| This thesis studies the need for students in California's public schools, especially students in rural middle schools and high schools, to have integrated arts and humanities education. In particular, it argues that art history, a humanities discipline that is usually subordinated to art-practice instruction, should be taught as a supplement to the visual arts curriculum currently defined as part of California's Visual and Performing Arts Content Standards .Chapter 1 provides an introduction to the teaching of art and art history in California's schools. What follows is a plan to bring a series of art history presentations to middle school and high school classrooms in order to supplement regular instruction in visual arts and other subjects.Chapters 2 through 4 offer three example topics or lessons that may be offered as condensed presentations, workshops, or supplemental courses. Chapter 5 summarizes the research and proposes implementing these and other lessons as art history and humanities supplements to ongoing instruction in visual arts and other subjects in Willits schools in 2009-2010 and, as further developed, in the future and in additional schools. |
