CLINTON, N.Y. (WKTV) - Educators, teachers and administrators from around the Mohawk Valley attended 'An Evening of Art for Educators' at The Wellin Museum of Art on Thursday night to learn about how new exhibitions at the museum relate to the common-core curriculum lesson plans.
This all came about after some Wellin Museum of Art staff got together in August to come up with a plan to better serve the community and its schools. After brain- storming with teachers around the community, they came up with a plan: providing new and fresh content for lesson plans, based on objects and art.
Megan Austin, Manager for the Educational Programming and Outreach said, "Putting an emphasis on object based learning, visual literacy. The lesson plans are supposed to parallel the common core, so we're not trying to give more work to the teachers but to offer them an opportunity to come here, utilize exhibitions and have creativity within their teaching."
The approach the museum is taking is interdisciplinary, covering English, language arts, science and math while intertwining what they call 'object based learning,' or asking questions about the object, and developing a way to utilize art for every discipline.
About ten districts have jumped on the bang wagon, implementing the lesson plans in everyday learning whether it be actually using the lesson plan, touring the museum as a field trip or adding the art as an extra.
" We had a teacher here tonight who did a unit on Ghandi," said Amber Spadea, the School and Family Educator, "So she's going to bring students here and view an exhibition we have on about India in 1930's. It's a very innovative exhibition."
Among the districts participating, the feed back has been positive, Megan Austin said, "We've had great feedback. Teachers have been so supportive, our biggest cheerleaders and we'll be developing a portion on our website where you can download lesson plans."
The lesson plans created by the museum staff utilize the Wellen artwork while also fulfilling all requirements from the common core curriculum and state and federal mandates.