Children are captivated with how things work and they like to build things and in many ways, engineering comes naturally for them. Progress does not come from technology alone but from the melding of technology and creative thinking through art and design. There has been a push for STEAM-based curricula to be included in science classrooms and the…

This book brings together a collection of work from around the world in order to consider effective STEM, robotics, mobile apps education from a range of perspectives. It presents valuable perspectives--both practical and theoretical--that enrich the current STEM, robotics, mobile apps education agenda. As such, the book makes a substantial…

How do you create an innovative and equitable classroom experience that prepares elementary students for jobs that don't yet exist while placing a critical focus on mathematics and science content and practice standards-all while meeting the demands of high-stakes testing? The answer to this question is Step into STEAM, by Sarah Bush and Kristin…

In a 2012 blog post, John Maeda discusses the idea that while science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education plays an important role in innovation, limitations exist when we focus exclusively on STEM. Maeda advocates for the addition of the "A" for Art to the acronym, insisting that the arts promote the creativity and…

Science and the arts might seem very different, but the processes that both fields use are very similar. The scientific method is a way to explore a problem, form and test a hypothesis, and answer questions. The creative process creates, interprets, and expresses art. Inquiry is at the heart of both of these methods. The purpose of this article is…

Art and creativity are closely linked in the minds of most people. When asked to explain why art should be part of the school curriculum, respondents commonly answer that art provides an opportunity for students to be creative and express themselves. As professionals who have worked with art education for years, the authors suggest a different…

Research documents that the arts boost learning, build confidence, and motivate students to participate in class. How do we keep the performing arts alive in this era of increased accountability and decreased funding? Rekha S. Rajan sets the stage for a creative and practical solution with detailed, concrete examples of how to integrate the…

What is happening in arts teaching and learning in our classrooms? Recent NEMP reports tell us that Year 4 students are not performing well but that there is an increase in scores at Year 8. This new professional development resource builds on research into teacher practice in Years 0-6 classrooms in New Zealand primary schools. It offers new…

This book is for art teachers looking for a new approach to the traditional lesson. The projects can be used at most grade levels. While the book's organization is content-centered, it is also strongly student-centered. The lessons are based on the elements and principles of design. New skills and techniques are introduced, and most of the lessons…

Based on concepts of discipline-based art education, this instructional resource presents art experiences which use a variety of media to integrate art across the curriculum. Basic concepts of art are introduced in the first five lessons. The remaining 14 lessons are aimed at developing knowledge and skill bases in art processes, skills, media,…

These activity/workbooks use drawings done in the style of great women artists in order to promote a knowledge of female art history through a variety of educational experiences. Volume 1 and 2 present 26 women artists (one for each letter of the alphabet) that can be used as an entire year's curriculum. Volume 1 features artists whose names begin…

This 5-part video lesson deals with discipline-based art education in the elementary school. The video features a university professor who is a specialist in methods and the integration of art into the elementary classroom; each part of the video lesson is 30 minutes in length. First defining discipline-based art education as an approach, not a…

There are many experiences that we have, such as eating and talking, when we don't have to be focusing on anything visual. Art educators need to help children portray the sensory aspects of such experiences and to decrease their reliance on the visual aspects of experience. (RM)

Anna Mary Robertson Moses, popularly known as Grandma Moses, may be the most famous American folk artist. A fortuitous combination of original vision, innate talent, spunky character, and long life, Moses is known for her landscapes that depict nostalgic views of country life. In this article, the author describes an art activity she introduced to…

Elementary school children are given cards containing specific criteria for doing one or two tasks: sorting or arranging rocks. Sorting tasks involve children in picking out rocks with particular characteristics, such as color or shape. In the arranging tasks children are asked to arrange rocks according to size or value. (RM)