So what?
We started with our interests (history and art) and asked ourselves how the combination could create meaning for students that may be unmotivated in the classroom. This resulted in our inquiry question and answer:
How do cross-curricular Art projects create a more meaningful understanding of the themes in high school Social Studies?
Cross-curricular instruction encourages critical thinking and meaningful interactions among students. When the student is provided with relevant subject matters they are able to creatively explore, analyze, and synthesize the information.
Through this site, we argue that students engaged in an art project will take the subject matter more seriously and consider a variety of perspectives to elevate their art piece.
It helps that there are overlapping themes in art and social studies; we limit our research to four but others include worldviews, cultures, environments, social norms (popular culture), and diversity.
additional RESOURCES
Edutopia: Framing Social Studies Around Works of Art
Article discusses how paintings and artwork can promote student inquiry. Creating Connections: Integrating the Visual Arts with Social Studies Article discusses themes such as migration, geography, history, advertising, as well as uses, significance and the benefits of integration. |
Empowering the Spirit A source for foundational learning of how to authentically incorporate FNMI knowledge. Canadian Geographic An interactive website with access to the Human Development Index. Provides country comparisons and definitions. Slave Voyages Maps, timelines, videos, and educational resources outlining the North Atlantic Slave trade journey across the Atlantic ocean. |