the letter “Aa”. Each letter in the alphabet will follow in
the same format completing a page for each letter and creating and alphabet book. This
lesson will use Base Lesson 1-Letters page to add the sentence writing. The teacher will
cut and prepare materials needed.
Purpose: The students will create an alphabet book that will progressively build on
language arts and math core curriculum while incorporating the visual and performing
arts.
Learning Objectives: The students will be able to identify and write letters and
sentences.
Procedure:
 The teacher will remind the students of the alphabet book they are creating and
explain that they will be writing sentences to match their letters.
 The teacher will demonstrate on chart paper the writing they will complete. “This
is the letter “Aa.”
 The teacher will remind the students to use a capital letter at the beginning of the
sentence, finger spaces between words, and a period at the end of the sentence.
 The teacher will have the students count the capital letters, words, spaces, and
periods used in the sentence.
 The teacher will have the students read the sentence several times emphasizing
the sight words.
 The teacher will highlight the letter “Aa” in red (highlight vowels for all lessons).
 The teacher will demonstrate gluing the sentence strip along the bottom of the
letter “Aa” page completed in lesson 1-Letters.
 The teacher will have the students begin their writing independently and monitor
student work assisting as necessary.
Reflection:
 The students will show, read, and discuss their work with the class.
 The teacher will ask reflection questions, give positive feedback, and talk about
the arts.
California Content Standards Alignment
65
Language Arts
Reading: 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.12, 1.13, 1.14, 1.15, 1.16
Writing: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4
Written and Oral English Language Conventions: 1.1
Listening and Speaking: 1.1, 1.2
Math
Number Sense: 1.2
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Alphabet Book
Base Lesson 2-Sentences
Materials:
One 1’ x 11’’ paper per student
Glue
Chart paper
Preparation: This lesson is for the letter “Aa”. Each letter in the alphabet will follow in
the same format completing a page for each letter and creating and alphabet book. This
lesson will use Base Lesson 1-Letters page to add the sentence writing. The teacher will
cut and prepare materials needed.
Purpose: The students will create an alphabet book that will progressively build on
language arts and math core curriculum, while incorporating the visual and performing
arts.
Learning Objectives: The students will be able to identify and write letters and
sentences.
Procedure:
 The teacher will remind the students of the alphabet book they are creating and
explain that they will be writing sentences to match their letters.
 The teacher will demonstrate on chart paper the writing they will complete. “This
is the letter “Aa.”
 The teacher will remind the students to use a capital letter at the beginning of the
sentence, finger spaces between words, and a period at the end of the sentence.
 The teacher will have the students count the capital letters, words, spaces, and
periods used in the sentence.
 The teacher will have the students read the sentence several times emphasizing
the sight words.
 The teacher will highlight the letter “Aa” in red (highlight vowels for all lessons).
 The teacher will demonstrate gluing the sentence strip along the bottom of the
letter “Aa” page completed in lesson 1-Letters.
 The teacher will have the students begin their writing independently and monitor
student work assisting as necessary.
Reflection:
 The students will show, read, and discuss their work with the class.
 The teacher will ask reflection questions, give positive feedback, and talk about
the arts.
California Content Standards Alignment
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Language Arts
Reading: 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.12, 1.13, 1.14, 1.15, 1.16
Writing: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4
Written and Oral English Language Conventions: 1.1
Listening and Speaking: 1.1, 1.2
Math
Number Sense: 1.2
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Alphabet Book
Base Lesson 4- Book Cover
Materials:
Two 9” x 12’’ construction or card stock paper per student (front and back cover)
One 4”x12” construction or card stock paper per student (spine)
Pencils and Markers
(Additional materials will vary from lesson to lesson)
Preparation: This lesson is for the front cover, back cover, and spine of the book.
Teacher Choice: This lesson will incorporate “art opportunities” for the students to
create a unique cover for their individual alphabet book.
Purpose: The students will create an alphabet book front and back cover that will enrich
skills for language arts and math core curriculum, while incorporating the visual and
performing arts.
Learning Objectives: The students will be able to identify the front and back cover of a
book, the spine of the book, the author, and illustrator, using a variety of mediums.
Procedure:
 The teacher will explain to the students that they will be making a front and back
cover for their alphabet book.
 The teacher will explain that the covers will include a spine to hold the book
together.
 The teacher will demonstrate writing the title of the book on the front cover “My
Alphabet Book.”
 The teacher will demonstrate writing the author and illustrator on the cover
toward the bottom of the book cover.
 The students will write their first and last name on the cover as the author and
illustrator.
 The teacher will have the students complete the writing on the cover using pencil.
 The teacher will monitor and help with corrections before having the students
trace over the writing with marker.
 The teacher will demonstrate the “art opportunity” that will be used in this lesson
when students have completed writing for the front cover.
Suggestions:
 After completing the “art opportunity” lesson section, the teacher can laminate the
cover for additional sturdiness. The teacher can bind the book together including
the front and back covers and spine. The complete alphabet book can be read by
students daily to reinforce and practice reading skills.
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Reflection:
 The students will show, read, and discuss their work with the class.
 The teacher will ask reflection questions, give positive feedback, and talk about
the arts.
California Content Standards Alignment
Language Arts
Reading: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 2.1
Writing: 1.3, 1.4
Written and Oral English Language Conventions: 1.1
Listening and Speaking: 1.1, 1.2, 2.3
Visual and Performing Arts
Visual Arts: The standards for this progressive lesson will vary for each lesson based on
teacher choice art opportunities used.
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Teacher Choice Art Opportunities
Camouflaged Letters
The students will use a black marker to draw or trace the letter of the alphabet. Students
will use crayons to camouflage the letter (i.e. turn “s” into a snail or “m” into mountains).
Colored Chalks
The students will wet chalks to use on dry paper or use dry chalk on wet paper. The
chalks can be used on black, colored or textured paper.
Rainbow Write
The teacher will put a rubber band around two or three crayons. The students will
“rainbow write” as they trace or write the letter.
Crayon Rubbings
The students place the letter paper over objects or surfaces with raised designs. The
students will rub the sides of unwrapped crayons over the surfaces (textured surfaces, i.e.
leaves, tree bark, sandpaper, textured wallpaper).
Sand and Glue
The students will use glue to make the letter and sprinkle sand, crayon shavings, or
colored cornmeal over the letter and shake off any excess.
Sand Paper Moon Printing
The students will draw the letter on sand paper with wax crayons (fill in well with color).
The teacher will place wax paper on top of sand paper and use a hot iron to transfer the
image.
Vibrant Drawings
The students will dip colored chalks buttermilk, canned milk, or a mixture of three parts
white tempera paint and one part liquid starch. The students will write the letter on dark
construction paper.
Paper Tear
The students will trace or write the letter and tear colored construction paper. The
students will glue the paper pieces on the letter.
Fingerprint Letters
The students will use tempera paint to go over the letter with fingerprints.
Yarn Letters
The students will trace over the letter with glue and place yarn on the glue (works
especially well with curvy letters).
