Argument for art in the general curriculum, An

The purpose of the project is to enable educators to integrate art into their daily lessons, using Manitoba Education’s 2009 K-12 visual arts curriculum. The hypothesis is that deficiencies would be identified in the K-12 visual arts Draft Manitoba Curriculum Framework. The research would then identify strategies to correct these deficiencies. The method chosen was as follows. I analyzed the draft curriculum in relation to art educators’ answers to a survey that was completed as part of the curriculum development procedure. Then, I enhanced the curriculum in response to the educators’ expressed needs: I made recommendations for the curriculum implementation process, and I developed an appendix of supplementary art lessons. Finally, I field tested the art lessons to ensure that they addressed the deficiencies in the draft curriculum. There are four anticipated outcomes for my project. First, teachers in all subject areas will feel confident in using integrating art into their daily lessons and classroom activities. Second, the students will learn to express themselves through art. Third, the students will use art as a visual language for learning, especially for creative problem solving. Fourth, through selected art lessons, I introduce Aboriginal art. Aboriginal approaches and related environmental issues are useful as catalysts for integrating art into all school subjects.