An elementary school teacher is embracing art with curriculum, fighting the cutbacks in art experiences by incorporating art into other subjects, and concepts from curriculum into art.
At Escalante Elementary in Salt Lake City, Meighan Smith is teaching fourth graders about the water cycle. Smith is not a science teacher – she teaches theater.
“I want you to make a shape that is a cirrus cloud shape.” Smith said. Students stretched their arms and legs out.
“It’s a different way of teaching,” says Smith. “It’s going to reach kids in a way that sitting in a desk is not going to reach them.”
Twice a week, Smith conducts hour long drama workshops. They have learned to project their voices, act, and express emotions with their bodies. And they also have learned about weather.
“So there’s theater in education,” Smith says. “Which is what I’m doing. And it’s different than theater for performance. Our end goal is not to be wonderful and have this great and beautiful performance. Our end goal is to learn.”
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