Arts Integration with Artists from the Respect Diversity Foundation: Joan Korenblit, Steve McLinn, Christina Pickard and Patrick Riley

Writing, Music and Visual Arts Throughout the Curriculum

Core areas of the curriculum are grasped and understood more deeply through the arts. The interest level for core subjects increases when writing, music and visual art enrich the curriculum. Through rhythm, tempo, poetry, creative writing and visual art, Respect Diversity Foundation specialists will teach participants how to independently enhance lessons of history, science, language arts, social studies, even math. The culmination will be the inspiration to encourage participants' students to explore core curriculum through art, music and poetry. Arts Integration workshop participants rotate through four fun and inspiring sessions:

Session A: Artistic & Academic Connections with Christina Pickard
When we are able to integrate the academic with the artistic and surround our children with creative and divergent thinking, we remind them that often in learning, as in life, there is more than one approach to a problem and certainly more than one answer. This session will focus on creating academic and artistic connections, exploring materials and deepening our understanding of language arts, social studies, and history. We’ll concentrate on a two-dimensional approach using colored pencils, oil pastels, watercolors and collage.

Session B: Writing Throughout the Curriculum with Joan Korenblit
Focusing on teaching writing throughout the curriculum, Korenblit teaches participants how to enrich lessons of history, math, science, literature, social studies, even visual art, through poetry and journaling. The interest level in core subjects increases when writing is practiced in any discipline. The culmination will be individual mini-anthologies.

Session C: Brain Connections with Patrick Riley
In this hands-on workshop we will explore incorporating the arts of drawing, sculpture, mask design, dance and drama into our own curriculum areas by focusing on a study of the human nervous system and the human brain. Learn basic drawing skills while creating a drawing of the human nervous system. Discover a variety of paper sculpture techniques and design methods as we build a replica of the human brain and a special neuron mask. Learn the fabulous neuron dance. Come and enjoy this fascinating workshop connecting your curriculum with the arts and your brain.

Session D: Musical Connections with Steve McLinn
We will explore the nature of sound and music with its relationship to ourselves and the world. Connections to physical and biological science, psychology, math, language, history and the humanities will be demonstrated through various processes involving the three primary aspects of music: rhythm, melody and harmony. We will create sound environments, learn rhythm through drumming and the spoken word, and create visual art through scientific analysis and interpretive drawing of sound. We will explore pitch, melody and harmony with voice and language, flutes and singing bells.