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TODAY IS THE DAY  -->  April 15, 2010!

There are no rules, no right or wrong ways to create an arts experience in your school on NASD.  Individual teachers can create a special class experience for the day or it can be a school-wide event that's been planned for months, or anything in-between.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP AND PARTICIPATE!

Make Your School a Star!     Invite your local newspaper and TV station to cover your school's NASD activities: The “Media Toolkit” (left) is a downloadable PDF file including customizable media communications materials including pre-and post-event news releases, NASD Fact Sheet and a Q&A.

Teach Any Subject Through the Arts
Check out "Curriculum Suggestions" at left for ways to incorporate the arts into  your lesson plan.

Create a Special Event or Project:

• Invite a local artist
  Invite a designer into your classroom to demonstrate how he/she creates artwork. Relate the artist's work to a theme in your social studies, math, science or ELA curriculum.
• Mount an art exhibit
  In preparation, ask students to keep portfolios of their artwork. Students select their favorite for a semi-annual classroom exhibit or a school-wide exhibit that relates to a theme.
• Stage a musical or theatrical production
• Invite parents, school personnel to share their arts talents
  Every community has "hidden" talent. The school secretary and her husband may be competitive ballroom dancers, the PE teacher, an amazing watercolorist. Invite them to share with students.
• Choose an arts theme for each grade or subject
  Port Chester's Edison School hosts a "gallery walk" once a year. Everyone gets a chance to decide on a theme usually connected to social studies. Parents, teachers and students love it!
• Schedule intra-district concerts and plays
  The high school jazz band performs for middle school, the middle school chorus performs for elementary school assemblies once a year.

How to get started in your school:

  If you are a teacher, approach your principal about having your school or class participate. Tell them about NATIONAL ARTS IN THE SCHOOL DAY (direct them to this website for more information) and explain there are multiple ways to participate. Teachers can invite an artist to their classrooms, teach their class that day using an arts curriculum they create themselves or find on the NASD website, or the entire school or selected classes can participate by creating a special school-wide event that everyone can attend.

  If you are a local artist or arts organization representative, you can reach out to a teacher or the principal of the school you are interested in. Tell them about NATIONAL ARTS IN THE SCHOOL DAY (direct them to this website for more information); see if they would be interested in participating by describing the types of presentations or arts activities you can offer them.

  If you are a parent who would like your school to participate, you can reach out to a teacher or the principal at your child’s school, tell them about NATIONAL ARTS IN THE SCHOOL DAY (direct them to the website for more information) and volunteer to reach out to local arts organizations to find interested artists. Additionally, contact the PTA and attend a meeting to talk about participating in NATIONAL ARTS IN THE SCHOOL DAY.

How do I find local artists who may be interested in coming to my school? 

Contact your local Arts Council or Arts Organizations, including museums, music, theatre, dance, design or book groups and local colleges to explain NASD and that you have a classroom or school interested in hosting an artist.  Or ask friends, and friends of friends if they know a local artist who would be interested in participating.  You'll be surprised -- even the smallest of communities in the most remote areas have people who are accomplished artists--professional or amateur--and are eager to share their passion.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP AND PARTICIPATE!

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