March 2006 Newsletter

SMARTS: BRING BACK THE ARTS

CALIFORNIA STATE PTA ONLINE NEWSLETTER

March 2006

SMARTS is California State PTA’s program to encourage arts education. The California State PTA wants to create advocates for quality arts education at every school in California. We hope you will spread the word about the benefits of arts education. Please e-mail this newsletter to PTA district, council and unit members.

In this issue:

1) Advocacy for the Arts

Celebrate Arts Education Month in March
California Budget Proposes Arts Funding

2) Interactive Websites for Parents, Teachers, and Students

Cycles: African Life through Art
The Science of Music
Waterfowl Drawing Guide
The Life and Music of Celia Cruz: Queen of Salsa
Campfire Stories with George Catlin

3) Announcements

Music For All Foundation
National Endowment for the Arts Grant Information
CAAE Arts Education Leadership Conference 2006: Advocacy in Action
PTA Supports National Anthem Project

1) Advocacy for the Arts

Celebrate Arts Education Month in March

Invite your elected officials into your schools to witness the power of learning in the arts. Here are some ideas:

Showcase EXISTING events and ongoing classroom activities
Classroom visits…Student artwork exhibitions…
Theatre, dance or music performance…Create a mural
Incorporate a Statement of Belief
If you are inviting parents and community members to your event, have every visitor sign a Statement of Belief related to the importance of the arts in your school. A sample statement might include:

“We believe that every student in California should have an education in the arts—dance, music, theatre and the visual arts.”

Take a long piece of butcher paper, write your belief statement at the top and encourage visitors to sign. Send the scroll to your elected official along with a thank you letter after the event.

To find your legislator, go to:
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html

California Budget Proposes Arts Funding
Learn about the Art and Music Block Grant to support standards-aligned art and music instruction in K-8 grades.
http://govbud.dof.ca.gov/BudgetSummary/K12/8863392.html

2) Interactive Websites for Parents, Teachers, and Students

Cycles: African Life through Art
Visit an online interactive exhibit of art and rituals at the Indianapolis Museum of Art.
http://www.ima-art.org/cycles/index.html

The Science of Music
Explore the science of music through these online exhibits, movies, and questions.
http://www.exploratorium.edu/music/

Waterfowl Drawing Guide
Learn how to identify and draw ducks!
http://www.calwaterfowl.org/waterfowl_draw/water_draw01.htm

The Life and Music of Celia Cruz: Queen of Salsa
Listen to the story of Celia Cruz and explore a wide range of subjects, including immigration, history, geography, music theory, music history, and art. (English and Spanish)
http://americanhistory.si.edu/celiacruz/

Campfire Stories with George Catlin
Take a virtual journey to meet American Indians of the 1830s with artist, ethnologist, and showman George Catlin.
http://catlinclassroom.si.edu/siteinfo.html

3) Announcements

Music For All Foundation
Music for All Foundation is a national nonprofit organization committed to expanding the role of music and the arts in education. Check out “What’s Happening Now.”
http://www.music-for-all.org/index.html

National Endowment for the Arts Grant Information
http://www.arts.gov/grants/index.html

CAAE Arts Education Leadership Conference 2006: Advocacy in Action
http://www.artsed411.org/involved/conference2006.stm

PTA Supports the National Anthem Project
See ACR 117
http://leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/asm/ab_01010150/acr_117_bill_20060214_introduced.html
Find out more…
http://www.thenationalanthemproject.org/

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