Arts in the Schools

One goal for our residencies is to show how education, including non-arts, can be greatly enhanced using the arts. The goal of Layl McDill's residency is to combine her unique art form with concepts from science, social studies and math. By using creativity, problem solving and math concepts, 3rd grade students will create physical representations of the animals that they are learning about in science. For the fourth grade, social studies standards will be addressed, and students will use communication, creativity, and problem solving to create physical representations of state birds from the states that students are learning about. The residency will be considered successful if the following criteria are met: 1. Students are able to use and incorporate polymer clay, armatures, color mixing and millefiori/caning techniques to make a 3-dimensional form. 2. Students are able to successfully create unique 3-dimensional representations of predator and prey animals and state birds. 3. Students are able to talk about their use of elements and principals of art to represent the unique qualities of their animals or birds. We will also know that we have achieved our goals by documenting the end products from each residency with photographs. The sculptures that each child creates will demonstrate pride and show that they participated in the artistic processes of learning new information and skills, planning, decision making, production, and evaluation of their artwork. Upon completion of the program, students, teachers, and parents will be surveyed in order to capture data about goal success. Surveys will specifically address the following statements. Teachers and Students: 1. Interest in the arts 2. Excitement for learning core classroom objectives 3. Reinforcement and enhanced comprehension of both art and core content area learning 4. Achievement of above state objectives 5. Overall quality of the residency. Parents: 1. Interest and excitement for the arts 2. Involvement in residency and community event 3. General excitement for going to school during residency 4. Student understanding of the basic objectives outlined above 5. Overall quality of the residency. There will be a culminating event toward the end of the school year where all art will be on display for the entire community. This will be another time frame where we can capture candid feedback from participants.