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Color Wash
The students will use crayons to color letters and use water color paints to brush over
letters.
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Music Thematic Unit
73
Music Genres
Base Lesson 1-Classical
Materials:
Classical music (genre will vary from lesson to lesson)
Colored pencils (optional use of writing materials)
Chart paper
Colored index cards (three colors per student)
Work mat template (optional)
(Additional materials will vary from lesson to lesson)
Preparation: This lesson is for classical music. Each genre of music will follow in the
same format. The teacher should gather three samples of different music within the same
genre and prepare the chart paper for graphing.
Teacher Choice: As the lessons and skills progress, “art opportunities” can be
incorporated into the lessons.
Purpose: The students will listen, respond, identify musical genres, sequentially order,
and graph results to progressively build on language arts and math core curriculum, while
incorporating the visual and performing arts.
Learning Objectives: The students will be able to sequence, graph, listen, respond, and
identify music genres.
Procedure:
 The teacher will explain to the students that there are many kinds of music and
introduce the word genre.
 The teacher will explain that today they will be listening to music from the
classical genre.
 Each student will be given three color coded index cards with three different
shapes (circle, square, and triangle) that they will write the number one, two, and
three in the middle of the shape, as directed by the teacher. Each color and shape
will represent the different music samples.
 The students will listen to three samples of classical music, identified as classical
sample number one (circle), classical sample number two (square), and classical
sample number three (triangle).
 The teacher will explain that they will identify their favorite sample after listening
to all three samples and sequence them on their sequencing work mat.
 The teacher will play the sample music (about two minutes each) and have the
students sequence the cards in order of their favorite first, their second favorite
next, and their least favorite last (the template can be used as a work mat for
organization).
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
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The teacher will have each student graph the card that represents their favorite
sample in the first position from their mat on the chart paper graph.
The students will count the number of students that liked each sample the most.
The teacher will talk about the graph and the importance of graphing information
and how graphs can be useful tools.
Suggestions: The winning selection can be used in an extension lesson where students
listen to the complete musical piece while drawing the shape that represented that sample
using a variety of teacher choice art opportunities. The students will stop drawing when
the music ends and count the shapes that they drew. This information can also be graphed
and discussed.
Reflection:
 The students will show, read, and discuss their work with the class.
 The teacher will ask reflection questions, give positive feedback, and talk about
the arts.
California Content Standards Alignment
Language Arts
Writing: 1.3
Listening and Speaking: 1.1, 1.2
Math
Number Sense: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3
Algebra and Functions: 1.1
Measurement and Geometry: 2.1
Statistics, Data Analysis, and Probability: 1.1,
Mathematical Reasoning: 1.2, 2.1, 2.2
Visual and Performing Arts
Visual Arts: The standards for this progressive lesson will vary for each lesson based on
teacher choice art opportunities used.
75
Sequencing Work Mat
First
Next
Last
76
Rhythm
Base Lesson 1-Letter Sounds
Materials:
Chart paper
(Additional materials will vary from lesson to lesson)
Preparation: This lesson is for the letter “Aa”. Each letter in the alphabet will follow in
the same format. The teacher will need to prepare chart paper with the sample rhythmic
pattern of Ta, Ta, Te-Te, and Ta.
Teacher Choice: As the lessons and skills progress, “art opportunities” can be
incorporated into the lessons.
Purpose: The students will learn about rhythm and keeping time in music to
progressively build on language arts and math core curriculum, while incorporating the
visual and performing arts.
Learning Objectives: The students will be able to associate letter sounds to letter names
in a rhythmic pattern.
Procedure:
 The teacher will explain that sounds in music have a rhythmic pattern.
 The teacher will introduce the rhythmic pattern of Ta, Ta, Te-Te, Ta (1, 2, 3 and
4) on the chart paper to the students.
 The teacher will clap out the rhythm, clap, clap, clap-clap, clap.
 The teacher will have the students practice the pattern by clapping their hands,
slapping their legs, stomping their feet etc.
 Once the rhythmic pattern is learned, the teacher will introduce the letter card for
“Aa”.
 The teacher will ask the students to say the sound that the letter “Aa” makes.
 The teacher will write on the chart paper under the rhythmic pattern the letter “A”
and have the students practice replacing the Ta, Ta, Te-Te, Ta with the “A”
sound.
Suggestions: The teacher can include other rhythmic patterns and instruments (shakers,
rhythm sticks, drums etc.) as student skill progress. Once all the sounds have been
introduced, the teacher can flash the letter card to prompt the next sound pattern. The
students learn to keep time and rhythm as the vigor increases.
Reflection:
 The students will show, read, and discuss their work with the class.
77

The teacher will ask reflection questions, give positive feedback, and talk about
the arts.
California Content Standards Alignment
Language Arts
Reading: 1.2, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.14
Listening and Speaking: 1.1
Math
Algebra and Functions: 1.1
Statistics, Data Analysis, and Probability: 1.2
Visual and Performing Arts
Visual Arts: The standards for this progressive lesson will vary for each lesson based on
teacher choice art opportunities used.
78
Rhythm Pattern
Ta
1
Ta
2
Te-Te
3 and
Ta
4
/a/
/b/
/c/
/d/
/e/
/f/
/g/
/h/
/i/
/j/
/k/
/l/
/m/
/n/
/o/
/p/
/q/
/r/
/s/
/t/
/u/
/v/
/w/
/x/
/y/
/z/
/a/
/b/
/c/
/d/
/e/
/f/
/g/
/h/
/i/
/j/
/k/
/l/
/m/
/n/
/o/
/p/
/q/
/r/
/s/
/t/
/u/
/v/
/w/
/x/
/y/
/z/
/a-a/
/b-b/
/c-c/
/d-d/
/e-e/
/f-f/
/g-g/
/h-h/
/i-i/
/j-j/
/k-k/
/l-l/
/m-m/
/n-n/
/o-o/
/p-p/
/q-q/
/r-r/
/s-s/
/t-t/
/u-u/
/v-v/
/w-w/
/x-x/
/y-y/
/z-z/
/a/
/b/
/c/
/d/
/e/
/f/
/g/
/h/
/i/
/j/
/k/
/l/
/m/
/n/
/o/
/p/
/q/
/r/
/s/
/t/
/u/
/v/
/w/
/x/
/y/
/z/
79
Instruments and Sound
Base Lesson 1-Piano
Materials:
Piano picture or image
Chart paper
One 14”x 5” piece of white construction paper per student (pre cut)
Ten 1’’x 3’’pieces of black construction paper per student (pre cut)
Sample piano music
Glue
(Additional materials will vary from lesson to lesson)
Preparation: This lesson is for the introduction to the piano. Each instrument introduced
will follow in a similar format. The teacher should prepare a title on the chart paper of
instrument. The teacher will have to draw 1” lines on the 14”x 5” piece of white
construction paper creating 14 white keys.
Teacher Choice: As the lessons and skills progress, “art opportunities” can be
incorporated into the lessons.
