For professional development for teachers and artists, please see our Arts Integration Specialist Program offerings or for further information, contact arts (at) acoe (dot) org.
Arts Integration Strategies 2008-09 - East Oakland School of the Arts
Liz Harvey, Artist/Educator/Arts Integration Coach
High School
The 2008-09 Arts Integration Professional Learning Community was made up of nine teachers, who teach History, Science, Arts, Spanish, Special Education, and Reading (taught by the Resource Specialist). Through professional development on arts integrated instruction, teachers created both routines and discrete lessons that gave students opportunities for visualization and metaphorical thinking, as well as supporting deep observation and critical thinking.
Land Change Over Time - Peralta Elementary School, Oakland
Pam Lucker, teacher and Trena Noval, artist
Grade 1
This project came out of our desire to green our school. We decided to teach the history of the land so that kids could understand how their local community had changed over time as a result of human activity. We used writing and visual arts as a transformative practice, giving kids a means to explore, express, observe, and envision environmental change.
Self Portraits, Ages and Stages - Redwood Heights Elementary School, Oakland
Claudia Goodman-Hough, artist
Grades K-2
Learning to observe and draw is primary. Through drawing the self, truly looking at the subject is required. Self portraits create a forum to discuss our differences and similarities, building ties, understanding, and acceptance of ourselves and of each other. Self portraits provide a way to reflect on who we are, who we think we are, how we develop and define ourselves, and how we perceive others.
Studio Thinking Action Research Pilot - Washington High School, Fremont
Todd Elkin, visual arts teacher
Grades 9-12
At the beginning of the 2007-2008 school year, each academic department was requested to develop a cycle of inquiry that would result in the design and implementation of an action plan to raise overall student achievement. The Fine Arts Department built their cycle of inquiry around the Studio Thinking Framework and the ways it could support increasing student engagement, be a tool in authentic ongoing assessment of students’ work and progress and help students understand that the Studio Habits of Mind are useful and applicable in other academic disciplines and in their lives.
Facing Responsibility - Elmhurst Middle School, Oakland
Mrs. Schneider, teacher, Evan Hastings, arts integration coach
Middle School/Special Education
How can theatre and art build confidence in students with learning disabilities and low self esteem? We collaboratively designed arts-based lessons with particular emphasis in supporting the students in developing self-advocacy skills. As a group, students democratically selected a theme that they would like to create a performance around. The students chose the topic Responsibility.