Art as it relates to math, science, geography, social studies, story telling, reading and writing, even penmanship and filling in the dots on a test has a direct and indirect connection to testing achievement. These connections are covered directly in the art room.
I believe the needs of my students must focus on a hands-on approach to learning. Once a child works out a problem in real-life, it is hard to forget. Projects and activities designed to link art and math, as well as any other subject, can bridge the achievement gap. Art lessons on symmetry and geometry, using fractions, understanding charts and determining the area of a shape are helpful to students with the hands-on approach used in the art room. And besides all that, art is plain old fun, as education should be.
One of my lessons directly relates to questions on the CRCT and other standardized tests. Second graders must correctly identify the two symmetrical equal parts that make a coherent whole. Half of a heart or a star on the CRCT must be correctly matched by the other half. Solidifying this symmetry concept by folding paper and cutting out symmetrical shapes support and encourage a child’s understanding. Practicing this fosters discovery and ensures success. Hands-on, concrete activities assist comprehension and once a concept is discovered the student can translate what he has learned into an accurate answer.
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