Purpose: The students will learn about piano sounds and key patterns to progressively
build on language arts and math core curriculum, while incorporating the visual and
performing arts.
Learning Objectives: The students will be able to identify patterns of piano keys, copy
and extend patterns.
Procedure:
 The teacher will introduce a picture of a piano and write the word piano on the
chart paper under the title.
 The teacher will write and the students will read “This is a piano.”
 The teacher will play sample music of a piano.
 The teacher will write a sentence stem and the students will read “The piano
sounds like ______.”
 The students will discuss with a partner descriptive words that can describe the
piano sound they heard.
 The teacher will make a list of the students’ responses next to the sentence stem.
 The teacher will write another sentence stem and the students will read “The
piano looks ______.”
 The students will discuss with a partner descriptive words that can describe what
the piano looks like.
 The teacher will make a list of the students’ responses next to the sentence stem.
80






The teacher will ask the students to notice the shape of the piano keys and have
them share with a partner. The teacher will write the student response on the chart
paper “The keys of a piano are rectangles.”
The teacher will ask the students if they see a pattern on the keys of the piano.
The teacher will explain that there is an AB pattern of black keys 2,3,2,3,2,3 etc.
The teacher will introduce the piano key template (just the white keys) and
explain that the students will be making their own key board and will need to
follow the same pattern when adding the black keys.
The teacher will demonstrate applying the black keys in the AB pattern with glue.
The students will begin creating the key board pattern independently with teacher
monitoring student work.
Reflection:
 The students will show, read, and discuss their work with the class.
 The teacher will ask reflection questions, give positive feedback, and talk about
the arts.
California Content Standards Alignment
Language Arts
Reading: 1.2, 1.4, 1.5, 1.8, 1.15, 1.18
Listening and Speaking: 1.1, 1.2, 2.1
Math
Number Sense: 1.1
Algebra and Functions: 1.1
Measurement and Geometry: 2.1, 2.2
Statistics, Data Analysis, and Probability: 1.2
Mathematical Reasoning: 1.2
Visual and Performing Arts
Visual Arts: The standards for this progressive lesson will vary for each lesson based on
teacher choice art opportunities used.
81
Instruments and Sound
Base Lesson 2-Piano
Materials:
Piano picture or image
Chart paper (used in base lesson 1)
Chart paper with The Alphabet Song number sequence
Piano key template (students made in base lesson 1)
Pencils/markers
Crayons
Writing paper
The Alphabet Song number sequence on chart paper
The Alphabet Song played on piano (optional)
(Additional materials will vary from lesson to lesson)
Preparation: This lesson is for the introduction to the piano. Each instrument introduced
will follow a similar format. The teacher will prepare The Alphabet Song number
sequence on chart paper.
Teacher Choice: As the lessons and skills progress, “art opportunities” can be
incorporated into the lessons.
Purpose: The students will learn about piano sounds and key patterns to progressively
build on language arts and math core curriculum, while incorporating the visual and
performing arts.
Learning Objectives: The students will be able to identify patterns of piano keys and use
numbers in a sequence to play the Alphabet Song.
Procedure:
 The teacher will review the chart paper used in base lesson 1.
 The teacher will explain that now the students have a practice key board and that
they will number the keys 1-12 skipping the first and last white key.
 The teacher will demonstrate how the keys will be numbered.
 The students will use pencils/markers to number their key boards.
 The teacher will then explain to the students that they will learn to play The
Alphabet Song on their key boards following the number sequence.
 The teacher will have students touch each key with the number in sequence
(finger placement is not important at this stage).
 The teacher will have the students practice a few times and sing the number
sequence to The Alphabet Song tune.
 The students will write the sentences from the chart paper describing the piano
and its elements and then draw a picture of a piano.
82
Suggestions: The teacher can play the song on a CD as the students follow along or on
real keyboards (if possible) numbered the same way (number 1 starts at middle C).
Reflection:
 The students will show, read, and discuss their work with the class.
 The teacher will ask reflection questions, give positive feedback, and talk about
the arts.
California Content Standards Alignment
Language Arts
Reading: 1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.12, 1.15
Writing: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4
Written and Oral English Language Conventions: 1.1
Listening and Speaking: 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2
Math
Number Sense: 1.2
Measurement and Geometry: 2.1
Mathematical Reasoning: 1.1, 1.2
Visual and Performing Arts
Visual Arts: The standards for this progressive lesson will vary for each lesson based on
teacher choice art opportunities used.
83
The Alphabet Song
Number Sequence
1155
665*
4433
221*
5544
332*
5544
332*
1155
665*
4433
221*
84
Singing Songs
Base Lesson 1-Do-Re-Me
Materials:
Chart paper
Do-Re-Mi Song Lyrics
Do-Re-Mi music (optional)
(Additional materials will vary from lesson to lesson)
Preparation: This lesson is for teaching and singing the song DO-Re-Mi by Oscar
Hammerstein II. The teacher should prepare the song lyrics on chart paper. Teacher
choice in song selection for following lessons will follow the same format.
Teacher Choice: As the lessons and skills progress, “art opportunities” can be
incorporated into the lessons.
Purpose: The students will read, recite, and sing song lyrics to progressively build on
language arts and math core curriculum, while incorporating the visual and performing
arts.
Learning Objectives: The students will be able to recite songs and perform associated
gestures to demonstrate comprehension and meaning.
Procedure:
 The teacher will introduce the song to the students, first reading the title and
having the students chorally repeat the title.
 The teacher will then read the writer of the song and explain that a song writer is
similar to an author of a book, where they write the words to a song. A song is
also like a book because it tells a story.
 The teacher will read the first line of the song and have the students chorally
repeat the line.
 The teacher will explain what the words in the song mean and teach the students
the associated gesture (see song lyrics).
 The teacher will have the students practice the line with the gesture before
moving on to the next line.
 The teacher will continue to teach each line in the same way using the same
format for each line.
 When all of the song and gestures have been taught, the students will sing the
song from beginning to end.
Suggestions: The teacher can show the portion of the movie The Sound of Music where
this song is sung. The teacher can also have students create a lyric book drawing a picture
of each line depicting the action.
85
Reflection:
 The students will show, read, and discuss their work with the class.
 The teacher will ask reflection questions, give positive feedback, and talk about
the arts.
California Content Standards Alignment
Language Arts
Reading: 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.10, 1.12, 1.15, 1.18, 2.3, 2.4, 3.2
Writing: 1.1
Written and Oral English Language Conventions:
Listening and Speaking: 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3
Visual and Performing Arts
Visual Arts: The standards for this progressive lesson will vary for each lesson based on
teacher choice art opportunities used.
86
Do-Re-Mi
By Oscar Hammerstein II
Doe a deer, a female deer,
(Students point index fingers up over the head, moving head side to side for each beat)
Ray, a drop of golden sun,
(Students flash both hands, moving hands side to side for each beat)
Me a name I call myself,
(Students use both index fingers pointing at chest, moving side to side for each beat)
Far a long, long way to run.
