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Maine Department of Education Arts and Humanities Hub

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Maine Department of Education Arts and Humanities Hub

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Arts and humanities provide a vital foundation for understanding human expression, culture, and creativity, enriching students’ academic experiences across all subject areas. The arts & humanities cultivate critical thinking, problem-solving, and inquiry-based learning through creative processes that invite students to explore multiple perspectives and express ideas in imaginative ways. By integrating arts, literature, history, and cultural studies, the arts & humanities broaden students’ intellectual toolkit, deepen engagement, and support the development of well-rounded, empathetic, and innovative thinkers.

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Arts & Humanities Hub | Department of Education

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Joshua Chard, Arts Integration Teacher Leader Fellow, 2024-2026

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Joshua Chard, Arts Integration Teacher Leader Fellow, 2024-2026

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Joshua Chard
Maine DOE Arts Integration Teacher Leader Fellow
Teacher at East End Community School

2026 National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellow

2024 Maine Teacher of the Year

2023 Cumberland County Teacher of the Year

“My approach to designing and implementing curriculum for young learners always starts through a culturally responsive lens. I believe in the power of joyful relationships, which are at the heart of everything I do in my classroom. Arts Integration encourages students to become more engaged and creative, making connections that stick with them,” said Joshua Chard, Maine DOE Arts Integration Teacher Leader Fellow.

Joshua Chard, the 2024 Maine Teacher of the Year and a 2026 National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellow, is a second-grade teacher at East End Community School in Portland. He is excited to serve as the Teacher Leadership Fellow for Arts Integration through the Maine Department of Education. Chard is deeply inspired by the honor of lifting and celebrating his diverse learners.

Chard holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education with a concentration in theater from the University of Southern Maine, a Master of Science degree in Education with a K-6 Literacy focus from the University of New England, and a certificate in K-6 Standards-Based Mathematics from the American College of Education. He is also certified as a K-12 teacher of English to speakers of other languages.

Chard is proud to teach at one of the most culturally diverse schools north of Boston. During his 33-year career, he has been an educational technician, taught fourth and fifth grade, and been a mathematics instructional coach. He has passionately dedicated his entire career to working in high-needs urban schools and is excited to have a platform to share the fantastic work there. Chard is genuinely enthusiastic about the possibilities of arts integration in our classrooms. Blending music, drama, dance and movement, and visual arts with core subjects brings learning to life in vibrant ways. According to Chard, “Arts Integration encourages students to become more engaged and creative, making connections that stick with them.”

Outside of school, Chard is an actor and director who participates in local theater. He also loves exploring Maine’s beaches and lighthouses with his husband Bob and their grandsons.

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Arts Integration In Schools: Enhancing Cognitive Development and Social Emotional Learning-9/20/2024

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Arts Integration In Schools: Enhancing Cognitive Development and Social Emotional Learning-9/20/2024

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This Webinar explores how integrating the arts into core subjects supports cognitive growth and social-emotional learning (SEL). Attendees will learn about the neuroscience behind arts integration, its impact on memory, attention, and executive functioning, and how the arts foster student empathy, self-awareness, and collaboration. Case studies and practical examples from music, visual arts, and drama will demonstrate real-world applications. The webinar will conclude with best practices for implementing arts integration and strategies for addressing diverse learning needs.

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Arts Integration In Schools Enhancing Cognitive Development and Social Emotional Learning

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In today's rapidly evolving educational landscape, arts integration has emerged as a transformative approach to teaching and learning. This method combines the arts—such as music, dance, theater, and visual arts—with core academic subjects like math, science, and language arts, fostering a more engaging and holistic educational experience

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Integrate THIS - Teacher Fellow Newsletter | Issue 1

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Unlocking Potential: How Arts Integration Fuels Brain Development and Social-Emotional Learning in Children. 

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Unlocking Potential: How Arts Integration Fuels Brain Development and Social-Emotional Learning in Children. 

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Arts integration combines the arts with academics, creating a rich learning environment that enhances cognitive development and social-emotional learning (SEL). Engaging in the arts stimulates the brain, promoting cognitive functions like critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills. This makes academics more accessible and enjoyable for young people.

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Integrate THIS - Teacher Fellow Newsletter | Issue 2

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Bringing the arts into core curricula raises student achievement and improves student engagement. Discover and share strategies for integrating the arts throughout core subject areas.

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George Lucas Educational Foundation

Bringing the arts into core curricula raises student achievement and improves student engagement. Discover and share strategies for integrating the arts throughout core subject areas.

Sort by:

Incorporating visual elements into poetry writing can help students express themselves and uncover deeper meanings in their work.

The science is clear: Drawing beats out reading and writing to help students remember concepts.

What happens to our brains 'on art'? New studies-often backed by brain imaging technology-are beginning to dial in on the answers.

Young students can apply language skills to learn to 'read art,' including their own work.

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George Lucas Educational Foundation Bringing the arts into core curricula raises student achievement and improves student engagement. Discover and share strategies for integrating the arts throughout core subject areas. Sort by: Incorporating visual elements into poetry writing can help students express themselves and uncover deeper meanings in their work.

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Kennedy Center Education is here to help you succeed with lesson plans and digital resources that incorporate best practices for the classroom—providing you with tools to infuse the arts across the curriculum and engage all learners.

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For educators looking to infuse the arts into their educational practices, we’ve developed hundreds of free learning resources: lesson plans, articles, learning guides for performances, how-tos, and much more. Kennedy Center Education is here to help you succeed with newly revised lesson plans and…

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The Arts Education Partnership is a national network of more than 200 organizations dedicated to advancing arts education. AEP has been supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and the U.S. Department of Education since 1995 and is administered by Education Commission of the States.

AEP is the nation’s hub for arts and education leaders, building their leadership capacity to support students, educators and learning environments. Through research, reports, convenings and counsel, leaders gain knowledge and insights to ensure that all learners receive an excellent arts education.

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On one hand, teachers are professionals at teaching. With proper preparation they can scaffold a lesson or unit on any dance style. That could look like students reflecting on video examples, reading articles...

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Arts Education Partnership - Arts Education Partnership

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Arts Education Partnership is a national network of more than 100 organizations dedicated to advancing arts education.

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Veteran Portland educator named Maine Teacher of the Year

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Joshua Chard teaches second and third grade at the East End Community School in Portland.

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Theater For Young Audiences (TYA) is powerful and important theater.

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‘Knuffle Bunny’ comes musically alive at children’s museum

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Mo Willems’ adaptation of his popular book will be performed Jan. 26 to Feb. 25.

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Arts Integration to Deepen Core Content Knowledge

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Arts Integration to Deepen Core Content Knowledge

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Arts Integration: Deepening Understanding of Core Content

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Washington State Arts Commission (ArtsWA)

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Arts Integration Connections: Science - Integrating Science and Dance

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Arts Integration Connections: Science - Integrating Science and Dance

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Kennedy Center Education Digital Learning

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Arts Integration Connections: Science - Integrating Science and Dance

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Engaging All Learners: Differentiation Through Reader's Theater 

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Engaging All Learners: Differentiation Through Reader's Theater 

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Readers Theater is a powerful instructional strategy used in classrooms to improve students’ reading fluency, comprehension, and confidence. By reading scripts aloud, students focus on oral interpretation, bringing characters and stories to life through their voices without memorization or elaborate staging. Readers Theater is especially beneficial for reluctant or struggling readers and emerging speakers of English, as it allows them to engage with the text in a collaborative and low-stress manner and provides motivation to revisit and practice reading in a purposeful way. Readers Theater is appropriate for all grade levels.

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Integrate THIS - Teacher Fellow Newsletter | Issue 3

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As a reminder, as a subscriber to last year’s Teacher Leader Fellows newsletters, you have been automatically subscribed to this newsletter – you can unsubscribe and/or update your subscriptions to all of Maine DOE’s publications here. If you want to learn more about the three of us, you can visit the Maine DOE Newsroom to read the announcement.

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Easy access to diverse materials in a classroom makerspace has a transformative impact on student engagement and learning. A makerspace is a dedicated area where students can explore hands-on projects, using tools and materials to build, create, and problem-solve. It supports interdisciplinary learning by integrating elements of science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) through creative, experimental activities.

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Integrate THIS - Teacher Fellow Newsletter | Issue 4

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This Education Week article explores five practical ways to incorporate music into lessons, including using it to teach content through song lyrics, setting the classroom tone, aiding memorization, analyzing music as literature, and exploring cultural connections. Each approach helps engage students, enhance retention, and create a dynamic learning environment. Music is presented as a versatile tool to deepen understanding across subjects.

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Five Ways to Use Music in Lessons (Opinion)

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Five educators share ways to use music in lessons across the curriculum, including for textual analysis and to help create a positive classroom culture.

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This Edutopia article highlights six creative strategies for integrating music into the classroom to enhance learning and foster engagement. Ideas include using music to teach academic content (e.g., math vocabulary or historical context), analyzing song lyrics for poetry lessons, setting moods or themes with relevant music, signaling transitions, and building classroom culture through shared playlists. The piece emphasizes the cognitive and emotional benefits of music, which can deepen understanding, improve retention, and strengthen connections between teachers and students.

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6 Smart Ways to Bring the Power of Music Into Your Classroom

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Music is an often overlooked—but uniquely powerful—strategy for connecting kids to classroom learning.

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This Flocabulary blog outlines eight ways to integrate music into classrooms to enhance learning and engagement. Ideas include creating educational music videos, using songs or playlists for mastery, leveraging music for transitions, setting the classroom tone, inspiring writing with instrumental music, rewriting popular song lyrics, teaching vocabulary through rhythm, and sparking discussions with music. These strategies promote memory retention, emotional well-being, and collaboration, making learning more interactive and memorable.

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As you may have guessed, Flocab is a HUGE advocate for incorporating music into the classroom. It has been known to increase student engagement which, in turn, increases knowledge retention and student mastery.

Need some creative ways to include music as a part of your instruction? We’ve compiled some popular and effective practices to get your students’ heads bobbing while they learn!

1. Welcome students with a curriculum music video

Okay, we can’t guarantee you’ll go viral like fourth grade teacher Dwayne Reed, but we can guarantee your students will be excited about the subject area early on, as they should be. Similarly, dismissing students with this approach will reinforce newly acquired knowledge and keep them hungry for more!

Need some inspiration? Check out his welcome video below:

2. Create a song or playlist to demonstrate mastery

Similarly, students can demonstrate understanding by writing their own song about a content area or concept. Flocabulary’s new Lyric Lab is a great resource that will help you execute this practice seamlessly!

New to Lyric Lab? Here’s an overview:

Creating a playlist is also a great way for teachers to gauge how well students mastered a particular subject area. As TeachHub describes, “If they play happy music during a tragic period in history, they need to review the content again.”

Like the Look of Lyric Lab?

