What I share with you is by no means the best way or only way to do things. If you think about the food world, that's why there is such a successful cookbook industry and a whole T.V. network dedicated to cooking. Many of us can name a number of celebrity chefs. (Maybe this blog could lead to the Art Ed Network and make us all celebrity art teachers...an educator can dream.) This blog will be more of a documentation of how I do things--my cookbook. I hope that somewhere in this experience, another art teacher out there takes one of my ideas and makes it her/his own, becoming part of their cookbook, served up in their kitchen--er, classroom.
As with any good chef, I don't start from nothing, otherwise known as "reinventing the wheel" or for cookbook purposes, we can call it "reinventing the french fry". It's been done. What makes a french fry stand out from the crowd, isn't that it is a fried potato, it's the little change-up that the chef makes. "Oh, you like McDonald's french fries? Well, how about sweet potato fries with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top, dipped in chipotle mayo?", says the innovative chef. "Oh, you like drawing boxes in perspective? Well, how about drawing skyscrapers influenced by Chicago architecture in perspective, followed by a walking tour field trip of the Loop?", says the innovative art teacher. This blog will be about revealing my sources and showing how I tweak them for my classroom. It will be about reflecting on successes and failures.
Here it goes:
Curriculum Planning for the K-8 Art Classroom
Prep time: LOTS of summer hours
Cook time: The whole school year
Makes: 4 thematic units for each grade level, 36 units total
1 copy of The Chicago Guide for Teaching and Learning in the Arts (my district curriculum guide)--this includes a scope and sequences for each grade level, a unit template, and a lesson template
1 copy of the Indian Prairie School District 204 Visual Art Program: Kindergarten-12 Comprehensive Curriculum (Compiled by Karyl Silerzio, the District 204 Art Curriculum Coordinator and the many wonderful teachers of that district)--This is the second largest district in Illinois behind my own and has what I have observed to be possibly the best large district elementary art program around. Therefore, making this an almost essential resource for my planning.
1 copy of the Illinois State Learning Standards (all content areas because I am required to integrate with other subjects--even if it wasn't required, I believe integration to be an essential part of ANY curriculum.)
1 scope and sequence grid from the Illinois State University art education program curriculum project, developed by Dr. Linda Willis Fisher and Dr. Ed Stewart (Contact me for the Word Template of this document)
1 independent coffeehouse with good food, coffee, free wifi, and local artwork on the walls--preferably walking distance from home so I get some exercise in--I personally prefer the Knockbox Cafe at Augusta & California in Chicago's Humboldt Park neighborhood
1 copy of the Sax art supply catalog (This is the catalog my school orders from.)
1 copy of the Illinois State University Art Education program Budget Project template, developed by Dr. Linda Willis Fisher and Dr. Ed Stewart (Contact me for the Word Template of this document.)
1 large network of fellow art teachers to bounce ideas off of, help solve problems, and "steal" curricular ideas from (I am an active member of the National Art Education Association (NAEA) and Illinois Art Education Association, as well as a part of a little group of art teachers from my alma mater that gather together for food and "shop talk" about every other month. I am active on art education Facebook groups and the NAEA Elementary Division Ning.)
1. Determine the theme for each unit. I use one theme each quarter for all grades. These sometimes change from year to year. For this year, the themes are as follows: Quarter 1-Identity, Quarter 2-Celebrations, Quarter 3-African-American Art, Quarter 4-Ecology. Identity is a good "get to know you" theme and one that pulls the kids in because their artwork is about themselves. Celebrations is strategically selected based on the school calendar of events. Each December we have a big performance related to celebrations around the world. I am in charge of organizing visuals for the performance. By making the theme for this quarter relate, the students will create visuals for the performance within the curriculum. In February, we have a performance for African-American Heritage. Each classroom has an African-American artist that they study throughout the year. During third quarter, I teach a unit related to their classroom artist. Ecology was chosen for the last quarter because we do artmaking activities related to Earth Day. Also, science is one of my favorite subjects to integrate with so this theme gives me the opportunity to do so.
2. Complete the ISU scope and sequence grid for each grade. Begin with Unit 1 and thoroughly complete all those units before moving on to the next unit. You can continue working on the later units after school starts, but the first units should be completed and ready to go before day one of school.
3. Fill in the CPS (Chicago Public Schools) unit template for all grades. Begin with Unit 1 and use the same philosophy as step #2.
4. Write the lesson plans for the first week of classes using the CPS template. CPS teachers are required to turn in lessons every week. At my school, they must be emailed to the assistant principal by Sunday of the week they are being taught. I also find that my classes are very unpredictable in the way they handle my lessons that it is futile to write out lesson plans weeks in advance. I begin writing the lesson plans for the next week after I've taught the class for the current week. I see my students once a week for the whole year.
5. Fill in the Budget Project list with supplies that are needed to be purchased. In my school, I request supplies throughout the year because I do not have a budget. My principal occasionally finds money for me to use. I also request things through Donors Choose. Otherwise, I buy it with my own money. I begin with just making sure I have all the materials I need for Unit one before school starts.
6. Begin to create handouts, Powerpoints, assessments, teacher examples, and other materials that you will need to teach the lessons. This is another task that I do on a weekly basis. Sometimes I work ahead if I have the time.
7. Serve with a smile!
Educational Value: A well thought out, thorough visual art experience for all.
Teacher Value: Save your self from disorganization and bigger workloads during the school year.
