As Social Studies already involves the study of people, this discipline
In my experience, arts-integrated activities increase student
is a natural fit with tableau. Some examples include timelines of
excitement, motivation, and ownership. Additionally, these activities
historical events showing sequential information such as the Civil
aid in retention of material, as students are seeing the material in
Rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s or the age of exploration in
their texts or on the board, creating a product, and justifying the
the late 1400s-1500s. In fourth grade Science, students learn that
differentiation between their product and other groups’ work. I hope
various cycles are composed of a sequence of events. Teacher
that all educators will feel confident implementing tableau exercises
prompt: In groups of four or five, model a scientific cycle using
so that all students may experience the benefits of the deep learning
tableau.
which accompanies arts integration.
The Kennedy Center. (2015). The Kennedy Center’s definition of arts
integration [Data file]. Retrieved from https://
www.kennedycenter.org/education/ceta/
arts_integration_definition.pdf
Zadina, J. N. (2014). Multiple pathways to the student brain:
Energizing and enhancing instruction. San Francisco, CA: Jossey –
Bass.
Jamie Hipp, M.A.T., teaches Talented Theatre for three East
Baton Rouge Parish Public School System elementary
schools. She is a Louisiana A+ Schools Apprentice Fellow
and a doctoral student at Louisiana State University,
pursuing her Ph. D. in Curriculum and Instruction. Ms.
Hipp presents frequently on the benefits of arts-integration.
Contact her: [email protected]
One group of fourth graders chose to tableau the life cycle of a butterfly: seed,
caterpillar, chrysalis, and butterfly while another group portrayed life cycle of a
human: infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood.
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