3. Use music for routine transitions

Many of us are familiar with the classic Mary Poppins song, “A Spoonful of Sugar (Helps the Medicine Go Down).” Using music for the purpose of transitioning between activities, subjects or tasks is practically perfect in every way! As Responsive Classroom describes:

Music smoothes transitions and soothes tempers, especially in the early elementary grades. There is a long tradition of early childhood educators using songs to support transitions and clean-up times. Whether you’re cleaning up or lining up, it’s easier with a song!”

We couldn’t agree more!

4. Play music to set the tone for class

Speaking of soothing tempers, music is a resourceful way to manage your students’ energy levels. Want them to shake off that excess energy? Play an upbeat, active tune for the first five minutes of class. Alternatively, calming them down with a relaxing melody is also an option. Scholastic agrees!

5. Use instrumental music to inspire writing

Using music as writing prompts is an especially popular method for ELA instructors. Teacher and Edutopia blogger, Heather Wolpert-Gawron, writes

Picture this. The students enter the classroom. John Williams is playing on the speakers. Maybe it’s the ominous opening from the film Jaws or the flying sequence from Hook. Now write.”

Sounds like an exciting start to class, right?

In addition, a study from John Hopkins School of Education says that playing reflective music while writing holds students’ attention for longer periods of time than without, and was proven when students wrote twice as much with music.

6. Rewrite lyrics to a popular song

Rewriting lyrics to a popular song is yet another creative outlet for your students while they engage in writing. Edublogs shares an example, and we have one of our own! Did we mention Lyric Lab?

7. Teach vocabulary with music

Rap it. Chant it. Master it. This technique has been showcased in a multitude education blogs, articles and sites. We couldn’t be more excited to see the power of music and vocabulary acknowledged and practiced in classrooms all over the world.

Music is a universal learning tool which is why it’s also used to teach second languages. Don’t limit the learning to your native tongue! As Middlebury Interactive shares,“Through learning lyrics, students’ vocabulary can quickly become more advanced, and singing phrases can lead to better vocabulary recall. Songs can also prove helpful in learning paralinguistic and extralinguistic elements, including accents and tones, helping to improve pronunciation and comprehension of the language.”

Flocabulary is Effective Vocabulary Instruction

Our award-winning WordUp! program is proven to boost reading scores.

8. Set up class discussions with music

To segway into our final suggestion, setting up your class to discuss lyrics and interpret the meaning of songs, especially when teaching a second language, is key when it comes to gaining a greater understanding of a particular culture. FluentU elaborates on the importance of this practice: “Communication is as much about language as it is about culture. Often times, miscommunication occurs not because of the words said, but because of cultural assumptions by the parties on all sides that conflict or are not understood. Music stands as the one nearly universal cultural expression. Every culture through history has had music in some form or another.”

So there’s the “rhyme and reason” behind incorporating music into your instruction. See what we did there? Have your own, unique way of using music in the classroom? Share it with us via Twitter!

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8 Engaging Ways to Incorporate Music in Your Classroom

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News, updates and ed tech tips straight from Flocab HQ

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The Makerspace Manual for K-12 Schools offers a comprehensive guide for educators to create and manage effective makerspaces within schools. It provides practical strategies for fostering creativity, collaboration, and hands-on learning through the integration of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) activities. Designed for K-12 educators, the manual includes lesson plans, resource lists, and tips for making the makerspace experience impactful and sustainable.

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The Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM

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Ready to create a school makerspace? Use this manual to decide what items you need, what you don't, and how to get your space up and running.

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The Teach Outside the Box website provides a comprehensive guide for educators interested in starting a maker space in their classrooms, covering everything from the basics to advanced setup tips. It offers practical advice on selecting materials, organizing space, and integrating maker activities with curriculum standards. The site also includes project ideas, resources, and product recommendations to support teachers in creating engaging, hands-on learning environments.

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***This post contains affiliate links for hand2mind, Walmart, and Creative QT. By purchasing an item on these site using this links, I will receive a small commission.***

My most frequently asked question in emails and blog posts is how to start, schedule, and manage an elementary Makerspace. I've had a Maker area for K-2nd Grade in my classroom for the past five years, and for almost two years, my room has served as a full blown Makerspace for two days per week, serving close to 300 early childhood students. (Our sweet full day Pre-K babies have also recently joined our Makerspace time!) I've learned A LOT about how to organize, manage, and schedule effectively, what to do, and what not to do. I'm also always seeking out new strategies and experimenting with new materials to make our space and time as engaging as possible, which means I'll be updating this post regularly with new materials, tips and tricks. So whether you're a classroom teacher, media specialist, STEM teacher, or specialty teacher, I hope the following suggestions can help you get your Makerspace rocking and rolling!

First thing's first....What is a Makerspace exactly? And more importantly, how can it benefit my students?

If you've been following me for awhile, you know that I'm BIG on purposeful play, hands-on learning, and the engineering design process that accompanies STEM challenges. A Makerspace supports and nurtures all of these philosophies and promotes exactly the type of creativity and growth mindset that are so critical for our students. Whether you choose to structure your Makerspace as more open-ended or more teacher-guided, student choice is key as their multiple intelligences are nurtured and new passions are discovered.

There are FIVE key areas to keep in mind as you envision your Makerspace.
This post has a section for each of these five main areas, so feel free to scroll to the section that best applies to you!
When you consider a space for making, you have to work with any place you might have available. It's what teachers do best, am I right?! Some of you may be blessed with an entire room, while others may have a section of a room, closet, or even a small shelf, cabinet, or cart. Keep in mind that student access is of optimal importance, so it needs to be somewhere where they can easily move in and out. Keep plastic trays near the materials so that students can easily bring creation materials to the floor or other tables in the room.

Here are some examples of some amazing options for Makerspaces from Instagram. Check the captions for some awesome teachers to follow!

Left: @njstinson
Top right: @classin_it_up
Bottom right: @mcgarra

I know that it can be a bit overwhelming to walk into a fully stocked Makerspace that has been up and running for awhile. I often have visitors at my school, and I always make a point to emphasize that it takes a LOT of time and patience to fully equip a full Makerspace. Case in point:

Many of the materials you see above were left over after 10 years of teaching in the general education classroom. Many of them were also scraped out of the back of cabinets and even my home pantry. After LOTS of grant-writing, scavenging, collecting, and utilizing funds from PTA, district, and state, this is what my Makerspace looks like today:

The Maker Shop furniture piece and play table in the center has become our favorite part of our Makerspace! It has interactive panels on the sides, consumable arts and crafts materials on the interior shelves, engineering materials on the lower shelves, and STEM Bins along the top. My amazing husband built it for us last summer, and I'm excited to share that we've recently partnered with an educational furniture company to produce and sell our design. More info to come soon!

Ellie and I created these jumbo Makerspace letters together last year. They are paper mache letters from Hobby Lobby that we painted black, and we hot glued a variety of Makerspace materials to the surface.
The left shelf contains a variety of math manipulatives as well as LEGO, LEGO Baseplates, and Alpha Briks on the top, and the right shelf contains a variety of engineering materials and robotics.

The posters above the shelves are specific to our Makerspace expectations for our school. On the right poster, I add new apps, mini lessons, and project ideas for the students throughout the year.
GRAB FREE POSTERS HERE
The LEGO Wall in the center has baseplates that we hot glued to a piece of plywood, and Andy added a silver frame before we drilled it into the wall. I printed the Maker Mat above it poster sized and switch it out each month with different creation ideas. Some of the items on the right shelf that we love are Snap Circuit Jr., Botley the Robot, Gears, Code and Go Mouse, KEVA Bot Mazes, Sumblox, and Lakeshore Engineering Kits.

This is a view of the right side of our Makerspace. I made the giant "PLAY" letters using building brick clip art from Photoclipz. I enlarged the bricks in PowerPoint, printed on Astrobrights paper, and taped them together to make letters. The small table on the left is our Osmo station. The lap trays on the right are from Target Dollar spot and the "Think Big" tub is filed with cardboard rocket tubes and jumbo pipe cleaners for big engineering. The turquoise cart and and black shelf house STEM materials and projects that are still in progress.

To invent, you need a good imagination, and a pile of junk.
Thomas Edison

There are three main categories of materials that I recommend for a Makerspace:

More specifically, here are suggestions for materials within each category AND where to find them. I HIGHLY recommend Donorschoose if you're interested in writing an easy grant! Check out my list of all my favorites:

That last point - Start small and build over time - is very important to keep in mind! A room full of "stuff" does not guarantee engagement. I have absolutely loved growing our Makerspace right along with my students over the years, and I get just as excited as they do when we have a new robot or engineering material to explore together. We've also learned a lot - through practice and discussion - about being resourceful with consumables and reusing materials whenever possible.

Here are some options for Arts and Crafts materials. Many are consumable, which is why I limit these sections to only ONE grade level per month in order to conserve supplies. During our first year of Makerspace, I figured out very quickly that they would be gone within a week if all grade levels used them. I do allow them to bring their arts and crafts creations home as long as they're not being wasteful with supplies.

Students use our monthly Maker Mats for creation ideas:

The pack above also includes a variety of blueprint options for students to document their creations, as well as a parent supply request letter.

One of my students' favorite creative materials is paper! Best of all, it's readily available and easy to reuse. Here are just a few ideas. The chart shown is from my friend, Ashley's, Makerspace (@teachingwithashley on Instagram).

Engineering is the second "big area" of a Makerspace (and also happens to be my personal favorite!) My STEM Bins are one of the easiest, space-saving ways to get creative engineering materials into your kids' hands. We use them for everything, from early finishers to STEM challenges to Makerspace time. They also include task cards for creation ideas and blackline masters for student recording sheets.

Here are some more of our favorite go-to engineering materials:

Here are a few more engineering areas in our classroom. The magnetic roller coaster and LEGO wall are big favorites! Snap circuits are also perfect for teaching beginning electrical engineering.

Here are some of the technology and robotics options in our Makerspace. I store these on the counter tops underneath my cabinets because we have plenty of outlets on that side. We have 8 iPad minis for my students to share.

We LOVE coding with apps, unplugged coding, and robotics and my students have lots of options to choose from during Makerspace:

Check out the blog post below for information ALL about Robotics!
Also, check out my Bot Basics for simple Robotics challenges to set up in your Makerspace.

Green Screens are an excellent resource for movie-making and student presentations. You can create an inexpensive Green Screen backdrop for the characters using a green plastic table cloth, green fabric, or even an empty pizza box with green construction paper taped inside. The Do Ink app is very kid-friendly and Anita Goodwin on TpT has an AMAZING bundle of themed resources that make Green Screen movies a snap!

We also love creating Stop Motion videos with Stik Bot robots using the Stik Bot Studio app.

