Integrated Methods IV: The Expressive Arts in Early Childhood Education
Catalog Description
Assists aspiring early childhood teachers to become knowledgeable about methods for teaching art, music, and physical education, and become skillful in integrating art, music, and physical education activities into the curriculum. Course content will include an examination of models of teaching and methods that are specific to each of the three disciplines, as well as models for appropriately integrating these expressive arts throughout the curriculum.
Course Outcomes
As a result of participating in this course, prospective teachers will be able to:
- demonstrate a functional understanding of the teaching methods, instructional strategies and models of learning specific to art, music, and P.E. Education.
- design lessons that appropriately integrate expressive arts activities throughout the curriculum.
- experience an increased sensitivity to and awareness of the need for the expressive arts in the early childhood classroom.
- analyze and discuss current issues in art, music, and P.E. education.
- recognize the difference between process oriented student-centered art projects, and product oriented teacher directed "craft" projects.
- display the ability to recognize a variety of art media, techniques and processes, and demonstrate an understanding of how to use them appropriately with young children.
- demonstrate an increased feel for the aesthetics of art appreciation.
- understand the visual arts as they relate to the world's history and cultures.
- understand the fundamental elements of specific music education models.
- demonstrate an understanding of methods for fostering singing, movement, and playing musical instruments in their own classrooms.
- recognize the importance of early musical experiences as a means of fostering cognitive development.
- display developmentally appropriate methods for responding to music.
- recognize techniques for helping students create music.
- demonstrate their understanding of musical terminology.
- understand the fundamental elements of physical education models.
- demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of physical educational methods designed to foster gross and fine motoric development.
- recognize methods for fostering movement and fitness literacy.
- demonstrate methods for assessing students' physical developmental needs.
Topical Outline
1. The expressive arts in the curriculum
- The importance of expressive arts in the curriculum
- Current issues in teaching and integrating expressive arts
2. Visual Arts Content
- Art terminology
- Introduction to the visual arts in history and across cultures
- Standards and benchmarks in art education
3. Artistic Media
- Media and techniques for their utilization
- Art and electronic media
4. Art Education Methods
- Process vs product art activities
- Integrating art into the curriculum
- Fostering art appreciation
5. Musical Fundamentals
- Basic musical terminology
- Rhythm, lyric, and melody
- Musicians and composers
- Standards and benchmarks in music education
6. Musical Formats
- Singing in the classroom
- Musical literacy
- Playing musical instruments
- musical appreciation: responding to music
7. Musical Methods:
- Orff, Kodaly, and other classroom models
- Music and electronic media
- Integrating rhythm and movement into the curriculum
- From Rachmaninoff to Raffi: great classroom music.
8. Physical Education Fundamentals
- Recognizing gross and fine motor phases and stages
- Categories of movement
- The importance of exercise
- Standards and benchmarks in physical education
9. Physical Education Techniques
- Movement, and fitness literacy
- Techniques for assessing development and needs
10. Physical Education Methods
- Games, exercises, and physical activities
- Integrating physical education across the curriculum
11. Integrating the expressive arts into the curriculum
- Appropriate integration of expressive arts activities
- Developing and writing expressive arts lessons
- Utilizing music, art and PE specialists
Assessment
- Students will be assessed on their understanding of art, music, and physical development fundamentals.
- Students will be assessed on their ability to produce developmentally appropriate art, music, and physical education lesson plans.
- Students pairs will be assessed on the completion of a micro teaching lesson in two of the three expressive arts.