Arts Integration Project: Planets at Don Bosco Technical Academy

Earlier this year two teachers from Don Bosco Technical Academy: Ms Patti Kaminsky (art teacher and Ms. Jennifer Post (science teacher) created an arts integration science/art lesson for a class of sixth grade students. First Ms Post taught a science lesson on the planets by explaining to students verbally about their different physical properties and characteristics.  Students listened carefully as discussed the solar system. Next Ms. Post asked them to research and use this information to create collaborative posters on this content.  Students created collaborative posters of the planets using art materials and science content. 

Next art Teacher Ms. Kaminski presented the students with four different types of hands-on creative art projects, inspired by the content of the science lesson:  the planets.  Students could choose from a variety of art materials including paper mâché, paint, and markers. Students became highly engaged with the arts projects and absorbed more information about the planets as they created these projects.

This arts integration collaborative learning project was a success.  Students learned about both science and art in the same learning period.  The planets in the solar system came alive with the hands-on aspect of this lesson.  Students presented their findings at the end of the project.

The lesson was featured on the Don Bosco newsletter.

This arts integration collaborative project entitled,  "Supporting high needs schools to integrate arts across the curriculum: Benefits and Challenges," was also presented in the 2019 National Professional Development Schools Conference by Dr. Heejung An, Nancy Norris-Bauer, PIR Triada Samaras, and PIR Simone Sandler from William Paterson University's Dodge Arts Integration grant program team.