Alright, so you've hopefully got a space, and you've gathered some stuff! Now what?! Let's talk about fitting Makerspace into your already very busy schedule. There are three ways that I recommend squeezing it in:

In our Makerspace, each class visits for 45 minutes per week and chooses from a set of activities. In between sessions, I teach new skills, design challenges, apps, and robotics that students can extend and practice during their Makerspace time. Here is our current schedule:

Here are a few other scheduling options you might consider. Perhaps you might keep only one area open per day, or you might rotate small groups and keep one group with you for a specific skill or app. If you have only a small group of students in Makerspace each day, you might have specific choices or materials available to them.

All of the scheduling charts shown above and more are found in my Makerspace Starter Kit. They're also EDITABLE to best suit your needs!

To begin the year with Makerspace, I hold 30 minute orientation sessions with each class that visits. During this time, we review procedures and expectations, go over material options, and discuss key "Dos" and "Don'ts." I use this PowerPoint to guide our discussion. ( Expectations Poster found here.) I will say that now that we're in the SECOND year of Makerspace instead of the first, this process is much easier and our space stays much cleaner than in the beginning. Students view their Makerspace time as a privilege (as they should!) and teachers will hold them accountable for their behavior in order to visit.

Here are a few simple management tips to keep in mind to keep things running smoothly:

Makerspace time can be structured in a variety of ways, from open-ended explorations to simple design challenges to skill workshops. Whenever I receive new materials, here is the structure that I prefer:

Introduce and Explore (student-driven)

Teacher Guided Challenge (teacher-driven)

Makerspace Extension (student-driven)

For example, I might have an exploratory session with Dash robots, then a series of Bot Basics challenges before opening them up during Makerspace. Because the element of student choice is important, all sessions should not be teacher-guided and students should be given ample time to choose activities that cater to their interests and learning styles. This is also an ideal opportunity for kids to collaborate and teach one another new skills.

The case for student-driven learning and purposeful play in Makerspace cannot be overemphasized. Consider the fact that every great idea, new app, or innovative invention started out with someone, somewhere, playing around with a bunch of "stuff!" The element of student ownership in a Makerspace is paramount as they grow in their problem solving and collaborative skills. Here is a simple organizational method to allow that choice within a set of parameters that you, as the teacher, can decide:

The Makerspace choices are outlined by the teacher on the left side of the chart (photo cards are used for the littles.) Student numbers (or names) are randomly drawn out of a baggie and students may put it in the chart next to their first activity. Some activities may have a limited number of spots, for example, I only had 3 Pre-K students at a time with me at the Bee Bot station. They also have an expectation that they must clean up at their current activity before moving to a new one. This system promotes fairness because names /numbers are drawn randomly and the same students don't get the same first choices each time. This also encourages students to branch out and try new activities if there aren't spots left at their first choice.

So...are you ready to start a Makerspace?! I certainly hope the answer is a big, enthusiastic YES and I hope this post makes it a little easier! To save you some time, check out my Makerspace Starter Kit with schedules, challenge cards, posters, and more!

***This post contains affiliate links for hand2mind, Walmart, and Creative QT. By purchasing an item on these site using this links, I will receive a small commission.***

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This post contains affiliate links for hand2mind, Walmart, and Creative QT. By purchasing an item on these site using this links, I will receive a small commission.*** My most frequently asked question in emails and blog posts is how to start, schedule, and manage an elementary Makerspace.

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Edutopia's article Designing a School Makerspace by Jennifer Cooper is a resource for educators planning to create effective maker spaces in schools. It outlines practical steps for designing a space, selecting versatile materials, and building a collaborative culture that fosters creativity and hands-on learning. The article also emphasizes the importance of adapting the maker space to meet the unique needs of students and the school community, with tips on budgeting and gaining support from stakeholders.

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An approach to defining and designing the right space for your school.

Photo Credit: Jennifer Cooper

Makerspaces, STEAM labs, and fab labs are popping up in schools across the country. Makerspaces provide hands-on, creative ways to encourage students to design, experiment, build and invent as they deeply engage in science, engineering and tinkering.

A makerspace is not solely a science lab, woodshop, computer lab or art room, but it may contain elements found in all of these familiar spaces. Therefore, it must be designed to accommodate a wide range of activities, tools and materials. Diversity and cross-pollination of activities are critical to the design, making and exploration process, and they are what set makerspaces and STEAM labs apart from single-use spaces. A possible range of activities might include:

Cardboard construction

Prototyping

Woodworking

Electronics

Robotics

Digital fabrication

Building bicycles and kinetic machines

Textiles and sewing

Designing a space to accommodate such a wide range of activities is a challenging process. Educators and administrators can help guide the process and generate the space that works best by researching, brainstorming and clearly articulating their needs, while keeping in mind inevitable changes in the future.

Some schools have chosen to incorporate makerspaces within multiple classroom spaces. This works well for many activities, particularly in elementary schools. As maker activities expand to require more tools, it makes more sense to create a dedicated makerspace that includes appropriate tools, work areas and materials. The following design approach focuses on creating dedicated makerspaces and STEAM labs.

Ask the Right Questions

Because of the constantly evolving activities that a makerspace accommodates, a flexible design is critical from the outset. Therefore, the first moves should be the right moves to result in a space that's as usable as possible. Project leads must ask critical inquiring questions to guide and inform the design process.

What range of subjects will be taught in the space? What types of activities and projects could be done there? Determine the needs and desires of all teachers in the school who will or could possibly use the space. Imagine what projects they might initiate with their students. Ideally a science, math, technology and/or art teacher would lead or participate in the brainstorming. The Makerspace Playbook is a helpful guide to envisioning the projects and activities that could happen in the makerspace. The new book Invent to Learn is a great resource for making, tinkering and engineering project ideas. The main point here is to clarify the types of activities that the space would ideally accommodate.

Which tools are most needed? Will digital fabrication tools such as CNC routers, laser cutters or 3D printers be included? Which materials will be used? The Makerspace Playbook and Makerspace's Tools & Materials PDF document are both very useful tools for addressing these questions. They provide detailed lists of the diverse tools and materials that you might consider. Many types of equipment have special requirements, including ventilation and other elements to ensure a safe working environment. The list of tools and materials will naturally grow as specific projects and programs generate new needs, so it's good to allow for flexibility and expansion. Depending on the projects and activities, the space required for materials and project storage can be significant.

Who are the kids that will be using the space? Will others use the space as well? Who is staffing and managing the space? Having a space that is functional for a range of ages is key in school settings. Additionally, the space might be used for maker activities outside of class time, such as clubs (like Young Makers groups) or parent groups, as makerspaces grow into popular community hubs. At some point, the school may hire a part- or full-time makerspace teacher. In fact, some see this as critical from the outset.

When will the space be used? Students will use the space during the school day, perhaps in a dedicated class time or with their teacher. Other opportunities may arise to maximize utility of the space after school or evenings and weekends. In this case, the design would need to accommodate access outside of school hours and for multiple users.

Where in the school or on the campus would be ideal? What considerations are important? To accommodate the need for access to materials and tools, it's useful for the space to be easily accessible by cars and trucks, ideally during school day. A location close to or including outdoor work areas allows for larger or messier projects. Access to plumbing and electricity are critical. The space should be located where noise won't disturb classroom learning. Given the need for flexibility, it's good to find a place where the space could expand in the future. Finally, the makerspace would be centrally located so that it can be accessible to students, and visible so that work can be seen.

How will it be built? Is a new or separate structure needed, and if so what type? What is the budget? Will the design and construction team be a combination of contractor and volunteers, all-volunteer or fully contracted?

If you're lucky, there is a large space, classroom or portable just waiting for a new use, and building out the interior will be the main project. If space is at a premium, however, a new structure, portable or shipping container could potentially provide the space or some portion of it. Knowing your budget range will help determine the best way to proceed and whether you'll be able to employ contractors or need volunteers for some of the work.

Going Forward

Answering these questions will allow schools to create a design program for their makerspace, defining the specific needs and requirements. Because makerspaces and the activities they accommodate can vary so much, the design program is one of the most critical steps in ensuring the space will be functional and well used. The school could work with designers or architects to articulate the best ways of meeting those needs. Visits to other makerspaces or labs can be valuable and insightful during this phase, as educators envision what their space could be. A subsequent blog post will provide more information about design patterns typically found in makerspaces.

Resources

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An approach to defining and designing the right space for your school. Photo Credit: Jennifer Cooper Makerspaces, STEAM labs, and fab labs are popping up in schools across the country. Makerspaces provide hands-on, creative ways to encourage students to design, experiment, build and invent as they deeply engage in science, engineering and tinkering.

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Try some commands like:

"Create a readers theater script the little red hen second grade"

"outline a 6 week small group intervention about cvc vowels"

"readers theater script the balcony scene romeo and juliet modern language"

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Boosting Content Knowledge Through Readers Theater: Creating Engaging, Leveled Text Through AI

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Boosting Content Knowledge Through Readers Theater: Creating Engaging, Leveled Text Through AI

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Join Maine Department of Education (DOE) Arts Integration Teacher Leader Fellow Joshua Chard for an insightful webinar on leveraging readers’ theater to build reading fluency and increase content knowledge in the classroom. This session is perfect for educators looking to incorporate expressive reading to improve students’ oral fluency, comprehension, and confidence.

This session will also highlight how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to create scripts tailored to various reading levels, ensuring that all students are engaged and challenged appropriately. Teachers will gain practical tips for implementing readers’ theater and utilizing AI tools to customize materials. By the end of the session, attendees will be equipped with dynamic strategies to support diverse learners through engaging, leveled texts.

This webinar is ideal for educators who are new to using AI in the classroom. Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your teaching toolkit!

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Boosting Content Knowledge Through Readers Theater Creating Engaging Leveled Text Through AI

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An example of displaying student artwork for a public audience.

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An example of displaying student artwork for a public audience.

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My third graders created ornaments for Maine's "Celebrating America" tree on The White House Ellipse. You can find out more about this program at https://www.thenationaltree.org/.

You can sign up to find out how your class can participate. Sign up here: https://nationalparkfoundation.wufoo.com/forms/america-celebrates-display-ornaments-project/

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Making Music Central: Why It Deserves a Place in the Core Curriculum 

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Making Music Central: Why It Deserves a Place in the Core Curriculum 

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Music education deserves a place in the core curriculum, not as an “extra” but as an essential element of a well-rounded education that fosters creativity, emotional intelligence, and academic growth.

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Integrate THIS - Teacher Fellow Newsletter | Issue 5

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Sketching is a powerful tool for enhancing reading comprehension, particularly for visual learners and students who benefit from creative engagement. When students create sketches based on what they read, they actively process information, turning abstract ideas into concrete visuals. This practice encourages deeper interaction with the text, fostering a stronger connection between the reader and the material. By translating words into images, students not only clarify their understanding but also engage in a multimodal learning process that strengthens retention and recall.

