June 5, 2020
as told by our favorite Art Coach, Bruce Hucko The Performance This really needs to be experienced in person. We have a video and it’s wonderful, but it’s just not the same as having been there in Ms. Sheila’s music room, which had been converted, quite simply, easily and indeed, magically, into a hybrid theatrical performance space and African ceremonial plaza laying deep in the jungle. The background was hung. Stage sides were set. Drums, Xylophones and other instruments were placed. Characters held their dance masks. Introductions were made. Everyone took their place. Actors, parents, and audience held their breath. […]
May 29, 2020
as told by our favorite Art Coach, Bruce Hucko Africa, The Book is a celebration of an artistic collaboration that took place at Helen M. Knight Elementary School in Moab, Utah during the 2019-2020 School Year. It centers on the creative energy of Mrs. Charlotte Quigley’s 3rd Grade class. It involves the school’s inspired music teacher Sheila Strahan and BTSALP-Visual Art Specialist Art Coach Bruce Hucko. The Adventure began when – Mrs. Quigley’s 3rd Grade class was reading folk tales as part of their social studies curriculum. Good teacher that she is, Mrs. Quigley saw the opportunity for creativity and […]
May 21, 2020
Brooke Smart is a visual artist collaborating with Better Days, the organization celebrating both Utah and national suffrage by honoring women throughout history. Brooke was brought to Logan as a resident artist with both Cache Valley and Logan City School Districts. During her week stay, Brooke worked with BTSALP visual art educator, Sheree Given and her 4th grade students at Wilson Elementary. She also spent the week with visual art instructor Katie Shupe’s Art 1 and AP Art classes at Mountain Crest High School. The students learned about Brooke’s artwork and her traveling art exhibit, “Utah Women Making History,” which includes illustrations of Utah […]
May 1, 2020
Visitors to Utah State University’s Sorenson Center for Clinical Excellence were greeted with music and the buzz of children’s voices as the Lyndsley Wilkerson Gallery celebrated the opening of its newest exhibit, “Creativity Unbound.” The gallery featured student artwork from K-8 schools in the Logan, Cache County and Box Elder School Districts in a celebration of the importance of the arts to both learning and self-expression. Those in attendance at the grand opening enjoyed a performance by the North Park Elementary Honor Choir, and students were thrilled to see their masterpieces displayed. Read more about it….
April 20, 2020
Nathan Smith, BTSALP Visual Art Specialist at Truman Elementary School in Granite School District, makes sure to not only display the work of his students but to explain to parents and art show visitors the content integration that informs the art projects. First grade students examined their roles and the important roles of other people and places in their communities. They referenced the artwork The Block by Romare Bearden, an amazing contemporary African American collage artist. Then students used organic and geometric shapes to create their own collage of their favorite places in their community. Second grade students created Color […]
April 3, 2020
Enoch Arts Night (Title 1 Family Engagement Night) for Enoch Elementary in the Iron County School District under the direction of BTSALP Visual Arts Specialist, Kirsten Anderson, Principal, Daniel Ekker, and Reading Specialist, Marcy Christensen was held on Monday, February 10th. It was a wonderful night FULL of creativity and fun! The event featured a large student art show full of the arts integrated projects the students had been working on since the beginning of the year. There were trainings for parents on how to best support their students academically and emotionally. The SUU Play Team was in attendance to […]
March 31, 2020
Kristen Hemmis, former BTSALP Visual Art specialist now living and teaching art in Boston, Massachusetts shared this wonderful lesson plan. As the weather warms up it’s the perfect way to soak up some sunshine and add in a little arts integration on the side. Thank you Kristen. We miss you here in Utah! Click here to download the lesson plan.
