Teaching and Learning in the Arts include instruction in Instrumental and Vocal Music, Visual Arts, Dance, and Theater

The Arts in the Plainfield Public Schools include teaching and learning in the disciplines of Instrumental and Vocal Music, Visual Arts, Dance, and Theater. All the arts instructors in grades K-12 are certified teachers in their specific arts area. Preschools in Plainfield include the arts as part of their inclusive approach to educating the whole child.

The Arts teachers in Plainfield Public Schools are required to align their lessons with the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards: aesthetics, creation and performance, elements and composition, critique, and cultural history. Since literacy, mathematical and science learning is critical to all academic development, the Arts teachers work on five interdisciplinary units that incorporate literacy, mathematical and science learning throughout the year.

Incremental assessments in the arts are ongoing due to the performance-based nature of the disciplines. Student achievement will also be evident in written work using specialized arts vocabulary and critique. Auditions and portfolio review will be part of transitional assessments between elementary and middle school and middle school and high school. For 5^th grade students, the choice to enter the small learning community in the arts at Hubbard Middle School will require auditions and review of their visual art portfolio. For 8^th grade students, the choice to enter the small learning community in the arts at Plainfield High School will require auditions for dance, theater, music and portfolio review for the visual arts.

Dates for Hispanic Heritage Month, African American Heritage Month, Winter, and Spring concerts are listed on the district calendar providing ample planning time for parents, family and community to attend and celebrate student accomplishments in the performing arts. 

Field Trips to art museums 2007-2008 may include trips to Newark Museum, Zimmerli Art Museum/Rutgers New Brunswick, Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton and  the Princeton Art Museum – all New Jersey visual art destinations.  

Musical performances that students will be encouraged to attend with their schools will be provided by the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra at various sites and bimonthly concerts and rehearsals by the Plainfield Symphony Orchestra. Additional performances at the State Theater/New Brunswick and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center/Newark will be considered by each music teacher in every school. 

Elementary School Teaching and Learning in the Arts

Instrumental music curricula K-5

• Violin instruction in the early elementary grades
• Percussive rhythm instruction in the early elementary grades
• Flutophone or Recorder instruction in third grade
• Band instrument instruction –woodwinds, brass, percussion in grades four/five
• Piano keyboard instruction – grade five
• Sharing performances among schools

Vocal music curricula K-5

• Learning of Patriotic songs
• Reading music on G clef staff
• Diction and memorization of song lyrics
• Performance opportunities in chorus and/or musical theater productions
• Sharing performances among schools

Visual Arts K-5

• District-wide projects such as puppets and illustrated books
• Cultural history learning - Van Gogh, Faith Ringgold, Diego Rivera, Oldenburg, Lawrence, Picasso
• Participation in annual student exhibition(s) at the Plainfield Arts Festival at Library Park, duCret School of Art and/or the Drake House
• Two dimensional – painting, drawing, and printmaking and three dimensional – ceramics, relief, found objects, wire, wood, plaster projects at all grade levels

Theater K-5

There are no full time theater teachers in the Plainfield Public Schools at the elementary and middle school level. Musical Theater has been part of interdisciplinary projects and after school programming. Original productions such as the The Gem/2007 and the World is Flat/2007 and well known stories such as Miss Nelson is Missing/2006 and 2005, and Cinderella/2006 are performed annually. In 2008 musical theater productions of The Wiz, Aladdin, This Land is Your Land, and Encounters will be performed in various elementary schools.

Dance K-5

There are no full time dance teachers in the Plainfield Public Schools at the elementary school level. Dance instruction takes place, at times, in conjunction with musical theater productions. The cultural history of dance is appreciated through field trips to professional performances such as those by Alvin Ailey at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center.