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Integrate THIS - Teacher Fellow Newsletter | Issue 6

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5 Things To Add To Your School Makerspace Supply List

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5 Things To Add To Your School Makerspace Supply List

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The Eduporium blog post titled "5 Things To Add To Your School Makerspace Supply List" emphasizes the importance of tailoring makerspace supplies to educational goals and student interests. For elementary students, it suggests incorporating low-tech materials like cardboard, duct tape, LEGOs, and various fabrics to foster creativity and hands-on learning. The concept of upcycling—repurposing discarded items into useful tools—is highlighted as a valuable practice within makerspaces. As students advance to middle school, the article recommends introducing more sophisticated tools such as Strawbees STEAM kits, 3Doodler pens, and Snap Circuits to enhance their engineering and design skills. Additionally, the post underscores the significance of proper makerspace furniture and storage solutions to facilitate collaboration and organization.

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So much goes into school makerspace design but, once that's complete, educators need to provide kids with the right supplies. Like we often say, there's no right or wrong way to introduce your students to either maker education or digital fabrication but there are so many potential options. Even when it comes to your makerspace supply list, that depends heavily on your goals and your students' interests. You could go the high-tech route with laser printers or 3D printers for beginners or simply stick to your low-tech stuff, like cardboard, paper towel rolls, tape, glue, and all those things. So, let's get into some of the most important items teachers need for a makerspace.

You might regularly read this but different makerspaces will feature different learning and building materials. That's just a fact. Since makerspaces are found all throughout the K-12 grades (and even into colleges), an elementary makerspace will likely look a lot different than one you might see in a high school. Typically, this is the time for students to design and experiment with those low-tech items. Fortunately, so many common items are beneficial in an elementary school makerspace. You have building materials, like LEGOs or other blocks, simple tools, like cardboard and duct tape, or some of the slightly fancier ones, like ribbon, fabrics, and bright colored tape.

Upcycling in elementary makerspace projects.

Makerspace learning is all about finding a way to make something purposeful out of available resources. In the maker world, the term 'upcycling' refers to taking an old material-anything from metal to cotton-then repurposing it into something useful rather than throwing it out or recycling it. Upcycling is among the most popular and impactful maker education projects and a perfect concept to introduce in elementary school. Since recycling initiatives likely already exist in your school, it could tie in perfectly. Kids can keep their eye out for any items that they could repurpose-containers, plastic bottles, paper towel rolls, and more-and turn them into new tools, like trays, organizers, or vases.

Working in more powerful maker tools.

In addition to cardboard, duct tape, and Scotch tape, other top maker materials and supplies include craft tools, like scissors, rulers, markers, pencils, pipe cleaners, feathers, and clothes pins. There's also fabrics, as we mentioned, which help students personalize their best maker projects or create simple works of art. They can use all different types of fabric, felt, ribbon, lace, denim, and so many more. Also, if you can get LEGOs or similar building materials, they're perfect for maker-centered learning in elementary school. Not only can students practice engineering, they're compatible with other STEM tools, like the Edison Robot and SAM Labs bundles. Finally, for more technical tools, the 3Doodler Start, Bare Conductive Electric Paint, and KEVA Planks kits are great for elementary students.

If you have researched maker learning or seen educators share successes, you might already have a vision for your space. That doesn't mean you have to stick to it unconditionally, however, as, oftentimes, some of the best makerspace experiences are those that evolve and help kids embrace key attitudes and passions of the Maker Movement. You may also be familiar with using a lot of the materials we discussed in the first section. Those are great for educators who are just starting a school makerspace but, over time, adding in new experiences is also ideal. Particularly in new makerspaces, high-tech equipment is likely to be limited. So, it may be best-depending on grade levels-to focus on creativity, design, and collaboration at first.

Low-tech makerspace materials.

When focusing on low-tech makerspace projects, there still often is some sort of technology involved. For example, students may be designing an interactive project that gets its power from some source. In these cases, however, most of the hands-on learning could also involve low-tech, common school supplies and library products. We see this a lot with students in school makerspaces. It's the perfect example of when STEM becomes STEAM as they take a core piece of their project to serve as the focal point but then go on to design everything else around it. It is also a great opportunity to take ownership in the makerspace and truly personalize designs with their creative touch.

Building a foundation for the future.

When learning to make impactful projects, students will often start out small-and at a young age. Some common makerspace supplies include things like construction paper, origami paper, cardboard, scissors, glue, clay, textiles, and sewing materials. Once they reach middle school, however, that list often typically grows. Even with these getting-started materials, there's still so much potential for creativity. These initial experiences really help students learn what maker programs encompass and with getting accustomed to makerspace safety rules. Plus, it helps educators ease them in while still leading meaningful projects.

Once students reach middle school, they are ready for more STEAM opportunities. Particularly for students with elementary makerspace experiences, middle school could be a perfect time to entrust them with more tools, building supplies, and design materials. A lot of the time, middle school makerspace activities are different from elementary makerspace projects. Students are much more curious, more capable, and more competent by this age, leading to the desire for more exploration. So, in a middle school makerspace, you might need some additional tables or desks or large whiteboards for prototyping. You may also want some reliable computers or laptops for students to use in designing the ultimate makerspace project.

Starting with non-tech maker tools.

Middle school making is often a much more collaborative experience for students. They tend to be more outgoing by this age and collectively sharing and working through project ideas helps them in developing additional soft skills, like communication and critical thinking. It's also a perfect opportunity to incorporate whiteboards in school makerspaces-allowing children to come together and map out designs. In a perfect world, try getting a whiteboard with wheels, which you could add to your library supplies as well. Then, of course, students may also want some hands-on STEM equipment. So, in the middle school grades, some of the best hands-on options are the Strawbees STEAM kits, 3Doodler Create+ pen, and Snap Circuits Electronics Discovery Kit.

Considering makerspace furniture and storage.

It can be overlooked, especially with the initial excitement, but makerspace furniture is also important. We wouldn't necessarily recommend prioritizing things like unique chairs and huge tables but, if your budgets allow for it, these items could help facilitate collaboration and provide students with a comfortable place to work. There's also makerspace storage to consider. Students use a ton of different supplies-from arts and crafts materials to electronics and circuitry components. It's important-especially in middle school-to try to keep makerspaces organized and, going back to the first section, upcycling some plastic containers can provide the perfect opportunity to fashion a makeshift makerspace storage cart.

Since kids are a bit more skilled and independent in middle school, finding makerspace project ideas isn't as difficult. The only challenging aspect might be narrowing down the huge range of possibilities. Teachers could choose to let them develop their own projects or provide them with specific supplies. This way, they could all try making their own versions of a specific project or use those same supplies to see what they'll come up with. Either way, they're challenged to use a finite number of materials in constructing something meaningful. As always, many of these core materials should be simplistic, like glue, paper, popsicle sticks, rubber bands, and so on.

Makerspace projects in the community.

Keep in mind that some makerspace projects could take more than a few hours. Depending largely on your makerspace structure, this may mean students need a few days, a few weeks, or time after school. There's also the possibility that some projects take longer than that. When students fully embrace a maker mindset and begin looking for authentic ways in which they could impact the community, they might need extensive time to conceive, design, build, rebuild, and perfect certain projects. There's absolutely nothing wrong with this and it's perfect for introducing the design process with a project they care about.

Combining MakerEd with coding.

With middle school students, there's also opportunities to incorporate other STEM tools. Their makerspace experiences can center on design to start and then shift to the more technical side with coding projects, for example. What do we mean by that? Well, so much of coding education comes back to kids programming educational robots. What do students program them to do? Oftentimes, they're programming the robot's movements and effects, making it so that it finds its way through a course. To tie in the key maker element, they could first spend time collectively designing a larger course for their robots-the , Marty Robot, or Finch Robot 2.0 would be perfect options. This unlocks plenty of chances for creating and to then incorporate coding to get the bot through.

As we move into the high school years, school makerspaces have the potential to be incredibly impactful. Ideally, school leaders could fill these spaces with all the latest maker equipment-and, trust us, there's so much. In reality, however, they'll likely need to narrow down the makerspace tools they'll be able to get for students. As we know, high schools will typically have more students than elementary and middle schools, which means they have wider ranges of hobbies and potential career interests. Some kids may want to try 3D printing, others might want to explore laser cutting, and some might want to build their own robots. All these are very valid and that might mean school leaders have to make decisions about what to include.

Technology grants for maker equipment.

We're also not naive when it comes to school makerspace budgets. Outfitting a makerspace with the latest in manufacturing technology and design tools isn't always possible-especially on the heels of designing a space, adding furniture, and acquiring some of the basic tools, like computers and crafting supplies. Since many high school and CTE students are inspired by the latest innovations and might, in fact, need practice with more technical tools to prepare them for their future, it often makes sense to provide some higher-end makerspace solutions for them. One option for doing so is applying for a makerspace grant. They are not always huge amounts of money (though some of them can potentially cover the entire expense of creating a makerspace) but they can at least help you get some technology in the door.

The little elements make a big impact.

Tying in project-based learning and community involvement are also key components within high school making. Even more so than middle school students, high schoolers can typically realize the importance of giving back-especially as it connects to the main tenets of the Maker Movement. Flexibility in high school makerspaces is also crucial. It's amazing when students are empowered to connect simplistic concepts to high-powered solutions when using a creative design approach. It's one thing to generate ideas for various potential solutions but the feeling of empowerment they have when transferring those internal hopes to the real world is very gratifying. And, it's all made possible with everyday makerspace supplies. If you need any input on designing a makerspace or enhancing your current space, feel free to contact our team.

For the latest EdTech, STEM, and 21st century education news, follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Like us on Facebook, too, or sign up for our newsletter for our latest product announcements and offerings. If you have an idea for an Eduporium Weekly theme, send us a message on social media or comment below.

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5 Things To Add To Your School Makerspace Supply List

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If you're creating a supply list for a school or library makerspace, there's so many directions you could take and so many tools to explore.

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The "114 Tips to Create a STEAM Makerspace" guide offers comprehensive advice for establishing a STEAM-focused makerspace in educational settings. It emphasizes the importance of gathering a variety of materials, from basic items like yarn and cardboard to more advanced tools such as 3D printers and tablets, to facilitate diverse creative projects. The guide suggests organizing the workspace with clear storage solutions, charging stations, and designated creation areas to enhance efficiency and accessibility. Additionally, it recommends various websites and apps, including Instructables and Canva, to inspire and assist students in their projects. Sample project ideas, such as designing musical instruments or exploring sound and light waves, are provided to integrate STEAM concepts effectively.

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Showcasing Student Artwork in the Community 

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Showcasing Student Artwork in the Community 

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Displaying student artwork in the community is a powerful way to celebrate creativity, build connections, and enhance public spaces. Schools can employ a variety of strategies to highlight the talents of young artists, while fostering a sense of pride and collaboration among students and community members.

