Kayla Stewart

Technology
Assignment # 4
Special People

Art Integration

Art is an important part of a students education. Art boosts academic achievement, creativity,
and gives students pride in their work. Unfortunately Art is slowly moving out of our schools.
Educators need to incorporate it into their curriculum. As teachers we will be teaching children
who will have various professions in the future. What if one of my future students has amazing
artistic abilities and could be the next Picasso, but Art was never taught so they didn't pursue this
career choice? All students should be given the ability to explore special areas.
Art can easily be integrated into curriculum. Art serves as a visual aid for students as
mentioned in the article, How Integrating Arts Into Other Subjects Makes Learning Come Alive.
Katrina Schwartz describes the IAA approach to art. Every subject area is integrated with an art
form. One project mentioned was using the classification of leaves to teach about realistic and
abstract art. Art is used to deepen the level of understanding about a specific topic.
Art can also increase reading comprehension. In order for students to complete an
assignment that involves art they must have a deep understanding of the subject. Unlike a
multiple choice question test when using art students must produce their own answer. When
students learn deeper the knowledge of the concept stays with them longer.

Temple Grandin
Temple Grandin is autism activist who is also a consultant to livestock animal behavior.
Grandin was diagnosed with autism at the age of two. She continued to succeed despite the
disability. Temple Grandin graduated from boarding school, earned her bachelors degree in
psychology, masters degree in animal science, and then her doctoral degree in animal science
from the University of Illinois.
Temple Grandin invented the hug box while attending college. The hug box is a device
used to calm people on the autism spectrum. It is also known as a squeeze box. The hug box is
a deep pressure device that is used to calm individuals on the autism spectrum. Temple based her
idea off of a cattle squeeze shoot. Cattle squeeze shoots are used to calm cattle with pressure just
as the hug box is used to calm those with autism.
Project Spectrum
Project Spectrum is used by people with Autism to express their creativity. Many with ASD
tend to learn visually and are very spatially and visually gifted. One program that supports the
Project Spectrum approach is Sketch up. Sketch up was created for professional architects, but
has become a was for people with Autism Spectrum Disorder to express themselves. Those with
ASD can express themselves and show their knowledge visually instead of writing or speaking.
Sketch up could also serve as a career opportunity or allow those with ASD to interact with
places before going to them.
Another program used for Project Spectrum is iSTAR 5. iSTAR 5 focuses on strength and
ability and not disability. The goal of iSTAR 5 is the development of 3D technology skills that
could be used for future employment of this on the ASD spectrum. The goal is to change the high
rate of unemployment and underemployment of those with Autism Spectrum Disorder.