(One index finger points on far, and students make a running gesture with their arms)
Sew a needle pulling thread.
(Students pretend to sew and pull thread, moving in a wave like motion with index finger
and thumb pinched together)
La a note to follow sew,
(Students bring both hands flat together and rest on their cheek, tilting their head and
repeat sewing motion on cue)
Tea a drink with jam and bread,
(Students will pretend to drink tea and eat bread)
That will bring us back to do.
(Students will move hands in a beckoning motion toward their bodies and point index
fingers up over the head for do)
Do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do!
(This part can use all the gestures together or be sung with out gestures depending on
pace)
87
Teacher Choice Art Opportunities
Music Genres
 Classical
 Folk
 Hip Hop
 Country
 Popular
 Blues
 Jazz
 World
 Opera
Instrument Introduction
These are categories of instrument families. Each instrument can be introduced
individually following the Instrument and Sound base lesson.
 Horns
 Strings
 Woodwinds
 Percussion
 Keyboard
Make Instruments
Visual art opportunities can be used to decorate instruments.
Shakers: Use old toilet paper rolls or paper plates, and fill with beans or rice. Cover ends
with tape or staple closed.
Drums: Use old coffee cans, oatmeal boxes or tubs to create different sounds. Use old
kitchen utensils to strike drums.
Rhythm Sticks: Unsharpened pencils or any other wooden rod or sticks (two per
student).
Horn: Use a paper towel roll, wax paper, rubber band, and a pen (per student). Cover one
end of the paper towel roll with wax paper; secure it with the rubber band. An adult
should punch holes into the paper towel roll along one side with a pen.
Guitar: Use an empty shoe box, rubber bands, a ruler or stick (per student). Stretch the
rubber bands around to box (without the top) and attach the ruler or stick to the back to be
the arm of the guitar.
88
Dance Thematic Unit
89
Dance Warm-up
Base Lesson 1-Circle Stretch
Materials:
Open Space
Chart paper
Writing paper
(Additional materials will vary from lesson to lesson)
Preparation: This lesson is for warm-up prior to teaching dance. The teacher will need
open space for movement activities.
Teacher Choice: As the lessons and skills progress, “art opportunities” can be
incorporated into the lessons.
Purpose: The students will use movement to progressively build on language arts and
math core curriculum, while incorporating the visual and performing arts.
Learning Objectives: The students will be able to read, respond, count, and follow one
and two step directions.
Procedure:
 The teacher will explain to the students that it is important to warm-up before
dancing.
 The teacher will ask the students why they think it is important to warm-up your
muscles before dancing and share their responses with their neighbor.
 The teacher will write the student responses on the chart paper and have the
students read their responses to the sentence stem “It is important to warm- up
because________.”
 The teacher will explain that they will be learning ways to warm up before
dancing.
 The teacher will explain that dancers need body space to dance.
 The teacher will have students make a “T” with their body and spread out arms
distance from each other so that they do not touch.
 The teacher will explain that they will be doing a circle stretch by making circle
with different parts of their bodies
 The teacher will demonstrate making circles with one arm counting to five, the
opposite arm counting to five, both arms counting to five.
 The teacher will call out the body part and have the students make circles with
that body part counting (arms, head, wrists, legs, ankles, hips, shoulders, knees,
and torso).
 The teacher will review the chart paper and explain that we will always warm-up
first before dancing.
90


The teacher will write on the chart paper “Before we dance, we warm-up.”
The teacher will have the students read the sentence and explain that the students
will write this sentence and then draw a picture of the warm-up activity.
Suggestions: The teacher can have the students make other shapes with their bodies
following the same format.
Reflection:
 The students will show, read, and discuss their work with the class.
 The teacher will ask reflection questions, give positive feedback, and talk about
the arts.
California Content Standards Alignment
Language Arts
Reading: 1.2, 1.4, 1.5, 1.12, 1.15, 1.17
Writing: 1.1, 1.3, 1.4
Written and Oral English Language Conventions: 1.1
Listening and Speaking: 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.3
Math
Measurement and Geometry: 2.1, 2.2
Statistics, Data Analysis, and Probability: 1.1
Visual and Performing Arts
Visual Arts: The standards for this progressive lesson will vary for each lesson based on
teacher choice art opportunities used.
91
Creative Dance
Base Lesson 1- Sequencing
Materials:
Open space
Chart paper
(Additional materials will vary from lesson to lesson)
Preparation: This lesson is for creative dance to the word “kite”. Progressive lessons for
additional vocabulary will follow in the same format. The teacher should prepare a graph
on the chart paper with amount of students in the class to graph the votes for naming the
dance.
Teacher Choice: As the lessons and skills progress, “art opportunities” can be
incorporated into the lessons.
Purpose: The students will use creative dance to progressively build on language arts
and math core curriculum, while incorporating the visual and performing arts.
Learning Objectives: The students will be able to use movement to sequence the use
and meaning of words and events.
Procedure:
 The teacher will tell the students that we will be exploring creative dance using
words and their meaning.
 The teacher will write the word “kite” on the chart paper and ask the students,
“What is a kite? What does it do? What does it look like?”
 The teacher will draw and write student responses on the chart paper, prompting
vocabulary of shapes and actions (diamond, square, triangle, fly, float, rise, twist,
fall, high, low etc.).
 The teacher will explain that there are sequences to events and even a kite has a
story of what happens first, next, and last.
 The teacher will tell the students that today they will be a kite in action and that
they will be using their bodies to show what a kite does in sequence.
 The teacher will have the students sequence the words that describe a kite in
action (i.e. rise, float, twist, and fall).
 The teacher will write and the students will read “First a kite _____,” following in
the sequence of events (first, next, then, last).
 The teacher will demonstrate a body movement that shows the meaning of the
word. For example, what “rise” might look like.
 The teacher will have the students spread out to find their personal body space
and have them create a movement that shows what the first event of rising might
look like.
92





The teacher will have the students practice the movement for one count of four.
The teacher will follow the same format for each word, gradually building a
sequenced creative dance. The movements are repeated in a sequenced pattern
that becomes a dance.
The students will choose names for the dance and graph their votes on the chart
paper to decide the on the name students like best.
The teacher will now play a selection of music and have the students perform the
dance to the music.
The students can perform for each other with half the class performing the dance
and half as the audience (this might be a good time to explain what an audience is
and how and audience acts during a performance).
Suggestions: The teacher can have the students create movements in groups and then
perform their version of the dance for the class. The teacher may opt to teach all students
the same movements for the words in the first lesson for a structured understanding of
sequencing.
Reflection:
 The students will show, read, and discuss their work with the class.
 The teacher will ask reflection questions, give positive feedback, and talk about
the arts.