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Integrate THIS - Teacher Fellow Newsletter | Issue 7

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Enriching Education Through Creative Synergy: Collaboration Between Classroom Teachers and Arts Specialists 

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Enriching Education Through Creative Synergy: Collaboration Between Classroom Teachers and Arts Specialists 

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Collaboration between classroom teachers and art and music specialists holds powerful potential to enrich students’ educational experiences. By integrating the arts with subjects like math, science, social studies, and language arts, educators foster a holistic learning environment that nurtures creativity, critical thinking, and problem solving.

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Integrate THIS - Teacher Fellow Newsletter | Issue 8

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Enhancing Creativity: Building Maker Spaces for Hands-On Learning

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Enhancing Creativity: Building Maker Spaces for Hands-On Learning

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Join Maine Department of Education (DOE) Arts Integration Teacher Leader Fellow Joshua Chard for a 45-minute webinar, designed to inspire and equip educators with tools to create dynamic classroom maker spaces. Explore how these spaces can spark creativity, foster critical thinking, and enhance student engagement.

You will learn:

Practical tips for setting up and organizing maker spaces, including budgeting, sourcing materials, and maintaining a safe and engaging environment.

Strategies to integrate maker projects into the curriculum across grade levels with hands-on, cross-curricular activities.

Best practices for classroom management, fostering collaboration, and assessing student work in maker-focused settings.

This session will conclude with a Q&A segment, offering personalized guidance, resources, and actionable next steps to bring these ideas to life in your classroom.

Don’t miss this opportunity to transform your classroom into a hub of innovation and creativity!

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Enhancing Creativity: Building Maker Spaces for Hands-On Learning

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The Transformative Power of Theater: Building Empathy, Confidence, and Essential Life Skills in Students

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The Transformative Power of Theater: Building Empathy, Confidence, and Essential Life Skills in Students

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Attending and participating in theater are vital experiences that enrich students' education and personal growth. Theater offers students opportunities to connect with stories, cultures, and perspectives beyond their own, fostering empathy and understanding. Theater for Young Audiences (TYA) plays a particularly significant role in this development, as it presents engaging, age-appropriate productions that inspire curiosity and imagination while addressing themes relevant to young people. Whether attending as an audience member or stepping onto the stage as a performer, students benefit from the transformative power of theater.

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Integrate THIS - Teacher Fellow Newsletter | Issue 9

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The Kennedy Center provides free digital resources for educators, including lesson plans, performance guides, and arts integration materials across subjects. It offers professional development, including webinars on arts and special education. Teachers can access practical strategies to enhance arts-based learning. More details are available at kennedy-center.org.

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In 2021, EdTA’s Learning Center expanded resources to support theatre educators, adding 150 new lesson plans, virtual teaching tools, and DEI-focused content. It introduced “Click to Teach” lessons and gamified learning challenges to engage students. Webinars covered culturally inclusive teaching and anti-racist theatre practices. Theatre Educator Pro saw over 37,000 users and 189,000 page views.

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Learning Center - Educational Theatre Association

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Although many schools reopened for in-person instruction, teaching was no less disrupted by the pandemic in 2021. In fact, theatre teachers had even more

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Theatrefolk provides drama teaching resources, including lesson plans, scripts, activities, and distance learning tools for middle and high school educators. Key offerings include playwriting guides, monologue collections, and classroom management support.

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Teaching and Curriculum Resources for Drama Teachers

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Our vast collection of resources includes lesson plans, activities, exercises, monologues, and scenes, all specifically tailored for drama classrooms

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Process drama is an unscripted, improvisational method where students and teachers explore themes through role-play, focusing on learning rather than performance. It fosters critical thinking, empathy, and creative problem-solving, pioneered by educators like Heathcote and O’Neill.

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Process drama is a method of teaching and learning where both the students and teacher are working in and out of role. F…

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The video titled "Process Drama — Introduction" provides an overview of process drama, an educational method where participants engage in unscripted, improvisational activities to explore various themes or situations. It emphasizes the collaborative nature of this approach, highlighting how both teachers and students assume roles to delve into different perspectives and foster deeper understanding. The video also discusses the benefits of process drama, such as enhancing critical thinking, empathy, and communication skills among participants.

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CODE Council of Ontario Drama and Dance Educators

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Are you looking for ways to customize your lessons and meet the diverse needs of your students? Look no further! In this video, we'll show you how to use ChatGPT, a powerful chatbot tool, to support differentiated instruction and personalized learning in the classroom. You'll learn strategies for tailoring the content, process, and product of your lessons to meet the unique strengths and challenges of every student. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced teacher, this video is a must-see for anyone interested in using ChatGPT to support differentiated instruction

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ChatGPT for Differentiated Instruction: Customizing Your Lessons for Every Student

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Integrating the Arts in High School Science Class

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Integrating the Arts in High School Science Class

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Integrating arts into high school science classes helps students grasp complex concepts through creative, visual, and hands-on approaches. Teachers report that techniques like drawing, modeling, and performance make abstract ideas more tangible while promoting critical thinking and collaboration. Overall, blending the arts with science enriches the curriculum and engages diverse learners for real-world problem solving.

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Bringing Art to High School Science Lessons

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Combining art and science can help students better understand abstract concepts and promote collaboration and creativity.

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Lights, Stage, Learn: The Transformative Power of Theater in Education

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Lights, Stage, Learn: The Transformative Power of Theater in Education

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Calling all educators! Join Maine DOE Arts Integration Teacher Leader Fellow Joshua Chard and special guests Reba Askari and Emily Dixon from the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine for an interactive webinar. Discover how theater can transform your classroom, sparking creativity, empathy, and critical thinking in your students. Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to explore the power of arts integration in education!

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Lights, Stage, Learn: The Transformative Power of Theater in Education

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Arts Instruction vs. Classroom Crafts: Why the Difference Matters

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Arts Instruction vs. Classroom Crafts: Why the Difference Matters

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When we think of arts in education, we often picture students happily painting, drawing, or crafting. While these activities are all valuable, there’s a distinct difference between teaching with art and classroom crafts—both in purpose and impact.

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Integrate THIS - Teacher Fellow Newsletter | Issue 10

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It’s here! Our latest resource collection, Improv in the Classroom, is PACKED with ways to drive more joyful student engagement across content areas and grade levels.

Hear us out: Improvisation is not just for drama class. The teachers you’ll hear from in this collection say theater games—or even just adding elements of improv to your lessons—allow you to build classroom community while students practice valuable social skills and gain a deeper understanding of academic content.

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A collection of our popular articles and videos about how theater games and improvisation can spark creativity, build relationships, and boost academics and executive function skills alike.

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Creative Connections-Showcasing Student Artwork in the Community

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Creative Connections-Showcasing Student Artwork in the Community

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Discover practical strategies for displaying student art in public spaces to celebrate creativity and strengthen community ties. This engaging webinar, hosted by Maine Department of Education (DOE) Arts Integration Teacher Leader Fellow Joshua Chard, will explore ideas like partnering with local businesses, hosting gallery nights, creating murals, and using digital displays to highlight student talent.

Participants will benefit from:

Real-world examples and tips for successful implementation.

Interactive discussions to inspire innovative approaches.

This session is designed for educators, administrators, and community leaders seeking to promote youth creativity and engagement. Joshua Chard will be joined by special guest Emily Serway, a National Board Certified Art Educator, to share expertise and inspiration.

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Creative Connections – Showcasing Student Artwork in the Community

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March Celebrates the Arts in Maine Schools 

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March Celebrates the Arts in Maine Schools 

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Celebrate Arts in the Schools Month

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Integrate THIS - Teacher Fellow Newsletter | Issue 11

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March is Arts in the Schools Month, making it the perfect time to bring the magic of theater to your students! If you’ve never produced a play before, don’t worry—it’s an exciting and rewarding experience that fosters creativity, teamwork, and confidence. Here are some key steps to get started.

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This email was sent to joshuachard@gmail.com
why did I get this? unsubscribe from this list update subscription preferences
Maine Department of Education · 23 State House Station · Augusta, ME 04333-0023 · USA

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Integrate THIS - Teacher Fellow Newsletter | Issue 12

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This email was sent to joshuachard@gmail.com why did I get this? unsubscribe from this list update subscription preferences Maine Department of Education · 23 State House Station · Augusta, ME 04333-0023 · USA

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Find out which museums offer free and discounted admission for students.

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Integrate THIS - Teacher Fellow Newsletter | Issue 13

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Are you looking to incorporate music into your teaching but don’t have a musical background? This engaging webinar is designed for educators of all subjects who want to harness the power of music to enhance student engagement, creativity, and learning.

Join Maine Department of Education (DOE) Arts Integration Teacher Leader Fellow Joshua Chard, alongside distinguished music educators Zach Arenz (2024 New York State Teacher of the Year), Kaitlin Young (2018 Maine Teacher of the Year), and Louise Smith (2024 Mississippi Teacher of the Year), as they share practical, accessible strategies for integrating music into everyday instruction.

Panelists will explore simple ways to incorporate music into lessons, whether for transitions, student expression, or deeper content connections—and discuss the benefits of music for student wellbeing and classroom culture. The conversation will include real-world examples, interactive ideas, and solutions for overcoming common challenges that non-musicians may face.

Attendees will have the chance to ask questions, gain confidence, and walk away with actionable ideas to make music a meaningful part of their teaching practice.

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Beyond the Notes: Using Music in the Classroom

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Nature as Canvas: Creating, Learning, and Letting Go

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Nature as Canvas: Creating, Learning, and Letting Go

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May offers the perfect invitation to take learning outside to let nature become both our inspiration and our medium.

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Integrate THIS - Teacher Fellow Newsletter | Issue 15

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As the school year comes to a close, thank you for reading Integrate THIS, our monthly update on arts integration and civics education across Maine. Whether you tuned into a webinar, tried out a classroom activity, or simply read along, your commitment to creative, connected learning has made this work meaningful. If you missed an issue or want to revisit ideas from the year, explore our Padlet of resources (see below). It’s full of project spotlights, recordings, and practical tools to support your teaching.

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Integrate THIS - Teacher Fellow Newsletter | Issue 16

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Stay tuned for more information about next year. I am looking forward to continuing this journey with you all for another season, as we navigate our very dynamic political and civic landscape. Being an educator isn’t an easy job, and approaching the topic of civics, civil discourse, and government underpinnings when our society is growing more and more factioned is a feat entirely on its own. Please know your efforts are appreciated by your students, fellow educators, and community members alike. Wishing you all a restorative summer break!

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Project Learning Tree’s article shares simple, nature-based art projects that use found materials like leaves, sticks, and mud to spark creativity and connect students to the outdoors. Activities include mandalas, sun catchers, fairy houses, and shadow portraits—designed to be temporary and documented with photos.

These projects support learning across subjects like science, math, and storytelling, while also encouraging mindfulness and environmental awareness. They're easy to adapt for any age and can be used as stand-alone activities or integrated into curriculum.

