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Curriculum Sources,
updated August 2005
Many states are revising the standards they first wrote based on the 1994 national document. With this second iteration of standards, state boards of education are embellishing their documents with benchmarks, sample activities and assessment suggestions. Many of these materials are very well written and can be helpful in creating district level curricula. Here is an annotated list from ten states that we found interesting.
National Sites
Arkansas Sample Curriculum Models
http://arkedu.state.ar.us/curriculum/benchmarks.html#Music
The fine arts and music K-8 models were written in 2002 and contain standards, grade level student learning expectations, and selected assessment and strategies/activities. The standards are different for each discipline. Dance and Theatre are not included; 9-12 standards were not on the site as of 8/15/05. But the Curriculum Models could be helpful in building a district curriculum.
Hawaii Content and Performance Standards
http://standardstoolkit.k12.hi.us/index.html
Click on Access the HCPS II Database to find documents for the four arts . Draft written in 2004. There are four documents:
- Content and Performance Standards including Standards, Benchmarks and Performance Indicators
- Instructional Guide with Benchmarks, Performance Indicators, Sample Assessment Tasks, and Sample Instructional Strategies
- Curriculum Framework that has 1) an Introduction with definitions, rational and program goals for the arts; 2) the Standards; 3) Assessment, Curriculum and Instruction including a discussion about integration and spiral curriculum; 4) Examples with Benchmarks, Performance Indicators, Assessment Tasks, images of student work, Teacher Commentary and Sample Assessment Tools with sample rubrics, for Visual Arts (K-3, Middle and High School), Dance (K-3), Music (High School) and Theatre (High School)
- Scope and Sequence with tables of single words to indicate Concepts, Thinking Skills and Artistic Skills & Techniques for K-5 and Secondary levels. The Scope and Sequence is for teacher use in designing and planning standards-based units, lessons and activities.
This is a remarkable site. Well worth spending time here if you are building an arts curriculum!
Kansas Curricular Standards
http://www.ksde.org/outcomes/siacurrstds.html
Visual Arts was adopted in 2002, Theatre 2004, Dance and Music in 2005.
- Visual Arts, the oldest document, is the least elaborate with Standards, Benchmarks and Indicators plus essays discussing classroom and instructional issues.
- Theatre has an introduction, and the standards section is written by levels: Basic, Proficient, Advanced, Exemplary. Each standard has Benchmarks, Performance Indicators and Instructional Examples. There is a Scope and Sequence, an Appendix, a Glossary and Resources.
- Dance is similar to Theatre but has a standards section by level and then by standard (which replaces a scope and sequence). The Glossary is very good. The Appendices include several excellent sections: Improvisation (with teaching hints), Choreography (which also includes evaluation), Careers and Resources (a book list).
- Music has a remarkable document that includes the standards with Benchmarks, Knowledge and Performance Indicators plus Instruction Exemplars. The Scope and Sequence is written by standard with performance levels that read horizontally. The Lesson Plan format (including Objectives, Assessments, Timeline, Strategies, Extensions, etc.) is followed by Exemplary Lessons that also have scoring rubrics. The Resources are two pages of links to helpful materials.
Kentucky Learning Goals and Academic Expectations
http://www.education.ky.gov/KDE/Instructional+Resources/
Curriculum+Documents+and+Resources/Academic+Expectations/
default.htm
includes materials for Speaking, Visual Arts, Music and Movement. The categories included are: Learning Links, Elementary, Middle School and High School Demonstrators, Sample Teaching/Assessment Strategies, Ideas for Incorporating Community Resources, Core Concepts with Sample Elementary, Middle and High School Activities. Very terse comments, but certainly a start for curriculum building.
Louisiana Students Standards and Assessment
http://www.doe.state.la.us/lde/ssa/currichome.html
Revised 2003. Has Content Standards, Web Resources and Course Guideline sections. The Course Guidelines are interesting and could be helpful in designing curriculum. The documents are designed K-4, 5-8, 9-12 with standards for the four arts disciplines written for four strands: Creative Expression, Aesthetic Perception, Arts Heritage and Critical Analysis. The documents for each art is different, but each may have something helpful. Most have ideas for activities to help students learn the standards. For instance, theatre has explanations of many of the typical games used. Most have something about assessment, glossaries, lists of resources, etc.
Mississippi Visual and Performing Arts Framework -
http://www.mde.k12.ms.us/ACAD/ID/Curriculum/Arts/
curriculum/FRMWRK03.HTM
Revised in 2003. A remarkable document, written for the four arts, setting standards for five strands: Creating/Performing, Critical Analysis, Cultural History, Aesthetics, Connections. Each art form has Competencies and Suggested Teaching Strategies plus Suggested Assessments for grades K-4 and for four levels at both the middle and high school. The Assessment section is terse at best, but the Teaching Strategies could be a big help in designing curriculum.
North Dakota Content Standards
http://www.dpi.state.nd.us/standard/content.shtm
Adopted in 2000, the standards are written at the K-4, 5-8 and 9-12 levels. Each of the four arts disciplines has its own standards but they all include Benchmarks, Specific Knowledge and Sample Activities. The package, especially including the Sample Activities, may be helpful in building curriculum.
Ohio Academic Content Standards
http://www.ode.state.oh.us/
academic_content_standards/acsarts.asp
Scroll to the end of this page to find the links to the documents. Adopted in 2003, Ohio has used five Overarching Content Standards: Historical, Cultural & Social Contexts; Creative Expression & Communication; Analyzing & Responding; Valuing the Arts/Aesthetic Reflection; Connections, Relationships & Applications to develop Benchmarks in the four arts disciplines at the K-4, 5-8 and 9-12 grade levels. Writing teams are developing three sets of Model Lessons that should be available this year.
Utah Fine Arts Education
http://www.usoe.k12.ut.us/curr/FineArt/
A very elaborate site with core curriculum standards and suggested lesson plans for Dance, Music, Theatre, Visual Arts and Film. The online lesson plans are kept current and send the students to some wonderful sites. The lesson plan system sidesteps the issue of district curriculum, but this is certainly a wonderful tool for the teacher and a rich source of material for the students.
Wyoming State Standards for the Fine and Performing Arts
http://www.k12.wy.us/eqa/nca/pubs/standards.asp
Revised in 2003, the standards are written for Drama (Grades 8 and 9-12), Music and Visual Arts (Grades 4, 8, and 9-12). There are four strands for the three arts forms: Creative Expression through Production, Aesthetic Perception, Historical & Cultural Content, Applications to Life. Performance Indicators are written at four levels: Below Basic, Basic, Proficient, and Advanced for the three levels. Following each grade-level strand are "Snapshots in Action - Sample Ideas from the writing group." With a bit of elaboration, all the pieces for a curriculum are here.
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