The Art and Science of Science and Art:

Exploring Commonalities and Engagement of Arts Integration in the Science

Classroom
Benjamin Buursma
Michigan State University
12/11/2014

Research Question
The setting for my action research project is a premier K-12
coeducational independent school in Northern Virginia. Enrollment for the
2013-14 school year stands at 1,020 students, with 19% of those students
receiving some form of need-based financial aid. Without aid, a year of 4th
grade tuition is $32,325. Approximately 80% of the students I teach are
white and upper/middle class.
I am in my second year of teaching exclusively 4th and 5th grade
science. I teach four sections of each grade, with 16 students per class. 4th
grade students come to my class for science two times a week for 45 minute
class periods, with a third 55 minute class set aside for outdoor education. 5th
graders have science twice a week for 60 minute blocks. Both courses
feature curriculum with largely physical and biological themes, as well as the
development of critical thinking and inquiry skills through extensive handson activities. The school is situated on a 92 acre campus, complete with
woodlands, fields, ponds, and streams, which serve as a second classroom of
sorts and a core resource in meeting my curricular goals.
In many settings, a teacher dedicated to science for 4th and 5th grade is
unusual; however, the structure and specialization of my current position
offers many benefits. My classroom, for example, contains a wealth of handson science equipment that would likely not fit in the typical self-contained
classroom. Additionally, teaching four sections of each course allows me to

develop and refine curriculum quickly. Yet these benefits are tempered with
the limitations of specialization. There are days when I feel like my only
interaction with other adults are a passing Hello. Such isolation presents
obvious challenges to collaboration with colleagues and integration of crosscurricular content. I believe these missed opportunities of collaboration and
integration ultimately limit the connections students make between
disciplines. This context led me to consider research that might benefit
students understandings and participation of science as it intersects with
other subjects.
Traditionally, science standards and curriculum (including the most
recent Next Generation Science Standards) make explicit connections
between science, math, and language arts. These connections are sought
out in large part because of the pressure facing schools to implement
common core curriculum, but what about other disciplines? How does a
subject with similar specialization, such as art, intersect with science? This
question lies at the heart of my research. I hope to uncover commonalities
between art and science and explore how the integration of visual arts might
shape the way students engage with science. Sub-questions of my research
include:

What skills overlap between art and science? Are there

connections between the process of creation for an artist and
investigation for a scientist?

How might art shape student engagement and/or bolster

scientific understanding?
What opportunities for art integration lay within my outdoor
education curriculum? How might using natural materials in art
or highlighting the art of nature raise students awareness of
their environment?
Literature Review

Although I have not studied art, or consider myself an artist, I hold a

deep appreciation for the discipline. I am often taken with the beauty artists
brush onto a canvas or the movement they mold into a sculpture. Art is
intimate enough to resonate with deep truths and yet expansive enough to
inspire bold dreams. In fact, the beauty of the natural world, and the design
I find there, is a driving force behind my interest in science. My own positive
experiences in the realms of art and science have led me to think of
integration between the two as a given, but does current research support
such a claim? My review of the literature set out to better understand how
others have reflected on the connections between these disciplines. Where
do art and science find common pedagogical footing? What benefits and/or
limitations of blending art and science have been documented? Are there
practical, tested approaches of integration that might guide my own
research?

Scholarship at the intersection of art and science accounts for a

relatively small amount of real estate in todays educational landscape, but
many voices are increasingly calling for that to change. Art and science, they
argue, share a dynamic synergy (Buczynski, Ireland, Reed, & Lacanienta,
2012, p. 29) and are intrinsically linked by a shared essence of discovery
(Alberts, 2008). Perhaps even more foundationally, art and science are, at
their core, ways of knowing and expressing (Warren, 1986). Gideon Engler
(1994) writes that both disciplines are associated with profound human
experience and perception of the world (p. 207). Julia Marshall (2005)
echoes the sentiment and situates her own call for arts-integration within
this context. Congruent with shifts in postmodern thought, Marshall claims
that art education must move from formal concerns to a focus on meaningmaking. She writes:
Connecting art to other areas of inquiry in a substantive, integrative
way not only reveals the foundations of each discipline, but also makes
for sound pedagogy because it: (a) is congruent with the way the mind
workshow we think and learn; (b) highlights and promotes learning,
especially learning for understanding and transfer; and (c) catalyzes
creativity. (p. 229)
For Marshall, arts integration is a natural extension of how people make
sense of the world around theman idea central to the pursuit of science.
Furthermore, the capacity of art to bolster learning and creativity serve as an
ideal transition into the benefits of arts-integration in science.
The potential benefits of integrating art and science have recently
become more widely discussed because of a push on the part of some to