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Not all projects need to be taken home for prominent placement on the fridge. Creating art in nature is about connecting with your environment, being inspired by nature, and leaving it right where it was found. These activities use tools and materials found in nature to show children that anything can be art if you're creative enough. Rocks, sticks, logs on the forest floor, even mud after a good rain can all be turned into art.

There's no age range on these activities, either. Adjust activities as needed to link back to existing school content and make projects a group effort where you see fit. The point is to leave the finished products behind. Photographs are fine, especially with sensitive kids who may have a tough time with that concept.

Sun Catchers

These beautiful sun catchers are a great activity for a sunny day. Students can use the finished products to catch the light before leaving them behind. Have students gather twigs, branches, and leaves to create the standing sun catchers in a variety of shapes. The image is rectangular, but circles, ovals, even triangles can use the same concept.

Decorated Logs

Any log or tree stump will do here. On your next community walk or field trip to a nature reserve, students can gather leaves to create patterns on fallen logs. Time this one in the fall for a variety of colors and leaf shapes. This could be a fun supplement to simple math and geometry lessons back in the classroom.

You can also use this opportunity to have students count tree rings. Have them take a photo of a tree stump or better yet, draw it! The "Tree Cookie" activity from PLT's Explore Your Environment: K-8 Activity Guide teaches students about the life of a tree - how old it is and what type of conditions it may have encountered (i.e., drought, wind, insects).

Stick Patterns

Play with patterns arranged with sticks and twigs on the forest floor. Young students may arrange sticks from shortest to tallest as they practice taking turns. Older children may alternate patterns or even create their own morse codes. As an extension activity, have students think about the different types of trees these sticks may have fallen from as they work.

Nature Squares

This activity can vary as the seasons change. Have students gather up piles of one type of natural material to create squares or other shapes filled with different colors and textures. Remind them that they shouldn't be plucking anything but collecting materials already discarded by nature. In the fall, they can play with multi-colored leaves or separate leaves by shade.

This is a perfect complement to "The Shape of Things" activity from PLT's Trees & Me: Activities for Exploring Nature with Young Children guide.

Photo Shoots With Leaves

Kick your students' imaginations into overdrive with this fun leaf activity. Have them imagine scenarios and shapes they can create with leaves solo, in pairs, or in groups. This is a fun activity to share with parents at the end of the day or post on the classroom website with the appropriate permissions.

Decorating With Dandelions

Dandelions are everywhere come spring. That makes them the perfect tool for "paintings" and projects as vibrant as the flower. If you're working with a larger classroom, have students work in groups to use dandelions in creative ways. Back in the classroom, extend the activity by talking about the changes that dandelions experience with the seasons.

Shadow Portraits

These shadow portraits only have to last as long as the students' poses. If you're anywhere near a beach, use seashells to add a touch of whimsy. Otherwise, any found objects work with this fun activity. Use this one as a recess alternative or spin on self-portraits in an art unit for kids of any age.

Animal Sculptures

These animal sculptures and 3D images can be as simple or intricate as you like depending on your students' ages and needs. Students who need a little guidance may like a more paint-by-numbers approach where they fill in natural materials into set models you provide. Older students may like a more free-form approach.

Leaf Flowers

Rather than leading students through another round of paper flowers, use fallen leaves, pebbles, and twigs to help students create temporary blooms out in nature. As an alternative gift for the next Mother's Day or spring craft project, take photos of their creations and help students create frames for the prints.

Sandprints

Sandprints using stones and shells found along the shore are a fun way to embrace visual storytelling. If you don't have beach access, any park or even muddy area would do. Just plan accordingly and warn parents if kids might get dirty! These could be a fun tie-in for younger students after a read-aloud of stories like Jonny Lambert's Bear and Bird: Find a Footprint .

Watch students turn simple rocks, stones, and pebbles into imaginative scenes and creatures with pebble art projects. Bring along sidewalk chalk that will wash away in the next rain to allow them to add detail to their characters. This is a fun extension activity for lessons around plot and character development.

Teachers with access to the beach should use that to their advantage with nature art that uses typical beach materials to create animals and objects found in that environment. Students can pre-plan their projects based on their thoughts of what they may find while beachcombing or let their creativity guide them in the moment.

Nature Quilt

A nature quilt can be a perfect whole-group activity to teach cooperative skills and patterns. You can also use this one as the culmination of a unit on themes or symbolism, where each square represents something students learned in that unit. To extend things further, have students describe what they created in each square once it's all done.

Mandalas can help us teach about geometry, patterns, even meditation practices for older kids. These mandalas support the idea of nature as the great equalizer. Even students with fine motor difficulties have the ability to participate in their creation when they're allowed to vary their mandalas in sizes, patterns, and shapes.

Tree Mud Monsters

We already know kids love playing in the mud. After the next rainy day, take the students out to the nearest forest preserve or park to create mud boys, girls, and monsters on tree trunks using mud and other natural materials. The activity below suggests store-bought air-dry clay as an alternative to natural mud, but we always recommend leaving nature the way you found it.

Fairy Houses

Help students house their resident fairies, gnomes, and forest sprites for the changing seasons with this whimsical activity. This one can even work with older students if you're exploring reading units about legends and myths. Bump up the standards on the finished products for an added challenge with your older students.

Nature Art Frames

Help students create frames of their favorite shape - or of shapes relevant to a classroom lesson - as something they can use on their next outdoor outing. Allow them to take the lead on images they choose to "frame" within those models. These are the only project on this list they can take with them, even if the images inside are left only to their memories.

These art projects in nature are all about tapping into your students' creative spirits. You know your classroom best. Adjust any activities based on students' learning styles and interest areas. Adapt activities to what your students are already learning as part of their everyday curriculum, or use these activities as brain breaks.

Did you know? Many PLT activities incorporate art!

Check out the "At-a-Glance" Index on pages 420-421 in the Explore Your Environment: K-8 Activity Guide. There's a handy "Subject" section that highlights which subjects are covered within each activity.

In the Trees & Me: Activities for Exploring Nature with Young Children guide, you'll find fun art experiences for little learners in the "Free Exploration" section of each activity.

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Boost Student Creativity With Art Projects in Nature - Project Learning Tree

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Explore activities that use tools and materials found in nature to show children that anything can be art if you're creative enough

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The blog post “Wednesday Wanders #1: Nature Mandalas” from Creative Classroom Core introduces an outdoor activity where students create mandalas using natural materials. It outlines a simple process: gather items like leaves and stones, sort them, and arrange them in symmetrical, circular patterns on a flat surface. The activity encourages creativity, observation, and mindfulness while helping students notice patterns and symmetry in nature. Because the mandalas are left outdoors, the lesson also emphasizes respect for the environment and the beauty of impermanence. Teachers are encouraged to use this as a way to connect art, science, and outdoor exploration.

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Outdoor Learning: Nature Mandalas - Creative Classroom Core

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A post in the Wednesday Wander series to inspire outdoor learning. This post includes a step by step guide to create nature mandalas.

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Richard Shilling is a British land artist and photographer known for creating temporary outdoor sculptures using only natural materials gathered on-site. His work highlights themes of impermanence, seasonal change, and the hidden patterns in nature. From leaf mandalas to balanced stones, his installations are carefully designed to blend with their surroundings and are documented using natural light without digital editing. Shilling also offers workshops for both children and adults, focusing on creativity, mindfulness, and environmental awareness. Through his art and teaching, he encourages people to connect more deeply with the natural world.

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Thomas Dambo is a Danish recycling artist known for creating giant trolls and large-scale sculptures using reclaimed wood and other recycled materials. His whimsical installations appear in over 20 countries and are designed to blend storytelling, art, and environmental awareness. Many of his trolls are hidden in natural areas and can be found through treasure-hunt style maps and poems, encouraging exploration and connection with nature. Dambo often works with local communities and volunteers, turning discarded materials into playful, meaningful art. Through his motto “Waste no more,” he inspires people to see the beauty in reuse and to think differently about sustainability.

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Andy Goldsworthy is a British sculptor and environmental artist known for creating site-specific installations using only natural materials like leaves, stones, ice, and wood. His work ranges from delicate temporary pieces to larger earthworks, all designed to interact with the elements and eventually disappear back into nature. Goldsworthy documents his art through photography, capturing the moment when the work is at its peak before nature reclaims it. Based in Scotland, he continues to explore themes of change, time, and the cycles of the natural world in projects like “Sand Edges” and “Split Oak Wood.” His art encourages viewers to reflect on the beauty of impermanence and deepen their connection with the environment.

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Andy Goldsworthy is an international artist, sculptor, photographer and environmentalist based in Scotland

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Join Joshua Chard, Maine Department of Education (DOE) Arts Integration Teacher Leader Fellow, for an engaging webinar on how nature-based and ephemeral art can ignite creativity, deepen content learning, and strengthen students’ connection to place.

Chard will be joined by special guest Becky Hallowell, 2025 Maine Teacher of the Year, who brings a deep commitment to outdoor, place-based education. Together, they’ll share real classroom examples, practical strategies, and easy-to-implement ideas for using natural materials to support cross-curricular learning—from science and math to writing and social-emotional learning.

This session is ideal for educators seeking to bring learning outdoors and create meaningful connections between art, the environment, and student voice.

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Nature as Canvas: Ephemeral Art and Outdoor Learning

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Edutopia’s Arts Integration Resource Roundup highlights why arts integration matters, its benefits for students, and practical ways to apply it. It showcases examples of connecting arts with core subjects through creativity, project-based learning, and case studies. Teachers can also find planning tools, templates, and curriculum resources to support arts-integrated lessons.

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Edutopia is a free source of information, inspiration, and practical strategies for learning and teaching in preK-12 education. We are published by the George Lucas Educational Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization.

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This guide includes lesson ideas, toolkits, videos, and one-hour PD sessions on topics like SEL, creative thinking, and classroom management. The site also provides certification programs, funding guides, and implementation models.

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The Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM

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Each epic resource guide provides strategies, ideas, and templates on large-scale topics in K-12 education. Print out each one for easy reference!

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The Arts Integration Toolkit from Chicago Public Schools offers resources to help arts and non-arts teachers, along with administrators, effectively combine artistic disciplines with academic content. It includes  a variety of free lessons, videos, activities, and printables.

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Arts Integration Toolkit | Chicago Public Schools

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The CPS Department of Arts Education defines arts integration as an educational approach in which an artistic discipline (or disciplines) and another academic subject (or subjects) are combined for the teaching and learning of content knowledge and skills.

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And away we go!

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Integrate THIS - Teacher Fellow Newsletter | Issue 17

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Unlocking Potential: How Arts Integration Fuels Learning, Belonging, and Brain Growth 

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Unlocking Potential: How Arts Integration Fuels Learning, Belonging, and Brain Growth 

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Arts integration isn’t just adding art to academics—it’s learning through the arts. When students create, perform, or design to explore academic concepts, both the art form and the content deepen together.

