Action Tips: Put the Arts in Academic Classes

Did your school cut arts education? Beat the system. Work with your school's teachers and administrators to incorporate the arts into these academic classes.

Math

Many types of math, like geometry, trigonometry and graphing are very visual! Work with your math teacher to see if you can artistic presentations into your curriculum.

• Graph your biorhythms on colorful posters.
• Paint your pie charts.
• Illustrate shapes, prisms and their properties with a collage project.
• No supplies? Origami only takes paper, and it's also mathematical.

English

Reading text out loud gets boring after a while. Convince the class to:

• Act out the play your class is reading.
• Make the poems you're studying into songs
• Add some illustrations to the short story you guys write.

History

Memorizing names and dates is tough. Visual thinkers might enjoy using timelines and other charts to remember events. Also try to write a rap or a poem to help everyone keep their facts straight.

Physical Education

Movement is a form of self-expression. See if your gym teacher would be willing to teach a dance unit. Check and see if their are any young dance experts in your class and see what they know dance styles like

• jazz
• hip hop
• modern
• African dance
• ballet
• a style from another culture

Science

All types of science have opportunities to use visual aids to explore what you're learning. Talk to your teacher about ways to draw and use color to make science a little clearer.