change the well-recognized acronym STEM (Science, Technology, Education,

and Math) to STEAM by inserting an A for the arts. Beyond a catchy name,
proponents of the shift argue an integration of the arts is essential to
innovationa key tenant of STEM education (Chen & Cheers, 2012; Wynn &
Harris, 2012). Researchers from Michigan State University seem to agree. A
study conducted with the Honors College science and technology graduates
found that graduates majoring in STEM subjects were far more likely to have
extensive arts and crafts experience and skill, which the participants
believed stimulated their innovation and correlated to their production of
patentable inventions and founding of new companies (LaMore et al., 2013,
p. 221).
In addition to advances in innovation, the integration of art in science
holds promising benefits for bolstering student thinking, interaction with
phenomena, and diverse modes of expressions (Frazier & Caemmerer, 2014
p.39). These benefits may in part emanate from art and sciences shared
concern with aesthetic. Gideon Engler (1994) points to several notable
scientists who credit aesthetic as a major factor in the development of their
theories. In fact, Einstein himself is quoted as saying, After a certain high
level of technical skill is achieved, science and art tend to coalesce in
esthetics, plasticity, and form. The greatest scientists are artists as well.
When the creativity and visualization of art are leverage in science, students
are better able to clarify their thinking in a way aligned with their own way of
seeing and understanding (Frazier & Caemmerer, 2004). While the benefits

of blended science and art learning are multiple and varied, it is important to
consider the approach of such integration.
Bequette and Bequette (2012) are quick to offer a word of warning to
anyone considering art integration. They caution that anytime subjects are
integrated, there is a serious risk that one area will be paid lip service,
counted as being covered, but in fact not honored (p.46). The key to an
authentic shift from STEM to STEAM, they claim, can only happen when the
arts are seen as an end goalnot an entry pointto science topics (Bequette
& Bequette, 2012). Similarly, Ede (2002) suggests that both art and science
must share a quest for freedom (p. 67). One meaningful marriage of art
and science seems to be through the use of metaphor or analogy, where
students are asked to articulate scientific concepts through a visual
metaphor (Buczynski et al., 2012). Other approaches focus on specific skills
like drawing as legitimate ways for students to not only communicate their
understandings, but also organize their knowledge more effectively
(Ainsworth, Prain, & Tytler, 2011). As students are called on to demonstrate
21st century skills of complex communication and non-routine problem
solving, so too will they be called on to blur the lines between art and
science (Buczynski et al., 2012).
Upon reviewing the literature surrounding art and science, I feel
affirmed in the value of pursuing my current research. Although many
connections between art and science have already been drawn, the nature of

discovery inherent in each discipline suggests many connections are yet to

be made. In fact, the foundational connections between art and science as
experiential epistemologies have challenged me to consider ways students I
teach might utilize art as a valid scientific way of knowing and expressing.
Furthermore, the literature I reviewed did not explore the specific
connections between using natural materials and students awareness of
their environmenta subquestion of my research.
Investigative Approach and Tools
Although this study is qualitative in nature, the scientist in me insists
upon inserting the occasional quantitative approach. In this case, I intend to
sustain as large of a data set as possible and plan to include all the students
I teach, 66 fourth graders and 65 fifth graders almost evenly split between
boys and girls, as participants in my study. Along with more opportunities for
data collection, maintaining my study across both grades will allow me the
flexibility to integrate art with multiple science concepts and a variety of
different learners. Although I see each class multiple times a week, students
only have one art period a week. During my research, fourth graders will be
finishing a unit on flight, starting a unit on sound, and continuing with
outdoor education; fifth graders will be completing a unit in simple machines
and starting a long-term project centered on innovation, invention, and
design.

