The Arts in Kindergarten
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THE ARTS IN KINDERGARTEN In kindergarten, students learn the arts through exploring and creating. Teachers guide children through questioning them to think and talk about their work. Students explore a variety of materials and begin to learn correct arts vocabulary. Because children act in their everyday play, it is a natural step to engage them through stories, music, and games. Students work as individuals, in small groups, or as a class in structured play. Kindergarten students are focused on the “gathering” stage of the creative process. Providing many opportunities to play characters, move to music, sing, and experiment with a variety of art media allows for appropriate development at this stage. It is important for students to experience the joy of creating with classmates. The teacher encourages participation, observes the students’ response to the activities, as well as their ability to listen and follow the instructions. In a friendly, supportive environment, students are able to build a solid foundation of literacy and develop the ability to reason, express, and communicate. Taking turns, listening, and following directions are skills that are practiced. All students are supported and encouraged for their level of participation. Boundaries and expectations need to be defined so that students know when to talk, listen, move, or be still in order to be safe and free to create. At this grade level, it is more important for the students to experience the arts rather than to have full comprehension of the concepts. Questions are geared to test physical response to directions (e.g., “Can you form a circle by the time I count to ten?”). Feedback focuses on levels of participation and adherence to procedures. Students enjoy playing together and seeing what others do. The teacher and students watch, recognize, and encourage one another in their efforts. Sample Arts Exemplars & Resources for Kindergarten Books: Eric Carle. The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Scholastic Paperbacks,1994. Wendy Beckett. Sister Wendy’s American Collection. New York: HarperCollins Publisher, 2000. Audio: Bobby McFerrin. Bang! Zoom. Audio CD. Blue Note Records, 1996. Bobby McFerrin. Spontaneous Inventions. Audio CD. Blue Note Records, 1985. Video: Dr. Seuss – Horton Hears a Who. VHS. Sony Wonder, 1970. Fantasia. Dir. Ford Beebe, Bill Roberts. VHS. Disney Studios, 1940. Sesame Street Presents Elmo’s Musical Adventures – Peter and the Wolf. VHS. Sony Wonder, 2001. Teachers are encouraged to take their students to live performances, museums, and galleries. See Resources for a list of Hawai‘i arts and cultural organizations. Kindergarten. 8/03 Page 1 of 33 © Hawai'i Alliance for Arts Education on behalf of HAWAI‘I ARTS EDUCATION PARTNERS Kindergarten Kindergarten Kindergarten Standards and Performance Indicators Standards Performance Indicators The student: How the Arts are 1. Explores ways to move his/her body, makes sounds with his/her Organized voice and other instruments, and experiments with a variety of art Elements & Principles materials and technology. of the Arts Content Standards: Dance 1, 3, 7 Drama/Theatre 2, 3, 7 Music 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Visual Arts 3, 6 2. Works safely during arts activities and respects the work of others. How the Arts 3. Creates movements, sounds, and visual artworks that represent Communicate ideas, persons, and places. Content Standards: Dance 2, 5, 7 4. Experiences a variety of dance, theatre, music, and works of art, Drama/Theatre 1, 4, 6 discussing what he/she likes or dislikes, and why. Music 7, 8 Visual Arts 1, 2, 5 How the Arts Shape 5. Experiences and creates or performs dances, stories, songs, and Reflect Culture and visual artworks from a variety of cultures. Content Standards: Dance 4, 6 Drama/Theatre 5 Music 6 Visual Arts 4 Kindergarten, 8/03 Page 2 of 33 © Hawai'i Alliance for Arts Education on behalf of HAWAI‘I ARTS EDUCATION PARTNERS 8/03 Kindergarten Kindergarten Kindergarten Sample Assessment Tasks Sample Instructional Strategies K.1 Dance: Use your body to make a variety Direct students to make twisted, bent, and of shapes to tell a story. See “Shapes, stretched shapes at different levels. See Shapes, Shapes.” “Shapes, Shapes, Shapes.” K.1 Drama: Use your body to move through Focus on personal space so that students space on an imaginary journey in your avoid physical contact each other. See neighborhood, demonstrating movement “Imaginary Journey.” without touching others. See “Imaginary Journey.” K.1 Music: Use your voice to echo the sound Model a wide range of vocal sounds that I make using a variety, sounds and pitches. students echo: speaking, calling, whispering, See “Voice Exploration.” high/low, etc. See “Voice Exploration.” K.1 Visual Arts: Draw and name a variety