Middle School Teaching and Learning in the Arts

Hubbard Middle School – Small Learning Community (SLC) in the Arts

• Student auditions for entrance into the SLC at the 5^th grade level
• Student auditions for entrance into the SLC at Plainfield High School for 8^th grade students
• Beginning and advanced instruction in vocal music including aspects of musical  theater as well as in instrumental music, and dance
• Piano Keyboard Instruction
• Band instrument instruction –woodwind, brass, and percussion
• Learning of patriotic songs
• Dance instruction in modern, ethnic and ballet dance styles
• Common planning periods for all SLC teacher team members to further encourage interdisciplinary learning
• Numerous performance opportunities for school community and across the district
• Outside professional dance, theater and musical presenters performing at the school such as the college troupe from Raritan Community College Fall 2007
• After school classes in the arts such as African and Latino dance classes

Maxson Middle School

• Highly proficient teachers in music, art and dance
• Instrumental Music instruction on band instruments – woodwind, brass and percussion
• Piano keyboard instruction
• Diction and breath control for vocal music students
• Chorus including memorization of music; learning of patriotic songs
• Expressive singing in English and Spanish
• Lyrical dance
• Modern and ethnic dance instruction
• District-wide visual art projects such as puppetry and illustrated books
• Two dimensional – painting, drawing, printmaking and Three dimensional – plaster, relief, ceramic, wood, wire, and cardboard construction projects in the visual arts
• Cultural history – Lichtenstein, Rembrandt, Dali
• Competition in Laws of Life logo contest
• Frequent exhibition of student artwork in school hallways
• Participation in community arts events at the Plainfield Art Festival, Drake House, Swain Gallery, and duCret School of Art

Plainfield High School – Small Learning Community in the Arts (SLC)

The 2007-2008 school year begins with a total redesign of class offerings in the arts – the new classes are: DANCE - Musical Theater – the dance component, Three Pillars of Dance I and II – ballet, jazz and modern, Choreography; VOCAL MUSIC – Songwriting, Musical Theater for Voice, Beginning Chorus, Chorus by audition; INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC – Jazz Ensemble, Concert Band, Percussion Ensemble, Piano Keyboard THEATER – Acting, Directing, and Playwriting; VISUAL ARTS – Drawing, Printmaking, Sculpture, Color and Design, Painting, Studio Art.

Students auditioned at the end of 8^th grade for placement in specific arts classes. Students in 9^th, 10^th and 11^th grade had auditions in Plainfield High School for placement in specialized arts classes.

• Cultural History in the visual arts include study of George Segal, Andrew Wyeth, Michelangelo, and Ed and Nancy Kienholz
• Performances at elementary and middle schools throughout the district is during Hispanic Heritage Month and African American Heritage Month
• Marching Band begins in mid August and continues as an after school activity from September thru November
• Dramatic and musical theater productions 
• SLC planning and problem solving to provide appropriate facilities, supplies and computers
• Initiation of Advisories for SLC
• Attendance at professional theaters like McCarter, Rutgers/Mason Gross School of the Arts, Princeton, NJ and Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn, NJ
• Numerous performing opportunities for performing arts groups at elementary and middle schools in Plainfield; inclusion of patriotic songs  
• Visual art exhibition opportunities at the Drake House, duCret School of Art, Swain Gallery, NJPAC, Kean University and other venues
• College portfolio and CD preparation 

Professional Development for K-12 Arts Teachers is an ongoing process that includes monthly meetings as well as full days of instruction on district initiatives such as curriculum mapping.  Other workshops include:

Teachers showcase their best practices to share with colleagues 

Interdisciplinary science/art and literacy/art and math/art workshops

Classroom management sessions

Music teaching in the urban classroom

Technical instrumental sessions on woodwind, brass, string and percussion instruction

Printmaking techniques for visual art teachers

Portraiture and self portraiture techniques for visual arts teachers

African dance techniques

Latino dance techniques

Ballroom dance techniques

Conducting techniques

Music software programs

Songwriting techniques

Improvisation techniques for vocal and instrumental teachers

Exemplar websites for arts learning is provided to teachers throughout the year.