March 25, 2020
Schools all over Utah celebrated the birthday of the colorful and quirky Dr. Seuss. See how some of our BTSALP schools celebrated! Carl Sandburg Elementary School in Granite School District threw quite the party for Dr. Seuss’s birthday! decorations, books, cake and . . . . costumes! Let’s get this party started!!!! Kirsten Schiel, BTSALP Visual Art specialist at Taylorsville Elementary School, Granite School District went “all in” and had each grade level do an integrated art lesson around – what else? – a Dr. Seuss book. Kindergarten: The Foot Book with ceramic feet. First Grade: My Many Colored Days […]
March 16, 2020
Education is much more than just academic achievement. The classroom needs to be a place where students can learn about themselves as well as the world around them. Integrating the arts into the core curriculum is a proven strategy for helping to address all the needs of students. In elementary schools, arts-integrated learning has been shown to improve students’ social, emotional, core academic, and arts learning. Art Works for Kids is happy to announce the new and improved Lesson Plan Tool is up and running! Lesson plans for all grade levels, art forms and subject matter are available for your […]
February 13, 2020
An Appreciation Luncheon for Utah State Legislators was held at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building on Friday, January 31, 2020. It was a fabulous affair filled with Art, Dance and support for the BTSALP program. Art for Centerpieces and Program – Liberty Hills Elementary, Alpine District, Jen Terry “We Will Rock You!” presented by Herriman Elementary School, Jordan School District 4th Grade (Ms. Mumford,) Jana Shumway BTSALP Dance Specialist Gumball Machines: Study of Color Mixing – James Moss Elementary, Granite School District, Kirsten Schiel Sandhill Cranes in Utah Wetlands: Environmental Studies – Riley Elementary, Salt Lake City School District, Regina […]
February 5, 2020
One hundred and fifty years ago, on February 12, 1870, the Utah Territorial Legislature passed a women’s suffrage bill that allowed female citizens to vote under the same laws as the men. Join Better Days 2020, Utah Department of Heritage and Arts, and Utah Cultural Alliance at the Utah State Capitol to commemorate and celebrate this important anniversary and our Utah HERitage of women who continued to fight for representation and improve their communities. Social and political change is often long and difficult and involves many different women and men working together – and sometimes against each other. The year […]
January 27, 2020
BTSALP Visual Art Specialist, Paul Heath had his Newman Elementary and M Lynn Bennion (SLCSD) students create color pencil drawings on toned paper. Each grade level at both schools worked with a different media. 4th Grade did foam block prints over an abstract watercolor base. 5th Grade did watercolor paintings while 6th Grade made color pencil drawings. They discussed the history of neon signs, and specifically, the history of the Young Electric Sign Company who are celebrating their 100th Anniversary this year. Students had black and white photo print outs from YESCO’s archives to choose as subject matter, or they […]
January 12, 2020
The Granite School District Art Gallery is currently showing art from BTSALP students. The exhibit – Do Art To Be Smart – will be on display until January 31, 2020. Images below are just a “sneak peek” into the creativity of BTSALP students! The following Specialists shared integrated art pieces created by their elementary school students. Sheryl Larsen, Cottonwood & Howard R. Driggs Lucille Stearman, Plymouth & Freemont Cynthia Micken, Copper Hills & Magna Catherine Widner, Pioneer & Jim Bridger James Camargo, Elk Run & Jackling Geometric and Organic Line and Shape, Grades K-6 – BTSALP Specialist, Lucille Stearman Positive […]
December 13, 2019
Student-made art installation on Utah ecosystems unveiled at James Madison Elementary By MEGAN OLSEN Standard-Examiner Dec 12, 2019 (Click here above to see more pictures) OGDEN — A long-term hanging art installation was unveiled Wednesday evening at James Madison Elementary. The installation is composed of hanging faux stained glass pieces created by fourth graders at James Madison Elementary and students in an honors course at Weber State University. The installation hangs in the school’s atrium. Every student in James Madison’s fourth grade — about 60 — participated in the project, said Tamara Goldbogen, the director of the Arts Learning Collaborative […]
November 25, 2019
Leaves From Roots is the brainchild of Britt Black, BTSALP Visual Art specialist at Philo T. Farnsworth Elementary School (Granite School District.) The exhibit celebrates the rich and diverse cultures that make up the community and student body of the school. This project comes with a lot of thought and meaning. Students have been working since the start of the 2019-2020 school year to create a leaf based on an investigation into their own roots. These artists know that there was once a member of their family that brought them and their culture to Utah, whether it was quite recently […]
November 7, 2019
Robert Smith, BTSALP and Alpine School District Coach, is back guiding the 4th grade students in Ms. Mickelsen’s class through a session of scientific sketching and drawing. Topic: Butterflies! Scientific drawing require the artist to look at things through the eyes of a scientist. Charles Darwin was a scientist who was also an artist. He studied plants and animals and drew them in an accurate and detailed way. Boxes of butterflies, beetles and other creatures can be checked out from the Museum of Natural History on the University of Utah campus.
