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Ideas for enriching Fine Arts classes:

Studio Arts

At Camas High School, students in the Studio Arts Program painted the downtown business windows during the holiday seasons, providing an opportunity for businesses to create a festive community spirit.

Students in Gig Harbor High School are partnered with elementary students to do collaborative art projects. Projects include tile and murals that beautify local schools and communities.

The Arts programs at Evergreen High School (Vancouver) collaborated with the City of Vancouver to create a unity mural for a major intersection of downtown. They involved various people in the mural project, helping to build a stronger sense of relationship and while providing a visible mural which reminds community members of it's core values.

Many students use their art skills to provide murals for the school or community; tile walkways to local parks or illustrations for agency pamphlets or promotional information.

Other possibilities include:

Painting public murals around community themes.

Designing public spaces such as parks, playgrounds or malls.

Developing and presenting paintings, sculptures, etc. to homebound, hospitalized or institutionalized senior citizens; physically handicapped or others.

Helping display public art in galleries or as part of local craft shows.

Teaching arts to younger children or to adults through Community Education or other classes.

Drama
Students often do performances about social issues and/or perform for special audiences. The dramatic topics vary in focus and can arise from student or community interests. Some schools have also fostered intergenerational relations by encouraging intergenerational performances in which students and elders rehearse and perform together.

Gig Harbor's drama students developed and delivered 30-40 minute workshops to high school, middle school and elementary school classes on the topic of diversity. Each spring Gig Harbor High School has a "Diversity Week" where students attempt to focus our attention on the issues surrounding diversity. This is done through a variety of activities. The workshops are student-directed and active as the workshop leaders involve classes in skits, activities and discussion about diversity, tolerance and prejudice. Drama students and other student volunteers put on more than 20 workshops this spring.

Cross-age teaching can also enhance the knowledge of the arts students while providing instruction and inspiration to younger children.

Other possibilities include:

Researching and writing plays around current events or community issues.

Perform plays on current issues such as child abuse and then facilitate discussion around these topics.

Using theater games to help peers develop communication, listening and other important skills.

Music
Music can enhance the quality of life of students and community members as students perform for special audiences. They can also work collaboratively with special populations to perform together.

Other possibilities include:

Sponsoring and organizing a community fair with local youth and adult musicians.

Organizing a community band.

Working with community members to write organization or community theme songs.

Developing an interactive music program for senior citizens or young children. This might be especially helpful for children with special needs.

Dance
There is some research that attests to the value of movement as a way to teaching basic skills. The 3RsThrough Movement provides some specific strategies for using this technique. Why couldn't dance students work with elementary teachers to develop a creative movement program that reinforced reading and spelling skills?

Other possible service projects could include:

Engaging people with physical disabilities in dance as a way of getting them to learn new ways of coping or expressing themselves.

Helping others learn to express emotions and to feel good about their bodies.