I will use a variety tools for data collection in order to answer my

research question and subquestions. The table below details which tools
correspond to specific questions of my study.
Research Question: What commonalities exist between art and science?
How does the integration of visual arts shape the way students engage
with science?
Subquestions
Data 1
Data
Data
Data 4
Data 5
2
3
Field
Teache Standa
Notes/
Stude Work
r
rds
Observatio
nt
Sampl Intervie
ns
Surve
es
w
y
What skills overlap
between art and science?
Are there connections
X
X
X
between the process of
creation for an artist and
investigation for a
scientist?
How might art shape
student engagement
X
X
X
and/or bolster scientific
understanding?
What opportunities for art
integration lay within my
outdoor education
X
X
X
X
curriculum? How might
using natural materials in
art or highlighting the
art of nature raise
students awareness of
their environment?

Field Notes/Observations

I plan to take open-ended notes and observations about student engagement

during activities with arts integration. I imagine that student engagement
with art elements in science could look any number of ways, but I will pay
close attention to student focus and evidence of scientific thinking (i.e.
observing, questioning, collaboration, etc.). I will also record any student
comments or behavior that relate directly to student awareness of their
environment. These notes will be recorded in a spiral notebook.
Student Survey
After completing a variety of arts-infused science lessons I will administer
student surveys using Google forms. Possible questions include: When have
we done art in science? Is art important for science? Is science important for
art? Do you do science in art class ever? Was there a particular kind of art
(like drawing or sculptures) that helped you better learn something in
science?
Work Samples
Samples of student work can be helpful data points used for gauging student
engagement or scientific understanding. Because I have not yet decided on
specific art activities, I am not certain on what these work samples will look
like or how they might reveal student thinking.
Teacher Interview

In order to better understand the creative process for artists, as well as

identify possible curricular connections between our schools art and science
program, I will conduct 2 to 3 open-ended conversations with the middle
school art teacher. I plan to ask her specifically about process, content,
standards, and themes in her work with the students I also teach. I will
record notes from our conversation.
Standards
Although my schools independent status does not require the use of
national standards, we have created documents that delineate each
departments philosophy and objectives. I plan to examine the documents
from both the science and art department in order to identify commonalities
between the disciplines. Additionally, the Next Generation Science Standards
(NGSS) and the National Coalition for Core Arts Standards (NCCAS) will serve
as a secondary data set.
Timeline
Planned Timeline
September

Work to be Completed
Identify, justify, and contextualize research
question/subquestions. Begin collecting sources for

October

literature review.
Construct investigative approach and tools. Complete

November

literature review. Begin collecting data.

Continue collecting data. Begin organizing and

December

analyzing data and identifying emergent themes.

Draft findings and conclusions, revise work, and

complete final draft.

Throughout my study I will be balancing my role as teacher and my

role as researcher. In some instances, however, there will little to no conflict
between my roles. For example, interviewing the middle school art teacher
or examining science and art standards will have implications on my
teaching, but those aspects of my research will occur outside of my
responsibilities in the classroom. Conversely, when I am planning artsinfused lessons and collecting student work or field notes I will need to
ensure that the goals of my study does not impede on my curricular goals or
objectives for student learning. Additionally, I will take the necessary steps to
protect the identity of my students and school by using pseudonyms, where
appropriate, throughout my study. Because of the scope and nature of my
research and data collection, my school does not require additional parental
consent to implement my investigative approach and tools.
Data Analysis /Findings
Before I began collecting data, I felt confident in my investigative
approach. I had delineated my tools, laid out a schedule, and considered how
to balance my role as teacher and researcher. My plans, however, began to
change after my very first lesson with art integration. In that lesson, I
introduced students to the color spectrum through a song about ROY G. BIV.
The song set the stage for a fall-themed outdoor activity where students
collected leaves of different colors in order to create a color spectrum. The

activity went really well. Students were engaged and interested. They
eagerly collected leaves, paying close attention to each leafs color, and
worked collaboratively as a group to order the leaves as best they could from
red to violet. After completing the activity, I planned to evaluate the
experience using a priori themes of the sub-questions I had created at the
start of my study, but as I reflected on the experience (and attempted to
organize my newfound data), I realized my sub-questions did not quite fit the
contours of my arts-infused endeavor. Student engagement, scientific
understanding, and environmental awareness seemed to just scratch the
surface of the richness and complexities that came with fusing science and
art, especially outdoors. Over the next month of conducting science lessons
blended with art, I still reflected on these experiences with my sub-questions
in mind and have formulated a series of claims supported by the findings of
my various data sources; I have also remained open to emergent discoveries
about the nature of art-integration within my science curriculum. These
emergent themes, however, have surfaced not as claims, but rather as new
understandings about me as an educator. For this reason, I discuss these
ideas in the conclusion of my study.