California Content Standards Alignment
Language Arts
Reading: 1.2, 1.5, 1.18
Listening and Speaking: 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.3
Math
Measurement and Geometry: 2.1, 2.2
Statistics, Data Analysis, and Probability: 1.1, 1.2
Visual and Performing Arts
Visual Arts: The standards for this progressive lesson will vary for each lesson based on
teacher choice art opportunities used.
93
Literature and Dance
Base Lesson 1-Bug Dance by Stuart J. Murphy
Materials:
Bug Dance by Stuart J. Murphy
Open space
Chart paper
Writing paper
(Additional materials will vary from lesson to lesson)
Preparation: This lesson is for literature and dance using the book Bug Dance by Stuart
J. Murphy. Progressive lessons for additional literature will follow in the same format.
Teacher Choice: As the lessons and skills progress “art opportunities” can be
incorporated into the lessons.
Purpose: The students will listen and respond to literature to progressively build on
language arts and math core curriculum while incorporating the visual and performing
arts.
Learning Objectives: The students will be able to retell the literature selection through
dance and write about their experience.
Procedure:
 The teacher will read the literature selection Bug Dance, having the students
identify the front and back cover as well as the title page.
 The teacher will write down the steps to the dance drawing arrows and pictures
for the students, sequencing the dance steps on the chart paper.
 The students will read the directions for the dance and spread out for their
personal body space.
 The teacher will demonstrate the steps and have the students follow along.
 The teacher will take two steps to the right, two steps to the left, one hop forward,
one hop backward, and turn to the right.
 The students will practice the basic steps several times. Once the students are
comfortable with the steps, have them repeat the steps four times until they end up
where they started.
 The teacher will add the last steps of wiggle to the left and wiggle to the right.
 The students can perform the dance for each other.
 The teacher will reread the story to the class and write a sentence stem on the
chart paper “Dancing makes me feel ________.”
 The teacher will write student responses on the chart paper next to the sentence
stem.
 The students will write the sentence on writing paper and draw a picture to match.
94
Suggestions: The teacher can play a music selection and have the students do the Bug
Dance to the music. The teacher can have the students create new steps or movements to
the dance.
Reflection:
 The students will show, read, and discuss their work with the class.
 The teacher will ask reflection questions, give positive feedback, and talk about
the arts.
California Content Standards Alignment
Language Arts
Reading: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.15, 2.1, 2.3, 2.4, 3.1, 3.2
Writing: 1.1, 1.3, 1.4
Listening and Speaking: 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3
Math
Statistics, Data Analysis, and Probability: 1.2
Visual and Performing Arts
Visual Arts: The standards for this progressive lesson will vary for each lesson based on
teacher choice art opportunities used.
95
Dance Moves
Base Lesson 1- Counting in Place
Materials:
Open space
Chart paper
Up beat music
(Additional materials will vary from lesson to lesson)
Preparation: This lesson is for counting in place, progressive lessons will follow in the
same format.
Teacher Choice: As the lessons and skills progress, “art opportunities” can be
incorporated into the lessons.
Purpose: The students will use counting to keep time in dance to progressively build on
language arts and math core curriculum, while incorporating the visual and performing
arts.
Learning Objectives: The students will be able to identify vocabulary and count with
movement.
Procedure:
 The teacher will introduce vocabulary words such as bounce, walk, wiggle,
gallop, and jump.
 The teacher will write each word on the chart paper and have the students read.
 The teacher will also explain that dancers count as they dance, usually in sets of
eight, called an eight count. The teacher will write the numbers one through eight
on the chart paper and have the students count. The teacher will explain that
counting helps the dancer move with the music, keep time, and remember which
move comes next.
 The teacher will explain to the students that they will be practicing eight counts
with the vocabulary words that where introduced.
 The teacher will have the students spread out and find their body space, making
their body into a “T” so they are not touching their neighbor.
 The teacher will demonstrate what each word looks like for eight counts, having
the students count aloud and stop after each count. For example, the teacher will
demonstrate bouncing in place for a count of eight, then walking in place for a
count of eight etc.
 The teacher will play an up beat music selection and practice the movements in
place counting aloud.
96
Suggestions: In progressive lessons that follow, the teacher should introduce vocabulary
words such as forward, backward, right, and left. The students can practice moving their
bodies to eight counts. For example, walk forward for eight counts, backward for eight
counts, to the right for eight counts, to the left for eight counts. The teacher can prepare
the floor with tape in a square for students to follow. In lessons that follow, the teacher
can include new movements and vocabulary, and eventually choreograph a simple dance
using the basic principles of this and progressive lessons that follow.
Reflection:
 The students will show, read, and discuss their work with the class.
 The teacher will ask reflection questions, give positive feedback, and talk about
the arts.
California Content Standards Alignment
Language Arts
Reading: 1.2, 1.3, 1.5
Listening and Speaking: 1.1, 2.3
Math
Number Sense: 1.2
Algebra and Functions: 1.1
Measurement and Geometry: 1.2
Visual and Performing Arts
Visual Arts: The standards for this progressive lesson will vary for each lesson based on
teacher choice art opportunities used.
97
Teacher Choice Art Opportunities
Props
Props can be used props to encourage creativity in any dance lesson.
 Colored Scarves
 Colored Ribbons
 Colored Streamers
 Paper Plates
 Fans
 Flags
 Feathers
 Hats
Warm up and Stretches
Rainbow Stretch: Begin with legs apart and reaching to the ceiling. Move arms over
head from side to side, making a rainbow.
Triangle Stretch: Begin with legs far apart, creating a triangle with legs and floor. Bend
down and touch the floor in the middle, move to the right, move to the left, and back to
the middle.
Straddle Stretch: Sit in a straddle position on the floor with pointed toes. Lean forward
into the straddle only as far as comfortable. Move to the right leg for a stretch and then to
the left.
Lunge Stretch: Step forward with right foot and lean forward keeping left leg straight
then reverse.
Pike Stretch: Sit with legs together on the floor, arms out in front, gently lean forward
only as far as comfortable.
Squat and Reach: Lower into squat position with both feet on the ground, knees bent,
both hands on each side for balance. Reach up arms, straightening body, return to squat
position. Repeat motion several times slowly.
98
Theatre Thematic Unit
99
Theatre Introduction
Base Lesson 1- Real or Fantasy
Materials:
One 4”x 5” paper per student
Chart paper
(Additional materials will vary from lesson to lesson)
Preparation: This lesson is an introduction to theatre and the basic concepts and terms
used.
Teacher Choice: As the lessons and skills progress, “art opportunities” can be
incorporated into the lessons.
Purpose: The students will identify basic theatre concepts and terms that will
progressively build on language arts and math core curriculum, while incorporating the
visual and performing arts.
Learning Objectives: The students will be able to identify theatre terms and sort and
classify story characters.
Procedure:
 The teacher will explain that stories can be told many ways, and we are most
familiar with stories read from books.
 The teacher will ask the students to list other ways a story can be told and write
the list on the chart paper (the teacher can prompt student if necessary).
 The teacher will explain that theatre is another way in which stories can be told
and write the word on the chart paper.