October 15, 2019
This Fall, 2019 the Artsbridge Honors course at Weber State University will design and co-create a new faux-stained glass installation called Utah Birds & Ecosystems. This is a course designed for Weber State University students to work closely with professors and BTSALP Visual Arts Specialist, Brent Rhodes, and his 4th graders at James Madison Elementary. Through this collaboration students design and build a hanging installation that depicts the birds and ecosystems found in Utah. This aligns with the 4th grade Utah State Science Standards. All of the Weber State students and 4th Graders will visit the Ogden Nature Center to gather field […]
October 7, 2019
BTSALP and Alpine School District Coach, Robert Smith is a man of many talents. Follow along as he guides Mrs. Everitt’s Kindergarten class in some drawing exercises on National Dot Day! “We are learning to tell stories with pictures. Artists use exercises and mark making to strengthen the muscles in their hands. It improves our drawing.” Mr. Smith puts on the music, first a lullaby and then some . . . Super Hero music and students take their pencils dancing! Group and Peer critique is an important part of the art lesson. First students respond to the question, What is […]
September 30, 2019
Take a wander through Rachel Henderson’s Visual Art Studio at Westvale Elementary School, Jordan School District. It’s hard NOT to feel creative when surrounded by color, art and a wide variety of supplies! 6th Grade impressive figure drawings! (The mannequins really help!) Westvale’s Rotating Art Gallery
September 22, 2019
Art at elementary: School programs encourage creativity Kathleen Snow, For The Spectrum & Daily News | Published 3:26 p.m. MT Aug. 20, 2019 The Washington County School District visual arts program in the elementary schools encourage individual student creativity while incorporating other academic areas into their artwork. WCSD Fine Arts Coordinator, Robert Schmidt, oversees all fine arts including; music, visual art, dance, and theater in schools K-12. He said visual art teachers have a core curriculum to follow just like all other academic areas. “One difference is the level of collaboration that occurs in the elementary schools,” Schmidt said. “Most […]
May 13, 2019
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 […]
May 9, 2019
The plaster animal masks are finished and on display (Just in time for Art Night!) at Moss Elementary School in Granite School District. Kirsten Schiel, BTSALP Visual Art Specialist did a wonderful job of guiding the fifth grade students through the research, drawing and constructing phases of this integrated mask making project.
May 5, 2019
A great time was had at KRCL’s 90.9 RadioActive show talking about Oakridge Elementary School’s (Granite School District) graphic novel project and the Transcontinental Railroad. Thanks to the incredible work of the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program. Segment starts at the 7:52 and ends on a wonderful 4th grader’s rendition of John Henry at the 27:28 mark. Celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Golden Spike in a graphic novel with Max Chang of Spike 150, Oakridge Elementary student Taegen, and Trish Saccomano of Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program. As home to the site where Central Pacific and Union Pacific crews […]
April 29, 2019
Beacon Heights Elementary School in the Salt Lake City School District has a giant open area atrium right in the front foyer. Many years ago the students at Beacon Heights constructed a huge hanging mobile to fill the space and welcome visitors to their school Well that was then . . . and this is now and there’s a new installation in town! Each student at Beacon Heights studied a different type of bird and created pieces of art depicting that bird. These birds became part of the new exhibit in the foyer of Beacon Heights. You might say this […]
April 25, 2019
“It’s long been known that drawing something helps a person remember it. A new study shows that drawing is superior to activities such as reading or writing because it forces the person to process information in multiple ways: visually, kinesthetically, and semantically. Across a series of experiments, researchers found drawing information to be a powerful way to boost memory, increasing recall by nearly double.” Read more about this at edutopia.