District of ColumbiaLETTER FROM THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION ‘September 30, 2008 Dear District of Columbia Principals and Teachers, | am delighted to share with you the District of Columbia state learning standards for arts education. These standards are also available on our Web site at wwrw.osse.dc.gov . By now, you probably have femilerized yourself with the arts standards that were approved by the District of Columbia State Board of Education on May 21,2008. These standards lay the foundation for a well-rounded education in the arts, pursued through two distinct strategies-arts integration and the arts as a core subject. The four disciplines are dance, music, theatre, and visual arts. Each is organized around the four interrelated types of artistic activity: creating, performing, responding, and connecting. Music has a fith strand for reading and notating These standards have been developed collaboratively by teachers, administrators, artists, and many diverse community organizations over the past several years. Members of this task force gave their time and expertise in developing these learning standards. Great efforts were made to ensure that the District of Columbia's standards are aligned with national learning standards for the arts. Arts education is essential because it provides students with the means to think, feel, end understand the world around them in ways distinct from other academic disciplines. Itis essential that we work together to make arts education succeed. Together, we can work toward the goal that the District of Columbia lead the nation in arts education excellence by having clear statements about what students should know and be able to do upon graduation from high school Thank you for taking a leading role in making this goal a realty, Deborah A, Gist — State Superintendent of EducationTABLE OF CONTENTS STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION ROBERT C. BOBB Prescient USA RAYMOND: Vice President Distict 3 (Wares 5 & 6) MARY LORD Distict 1 (Words | & 2) ‘SEKOU BIDDLE Distict 2 (Worcs 3 & 4) WILLIAM LOCKRIDGE Dstict 4 (Wares 7 8.8) LAURA MCGIFFERT SLOVER Appointed TED TRABUE Appointed ‘CHRISTINE JOHNSON Student Representative LOREN A. STEVENS Student Represeniative BEVERLEY R. WHEELER Executive Drecter INTRODUCTION 5 DANCE 9 Strand 1; Create 12 Undestand and cate choreagrophic forns and meoring incaree, Strand 2: Perform 16 ‘Demorsttate dance fundomentals and st with technical rorclency ardspatic, musica, ‘ond binashate aworens, ‘Strand 3: Respond 21 ‘Analyze, eftique, andrespondto dance. Strand 4: Interconnect 25 ‘Apply conce and movement concent to coneruct meaning anc undestoncing ine crs ‘ther subject arec, ileacy, hitoricdl peiods and multiple cules, MUSIC 36 General Music Standards Strand 1: steno. analyze..and evaluate music. 41 Strand 2: sing ond perform on instuments alone and with others @ Veried repertoire of music. 46 Strand 3; improve, orange, ond compose musc. 51 Strand 4: Read and rotate music. 53 Strand 5: Connect music to other art forms and subject arecs through undesstancing the historical and cultura) context of music. 55 Instrumental Music Standards Strand 1: usten to, analyze, and evaluate must. 60 Strand 2: sing ond perform on netumen’s alone and with others, a vevieciropericre of music. 61 Strand 3: imoovee, crange.cnd comoose musc. 63 Strand 4: Reodand noiaie music. 63 Strand S: Connect misc o other orf forms and subject areos rough undesstoncing the hitorcal and cua) cortex of music. 64 Vocal/Choral Music Standards Stand 1: Lsten to. analyze. and evabate musi. 65 Strand 2: sing end perform on nstumen's alone and with ofners « vaedrepericre ot muse 66 Strand 3: improvie, erange, ond campose music. 6 Strand 4: Reod and no!aie music. 69 Strand 5: Connect muscto other ar! forms and subject arecs rough understanding thehtorical and cule! context of music. 69