 The teacher will ask students what they think theatre is and write their responses
on the chart paper.
 The teacher will explain that theatre is a creative performing activity that requires
an audience.
 The teacher will explain that audiences are the people who watch the performance
and will write the term on the chart paper.
 The teacher will explain that audiences are people who have good listening ears,
watching eyes, and have their voices off. Have the students demonstrate what a
good audience might look like.
 The teacher will explain that the people in the story that the audience is watching
are the actors. The actors pretend to be the character in the story.
 The teacher will write the terms on the chart paper.
 The teacher will explain that characters in stories can be realistic or fantasy.
 The teacher will have the students’ think of possible characters in stories and
share with a neighbor.
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The teacher will write down the students’ responses, classify it as realistic or
fantasy and draw a picture on the chart paper.
The students will take about ten minutes to draw a character of their choice.
The teacher will have the students sort and classify the possible characters as
realistic or fantasy and talk about why. For example, a dog can be realistic or
fantasy, depending on the characteristics of the dog, can he talk or fly, does he
have special powers, or is his character a regular dog that has realistic dog
characteristics?
The students can sit in a circle while sorting characters into piles. After sorting
their characters the students will graph the characters (realistic vs. fantasy) and
talk about the results.
The students will then pretend to be a character and the class will have to guess if
the character is real or fantasy.
Reflection:
 The students will show, read, and discuss their work with the class.
 The teacher will ask reflection questions, give positive feedback, and talk about
the arts.
California Content Standards Alignment
Language Arts
Reading: 1.17, 1.18, 2.2, 3.1, 3.3
Written and Oral English Language Conventions: 1.1
Listening and Speaking: 1.1, 1.2, 2.1
Math
Number Sense: 1.1, 1.3
Algebra and Functions: 1.1
Statistics, Data Analysis, and Probability: 1.1
Visual and Performing Arts
Visual Arts: The standards for this progressive lesson will vary for each lesson based on
teacher choice art opportunities used.
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Theatre Games
Base Lesson 1- Mirrors
Materials:
Open Space
Chart paper
(Additional materials will vary from lesson to lesson)
Preparation: This lesson is for the theatre game Mirrors, each progression of this lesson
will follow in the same format. Additional theatre game lesson formats will vary.
Teacher Choice: As the lessons and skills progress, “art opportunities” can be
incorporated into the lessons.
Purpose: The students will play a theatre game that will progressively build on language
arts and math core curriculum, while incorporating the visual and performing arts.
Learning Objectives: The students will be able to identify the days of the week, times of
day, and connect to life experiences.
Procedure:
 The teacher will have the students list the days of the week in order and them
teacher will write them on the chart paper.
 The teacher will explain to the students that they will be playing a game using the
days of the week.
 The teacher will explain that each day has a morning, afternoon, and night.
 The teacher will write the parts of day under each day of the week.
 The teacher will model actions for Sunday morning writing down the sentence
and having the students read, “On Sunday morning first I wake-up (yawning and
stretching motions), next brush my teeth (brushing teeth motions), and then comb
my hair (combing hair motions).
 The teacher will model the actions for Sunday afternoon writing down the
sentence and having the students read, “On Sunday afternoon first I eat lunch
(eating motions), next I play baseball outside (improve baseball motions), and
then I take a nap (sleeping motions).”
 The teacher will motion the actions for Sunday night writing down the sentence
and having the students read, “On Sunday night first I eat dinner (eating motions),
next I brush my teeth (brushing motions), then I go to bed (sleeping motions).”
 The teacher will follow that same format for the rest of the week in following
lessons.
 The teacher will have the students sit in two circles, one inside the other. The out
side circle should be facing in, and the inside circle should be facing out.
 Each student should be facing a partner with in the circle.
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The students will change partners by moving the inner circle clock wise (changing
partners for each day).
The teacher will tell the students that they are looking in the mirror.
The outer circle will be the actor and the inner circle will be the mirror. The
mirror will do exactly as the actor except it will be the opposite (This may take
lots of teacher direction at first).
The teacher will read the sentences on the chart paper for Sunday and have the
student act out the motions in the mirror.
Suggestions: It is recommended that the teacher introduce the first day of the week
and game rules before introducing all the days and additional student created motions.
The teacher can introduce different versions of the game, once students are
comfortable with the game.
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The teacher lets the students choose what they will do in the mirror.
The teacher lets the students decide who will be the actor and who will be the
mirror.
 The students attempt to mimic each other precisely.
 The teacher will try to guess who the mirror is and who the actor is.
Reflection:
 The students will show, read, and discuss their work with the class.
 The teacher will ask reflection questions, give positive feedback, and talk about
the arts.
California Content Standards Alignment
Language Arts
Reading: 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.17, 2.4
Listening and Speaking: 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.3
Math
Measurement and Geometry: 1.2, 1.3
Statistics, Data Analysis, and Probability: 1.2
Visual and Performing Arts
Visual Arts: The standards for this progressive lesson will vary for each lesson based on
teacher choice art opportunities used.
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Simple Puppets
Base Lesson 1- Stick Puppets
Materials:
Chart paper
Popsicle sticks or tongue depressors (one for each character per student)
Story Characters template one per student
Read aloud The Little Red Hen
Glue or tape
(Additional materials will vary from lesson to lesson)
Preparation: This base lesson format is for the folktale The Little Red Hen, but can be
used for any story or rhyme. The teacher should prepare example stick puppets before the
lesson.
Teacher Choice: As the lessons and skills progress, “art opportunities” can be
incorporated into the lessons.
Purpose: The students will create stick puppets of story characters to progressively build
on language arts and math core curriculum, while incorporating the visual and
performing arts.
Learning Objectives: The students will be able to retell stories for comprehension,
identify story sequence of events, and cause and effect.
Procedure:
 The teacher will read The Little Red Hen aloud to the students having them
identify the front and back cover, and the title page of the book.
 The teacher ask the students to list the characters in the story and will write
down student responses and draw a picture next to each character.
 The teacher will ask the students to retell the story (prompting where
necessary) and write down a simple script in sequence for the story.
 For example, The Hen asked her friends, “Who will help me plant these
seeds?” “Not I”, said the cat. “Not I”, said the dog. “Not I” said the rat. “Then
I will plant them myself,” said the Hen. Continue with the lines using simple
words.
 The teacher will have the students read the simple script aloud.
 The teacher will explain to the students that they will be making stick puppets
of the characters and retelling the story.
 The teacher will explain step by step how the students will create their stick
puppets. First, each student will receive the story characters template and
color each character (the hen should be red). Next the students will cut out
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each character, write the name of the character, and glue them on a separate
stick.
When all the students have completed their stick puppets, the teacher and
students will reread the story script, using their puppets as each character
speaks.
The teacher will have the students retell the sequence of story events and talk
about the lesson taught of this fable.
The teacher will talk about cause and effect and which events in the story lead
to the lesson being taught.
