This report examines arts engagement in ten key states in the U.S. by analyzing data from the 2002 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts (SPPA). It is organized into ten state profiles that summarize key demographic characteristics, the arts landscape, and public participation in the arts. Because the regions profiled here are not a random…

This curriculum framework represents a consensus about expectations for student learning in New Hampshire public schools in the arts. The introduction poses the framework and answers the following questions: What is the role of the arts in education? How do quality arts programs contribute to school environment? How do the arts develop workplace…

Children can learn to express themselves through the performing arts in constructive ways. Theater, specifically, employs the use of all dimensions of learning. In this lesson, students will engage in basic theater techniques for creating a character through movement and voice. The lesson, lasting 5 class periods, introduces them to guidelines for…

To help communities meet the need for after-school programs, the U.S. Department of Education has instituted the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, which supports after-school, summer, and weekend activities in neighborhood schools. This report provides an introduction to the role of the arts in those programs. Part 1 of the report…

Describes an interdisciplinary course team taught by instructors from the sociology and drama departments. The course used dramatic literature to complement and illustrate sociological works examining such basic concepts as economic dislocation, racism, and deviance. Includes a table of the sociological works and their dramatic counterparts. (MJP)

Profiles Sherry Stidolph and her ongoing efforts to bring Shakespeare to children. Stidolph uses her knowledge of child development to decide which plays to choose and which elements to emphasize. Includes drawings by the children illustrating scenes from the plays. (MJP)

Describes activities in Spanish language classes inspired by popular movies and television programs such as "Evita,""The Sound of Music,""The Wizard of Oz,""Carousel,""I Dream of Jeannie,""I Love Lucy," and "Charlie's Angels." Notes that these programs' familiarity establishes a familiar context in which to practice grammar, vocabulary, and other…

Believes that the concepts of the arts have contributed to the difficulty in rationalizing the arts as a civic investment and educational issue. States that during the twentieth century the distance between the public and the arts has grown. (CMK)

Responds to Charles Fowler's article, "Arts Education and the NEA: Does the National Science Foundation Point the Way?" Does not agree that the National Science Foundation's approach to education is a suitable model for arts education. Suggests replacing the National Endowment for the Arts with a Department of Cultural Resources.…

Attempts to determine the type of rehearsal organizational structure used by successful Ohio high school mixed chorus directors. Examines relationships between rehearsal structure and either teaching style or student attitudes. Results imply that music methods courses should offer a variety of rehearsal organizational strategies. (Author/LS)

Identifies current trends that are moving society away from supporting an improved role for the arts in education. Discusses the blurring of the demarcation between popular culture and high art, the economic context in which students are trained for work, taxpayer pressure for efficiency, and deemphasis on live art. (KO)

The University of California at Santa Barbara Reader's Theater program educates students about the prevention of alcohol abuse, sexual assault, and HIV through a live, dramatic script reading. Peer educators serve as both actors and follow-up workshop discussion facilitators. (SM)

African-American women have played a major role in the history of the arts. This history, which is filled with discrimination, is traced for music, dance, drama, and the visual arts. Those who have overcome these obstacles can be effective teachers for future audiences, artists, and decision makers. (SLD)

Discusses the use of multimedia for teaching human rights in Nigerian schools. Describes the curriculum as almost completely monocultural. Argues that human rights education must be approached within traditional interests and based on what people already know. Urges the demystification of rights. Warns that human rights reflect a Eurocentric…

The relationship of syntactic sensitivities to fluency and understanding are usually neglected when discussing reading fluency. The article describes oral reading and interpretation activities in one seventh grade class undertaken to improve comprehension and fluency. It also discusses evaluation methods, such as portfolios and recordings as…