Often, people are so consumed with technique and theory that people forget the artistic expression that adolescent students are desperately seeking. In this article, the author wants her students, who range in grade from high school freshmen to seniors, to gain a better sense of self through their artwork. She describes how she planned a lesson…

In this article, the author describes how she was inspired to develop a new approach for art educators and professional development. The art activity she developed places both the student and teacher on the same playing field. The project entails integration of a teacher's and a student's work. The art activity allows two individuals to work…

This article describes a project with a transformative approach to color theory and still life. Students' use of an arbitrary color scheme can open their eyes, push their creativity and produce exciting paintings. Ordinary still-life objects will be transformed into dramatic, vibrant visuals. The Fauve style of painting is a great art history…

In a graduate literacy course, the author as the teacher educator conceptualized "Visual Literacy" into the course. In-service and pre-service teachers from inner-city schools in Georgia and Virginia invited struggling writers to create graphic novels by envisioning life activities, using drawings, and invented spellings as well as…

This study examined adolescent developmental experiences and participation in extracurricular activities. Providing youth with multiple channels to nurture their development and acknowledge their interests and strengths can play a significant role in their holistic growth. This is a descriptive study of a mixed-methods design (quantitative and…

The Afterschool Alliance and MetLife Foundation are proud to celebrate a fifth round of the MetLife Foundation Afterschool Innovator Awards. For the past five years, we have collaborated to highlight the work of quality afterschool programs that support children, families and communities across the nation. This compendium is a compilation of four…

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of an interdisciplinary program on the secondary level. The sample consisted of 17 students enrolled in a high school advanced photography class. The students in the sample varied in their chemistry background. The sample was randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The…

Foreign language teachers know the benefits of bringing art into their classrooms. Works of art are cultural artifacts that convey rich cultural perspectives. Integrating art into the foreign language curriculum facilitates visual learning, providing valuable opportunities to help the students develop visual thinking. Art can also be an effective…

Cultural diversity presents many challenges to the art educator. Teaching children to be tolerant and to appreciate differences is particularly important in a world that is characterized by polarization, embittered cultural divisions, and prejudice. Students' knowledge and attitudes are mediated by popular culture, which often reduces cultural…

Rooted in graffiti culture and its attitude toward the world, street art is regarded as a postgraffiti movement. Street art encompasses a wide array of media and techniques, such as traditional spray-painted tags, stickers, stencils, posters, photocopies, murals, paper cutouts, mosaics, street installations, performances, and video projections…

In this article, the author focuses on secondary students with cognitive or intellectual disabilities. She discusses that these students can be successfully included into the classroom community if schools can provide the appropriate tools such literacy in the arts. Here, she cites the number of reasons why arts can meet the varied needs and…

Public art takes many forms, including commemorative sculptures, site-specific works, and collaborative murals. Additionally, public art can beautify an urban environment or raise awareness of social issues. Public works of art are a form of discourse and open conversations and dialogue, helping communities work toward unity and empowerment. Using…

In this article, the author talks about an international art fashion show at St. Timothy's School in Stevenson, Maryland, which provided opportunities for students to showcase what they did best, from design to research, to creative production, to modeling. According to Randy Stevens, Head of School, the project helped students think more deeply…

This textbook integrates chemistry and art with hands-on activities and fascinating demonstrations that enable students to see and understand how the science of chemistry is involved in the creation of art. It investigates such topics as color integrated with electromagnetic radiation, atoms, and ions; paints integrated with classes of matter,…

Carved from cedar trees by the Native people of the Northwest Coast, totems are outgrowths of the region's aboriginal art forms. Originally an important part of the pot-latch ceremony--a feast with deep meaning to coastal First Nations--totem poles were once raised to represent a family clan, its kinship system, dignity, accomplishments, prestige,…