Suggestions: The teacher can have student break up into groups and choose one
character in the story. The small groups can retell the story using the script and sequence
of events. The students can retell the story using different characters and events (i.e. a
lion, a tiger, an elephant, and a monkey) and perform their version of the fable to the
class. For a math connection, the students can get in small groups and use their characters
to form patterns and then share their pattern with the class. The students can also count,
sort, and classify their characters (all the dogs together etc.). The puppets can also be
used for teaching simple addition and subtraction stories, where students act them out.
Reflection:
 The students will show, read, and discuss their work with the class.
 The teacher will ask reflection questions, give positive feedback, and talk about
the arts.
California Content Standards Alignment
Language Arts
Reading: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.15, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 3.3
Writing: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4
Written and Oral English Language Conventions: 1.1
Listening and Speaking: 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.3
Math
Number Sense: 1.1, 2.1
Algebra and Functions: 1.1
Statistics, Data Analysis, and Probability: 1.2
Mathematical Reasoning: 1.2
Visual and Performing Arts
Visual Arts: The standards for this progressive lesson will vary for each lesson based on
teacher choice art opportunities used.
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Story Characters
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Story Characters
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Creative Expression
Base Lesson 1- Nursery Rhymes
Materials:
Chart paper
(Additional materials will vary from lesson to lesson)
Preparation: This base lesson format is for the Nursery Rhyme Little Miss Muffet, but
can be used for any story or rhyme. The teacher should write the nursery rhyme before
the lesson on the chart paper.
Teacher Choice: As the lessons and skills progress, “art opportunities” can be
incorporated into the lessons.
Purpose: The students will create and perform a short story to progressively build on
language arts and math core curriculum, while incorporating the visual and performing
arts.
Learning Objectives: The students will be able to retell stories for comprehension and
identify story sequence of events.
Procedure:
 The teacher will read the nursery rhyme Little Miss Muffet to the students.
 The teacher will have the students read the rhyme together.
 The teacher will read the first two lines and ask the students to listen for rhyming
words.
 The teacher will ask the students to say the rhyming words and the teacher will
underline the words that rhyme.
 The teacher will continue this format for the rest of the lines in the nursery rhyme.
 The teacher and students will read the rhyme again, this time adding body actions
to the rhyme (what it might look like to eat, sit, be frightened etc.).
 The teacher will explain that the students will be creating their own body actions
to the rhyme in small groups and then perform their version for the class.
 The teacher will split the students up into small groups and have them work on
their body actions for about ten minutes.
 The teacher will monitor students and after about ten minutes have the students
recite the rhyme and perform for the class.
Suggestions: The teacher should guide students enough so that they understand what
they are doing, but not too much, encouraging creativity within the small groups. For the
first lesson, there should be more teacher guidance, as the lessons progress and the
students understand their role, less teacher guidance is needed. For a math connection,
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have the students create a number sentence for the story (one: Miss Muffet plus one:
spider equals two, two: Miss Muffet and spider, one: Miss Muffet went away equals one.
Reflection:
 The students will show, read, and discuss their work with the class.
 The teacher will ask reflection questions, give positive feedback, and talk about
the arts.
California Content Standards Alignment
Language Arts
Reading: 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.10, 1.15, 2.3, 2.4, 3.3
Listening and Speaking: 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3
Math
Number Sense: 2.1
Visual and Performing Arts
Visual Arts: The standards for this progressive lesson will vary for each lesson based on
teacher choice art opportunities used.
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Teacher Choice Art Opportunities
Simple Puppets
Visual Art Opportunities can also be incorporated for decoration.
Finger Puppets: Use pipe cleaners, felt, markers, craft eyes, and fabric glue to make a
finger puppet. Wrap pipe cleaner around finger in a spiral fashion to fit finger, then trace
and cut out small shape for head and nose out of felt. Attach craft eyes and felt nose with
glue to felt head, and draw mouth expressing an emotion with marker. Attach head to top
part of pipe cleaner with fabric glue and let dry completely.
Shadow Puppets: Shadow puppets can be made similar to stick puppets. The outside
shape of the paper should be distinct. Fold the paper in half and cut desired face features
so that the light will shine through and attach a stick or tongue depressor. An overhead
projector can be used as a light source and white butcher paper, a wall, or a screen can be
used for a projection surface.
Spoon Puppets: Use two wiggle eyes, glue, plastic spoon, small pom poms, and pipe
cleaners per student (paint is optional). Attach the materials to the convex side of the
spoon.
Bag Puppets: Use paper lunch bags, and create the character face on the side with the
flap (the mouth). Any materials can be used.
Theatre Games
Imagination Ball: Begin in a circle and explain to the students that they will be passing
around an imaginary ball. Be clear about the size of the ball, the rules of the game, and
any other details. Explain that the students must make eye contact with the person to
which they are passing the ball and that the ball must stay its original size and be passed
and caught in a realistic way (give examples). Once the students have the idea of how to
play the game, sounds can be added as they pass the ball, the sound can be echoed by the
person receiving the ball and passed with a new sound, the sounds can be blended into
one sound. After each student has had a chance to receive and pass the ball, have them sit
down.
Tug-of-War: Begin by counting off the students one through four. The one’s and two’s
gather in their teams and the three’s and four’s. Explain that the three’s will cheer for the
one’s and the four’s for the twos (They will be the audience for the first round).The
students can also create names for their teams. Have the one’s and two’s get in a line with
their group, each team facing each other. Explain that they will be acting out a tug-of-war
match. The students will pantomime a rope being pulled back and forth as the audience
cheers for their team. When a team wins the match, the audience will then trade places.
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The one’s and two’s become the audience cheering for their team and the three’s and
four’s pantomime Tug-of-War.
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Reflection
This curriculum in the arts has a reflection section for each lesson. The purpose of
reflecting on the learning process is to talk about the work and evaluate the experience.
The reflection piece allows the teacher and students to understand the meaning and value
of their work, instilling confidence and pride in sharing the personal journey of an
accomplishment.
Possible Teacher Comments and Questions:
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Tell me about your experience?
How do you feel about your work?
What do you like best?
What did you learn from this experience?
I like how you…
I can see that you worked really hard to do a nice job.
I like the detail and use of colors.
Tell me your favorite part about this experience.
How is your project similar to other students?
How is it different?
What will you do next time?
The teacher can have students practice positive feedback comments to give to classmates
about their work. The students can share their work and call on classmates to ask
questions or comment about the work. This exercise gives students the opportunity to
engage with their classmates and contribute a positive classroom community.
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Kindergarten
English-Language Arts Content Standards
Reading
1.0 Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary
Students know about letters, words, and sounds. They apply this knowledge to read
simple sentences.
Concepts About Print
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
Identify the front cover, back cover, and title page of a book.
Follow words from left to right and from top to bottom on the printed page.
Understand that printed materials provide information.
Recognize that sentences in print are made up of separate words.
Distinguish letters from words.
