Concept: Concepts are organizing ideas. The concept stretches across disciplines linking diverse topics and subject areas.

Significant Question: A Significant Question is one overarching question that frames the Inquiry. It challenges student assumptions/beliefs.

Masterwork: Masterworks are human achievements. This year each grade level has selected a work of art as their Masterpiece. However a Masterpiece crosses all disciplines and can also be music, a famous speech (MLK’s I Have a Dream Speech), the Declaration of Independence, a famous play (Romeo and Juliet), etc.

Interdisciplinary Academic Content: Blending the arts with language arts, math, science, and social studies.

The core of Artful Learning is this four-phase learning sequence. This sequence unfolds in an active, hands-on manner, with teacher and student sharing the roles of teacher, artist, and scholar.

• Experience: Students experience and respond to a Masterwork though sight, sound, and movement. Students leave this phase curious and wanting to know more.

• Inquire: Students begin an investigation triggered by questions raised in the Masterwork experience. A Significant Questions guides the inquiry and research.

• Create: Students design and create an original Creation, expressing new knowledge and skills. Students evaluate and revise until their Original Creation is ready for presentation.

• Reflect: Students look back on their learning journey and ask Deepening Questions about what they have learned. These will cause them to reflect on their own experiences, creations, inquiries, and understanding as they work. Students look ahead and consider how they can use what they have learned and what their next steps will be. This helps them identify their strengths and interests for possible future study.

Original Creation: An Original Creation is the product a student creates in order to express what he/she has learned or been inspired by. It reflects the student’s understanding of the Masterwork, Concept, and Significant Question. Original Creations can talk many forms – from sculptures, to music, to poetry, to mathematical equation, to tableaux.