Art & English Language Arts Projects
Art and English language projects are effective tools for teaching students about the English language and all forms of art including visual arts and performing arts. These two subjects go hand-in-hand, and many projects can combine the two. Students appreciate the subjects of art and English more if they do fun educational activities. They also grasp concepts and ideas faster. Projects that combine art and English can be done with some research and creativity.
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Books and Drawing
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Find an age-appropriate book for your class. If you teach elementary, a book like "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe" by C.S. Lewis can be used. After the students have read the book, tell them to draw five items which can be found inside their homes that relate to the book. For example, a student can draw a dumbbell to represent the lion's strength. Let them explain how these items represent the book. This is a good way to combine visual arts and the English language.
Plays
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Plays are a great way for students to appreciate and learn literature. If you teach high school English, classic plays by William Shakespeare are ideal to use. Let them choose between popular comedies such as "Äs You Like It," "The Merchant of Venice," and "A Midsummer Night's Dream," or tragedies such as "Macbeth," "Anthony and Cleopatra" or "Romeo and Juliet." Students occupy themselves with all aspects of producing a play, such as choosing characters to play, preparing costumes and designing the stage. This is an excellent way to combine dramatic arts and the English language.
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Dance
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Students can also learn the English language through the performing art of dance. Let them choose a story from a book or any form of literature such as poetry and prose. Let them interpret it through a dance number. They can dance solo or in groups and use any dance types such as jazz, ballet, tap, modern and hip hop.
Music
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A fun way for students to combine music and the English language is to relate classic literature to modern contemporary music. Let the students choose a classic literature piece and relate it to a contemporary song of their choice. Students realize that, even though a book, poetry or play is old, its message is still relevant to modern times.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Gymnast dancing image by patrimonio designs from Fotolia.com
