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“Ties That Bind: Folk Arts in the Colorado Classroom” now available online!

Designed to help you and other educators:

Meet standards in history, geography, reading and writing, visual art, music, and even math with new materials that will engage both you and your students.
Help your students realize that arts and culture exist within their own communities.
Help your students better understand the cultures of others in Colorado, in the rest of the United States, and around the world.

In May of 2008, 27 Mesa County teachers spent the first four days of their “summer break” learning about CCA’s “Ties That Bind: Folk Arts in the Colorado Classroom” resources. The course offered renewal credit as well as 2 hours of graduate credit through Mesa State College’s Extended Studies Program.

Here, in their own words, is what teachers had to say about the “Ties That Bind” resources and about the course!

I’m excited to incorporate the various cultures into what I already teach.

I learned new ways to incorporate our heritage & folklore into math, language, social studies standards.

I can’t wait to incorporate more art into the classroom while still addressing other standards.

Guest presenters and hands-on activities demonstrated how folk arts can bring academic subjects to life in the classroom.

I appreciated learning about what is going on in folklore in our community.

I learned how much a part of everyday life folk art/folklore is.

I loved the hands on projects that go with content.

They took away with them not only a new appreciation for art and culture but a number of tools to put to use immediately in the classroom including

I now have a multitude of lessons to complement my curriculum.

After four days I have numerous ideas and formal plans—so much will enhance my 4th grade curriculum.

I can use the lesson plans provided and the knowledge gained to augment my social studies, history and art programs.

Visit the Ties That Bind web site to see what these teachers are so excited about!

For more information about Ties That Bind, or about planning a course for teachers in your community, contact Ronna Lee Sharpe, rsharpe@westcomuseum.org.