Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program

Tag: Jonathan Hale

  • Arts Education Research Symposium 2020 focuses on inclusion through the arts

    Arts inclusion research project at Mill Creek Elementary incorporates mural textures for visually impaired students

    Photo by Master of Fine Arts Teaching Candidate Robert Plumb

    How do we effectively create inclusive arts integrated learning spaces for all students?

    On Tuesday, January 14th at the Arts Education Research Symposium, the College of Fine Arts alongside principals, district leaders, and community arts colleagues, will tackle this very question. The goal? To network, share research, prompt discussion, and forge partnerships in an effort to continually create environments in school where all learners are included and can thrive. 

    As Kelby McIntyre-Martinez, Assistant Dean for Arts Education & Community Engagement, explained: “The inclusive arts landscape has drastically changed over the last decade, and so has our K-12 student body. As we work towards creating educational spaces that truly include all learners, it is vital that our educational systems and teacher preparation programs implement relevant methodologies that are innovative, mutually beneficial, and celebrate each child’s abilities and unique contributions.”

    The Arts Education Research Symposium will include a short, interactive STEAM performance and movement workshop led by the Deaf Children’s Theatre Touring Company, Sunshine 2.0, from the National Technical Institute for the Deaf.

    Following, local administrators and Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program specialists will share best inclusive practices.  Speakers will include: principal Lori Reynolds and specialist Jonathan Hale from Sprucewood Elementary in Canyons School District, principal Ann Kane and specialist Rachel Lankford from Mill Creek Elementary in Granite School District, and elementary teaching and learning director Melissa Hamilton of Murray School District. These leaders will present arts inclusion research projects that have seen incredible results within their own schools and districts.  

    Research has shown participation in educational inclusive arts programs contributes to individuals’ skill development, which in turn can lead to confidence building as well as increased social and academic participation (Hillier, Greher, Poto, & Dougherty, 2012). Knowing this, how might we better prepare arts educators to adapt, differentiate and modify instruction across the arts more effectively?

    “This past academic year, school administrators, in partnership with the College of Fine Arts, identified that inclusive art making and the sharing of best practices across the region was a top priority,” McIntrye-Martinez explained. “The Arts Education Research Symposium is specifically designed to address the interests and needs of our partner school districts.”  

    Join us in this inspiring opportunity to connect and create. 

    Arts Education Research Symposium: Inclusion Through the Arts
    Tuesday, January 14th at 8:45 am – 12:45 pm (light breakfast & lunch provided)
    Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts and Education Complex at 1721 Campus Center Drive  

  • Mosaic Murals at Sprucewood Elementary

    Jonathan Hale, BTSALP Visual Art Specialist at Sprucewood Elementary School (Canyons School District,) worked with each grade level to create a colorful mural. Each Mosaic Mural is a compilation of concepts taught at each grade level. Students worked to develop images in clay and then used recycled and donated items to complete the picture. Students reviewed and explored grade level concepts while creating and constructing these mosaic murals.

    1st Grade Mosaic Mural

    Connections to Grade Level Learning: The main focus of the 1st grade mural is on changes that occur; the seasons change bringing different kinds of weather. In spring the caterpillar changes into a butterfly, plants and flowers grow from seeds. In fall the tree leaves change color and fall to the ground.

    The flowers and the snowflakes were constructed using composite shapes. The students explored their knowledge of community making bees, complete with the queen bee and worker bees. The mural emphasizes colors as a way to show temperature and the seasons.

    2nd Grade Mosaic Mural

    Connections to Grade Level Learning: The main focus of the 2nd grade mural is on the local, state and national symbols. Students created their homes, neighborhoods, and communities including their very own Sprucewood Elementary School, stores and the post office. Students then represented state symbols like the Utah State flag, Utah’s Dinosaur Monument and Arches National Park. At the national level students helped to make the United States flag and the Statue of Liberty. In addition to the local, state and national symbols, students created phases of the moon with shapes divided into equal parts.

    3rd Grade Mosaic Mural

    Connections to Grade Level Learning: The main focus of this mural is the interconnection of the sun and earth and the rotation of the moon. The mural also includes elements of space with constellations, satellites, spaceships, and the occasional math problem. The constellations were made using a grid with students calculating the area and perimeter of their creations.

    4th Grade Mosaic Mural

    Connections to Grade Level Learning: The mural focuses on the state of Utah. This mural highlights the many rock formations and types of Utah land forms, how they are formed and the effects of erosion. It also features fossils, Petroglyphs and and the people who told their stories through them. The mural also showcases the meeting of the two railroads at Promontory Point in 1869, Utah counties and even an Allosaurus. The water cycle is featured along with mathematical concepts of symmetry, angles and rays.

    5th Grade Mosaic Mural

    Connections to Grade Level Learning: The main theme of this mural is the formation of the United States of America. Each mural has a central image and four quadrants that highlight the explorers, patriots, inventors and Yankees that helped shape the American we know and love.

  • Jordan Valley School Presents:

    Jordan Valley School is a center-based school located in Midvale, Utah, in the Canyons School District. The students come from throughout the entire school district and take the school bus to and from school each day. All of the students have severe multiple disabilities including, autism, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, seizure disorders, communication impairments, genetic disorders and syndromes, deaf-blindness and students who are extremely medically fragile. The goal of every staff member at Jordan Valley School is to improve the quality of life for our kids and their parents. Students put on a musical production every year and this year it was Dancing Through the Decades.

    1917 – “Tiger Rag” 1958 – “Splish Splash”

    Students worked with the music therapist and their classroom team to create dance routines that celebrated their abilities and learning. Please notice the backdrop and props! With the talented help of Art Therapist and BTSALP Visual Art Specialist, Jonathan Hale, each student at Jordan Valley played an integral part in creating the backdrop and year for their class performance. Students created the artwork that decorated the stage using spinning art – a favorite art process at Jordan Valley!

    1968 – “Yellow Submarine” 1976 – “Dancing Queen”
    1977 – “Queen Medley” 1987 – “Livin’ On a Prayer”
    1992 – “Jump Around” 2002 – “Sk8er Boi”
    2014 – “Everything is Awesome” 2015 – “The Zombie Song”

  • Exciting Research from the BTSALP!

    Two of our BTSALP Visual Arts specialists in the University of Utah region have concluded and published some exciting research.

    Read about Jonathan Hale’s joint project between Sprucewood Elementary School and Jordan Valley School (Canyons School District, Salt Lake City, Utah) in VSA INTERNATIONAL: The Kennedy Center Office of VSA and Accessibility blog post below.

    Peer Partners in the Elementary Art Classroom Lead to Growth for Students With and Without Disabilities

    Megan Hallett, Director of Framework Arts and BTSALP specialst at Escalante Elementary School, (Salt Lake City School District, Salt Lake City, Utah) is the mastermind behind the Family Art Studio project – a unique parent/child art class. Read more about the Family Art Studio and Megan’s research in the PDF below.

    Summary of Research with Family Art Studio PDF