The Mariposa County Arts Council and the Mariposa County Office of Education are excited to announce a they are piloting a new program, Artists in the Schools, that taps art’s academic and social potential.
As the program’s name implies, trained teaching artists will be placed all of Mariposa County’s 5th grade classrooms for 8-week residencies. These artists have worked with their respective classroom teachers to develop an arts infused, standards-aligned curriculum that teaches art in concert with at least one other academic subject (mathematics, science, and English Language Arts). The residencies provide in-depth, hands-on visual arts and music experiences that develop students’ critical thinking and creative problem solving skills while challenging students to transfer knowledge across traditional subject areas boundaries.
According to Arts Council Executive Director, “Technically and conceptually, the arts have always leaned heavily on math, and the hard and social sciences and we are happy to be introducing this program that contextualizes the arts for students instead of presenting them in isolation. Furthermore, we know that the arts have the potential to deeply impact a student’s academic experience and performance, kids who participate in the arts are: 4 times more likely to participate in a math/science fair; 3 times more likely to win an award for school attendance; 4 times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement. For these reasons we are thrilled to be piloting this program.”
The first of these residencies began last November and the last residency will wrap up at the end of March. Here is what is going on in each classroom:
Gold Rush Charter School in Greeley Hill and Lake Don Pedro Elementary is working with visual artist Jackie Baxton. Ms. Baxton curriculum explores three-dimensional artwork (students will create and compare both a molded and sculpted model of their own hand) while also applying lessons about measurement/data, geometry, and anatomy/bone structure.
Sierra Foothill Charter School is working with ceramic artists Phyllis Becker and Tiffany Newberry. Ms. Becker and Ms. Newberry’s unit is titled “The Mud Beneath Your Feet,” and examines chemical reactions and the (mathematically measurable) dynamic effect they have on the molecular and atomic structure of matter through the creation of whimsical ceramic pieces.
Woodland Elementary is working with jazz musician and mathematician Greg Ennis. Mr. Ennis will lead students through the musical application of fractions, powers of two, and the mathematical patterns found in musical scores and rhythms which will form the creative constraints guiding the composition of an original collaborative musical piece by the students.
El Portal Elementary, Yosemite Park Elementary, and Mariposa Elementary will be working with visual artist Anna Friedland. Ms. Friendland’s classes are aligned with the current English Language Arts standards and students will utilize the elements of art and principles of design in the fields of illustration, photography, advertising, and typography as they learn to effectively communicate ideas visually.
Assistant Superintendent, Jon Corippo lauds the program, saying, “MCUSD leadership and teachers are thrilled to work with such distinguished local artists, who will further enrich our classrooms and share more ways to get students excited about mathematics, science, and English Language Arts.”
Demonstrating the County’s Arts Councils’ commitment to broad reaching arts education programs, Goger states, “The Arts Council believes that all students should have amble opportunities to participate in the arts, both in school and in their larger communities and so we have high hope for this program and its potential to provide robust and consistent arts education infrastructure across all elementary schools in Mariposa.”
This program is made possible in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency, and the generous support of Pacific Gas and Electric.
The Mariposa County Arts Council is funded in part by the County of Mariposa, the California Arts Council (a state agency), and the National Endowment for the Arts (a federal agency).
The MARIPOSA COUNTY ARTS COUNCIL, INC. is an incorporated not-for- profit organization, created to promote and support all forms of the cultural arts, for all ages, throughout Mariposa County.
*The picture above is of a Student at Sierra Foothill Charter School working on a ceramic piece during Tiffany Newberry and Phyllis Becker's residency.
