For over 30 years, arts education has been a low priority in the nation's public schools. Arts teaching positions were cut, and arts education in schools has dwindled as schools try to increase test scores in mathematics and reading within the time constraints of the school day. Some communities have responded with initiatives aimed at…

Describes one summer offering of the Palo Alto schools which correlates productive activities with appreciation for art. (Author/RK)

California state-adopted commercial art and music instructional materials are described to aid state school districts in matching instructional materials with curriculum goals and objectives. Information is provided in three sections. An annotated index gives pertinent information about each program, including title, year of copyright, and grade…

In San Rafael (California) a series of assembly programs and art shows exposes students to cultural events. (JM)

This document summarizes the work of participants in California's Towards Arts Assessment Project (TAAP). The project participants worked on developing guidelines and plans for arts assessments. The document includes the TAAP participants' performance assessments as illustrations and as guidelines for continuing a dialogue in the feasibility and…

This paper focuses on two questions: (1) Can visual arts be an effective way for students to express what they have learned in social studies?; and (2) Can creative activity improve motivation, participation, attitude, and enhance learning in social studies? The sample for study was drawn from 75 fifth-graders in 3 classes in a school located in a…

This book provides a framework of what California students should know about the arts and is organized around the vision of providing opportunities for all students to become responsible, creative, reasoning, understanding and thoughtful citizens. This guide clearly defines a balanced, comprehensive arts program for all those in grades K-12 in…

The California Art Education Association (CAEA) has outlined guidelines to help administrators, teachers, and others responsible for determining the acceptable content of visual arts courses offered to meet California's state graduation requirements or entry requirements into a state university. Emphasis for visual arts courses should be on the…

Contributions by California art educators in this guide outline issues underlying performance assessment and provide examples of assessment for the arts from kindergarten through grade 12. Chapter 1 introduces art as basic to education and presents the potential of art education for all students. Chapter 2 examines performance assessment by giving…

This book provides reference citations for California educators planning or developing curricula in the arts. Each section includes an annotated bibliography related to the discipline. An accompanying grid identifies for each title: (1) the focus of the literature; (2) the suggested grade level; (3) the related discipline, if applicable; and (4)…

Arts education is a fundamental obligation of the public schools. Students grow in unique and critical ways by experiencing the arts through practice. The study of the heritage of the arts in their intellectual, critical, and aesthetic dimensions enhances student perspectives. Mankind's artistic achievements are the heritage of every child and an…

The materials in this curriculum guide were designed to prepare teachers and students in grades 2-11 for the "Secret World of the Forbidden City: Splendors from China's Imperial Palace 1644-1911" exhibition at the Oakland Museum of California Education Department, to inform teachers and students about Imperial China, and to illuminate…

The purpose of this handbook is to show how planning and implementing an arts education program can be organized and systematically undertaken. Two alternative planning models are outlined. The first model works for larger schools and involves eight stages carried out by three committees--organizers, planners, and implementers. The alternative…

The California Art Education Association conducted a portfolio assessment pilot project to provide visual arts educators with examples of classroom practice to serve as a foundation for further development of performance/portfolio assessment. Key issues addressed during this project included the purposes of assessment portfolios for students and…

In this activity, first grade students learn their addresses and their places in space. Each student pretends they are a student in Ms. Frizzle's class and are to help the class figure out how to get home. The students create their own intergalactic address book, so that on their next trip into the universe they will have a map to guide them back…