Arts Partners in St. Louis

Schools in St. Louis work with arts education specialists from Young Audiences to create interdisciplinary units of study that involve all children in a particular grade level and often, all children in an entire school. Using educational objectives from existing curriculum, teachers work with artists to increase the learning potential of all students. Students and teachers visit museums, attend performances, and tour cultural sites as a part of this arts infused approach to curriculum.

One school chose a year-long theme of Celebrate America that involved each child. Using social studies objectives in each grade, the unit concentrated on Native Americans, immigrants, and early Americans. Students studied the scientific discoveries of the day; designed textile stamps; and produced baskets, banners, and computer art portraits of famous Americans, which they then displayed throughout the school. They learned American songs and attended concerts given by Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra. They shared American tall tales with story-tellers. They visited local historic sites, then researched and composed their own oral histories. At year's end, 1,300 parents and friends attended a family event celebrating the success of this educational experiment, characterized by one teacher as going way beyond our hopes and expectations.