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Integrate THIS - Teacher Fellow Newsletter | Issue 18

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Getting Outside to Create Art Before It Snows 

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Getting Outside to Create Art Before It Snows 

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Get outside and make some art before we are buried in snow! Ephemeral nature-based art is beautiful art.

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This email was sent to Joshua.Chard@maine.gov
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Maine Department of Education · 23 State House Station · Augusta, ME 04333-0023 · USA

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Integrate THIS - Teacher Fellow Newsletter | Issue 19

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This email was sent to Joshua.Chard@maine.gov why did I get this? unsubscribe from this list update subscription preferences Maine Department of Education · 23 State House Station · Augusta, ME 04333-0023 · USA

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Winter Break: Rest, Create, Return Renewed

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Winter Break: Rest, Create, Return Renewed

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Take some time to recharge and reflect on how you can weave the arts into your classroom in 2026 and beyond.

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Integrate THIS - Teacher Fellow Newsletter | Issue 20

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Creative Writing & Playwriting in the Classroom

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Creative Writing & Playwriting in the Classroom

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Creative writing is an art form. Check out this month's issue for information on how to get started and about a couple of opportunities for your students.

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Integrate THIS - Teacher Fellow Newsletter | Issue 21

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Creative writing and playwriting are powerful arts-integrated practices that build literacy, collaboration, and student voice. When students write for the stage, they make intentional decisions about character, dialogue, structure, and audience-decisions that directly support narrative writing. Sequencing events, establishing setting, developing characters, and showing motivation become meaningful tasks when students know that others will hear and interpret their work.

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This March, schools and communities across Maine will come together to celebrate Maine Youth Art Month (YAM) 2026, themed “The World Needs Art.” Throughout the month, K-12 students will share their creativity, stories, and perspectives through exhibitions, workshops, and community celebrations across the state.

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Integrate THIS - Teacher Fellow Newsletter | Issue 22

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Arts in Our Schools Month always feels like a celebration—but for me, it’s also a pause.

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Arts in Our Schools Month always feels like a celebration—but for me, it’s also a pause.

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It’s a moment to remember that the arts aren’t something extra we add on when there’s time. They’re how many of our students make sense of the world. When a child sketches what they notice in science, steps into a character, or finds a pattern through movement, they’re not stepping away from learning; they’re stepping into it. The arts open doors. They give students more ways to understand, communicate, and feel like they belong.

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Integrate THIS - Teacher Fellow Newsletter | Issue 23

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Beyond the Classroom Walls: Learning All Around Us

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Beyond the Classroom Walls: Learning All Around Us

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After traveling to Washington, D.C. for teacher training, I was reminded that some of the best learning opportunities happen outside our classroom walls. Museums, theaters, galleries, and historical sites help students connect with ideas in ways that are memorable, meaningful, and deeply human. While not every school is near the Smithsonian, Maine offers incredible opportunities through places like the Portland Museum of Art, Farnsworth Art Museum, Hudson Museum, and Maine Historical Society. These experiences do more than support curriculum; they help students understand their place in the world. I encourage educators to look around their own communities and ask: What learning opportunities are waiting just beyond our classroom doors?

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Integrate THIS - Teacher Fellow Newsletter | Issue 24

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Over the past two years, this newsletter has explored dozens of ways educators can bring artistic processes into everyday teaching and learning. Together, we have looked at visual art, music, theater, movement, storytelling, museum partnerships, nature-based learning, readers' theater, sketching, poetry, and creative expression across content areas. We have highlighted lessons that connect students to their communities, cultures, and voices.

Again and again, we returned to the same idea: The arts are not extras. They are not rewards for finishing the "real work." They are among the most powerful ways students engage in the real work of learning.

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Integrate THIS - Teacher Fellow Newsletter | Issue 26

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Issue 26 marks the final issue of Integrate THIS from the Maine DOE 2025-2026 Teacher Leader Fellows. Below, please find a personalized farewell message from each of them. Thank you to everyone who has subscribed over the past year to receive these valuable monthly updates and resources.

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Unlocking the power of arts integration for elementary math—from Warhol's pop art arrays to van Gogh's shapes to Kahlo's symmetry—leads to engaging, creative activities. Integrating visual arts into elementary math lessons can transform the learning experience, combining creativity with problem-solving. Arts integration has been shown to make math concepts more accessible and engaging for students, offering a hands-on approach that fosters deeper understanding. This animation covers four arts-based activities designed to bring math to life in the elementary classroom.

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4 Ways to Integrate Visual Arts Into Elementary Math

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Unlocking the power of arts integration for elementary math—from Warhol’s pop art arrays to Van Gogh’s shapes to Kahlo’s symmetry—leads to engaging, creative activities.

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Explore different ways to introduce the arts into the classroom in this video library for K-5 classroom teachers and arts specialists.

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The national standards also feature summaries of how children learn and experience the art forms, with observations on how the arts can be taught effectively at grades K-4, 5-8, and 9-12. The summaries below apply to grades K-5, which are the focus of The Arts in Every Classroom.

Theatre, Grades K-4
How Children Learn Theatre, Kindergarten-Grade 4
Theatre, the imagined and enacted world of human beings, is one of the primary ways children learn about life - about actions and consequences, about customs and beliefs, about others and themselves.

They learn through their social pretend play and from hours of viewing television and film. For instance, children use pretend play as a means of making sense of the world, they create situations to play out and assume roles, they interact with peers and arrange environments to bring their stories to life, and they direct one another to bring order to their drama and respond to one another's dramas.

In other words, children arrive at school with rudimentary skills as playwrights, actors, designers, directors, and audience members. Theatre education should build on this solid foundation.

These standards assume that theatre education will start with and have a strong emphasis on improvisation, which is the basis of social pretend play.

In an effort to create a seamless transition from the natural skills of pretend play to the study of theatre, the standards call for instruction that integrates the several aspects of the art form: script writing, acting, designing, directing, researching, comparing art forms, analyzing and critiquing, and understanding contexts.

In kindergarten through fourth grade, the teacher will be actively involved in the students' planning, playing, and evaluating, but students will be guided to develop group skills so more independence is possible. The content of the drama will develop students' abilities to express their understanding of their immediate world and broaden their knowledge of other cultures.

Source: National Standards for Arts Education, published by Music Educators National Conference (MENC). Copyright © 1994 by MENC. Used by permission. The complete National Arts Standards and additional materials relating to the standards are available from MENC, The National Association for Music Education, 1806 Robert Fulton Drive, Reston, VA 20191, telephone: 800-336-3768.

Theatre, Grades 5-8
How Children Learn Theatre, Grades 5-8
In theatre, artists create an imagined world about human beings; it is the role of the actor to lead the audience into this visual, aural, and oral world.

To help students in grades five to eight develop theatre literacy, it is important that they learn to see the created world of theatre through the eyes of the playwright, actor, designer, and director. Through active creation of theatre, students learn to understand artistic choices and to critique dramatic works.

Students should, at this point, play a larger role in the planning and evaluation of their work. They should continue to use drama as a means of confidently expressing their worldview, thus developing their "personal voice."

The drama also should introduce students to plays that reach beyond their communities to national, international, and historically representative themes.

Source: National Standards for Arts Education, published by Music Educators National Conference (MENC). Copyright © 1994 by MENC. Used by permission. The complete National Arts Standards and additional materials relating to the standards are available from MENC, The National Association for Music Education, 1806 Robert Fulton Drive, Reston, VA 20191, telephone: 800-336-3768.

Music, Grades K-4
How Children Learn Music, Kindergarten-Grade 4
Performing, creating, and responding to music are the fundamental music processes in which humans engage.

Students, particularly in kindergarten to grade four, learn by doing. Singing, playing instruments, moving to music, and creating music enable them to acquire musical skills and knowledge that can be developed in no other way. Learning to read and notate music gives them a skill with which to explore music independently and with others.

Listening to, analyzing, and evaluating music are important building blocks of musical learning. Further, to participate fully in a diverse, global society, students must understand their own historical and cultural heritages and those of others within their communities and beyond.

Because music is a basic expression of human culture, every student should have access to a balanced, comprehensive, and sequential program of study in music.

>Source: National Standards for Arts Education, published by Music Educators National Conference (MENC). Copyright © 1994 by MENC. Used by permission. The complete National Arts Standards and additional materials relating to the standards are available from MENC, The National Association for Music Education, 1806 Robert Fulton Drive, Reston, VA 20191, telephone: 800-336-3768.

Music, Grades 5-8
How Children Learn Music, Grades 5-8
The period represented by grades five to eight is especially critical in students' musical development.

The music they perform or study often becomes an integral part of their personal musical repertoire. Composing and improvising provide students with unique insight into the form and structure of music and at the same time help them develop their creativity.

Broad experience with a variety of music is necessary if students are to make informed musical judgments. Similarly, this breadth of background enables them to begin to understand the connections and relationships between music and other disciplines.

By understanding the cultural and historical forces that shape social attitudes and behaviors, students are better prepared to live and work in communities that are increasingly multicultural.

The role that music will play in students' lives depends in large measure on the level of skills they achieve in creating, performing, and listening to music.

Source: National Standards for Arts Education, published by Music Educators National Conference (MENC). Copyright © 1994 by MENC. Used by permission. The complete National Arts Standards and additional materials relating to the standards are available from MENC, The National Association for Music Education, 1806 Robert Fulton Drive, Reston, VA 20191, telephone: 800-336-3768.

Dance, Grades K-4
How Children Learn Dance, Kindergarten-Grade 4
Children in kindergarten to grade four love to move and learn through engagement of the whole self. They need to become literate in the language of dance in order to use this natural facility as a means of communication and self-expression, and as a way of responding to the expression of others.

Dancing and creating dances provide them with skills and knowledge necessary for all future learning in dance and give them a way to celebrate their humanity.

Dance education begins with an awareness of the movement of the body and its creative potential. At this level, students become engaged in body awareness and movement exploration that promote a recognition and appreciation of self and others.

Students learn basic movement and choreographic skills in musical and rhythmic contexts. The skills and knowledge acquired allow them to begin working independently and with a partner in creating and performing dances.

Experiences in perceiving and responding to dance expand students' vocabularies, enhance their listening and viewing skills, and enable them to begin thinking critically about dance. They investigate questions such as, "What is it?", "How does it work?", and "Why is it important?"

Practicing attentive audience behavior for their peers leads to describing movement elements and identifying expressive movement choices. Students learn to compare works in terms of the elements of space, time, and force or energy and to experience the similarities and differences between dance and other disciplines.

Through dance education, students also can come to an understanding of their own culture and begin to respect dance as a part of the heritage of many cultures. As they learn and share dances from around the globe as well as their own communities, children gain skills and knowledge that will help them participate in a diverse society.

