1.

Reflect on strategies you might use to integrate visual arts into academic subject areas such as
mathematics, science, social students, reading, or writing.

Consider the following:

 How could those strategies change depending on the grade level of the students you are
teaching?

Students are able to think higher analytically and reasonably and able to find creative
confidence and voice in their expression of art. The integration on art and subject areas such
as science, social studies, math, language and literacy is the way through which both subjects
are connected lean on each other. Art engages hands on learning on their own terms,
students’ understanding are deepened when dealing with a particular topic.

The strategies at each grade level works with the scaffolding strategies with each grade, the
foundation is being laid for the next grade as the concepts and terms are grade associated
where the teachers teach such at the appropriate levels and as such sets the groundwork for
future lessons. The lessons can be set based on the grade level as the strategies grow with the
grade, getting more advanced by adding to the student’s schema through new categorization
or sub categorization.

2. What is a possible safety issue you might face while integrating art into the elementary
classroom? How would you handle the issue if it occurred in the class? How would you prevent
the issue from happening in the future?

An environment speaks to the tone, setting and background of the class. By tapping into the
students background knowledge, through brainstorming, discussion and interest, students are
more interested to learn and solving problems. If not done, the lesson can still be taught, yet
blandly so. The art classroom is one where creativity takes place, however it can also a room
where safety hazards exist and the possibility of student’s health can be compromised.

These are often overlooked due to the fact that they are not as apparent as science or computer
labs. However, there are art rooms that contain materials or substances that are quite dangerous
being toxic or carcinogenic, often without anyone realizing the possible outcome,

The exposure to toxic and carcinogenic materials which can be absorbed through the skin,
inhaled, or ingested is one of the major concerns. Students not washing their hands properly after
working with materials while the area must be kept clean to avoid spills and slips were also a art
classroom health and safety concerns.

To address this issue now and in the future would be to first create rules and codes of conduct for
the art room and ensure adherence to them. Only use materials which are safe for students to use
and use stuff which are properly labeled. Provide small amounts of materials so that students
have the reduced likelihood of ingestion, or absorption.
3. Reflect on the following:

 Consider the visual art seed strategies found in this chapter and how you would
incorporate them in your curriculum.

As is quoted by Gamell 1961, p.22, Art is not what you see but what you make others see.
The art of planting seed ideas which cause the students to be curious, capable of inquiry and
research, analysis of discovered information and categorization or sub categorization of such.
through this act students create meaning and demonstrate understanding using art through
various areas of the areas.

The sections into which seeds are organized also dictate to some extent where in the
curriculum and lesson plans they will be used. For example in my opinion, energizer and
warm-ups are used mostly at the beginning of the lessons as introductions of icebreakers in
order to prep the students to think creatively, to have them relax just enough to have them
focus, gather, filter and release ideas.

The concept and elements of visual arts and how to teach section deals with ideas and
concepts in art knowledge needed to better view, understand and do art. Finally, the use of
media in its different forms, which suggest ideas for problem prevention and future planning,
is the section necessary for art making.

4. How do visual art activities promote problem-solving and critical thinking skills? Can you
think of a specific visual art activity which you might integrate in your classroom?

Allowing higher analytical thinking, reasoning and helping student find creative confidence and
voice in their expression. These activities are forms that tap into so many different interests and
abilities and forms of learning. Regardless of culture, students can draw realistic drawings based
on the qualities of the concept. For example, in science observation is also used for to teach
about realistic versus abstract, for things like leaf classification where the scientific qualities of
the leaf through a accurate depiction and labeling of a leaf.

Through art activities, students are able to collaborate, open up, express themselves and reflect
on the concept and terms involved in the lesson and this is not done immediately as structures
and skill building mechanisms must be put in place. Once the students acquire the ability to see
connections between the concepts and the topics within it and to also generalize understanding
between the disciplines, critical thinking will not also be developed but the ability to use logic
and reasoning in problem solving will also be acquired.

5. Read "The Adventures of Artemis and the Llama" Discuss both positive and negative reasons
for creating "imaginary histories" in an elementary classroom.

Having read this text, there are numerous reasons surrounding these great pieces of art and
historical relevance. Though coming from different cultures, times and elements, these two
objects now reside in an American art museum. The positive reasons for creating histories is that
people are interested in the stories of their travels, from the creation, the stories they tell through
whatever media such as labels, audio and docent tours, gallery tours to provide viewers help to
understand why the object in question is special socially, historically and formally. The cultural
and artistic meaning is through the museum telling such stories which cherish the objects from
tales of simple purchasing from a collector or an artist to the exhuming from the original
countries.
The negative part of these imaginary histories is that the stories may be exaggerated, the extent
to which will vary depending on the countries involved. History is not written in truth but in
victory, and from this the students may be told a version of history that is not necessarily true but
one that furthers the opinions and agenda of the current societal group thought. The need to also
take these artifacts from their countries may also stand as testament to this, robbing a country of
its culture and history to tell their story your way, is not only robbery but an oversized sense of
ego and attempted cultural extinction.

6. Read "Integrating the Visual Arts into the Curriculum" Explore two of the referenced sites
and compare the resources from each. Share your comparison with your peers. 

Integration being important due to the appreciation and understanding what is has to offer in
regards to students’ learning. The purpose to make learning more cohesive, genuine and
connected to the real world based on the cross connections made. Time and energy are more
practically used.

I am comparing Intergrated Curri