Recognize and name all uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
Phonemic Awareness
1.7
1.8
1.9
1.10
1.11
1.12
1.13
Track (move sequentially from sound to sound) and represent the number,
sameness/difference, and order of two and three isolated phonemes (e.g., /f, s, th/,
j, d, j/).
Track (move sequentially from sound to sound) and represent changes in simple
syllable words with two and three sounds as one sound is added, substituted,
omitted, shifted, or repeated (e.g. vowel-consonant, consonant-vowel, or
consonant-vowel-consonant).
Blend vowel-consonant sounds orally to make words or syllables.
Identify and produce rhyming words in response to an oral prompt.
Distinguish orally stated one-syllable words and separate into beginning or ending
sounds.
Track auditorily each word in a sentence and each syllable in a word.
Count the number of sounds in syllables and syllables in words.
Decoding and Word Recognition
1.14
1.15
1.16
Match all consonant and short-vowel sounds to appropriate letters.
Read simple one-syllable and high-frequency words (e.g., sight words).
Understand that as letters of words change, so do the sounds (e.g., the alphabetic
principle).
Vocabulary and Concept Development
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1.17
1.18
Identify and sort common words in basic categories (e.g., colors, shapes, foods).
Describe common objects and events in both general and specific language.
2.0 Reading Comprehension
Students identify the basic facts and ideas in what they have read, heard, or viewed. They
use comprehension strategies (e.g., generating and responding to questions, comparing
new information to what they already know). The selections in Recommended Literature,
Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve (California Department of Education 2002)
illustrate the quality and complexity of the materials to be read by students.
Structural Materials of Informational Materials
2.1
Locate the title, table of contents, name of author, and the name of the illustrator.
Comprehension and Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
Use pictures and context to make predictions about story content.
Connect to life experiences the information and events in texts.
Retell familiar stories.
Ask and answer questions about essential elements of a text.
3.0 Literary Response and Analysis
Students listen and respond to stories based on well known characters, themes, plots, and
settings. The selections in Recommended Literature, Kindergarten Through Grade
Twelve illustrate the quality and complexity of the materials to be read by students.
Narrative Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text
3.1
3.2
3.3
Distinguish fantasy from realistic text.
Identify types of everyday print materials (e.g., storybooks, poems, newspapers,
signs, labels).
Identify characters, settings, and important events.
Writing
1.0 Writing Strategies
Students will write words and brief sentences that are legible.
Organization and Focus
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1.1
1.2
1.3
Use letters and phonetically spelled words to write about experiences, stories,
people, objects, or events.
Write consonant-vowel-consonant words (e.g., demonstrate the alphabetic
principle).
Write by moving from left to right and from top to bottom.
Penmanship
1.4
Write uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet independently, attending to
the form and proper spacing of the letters.
Written and Oral English Language Conventions
The standards for written and oral English language conventions have been placed
between those for writing and for listening and speaking because these conventions are
essential to both sets of skills.
1.0 Written and Oral English Language Conventions
Students write and speak with a command of standard English conventions.
Sentence Structure
1.1
Recognize and use complete, coherent sentences when speaking.
Spelling
1.1
Spell independently by using pre-phonetic knowledge, sounds of the alphabet, and
knowledge of letter names.
Listening and Speaking
1.0 Listening and Speaking
Students listen and respond to oral communication. They speak in clear and coherent
sentences.
Comprehension
1.1
1.2
Understand and follow one-and-two step oral directions.
Share information and ideas, speaking audibly in complete, coherent sentences.
2.0 Speaking Applications (Genres and Their Characteristics)
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Students deliver brief recitations and oral presentations about familiar experiences or
interests, demonstrating command of the organization and delivery strategies outlined in
Listening and Speaking Standard 1.0.
Using the listening and speaking strategies of kindergarten outlined in Listening and
Speaking Standard 1.0, students:
2.1
2.2
2.3
Describe people, places, things (e.g., size, color shape), locations, and actions.
Recite short poems, rhymes and songs.
Relate an experience or creative story in a logical sequence.
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Kindergarten
Mathematics Content Standards
Number Sense
1.0 Students understand the relationship between numbers and quantities (i.e. that a
set of objects has the same number of objects in different situations regardless of its
position or arrangement)
1.1
1.2
1.3
Compare two or more sets of objects (up to ten objects in each group)
and identify which set is equal to, more than, or less than the other.
Count, recognize, represent, name, and order a number of objects (up to 30).
Know that the larger numbers describe sets with more objects in them than
the smaller numbers have.
2.0 Students understand and describe simple additions and subtractions
2.1
Use concrete objects to determine the answers to addition and subtraction
problems (for two numbers that are each less then ten).
3.0 Students use estimation strategies in computation and problem solving that
involve numbers that use the ones and tens places
3.1
Recognize when an estimate is reasonable.
Algebra and Functions
1.0 Students sort and classify objects
1.1
Identify, sort, and classify objects by attribute and identify objects that do
not belong to a particular group (e.g., all these balls are green, those are red).
Measurement and Geometry
1.0 Students understand the concept of time and units to measure it; they
understand that objects have properties, such as length, weight, and capacity, and
that comparison may be made by referring to those properties
1.1
1.2
Compare the length, weight, and capacity of objects by making direct
comparisons with reference objects (e.g., note which object is shorter, longer,
taller, lighter, heavier, or holds more).
Demonstrate an understanding of concepts of time (e.g., morning, afternoon,
evening, today, yesterday, tomorrow, week, year) and tools that measure
time (e.g., clock, calendar).
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1.3
1.4
Name the days of the week.
Identify the time (to the nearest hour) of everyday events (e.g., lunchtime is
12o’clock; bedtime is 8 o’clock at night).
2.0 Students identify common objects in their environment and describe the
geometric features
2.1
2.2
Identify and describe common geometric objects (e.g., circle, triangle,
square, rectangle, cube, sphere, cone).
Compare familiar plane and solid objects by common attributes (e.g.,
position, shape, size, roundness, number of corners).
Statistics, Data Analysis, and Probability
1.0 Students collect information about objects and events in their environment
1.1
1.2
Pose information questions; collect data; and record the results using objects,
pictures, and picture graphs.
Identify, describe, and extend simple patterns (such as circles or triangles) by
referring to their shapes, sizes, and colors.
Mathematical Reasoning
1.0 Students make decisions about how to set up a problem
1.1
1.2
Determine the approach, materials, and strategies to be used.
Use tools and strategies, such as manipulatives or sketches, to model
problems.
2.0 Students solve problems in reasonable ways and justify their reasoning
2.1
2.2
Explain the reasoning used with concrete objects and/or pictorial
representations.
Make precise calculations and check the validity of the results in the context
of the problem.
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Arnstine, D. (1995). Democracy and the arts of schooling. New York: State University
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Berger, J. (1972). Ways of seeing. London: British Broadcasting Corporation and Penguin
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California Department of Education. (2007). English-language arts content standards for
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California Department of Education. (2007). Mathematics content standards for
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Gardner, H. (1982). Art, mind, and brain: A cognitive approach to creativity. New
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