Elementary Arts Network Begins!

Seven of us gathered at Karshner Museum Wednesday to RE-create the PSD Elementary Arts Network. Participants included:

Lisa Berry, Fruitland Principal

Sara MCormick, Firgrove - 2nd grade

Teri Cranston, Fruitland - 2nd grade

Beth Kamerer, Pope - 3rd grade

Ginger Liebl, Riverside - 6th grade

JoAnn Noel, Spinning - 2nd grade

Brian Fox, Student Learning Director

What a great start! We talked a bit about Washington State Arts EALRs and upcoming Classroom-based assessments. However, we spent most of our time discussing the challenge of finding time for quality art instruction and the need for integration of art activities within other content areas. For example:

- this fall at Spinning, JoAnn has taught a lesson on pattern and shape using the story "Animals Hiding" from the 2nd-grade Open Court reading series. Her students worked on drawings of animals using camouflage in their habitat.

- at Firgrove, Sara led her students in an origami project to follow-up on a 2nd-grade Open Court story called, "Paper Cranes."

- at Fruitland, Teri followed the Open Court story, "Tomas" with a scratched leaf art project.

- Ginger had students complete a drawing of the water cycle following a 6th-grade science lesson at Riverside.

- at Pope, Beth has found a way to adjust her Monday morning routine, thus providing 30 minutes of actual art instruction. She uses this time to teach concepts of art (such as line, shape, and form) then allows students to work on projects related to social studies and literacy topics throughout the week.

We look forward to using the PSD Art Blog to share more lessons with each other and anyone else interested. Take pictures with a digital camera and share them on this blog, or just write up a few sentences about a successful art lesson you've completed - especially if your lesson is interdisciplinary.

We look forward to having fellow members of the PSD Elementary Arts Network join us for our next meeting (2nd out of three this year!) on February 1, 2006!