Why Is Arts Integration Important? | Bright Classroom Ideas

What Is Arts Integration?

There has been a growing interest lately in arts integration as an approach to teaching, in which the arts leverage learning in other subject areas, such as science, language arts, mathematics, and social studies.

The different ways that the arts are offered in the classroom can be divided into three main categories:

1. Arts as curriculum

In art as curriculum students develop knowledge and skills in a particular art form, often referred to as arts learning or art for art’s sake. The programs are guided by national, state or local standards for each of the art forms. For example, in music students learn to read music and how to play an instrument. They learn how music has developed and changed throughout history, and engage in improvising melodies or rhythms.

2. Arts enhanced curriculum

Arts enhanced curriculum is when the arts are used to support other curriculum areas, but no skills in the art form are explicitly taught. Examples include memorizing the preamble with the song from a musical play or coloring a map in social studies.

3. Arts integrated curriculum

In arts integration connections are made between a specific art form and a specific curriculum area. Explicit skills and knowledge are taught in both areas and both subjects are…