of Show your students examples of lines in lines, including straight, curved, zigzag, thick, other artwork. After students draw, have thin. See “All Kinds of Lines.” students organize work onto a larger paper. See “All Kinds of Lines.” K.2 Dance: Use your body to move through Using a drum to signal moving and freezing, space and freeze in a variety shapes without direct your students to move at a variety of bumping into anyone else. See “Move and levels in a variety of directions and freezing in Freeze.” a variety of shapes. See “Move and Freeze.” K.3 Drama: Use your voice and bodies to After reviewing the story, have students walk create characters from the story, “Three Billy about the room creating and freezing as Goats Gruff.” See “Three Billy Goats Gruff.” different characters. See “Three Billy Goats Gruff.” K.4 Visual Arts: Arrange geometric paper Show students examples of artworks that shapes in an interesting way. See “Shapes incorporate geometric shapes, lines and in Pairs.” color. See “Shapes in Pairs.” K.5 Music: Explore sounds with your voice Help your students explore their voice: high and sing a counting song in Hawaiian. See or low, fast or slow, loud or quiet. See “Sounds and Numbers.” “Sounds and Numbers.” Kindergarten. 8/03 Page 3 of 33 © Hawai'i Alliance for Arts Education on behalf of HAWAI‘I ARTS EDUCATION PARTNERS Kindergarten, 8/03 Page 4 of 33 © Hawai'i Alliance for Arts Education on behalf of HAWAI‘I ARTS EDUCATION PARTNERS 8/03 Kindergarten Kindergarten Kindergarten Arts Terms (Key Vocabulary) Dance Drama Music Visual Arts Concepts Audience Audience Audience Audience (Elements & Body Body Principles) Geometric Shape shapes Beat Beat Feelings Feelings Feelings Voice Voice Level Level Level Melody Line Sequence Sequence Sequence Variety Variety Variety Traveling Story Sound Primary color through space Character Live Texture vs. moving in Live performance place performance Question & Space Answer Direction Echo Size Energy Thinking Skills Imagination Imagination Imagination Imagination (Responding) Observation Observation Observation Observation Listening Listening Listening Listening Describing Describing Describing Describing Focus Focus Focus Focus Artistic Skills Audience Skills Audience Skills Audience Skills Audience Skills and Personal space Personal space Personal space Techniques Freeze Freeze Freeze Focus Focus Focus Focus Movements Action Gluing Kindergarten. 8/03 Page 5 of 33 © Hawai'i Alliance for Arts Education on behalf of HAWAI‘I ARTS EDUCATION PARTNERS Framework for Linking the Arts to Other Core Areas This framework identifies concepts in the arts according to the State of Hawai‘i Department of Education General Learner Outcomes (GLOs). Teachers are encouraged to connect key concepts in the arts with key content in other areas. Examples of possible connections are listed below. COMPLEX THINKER (GLO 3: The ability to perform complex thinking and problem solving.) In the arts, children use critical thinking skills that reinforce learning in all subjects. Arts Language Arts Students experience, observe, and describe artworks to make Describe understanding of text; connect text meaning, just as readers comprehend text. to own lives; ask questions and make predictions about text. Students explore, name, and sort the elements of the arts Sounds and syllables; story elements; reading (space, line, sound, etc.). They will explore ways to move their from left to right. bodies, make sounds with their voices and other instruments, and experiment with a variety of art materials, and technology in order to help them understand themselves and their world. Students experience a variety of dance, theatre, music, and Express personal preferences and opinions works of art, discussing what they like or dislike and why. (stories, books, etc.). EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATOR (GLO 5: The ability to communicate effectively.) Students learn that sounds, images, and movements can be Gestures and eye contact. important ways to express and communicate ideas and feelings. Students create movements, sounds, and visual artworks that Role-play ideas. represent ideas, persons, and places. COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTOR (GLO 2: The understanding that it is essential for human beings to work together.) Students collaborate in the arts to create and produce work. Share information with others. Students work safely during arts activities and respect the work of others. HISTORY & CULTURE Students experience and create or perform dances, stories, Read from a variety of cultures. songs, and visual artworks from a variety of cultures. Kindergarten, 8/03 Page 6 of 33 © Hawai'i Alliance for Arts Education on behalf of HAWAI‘I ARTS EDUCATION PARTNERS 8/03 in Kindergarten Social Studies Math Science Construct definitions of personal Predicting/certainty; investigation