Links among brain research, movement, and cognition suggest that integrating meaningful movement activities with content can foster elementary students' engagement in literacy learning. This manuscript describes an action research project of a module for teacher candidates' incorporation of meaningful movement in elementary classrooms. Activities…

This practical resource will help K-5 teachers incorporate digitally supported disciplinary literacy practices into their classroom instruction. With an emphasis on reaching "all" learners, the authors present Planning for Elementary Digitally supported Disciplinary Literacy (PEDDL)--a six-phase framework that introduces readers to an…

Playfulness is important; it creates an alternative space where emotional, cognitive and social dimensions can be explored and tested. This highly practical book explores the endless possibilities of using playful, creative and interactive activities to meaningfully engage with children with multiple learning difficulties or autistic spectrum…

In this article, the author introduces the concept of flat pack toys. Flat pack toys are designed using a template on a single sheet of letter-sized card stock paper. Before being cut out and built into a three-dimensional toy, they are scanned into the computer and uploaded to a website. With the template accessible from the website, anyone with…

Illustrates the skill and inspiration of master art teacher, Frank Wachowiak, by presenting three lessons for children: "Fruits and Vegetables" or "Leaves" in crayon resist, "X-ray Trees" in crayon engraving and "Angels or Self-portraits" in tempera. Lessons emphasize the use of patterns and textures, as…

Five different art activities, using different media, are described: (1) "mystery molds," using plaster and discarded packaging materials; (2) "calico cottages," using boxes and fabric; (3) "foam friends," using plastic foam packing pieces; (4) "bauble boxes," using spray can tops and papier mache; and (5) "soft stuff," using old clothing. (CJ)

Illustrates imaginative approaches to drawing that encourages children's line interests, line collections, and line markings, and helps children to see art everywhere with drawing possibilities in everything. Includes ideas for inventing line making tools and drawing machines, for using new approaches, or treating drawing surfaces and tools in…

Thirteen ideas for using paper bags for class art activities are given. Directions for making bag barracudas, bionic bags, bigfoot bags, bag sculptures, bag beads, and body bag superstars are included. (PP)

Describes activities of kindergarten through grade-four students in an art classroom that emphasizes expression of creative process along with the product. Explores interconnections between art, thinking, and writing as expressed by a former language arts teacher who transfers her knowledge of language, words, and creative expression to art. (BAC)

Ideas for spring arts activities include a whimsical play about royal dragons, a skit on an April fool, and a song. Instructions for making brightly colored birds from boxes, a happy day hat, decorated eggs, and other art projects are given. (PP)

Presents art projects to help elementary educators teach their students about seascapes, providing students with basic techniques for portraying texture and mood in art. After discussing seascapes and lines and showing some examples, teachers can help students create seascapes from construction paper alone or with construction paper and…

Presents simple instructions for 15 mixed media art projects for the elementary grades. Part one of this series, listing 18 other techniques, appeared in the September 1979 issue of Instructor on pages 145-49. (SJL)

Presents the experiences of an art teacher during the first year of teaching art to elementary students. Discusses methods of developing a creatively fulfilling art class, including how the artroom was transformed into the "Paintbrush Palace" and how the teacher became "Queen Paintbrush." (DB)

It is possible to connect art and language arts using traditional Japanese art. After explaining the Japanese art forms of Haiku poetry and sumi-e painting, the article describes a project in which students write haiku on special paper then illustrate their poems with gung and shey strokes. (SM)

Contends that picture books can be valuable resources for teaching art appreciation and criticism. Provides suggested activities keyed to specific books. Includes a bibliography of recommended picture books selected for this approach. (CFR)