Before I support this claim with evidence, it is important to understand

why I chose to examine this theme in the first place. My original subquestions, What skills overlap between art and science? Are there
connections between the process of creation for an artist and investigation
for a scientist? came out of earlier work I had done looking for
commonalities between math
and science. In that previous
experience, I wanted to be
sure that when my class did
math in science, such as
finding an averaging or
putting data on a graph, I was
being consistent with what
our math teachers were doing
teaching. There were many

and
Students order leaves by color from red to violet.

straightforward opportunities to reinforce skills and vocabulary from math in

my science curriculum. While connections between math and science were
clear and direct, similar associations between science and art required
imagination and creativity. This might be one reason why the NGSS has
readymade connections to common core mathematics, but not to any
national art standards. The lack of art in national science standards is telling,
but the majority of my findings actually come from documents created by
the science and art department at my school (attached in Appendix A).

As an independent school, our curriculum is not determined by national

or state standards, but by departmental philosophies and K-12 student
outcomes. As I examined each document closely, it was fascinating to note
the differences and similarities between the disciplines. Perhaps the most
striking difference came from the focus and tone of each philosophy. The art
department philosophy stresses the importance of understanding self and
seems to openly enshrine the value of subjectivity. In fact, the K-12 student
outcomes seek to cultivate the ability to critique and discuss student ideas
and process. Contrast this approach with the science department, whose
philosophy focuses on understanding the world, opposed to the self.
Furthermore, K-12 science student outcomes prioritize objectivity and
reinforce skills like measuring, observing, and scientific reasoning. In
interviewing an Upper School art teacher I work will, he remarked, I think
science uses objective testing to prove and disprove ideas and I dont think
art is doing that. Art is a constant collaboration, or interaction, between a
mind, and various ideas, and materials.
Despite these differences, each discipline is foundationally rooted in
pursuits of truth and expression. As I have shown, the process for each is
often different, but the boundaries of each domain, as one art teacher put it,
are imprecise. Because both science and art rely on exploration and
experimentation--it is their very natures that cause them to intersect.
Additionally, both departmental philosophies prioritize engagement, whether
with society or the physical world. It is clear that both art and science

teachers are interested in helping students to understand their respective

roles in local and global landscapes. In fact, each document also shares
common language, not specific to content or skills, but language concerning
lifelong curiosity and the outdoors. Both documents refer to the schools 90
acre campus and share a view of our outdoor resources as an extension of
the classroom. Although the integration of science and art is not as neat as it
is with science and math, finding connections between the disciplines
remains an important goal, and consistent with art and science as they are
practiced outside the walls of the classrooms.

Claim: Practicing art in science is a powerful tool of expression and

should be utilized as part of a differentiated approach to foster
student understandings.
At the beginning of my 4th grade unit on sound, I collaborated with the
Middle School Art teacher to create a lesson that would utilize art as an
introduction to our new topic, as well as provide me with a novel look at my
students existing understandings. For this activity, students spread out on
the floor in groups of four around a large piece of fabric. I then played a
word-less song with various changes in volume, pitch, and rhythm and
tasked students with drawing what they heard. I explained that their
drawings should not simply be pictures of the instruments they heard;
rather, they should try to visualize the sounds as specific colors and lines and

put their ideas on the fabric with oil pastels. I was astounded with the results.
When the song began, every student was engaged in careful listening, while
actively filling the fabric with a diversity of lines and colors. Going into the
activity, I was unsure about how such an exercise could serve as a preassessment. To my surprise, certain students naturally began drawing
sounds as waves and many students intuitively made bigger, dramatic
strokes for loud sections of the song. These observations not only clued me
into some students more developed understanding of sound as a wave, but
also served as a reference point later in the unit when we discussed loud
sounds represented by waves with larger amplitudes.

Student drawings of sound.

Vi
deo of students drawing sound.

