Conference Workshops

Bobby & Sherry Norfolk - Keynote Speakers

Keynote Title: Small Miracles: Transforming Learning through Arts Integration
8:45-9:30 am
Why do we do what we do? The answer is clear—arts integration transforms the classroom by building greater understanding across disciplines and offering experiences that span multiple modes of learning to engage and motivate learners through the creative process. Bobby and Sherry will explore what arts integration can look like in the classroom as they share a few of the “small miracles” that happen when students are given the opportunity to foster their creativity and express their ideas through storytelling.

FIRST SESSION

9:45-10:50 am

Sherry Norfolk

Laying a Foundation: Defining Arts Integration for Educators & Administrators
Grades K-6
What is arts integration? This session unpacks the Kennedy Center’s definition of arts integration and gives you the opportunity to uncover the characteristics of quality integration. In addition, the session includes your participation in a sample arts-integration lesson, opportunities for reflection, and a chance to consider the advantages of an arts integrated approach.

Cindy Hall

Soundscapes: Creating from What You Notice
Grades 3-6
Participants, using poetry as a starting point, will explore sounds from nature and improvise music to reflect what they notice about the timbre, duration, volume, and texture of the sounds. In addition, they will celebrate the unique sound of each person’s voice and compose a group piece inspired by listening examples.

Cynthia Davis-Nordfelt

Masks for Arts Integration: A hidden resource you didn’t know you needed
Grades K-6
In this workshop participants will create masks while exploring their global phenomenon and diverse uses in theatre, religion, science, medicine, entertainment, and art. The connective power of masks will be discussed through the lens of visual art and art history as connections are made to literacy, science, social studies, and math. Come and learn how to bring mask making into your classroom!

Sandy Christensen

Noticing- Let Yourself Be Moved
Grades K-2
In this workshop participants will experience collective joy as they explore nature-themed creative movement and collaborative learning. Participants will further learn how to facilitate movement experiences for their students while nurturing patterns of curious thinking enabling students to discover amazing things about themselves and the world around them.

SECOND SESSION

11:00 am-12:00 pm

Bobby Norfolk

Teaching Social Studies through Storytelling
Grades K-3
Explore how to use personal narrative and experiences as catalysts for engagement and deeper understanding in addressing grades K-3 Social Studies standards! Bobby will lead you in discovering and shaping relevant stories in your lived experience.

Sherry Norfolk

Aurora Hughes Villa

Garden-Based Learning: Noticing through Nature Journaling

Grades K-6
In this workshop participants will learn how to use nature journaling as a blueprint to scaffold visual art lessons through observational drawing and writing prompts. Garden-based learning will then be experienced as participants will choose from one of three lessons to explore. Walk away with lesson plan ideas and resources that build the skills of a scientist, naturalist, artist, and observer. Edith Bowen Lab School teachers will share about their school garden and garden-based learning lessons during the workshop!

Tina Misaka

Moving the World Around You
Grades 3-6
Spring-boarding off the book “Noticing” we will use all our senses to observe and investigate ways to move the simplest to the complex objects in nature. Discover your inner child through movement!

THIRD SESSION

1:00-2:05 pm

Sherry & Bobby Norfolk

How Dragon Lost His Tail: Shaping Landforms
Grades 4-6
“How and Why” stories (also called pourquoi) are perhaps the earliest form of scientific inquiry representing man’s attempts to answer the most common questions still posed by scientists today: “How?” and “Why?” In this workshop participants will experience a Taiwanese folktale through a storytelling performance that motivates scientific inquiry and opportunities for narrative and informational writing.

Katie Hejazi-Far

Curious Ears: Exploring Sounds and Music
Grades K-2
Welcome to "Curious Ears," designed to foster curiosity, active listening, and creativity among kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd-grade students. In this workshop, participants will engage in activities that encourage them to notice and appreciate the sounds around them, explore creating music that reflects their unique identities, and cultivate a sense of wonder about the world of sound.

Liz Brown

3 Math Integration Ideas in 30 minutes- and time to create!
Grades K-2
Looking for fun ways to integrate art into math lessons? In this session an overview of three integrated art and math lessons will be shared: Shape Creatures, Piet Mondrian Inspired Place Value, and Fraction Fish. Participants will then be given the opportunity to create one or more of these projects as an example for their own classrooms.

Cynthia Davis-Nordfelt

Drama Games for the W.I.N.
Grades K-6
W.I.N. with drama as participants learn engaging and fun drama games that WELCOME diverse learners, INTEGRATE content curriculum with drama standards, and help students NOTICE themselves and the world around them. Workshop participants will learn how to empower their teaching and be more accessible to students using drama to teach literacy, math, social studies and science while supporting positive classroom behaviors. Come and W.I.N. with drama games!

FOURTH SESSION

2:15-4:00 pm

Sherry & Bobby Norfolk

Differentiating Learning through the Arts
Grades K-6
The performing arts provide flexible differentiation strategies to help teachers easily adapt to diverse learning needs in self-contained and inclusive classrooms. This workshop explores strategies and scaffolded experiences that support students functioning at the pre-K through eighth grade levels in achieving their learning goals.

Katie Hejazi-Far

Harmonizing Education
Grades K-6
Welcome to "Harmonizing Education," where we'll embark on a musical journey to enhance learning in the elementary classroom! Whether you're new to integration and seeking to infuse your lessons with music or a seasoned educator looking to expand your integration toolbox, this workshop is your key to unlocking the transformative power of music for all ages. Join us for an interactive exploration of tried-and-true techniques, engaging lessons, and collaborative lesson planning, all designed to seamlessly weave music into parts of your curriculum. Get ready to tap into the rhythm of learning and leave inspired to orchestrate a symphony of knowledge in your classroom!

Liz Brown

The Art of Developing Characters and Settings to Enhance Writing
Grades 3-6
How can you enhance students' motivation in writing? When students create a character they suddenly have so much for that character to say! In this session, strategies for incorporating writing with art will be explored as participants learn basic drawing skills and use watercolors, sharpies, and other media to create a 3-dimensional character and setting.

Tina Misaka

The Process of Dance and Science
Grades K-6
Come be a scientific dance artist! In this session, participants will engage in the scientific process (observing, investigating, creating, and reporting) and explore the water cycle, weathering, and adaptations through movement.