Arts integration is defined by the Kennedy Center as:

“An approach to teaching in which students construct and demonstrate understanding through an art form. Students engage in a creative process which connects an art form and another subject and meets evolving objectives in both.”

The arts are present in our schools every day in a variety of ways, but are distilled into three main categories:

• Arts as Curriculum – developing skills and knowledge of a particular discipline (music, dance, drama, art, etc.).
• Arts-Enhanced Curriculum – the arts act as a “hook” to engage students in learning content, and teachers need little to no training in the art form. For example, singing the ABCs doesn’t teach how to sing; it’s a tool for teaching.
• Arts-Integrated Curriculum - the arts become the approach to teaching and the vehicle for learning, requiring teachers that are knowledgeable about the art form, and how to connect the arts to the curriculum they teach. For example, dramatic interpretations of historical characters or events involves both drama and history.

For additional information, explore the Kennedy Center’s Arts Integration resources.