After students finished the activity, they completed a short exit ticket
with two simple questions, What was it like to draw sound? and Did
drawing sound change how you listened to the music, or how you thought
about the sound? Explain. Again, I was not sure about what to expect from

my students responses, but their insightful reactions to the activity went

beyond any outcomes I had anticipated. One student commented that
drawing sound came pretty naturally to me. I just heard the music and knew
what to draw While another shared that the experience was fun but a little
challenging. I felt as if sound was really how people express themselves. It
was clear from the responses that students relished the opportunity to
express themselves, and their experience of music, using art. Moreover,
students made direct connections to how the activity shaped their listening
of music. One student said that drawing sound made me think sound is
more complex. Another student who often requires redirection commented
that it changed how I listen to music because I focused more on the
drawing. Finally, a third student wrote that music and art are much more
similar than I thought. These student responses, and others like them,
reminded me of the importance of differentiation. I strongly agree with the
work of scholars like Howard Gardner, whose theory of multiple intelligences
underpins the pedagogy of differentiation, but seeing students come alive
while drawing their observations in such a unique way served as powerful
reinforcement of the importance of providing varied opportunities for
students to express what they know.
At the end of my study, after multiple opportunities for students to use
art in science, I administered a simple student questionnaire about our artsinfused lessons. I asked students specifically to reflect on how art shaped
their science understandings.

It is worth noting that almost half of the students surveyed felt the extra arts
focus only kind of benefited their science understanding. Although about a
fifth of students felt art was very helpful to their science understanding,
almost the same percentage of students felt the opposite. I think this data
reinforces my conclusion that arts-infusion should be utilized as a tool of
differentiation. Integrating art with science should not be the sole avenue for
student development and expression of understandings, but should
unequivocally be a part of any science teachers instructional toolbox.
Claim: Arts infused science lessons maintained and supported
student engagement.
The wording of this claim is strategic. After examining my data sources,
it became evident that I do not have sufficient findings, or the right type of
findings for that matter, to claim that arts infusion strengthened student
engagement. My qualitative data contains many examples of high student
engagement, but it is important to note that before this study, I already
enjoyed high levels of student engagement. I benefit from a largely inquirybased curriculum, where my biggest classroom management problem is

often students overeager to share their comments and questions. Despite

not being able to make a bold claim of improved student engagement, my
findings do suggest that arts infusion maintains and supports student
engagement. Students themselves were quick to acknowledge as much in
their questionnaires:
In another section of the survey, students had the opportunity to write
additional comments about doing art in science. Although students could
leave this section blank, simple comments like It is fun combining art and
science or We should do it more often demonstrated students overall
positive experiences throughout the study.

Showing that students enjoyed doing art in science is one thing, but
specifying why they might prefer the experience is another. There seemed to
be something special happening during the lessons where we integrated art.
Reflecting on the various lessons, it struck me that every time I created an
opportunity for art I also had to give up some aspect of control. If I wanted
students to try and authentically express their understandings through art, I
could not pigeonhole them to a particular picture of my understandings. Art,

by its very nature, gives students ownership. I believe this ownership can
and should play a central role in maintaining student engagement.
Claim: Creating art outdoors, or with natural materials, has the
potential to positively affect students environmental awareness.

Similar to my claim of student engagement, I do not have the proper

findings to boldly claim that doing art outdoors, or with natural materials,
bolsters students environmental awareness. While my data cannot speak to
specific gains in environmental awareness, it does paint a positive picture of
doing art outdoors. Again, I will first refer to the students themselves. In my
end-of-study
questionnaire, I asked
students What do you
think of doing art
outside? Rather that
highlight only a few
student responses, Ive
compiled all their
responses into a word cloud. In this graphic, the size of the word correlates to
the frequency with which it was mentioned, with larger words representing
more occurrences. Besides a lack of synonyms for fun, its clear that
students really enjoyed the opportunity to do art outside. If you look
carefully, you might also see the words boring or annoying, but these
sentiments are clearly in the minority and tempered by words such as
delightful and peaceful. I believe these positive experiences outdoors are
essential to building the capacity for stewardship and an awareness of our
how actions might affect the environmenta belief reinforced during my
interview with our schools upper school art teacher.

