August 2006 Newsletter

SMARTS: BRING BACK THE ARTS

CALIFORNIA STATE PTA ONLINE NEWSLETTER

August 2006

SMARTS is California State PTAs 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

Critical Evidence: How the arts benefit student achievement
How the West Was Won - A Look at the California Budget Victory
Community Arts Education Project

2) Interactive Websites for Parents, Teachers, and Students

Henri Rousseau: Jungles in Paris
Playing with Shadows: An Introduction to Shadow Puppetry
Jazz for Young People

3) Announcements

Teaching the Art of Writing
New Study: Arts Training Linked to Better Literacy

1) Advocacy for the Arts

Arts Funding in the California State Budget: GREAT NEWS!
A new booklet published by the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) in collaboration with the Arts Education Partnership (AEP) examines why is it so important to keep the arts strong in our schools.
http://www.nasaa-arts.org/publications/critical-evidence.shtml

How the West Was Won - A Look at the California Budget Victory
Bob Morrison of the Music for All Foundation takes a look at the new arts funding for California schools.
http://www.music-for-all.org/blog/archives/2006/08/how_the_west_wa.html#more

Community Arts Education Project
With this historic investment in arts education, it is an important to plan thoughtfully on how this funding should best be used. A good place to start is with The Community Arts Education Project.
http://www.artsed411.org/projects/caepguidebk.stm

2) Interactive Websites for Parents, Teachers, and Students

Henri Rousseau: Jungles in Paris
A special web presentation explores themes in his paintings: landscapes of Paris, allegories, portraits, forests, jungles, and more.
http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/2006/rousseau/index.shtm

Play with this interactive program for younger students:
http://www.nga.gov/kids/zone/jungle.htm

Playing with Shadows: An Introduction to Shadow Puppetry
Journey into a world where shadows come to life.
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/shadowpuppets/artsedge.html

Jazz for Young People
Listen and learn about the Jazz for Young People Curriculum produced by Jazz at Lincoln Center.
http://www.jalc.org/jazzED/j4yp_curr/contentsPage.html

3) Announcements

Teaching the Art of Writing
Learn about an arts based approach for reluctant writers by Beth Olshansky, published by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
http://tinyurl.com/n44k2

New Study: Arts training linked to better literacy
Read a new study by the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum about impact of arts education on critical thinking skills and literacy among elementary school children.
http://www.learningthroughart.org/research_findings.php
For more information about the Guggenheim Museum, go to:
http://www.guggenheim.org/

To Subscribe:
If you wish to be added to the subscriber list to this newsletter, send an e-mail to SMARTSenews@capta.org. Enter the word "Subscribe" into the subject area or the body of the email and you will automatically be added.

To Unsubscribe:
If you would like to terminate your subscription to the SMARTS newsletter, send an e-mail to SMARTSenews@capta.org and in the subject area type "Remove" or "Unsubscribe" and your name will be removed.

For help or to send comments, suggestions, and inquiries send an e-mail to info@capta.org.

The California State PTA SMARTS newsletter is sent free of charge via the Internet as a service of the California State PTA in the furtherance of its nonprofit and tax-exempt status. Unless otherwise noted, PTAs may reproduce and distribute the materials from the California State PTA website for PTA use without express written permission. California State PTA materials may not be duplicated by any other organization or person without written permission.

California State PTA

Does not exert editorial control over materials that are posted by third parties onto its website, or materials that are e-mailed by third parties to any other persons.
Specifically disclaims any and all liability for any claims or damages that result from postings by third parties.
Does not exert editorial or any other control over content provided by links from the California State PTA website.