Source: National Standards for Arts Education, published by Music Educators National Conference (MENC). Copyright © 1994 by MENC. Used by permission. The complete National Arts Standards and additional materials relating to the standards are available from MENC, The National Association for Music Education, 1806 Robert Fulton Drive, Reston, VA 20191, telephone: 800-336-3768.

Source, Dance Standards: This article/quote is reprinted from National Standards for Arts Education with permission of the National Dance Association, an association of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. The original source may be purchased from: National Dance Association, 1900 Association Drive, Reston, VA 20191-1599;
or phone 703-476-3421.

Dance, Grades 5-8
How Children Learn Dance, Grades 5-8
Through creating, performing, and responding to dance, middle school students can continue to develop skills and knowledge that enhance the important development of self-image and social relationships. Cooperation and collaboration are emphasized at this age, fostering positive interactions.

Dance education can offer a positive, healthy alternative to the many destructive choices available to adolescents. Students are encouraged to take more responsibility for the care, conditioning, and health of their bodies (both within and outside the dance class), thus learning that self-discipline is a prerequisite for achievement in dance.

Students in grades five to eight develop a sense of themselves in relation to others and in relation to the world. As a result, they are ready to respond more thoughtfully to dance, perceive details of style and choreographic structure, and reflect upon what is communicated.

The study of a particular dance provides a unique and valuable insight into the culture or period from which it has come. Informed by social and cultural experiences, movement concepts, and dance-making processes, students integrate dance with other art forms.

Source: National Standards for Arts Education, published by Music Educators National Conference (MENC). Copyright © 1994 by MENC. Used by permission. The complete National Arts Standards and additional materials relating to the standards are available from MENC, The National Association for Music Education, 1806 Robert Fulton Drive, Reston, VA 20191, telephone: 800-336-3768.

Source, Dance Standards: This article/quote is reprinted from National Standards for Arts Education with permission of the National Dance Association, an association of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. The original source may be purchased from: National Dance Association, 1900 Association Drive, Reston, VA 20191-1599;
or phone 703-476-3421.

Visual Art, Grades K-4
How Children Learn Visual Art, Kindergarten-Grade 4
In kindergarten to grade four, young children experiment enthusiastically with art materials and investigate ideas presented to them through visual arts instruction. They exhibit a sense of joy and excitement as they make and share their artwork with others.

Creation is at the heart of this instruction. Students learn to work with various tools, processes, and media. They learn to coordinate their hands and minds in explorations of the visual world. They learn to make choices that enhance communication of their ideas. Their natural inquisitiveness is promoted, and they learn the value of perseverance.

As they move from kindergarten through the early grades, students develop skills of observation and learn to examine the objects and events of their lives. At the same time, they grow in their ability to describe, interpret, evaluate, and respond to work in the visual arts.

Through examination of their own work and that of other people, times, and places, students learn to unravel the essence of artwork and to appraise its purpose and value. Through these efforts, students begin to understand the meaning and impact of the visual world in which they live.

Source: National Standards for Arts Education, published by Music Educators National Conference (MENC). Copyright © 1994 by MENC. Used by permission. The complete National Arts Standards and additional materials relating to the standards are available from MENC, The National Association for Music Education, 1806 Robert Fulton Drive, Reston, VA 20191, telephone: 800-336-3768.

Visual Art, Grades 5-8
How Children Learn Visual Art, Grades 5-8
In grades five to eight, students' visual expressions become more individualistic and imaginative.

The problem-solving activities inherent in making art help them develop cognitive, affective, and psychomotor skills. They select and transform ideas; discriminate, synthesize, and appraise; and apply these skills to their expanding knowledge of the visual arts and their own creative work.

Students understand that making and responding to works of visual art are inextricably interwoven and that perception, analysis, and critical judgment are inherent to both.

Their own art-making becomes infused with a variety of images and approaches. They learn that preferences of others may differ from their own. Students refine the questions that they ask in response to works of art. This leads them to an appreciation of multiple artistic solutions and interpretations.

Study of historical and cultural contexts gives students insights into the role played by the visual arts in human achievement.

As they consider examples of visual works of art within historical contexts, students gain a deeper appreciation of their own values; the values of other people; and the connection of the visual arts to universal human needs, values, and beliefs. They understand that the art of a culture is influenced by aesthetic ideas as well as by social, political, economic, and other factors.

Through these efforts, students develop an understanding of the meaning and import of the visual world in which they live.

Source: National Standards for Arts Education, published by Music Educators National Conference (MENC). Copyright © 1994 by MENC. Used by permission. The complete National Arts Standards and additional materials relating to the standards are available from MENC, The National Association for Music Education, 1806 Robert Fulton Drive, Reston, VA 20191, telephone: 800-336-3768.

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The Arts In Every Classroom: A Video Library K-5 - Annenberg Learner

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The national standards also feature summaries of how children learn and experience the art forms, with observations on how the arts can be taught effectively at grades K-4, 5-8, and 9-12. The summaries below apply to grades K-5, which are the focus of The Arts in Every Classroom.

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Music is an often overlooked—but uniquely powerful—strategy for connecting kids to classroom learning.

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6 Smart Ways to Bring the Power of Music Into Your Classroom

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Music is an often overlooked—but uniquely powerful—strategy for connecting kids to classroom learning.

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How many times have you thought to yourself, "In what way can I spice up this unit and make it student-centered?" One great way is to let your students be creative using video. With all the tools and technology available, making videos is easier than ever for you and your students.

Recently at the annual National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) conference, Becky Ellis, Greg Kulowiec and I presented three different ways you can use video with your students in the classroom.

There are plenty of ideas and resources available through the links we shared. In this post, I present an overview of these video styles, each with varying degrees of technology and resources needed.

1. Use Animoto

Step A: Sign Up

Animoto is an easy-to-use website where you and your students can create 30-second videos for free. As an educator, you can sign up and get a free Animoto Plus account. The Plus account allows you to sign up 50 of your students for six months with the ability to create videos of unlimited length. The account is renewable, so be sure to take advantage of the free offer. Otherwise, the Plus account is $30 a year, which is not bad -- but we already spend enough money on our classrooms!

Step B: Try It Yourself, Then Show Your Students

The great thing about Animoto is that all you have to do is follow the easy steps they provide. Load photos and/or text, select your music and theme -- and then produce. Your students will have access to over 600 music tracks to select from, or they can download their own music for their video creation. It's great for students to create a variety of projects from current events to a video biography or whatever you and they can imagine. All you need is access to a computer, and your students will be creating cool videos using just a few photos from the Internet and a lot of their own imagination. My students were able to get started at school. I was able to assist them with the sign-up process, and then they did most of their creating at home, where they had access to their own pictures and music.

Step C: Share with Your Classes

Students really enjoyed watching and presenting their videos. I put a time limit of three minutes on each so that it wouldn't take too long to watch and critique their work. The students had a lot of fun with it, and the topics they chose were interesting and well thought-out.

2. Have Students Create Common Craft-Style Videos

What are Common Craft-Style Videos?

Common Craft videos are made using simple paper cutouts and dialogue that focuses on explaining concepts "in plain English." Pioneered by Lee and Sachi LeFever, this style of video utilizes a white background and will have all elements planned out to make a complex subject simple. Another key to the video style is that it is short, usually around two to four minutes.

Tasks for Creating Common Craft-Style Videos

Storyboard a script for the video.

This will involve making sure students are explaining how something works, or why it was important. Encourage students to time their explanation in order to reduce it to its most simple form.

Create props for the video.

Props in this case will largely be paper cutouts of simple drawings. Students can plan to use printed words as part of their props. Ideally, printed words should be used for a title slide and a bibliography slide. It will take students a few extra minutes to type, but this will result in a more professional-looking product.

Shoot the video.

It's usually best left to the teacher when there are time constraints. Students familiar with video production can be trained to take on this task.

Narrate the video.

One or two students can be assigned to this task. Students can narrate as the action is taking place, or narration can be added on a separate voice-over.

Designate presentation specialists.

Two or three students should be involved in manipulating the paper cutouts in sync to the narration/explanation of the historical event.

Steps Needed for a Common Craft-Style Video Project

Step A

Assign topic.

Students determine images central to project.

Students script or "storyboard" their topic.

Students find clip art or draw their figures for the presentations.

Step B

Students participate in a trial run of the shoot where they practice the script and manipulation of figures and words.

Students will need a template for the area the camera will see when they are practicing.

Students are encouraged to make changes to their script and use a timer to make sure they are talking about the most important aspects of the historical event.

Step C

Teacher or student videographers film student projects.

Students who are finished with filming may then add a voice-over if time permits, or edit out any parts they feel detract from the expository nature of the film.

Students complete a group project evaluation form.

Step D

Videos are shown to the entire class. This would be appropriate as a test review or as a culminating project for the entire unit. This activity does not have to be done directly after filming.

Sample Common Craft-Style Videos

Classroom Wins with This Style of Video

Common Craft video projects are student-friendly. After seeing one example, students understand their task. This particular video style honors Gardner's theory of Multiple Intelligences and allows students to excel in areas of strength. By having students work on the storyboarding, script, manipulatives and titles as homework, a teacher only needs to spend a part of the class period to complete this project. The meaningful homework assignment is a bonus as well! Common Craft style videos are a low-tech. You only need a video camera, tripod, and white surface for students to create this type of culminating project.

3. Choose Your Own Adventure: CYOA

CYOA videos are a fun way for students to learn content and be creative. You need to be a little more advanced with technology, but the process is simple for the students. They'll need a green screen, video camera and tripod as well as some real preparation before they start filming. These projects are great for teams to collaborate and learn.

Typically CYOA projects are one week of class time and would follow this basic timeline:

Day 1 - Introduction and begin planning

Day 2 - Finish planning and write scripts

Day 3 - Finish scripts and begin filming

Day 4 - Filming

Day 5 - Finish filming, editing and linking

Tips and Pointers for CYOA

If you have computers available for student use, they can edit and link the videos themselves.

If you are limited on computers, you could cut this timeline down to four days by editing and linking the videos yourself.

It is reasonable to expect that students will be responsible for the content of the scripts as well as the digital images needed for the backgrounds.

You will need to get a green screen. Any green material will work as a green screen.

Make sure you have a light source between the students and the green screen to avoid shadows behind them.

Planning

The most important part of Choose Your Own Adventure videos is the planning phase. Below is the process that Greg's students went through to plan their video and filming.

Making videos is a natural medium for this generation of students. These kids make videos and post them to YouTube on their down time. So why aren't we bringing video production into the classroom? Using Animoto, Common Craft or Choose Your Own Adventure videos can really spice up your classroom and take the pressure off you as the teacher. Having students make their own videos helps them to be in charge of their own learning. As an added bonus, using videos in the classroom helps school get just a little closer to a kid's real life.

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