Materials, according to the art teacher I spoke with, play a central role
in the exploration and expression of student ideas. For example, it is
essential for an artist to understand the properties of say limestone, opposed
to those of marble, when creating a sculpture. These properties are a direct
connection to where the materials were collected and the processes that
brought them into existence. In this way, artists are incentivized to
understand their environment (or at least the environments pertaining to
their materials). Materials, however, seem to simply be starting point
between the confluence of art and the outdoors. Going outside, painting
landscapes, collecting clay, listening to a river open the door for possibilities
that extend well beyond that particular class period. The art teacher I
interviewed stressed that these types of experiences, ones as simple as
sitting quietly outside, do more than just provide a moment of heighten
awareness; rather, being and doing outdoors fills the tanks of students. If
art is fundamentally about expressing, than rich, varied experiences outside
only make for deeper pools of expression. Such a claim resonates with my
own experiences. In fact, the wonders of creation are an animating force
behind my own vocation in science education. I can only speculate that
student experiences creating art outside, similarly, have the potential to
impact the rest of their lives.

Students use oil pastels to draw the sounds they hear.

Implications and Conclusions

After a thorough review of my findings, it is interesting to look over the
data againthis time looking for what is absent, rather than present. One
thing I did not find throughout my study was a resistance to arts integration.
There were no student comments that read, Why are we even doing art?
This is supposed to be science class. In fact, had I not told students I was
purposefully trying to add art to our curriculum, I do not think any of my
students would have noticed the change. In many ways, this study fit well
within the tenor and tone of my current curriculum. Intentionally creating
space for art in STEM education, not only makes sense, but happened
naturally. Looking back over my literature review with the advantage of

experience, I wholehearted agree with those pushing for a shift towards

STEAM in todays classrooms. Along with the benefits of doing art in science,
I feel I can also speak to the nuances of integrating these two separate
disciplines, such as the ones raised by Bequette and Bequette (2012) who
warned of treating art as an entry point to science, rather than an end goal. I
was amazed at the beauty and depth of expression in my students artwork.
Even art activities I might have planned as mere entry points students took
over and created works of art worth displaying on the wall, regardless of the
science content they embodied. I hope to continue the conversation started
by my literature review, and I am excited about the possibilities of sustained
arts integration within my curriculum.
A key component to sustained arts integration is collaboration between
teachers. Reflecting on my experience, I was invigorated professionally and
personally by taking time to talk with the art teachers I work with. Their
ideas and insights were invaluable to the lessons I created. In some ways, I
even started to feel more like a participant than a researcher in my study. As
I created arts infused lessons, I became more artistic. My lesson planning
became more creative and expressive, and by that I mean more open to
exploration. Importantly, I do not think this comes at the expense of my
science instruction. Sometimes in science, I get the sense we are too
desperate for control. I feel like I am always asking students to control for
variable and create fair tests, but this approach can hamper creativity and
suggests to students life (or at least science) is about right answers. Thinking

about art in science has really brought me back to why I love science.
Science is about questions, it is about making meaning, it is about
understanding the world better. These past few months thinking about art
has pushed me to consider who I am and how I express, and has ultimately
made me a better science teacher.
This study has been was about the intersection of art and science, but
as it went on it would be more true to say it was about the integration of art
in science. I attribute this to our class structure. I dont get to teach an
Intersections class (although that sounds cool!) I teach a science class and
have to work within my curriculum. In this framework, and considering next
steps of this study, it would be interesting to pursue what science integration
looks like in an art course. To be clear, art is already teeming with science,
but I am curious how I might support art teachers and their curriculum like
they have done for me. I wonder, for example, if art students could keep an
art notebook that figuratively borrows pages from a science notebook. Could
art students create investigations where they identify the variables that
affect their pottery during a firing? Art teachers can be explicit about having
students make observations and reasoning scientifically. As far as next steps
in my own classroom, I look forward to continue integrating art into my
curriculum in authentic ways, especially as it relates to differentiation,
engineering and design, environmental awareness, and student expression.
References

Ainsworth, S., Prain, V., & Tytler, R. (2011). Drawing to learn in science.
Representations, 3, 5.
Alberts, R. (2008). Discovering Science Through Art-Based Activities. Beyond
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Bequette, J. W., & Bequette, M. B. (2012). A Place for Art and Design
Education in the STEM Conversation. Art Education, 65(2), 40-47.
Buczynski, S., Ireland, K., Reed, S., & Lacanienta, E. (2012). Communicating
Science Concepts through Art: 21st-Century Skills in Practice. Science
Scope, 35(9), 29-35.
Chen, K., & Cheers, I. (2012, July 31). STEAM Ahead: Merging Arts and
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Ede, S. (2002). Science and the contemporary visual arts. Public
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Engler, G. (1994). From art and science to perception: The role of aesthetics.
Leonardo, 207-209.
Frazier, R., & Caemmerer, A. (2014). Science + Art = Enhanced Learning for
Students. Science Scope, 37(5), 38-43.

LaMore, R., Root-Bernstein, R., Root-Bernstein, M., Schweitzer, J. H., Lawton, J.

L., Roraback, E., ... & Fernandez, L. (2013). Arts and crafts: Critical to
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Marshall, J. (2005). Connecting art, learning, and creativity: A case for
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Warren, N. (1986). The Experience of Knowing: Special Classes in Art and
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Wynn, T., & Harris, J. (2012). Toward a STEM + Arts Curriculum: Creating the
Teacher Team. Art Education, 65(5), 42-47.

Appendix A
Science K-12 Philosophy and Objectives
The science program at The Potomac School focuses on the idea that science
is a way of understanding the world. Potomacs ninety-two acre
campus provides opportunities for scientific and environmental studies
in woods, ponds, meadows, wetlands, fields, and streams. Students
use our natural spaces and laboratories for learning science and for
promoting environmental stewardship. At all levels, the science
program emphasizes an inquiry-based approach for investigating the
physical and natural world. This approach fosters a genuine interest in
and appreciation of science, allowing the students to discover and
develop their talent as scientists and to go as far as their interest and
ability will take them. The courses offered by the department
thoughtfully progress from a concrete form to an abstract
understanding of the scientific endeavor. The development of critical
thinking skills provides the basis to design solutions to problems in
society; to challenge nascent ideas and theories as independent
thinkers; and to become advocates of ethical and scientific issues. The
science department is committed to helping our students develop a
passionate engagement with ideas and a lifelong curiosity to continue
to learn beyond the walls of the classroom.
Science K-12 Outcomes
Students will be able to:

Design real-world laboratory experiments, observe and measure real

phenomena, organize, display, and critically analyze data, and
communicate results, suggesting ways to improve future experiments.
Demonstrate an understanding of the fundamental principles of the
various scientific disciplines and the interdisciplinary nature of science
as a whole.
Think critically, reason scientifically, and communicate findings
through logical writing and presentations both individually and in
collaborative partnerships.
Incorporate appropriate technology in their study of science.
Evaluate the complexity of the ethical issues and implications of a
scientific question and think critically about their own ethical behavior.

Understand, appreciate, and responsibly connect their experiences in

science to local and global systems.

Art K-12 Department Philosophy

Visual arts are ancient and powerful forms of expression in response to the
world and to human experiences. In K-12 art courses, students use a wide
variety of methods and materials as they explore their own ideas. Art
projects are invitations to make and to invent. For students of all ages,
imagination and original thinking are at the core of their art experience. This
is equally true for the faculty, all of whom are practicing artists. Teachers
encourage daily, independent effort to perfect skills and a willingness to
reconsider and make revisions. Students continually develop independent
judgment about their work and the ability to discuss their goals and
accomplishments. While teachers encourage completion of assigned and
independent work, they also respect the importance of the creative process.
Beyond cultivating technical skills, art classes offer daily lessons in character
and cooperation. Students learn to care for their tools, materials and the
studio environment. Learning in art is truly kinesthetic; at every age in every
activity students must integrate mind and body. Our studios extend to the
schools 90-acre campus, and beyond, including field trips to museums and
interactions with artists and designers. At every age level, there are
opportunities for highly motivated students to pursue their interests in more
concentrated enrichment programs. Our K-12 art experience invites students
to develop their creative ideas in a demanding and sympathetic setting, and
to cultivate a lifelong curiosity for and engagement in the arts.

Art K-12 Outcomes

Students will be able to...

use art to explore their own experiences and develop their own
identities.

use art confidently and competently to explore and express their ideas
in a range of media.

embrace the cognitive tools of the artist: generative, imaginative,

metaphorical, analytical and synthetic thinking.

develop increasing responsibility and respect for art tools, materials

and shared work space.

imagine, plan, organize, rethink and revise during the creative process.

discuss and critique their goals and accomplishments and the work of
other artists.

use a common art vocabulary to discuss ideas and processes.

seek out, study and understand the art of other times, places and
cultures.

understand the role of art in social commentary.

recognize practical applications of art and design in the professional

world.