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Managing Time – Integrating the arts across learning areas

The Shape of the Australian Curriculum: The Arts (2011) outlines the opportunities for integration across learning areas.

All the arts are relevant to history and geography studies, because the Arts embody some of the most significant and recognisable products and records of all cultures. Drama and Media Arts have a strong focus on language, texts and narrative, and aspects of these two arts subjects are taught as part of English. Dance has links to health and physical education. Visual Arts has links to design and technology. (p.21)

The table below provides some suggestions and websites that provide authentic ways to study the arts in connection with other learning areas.

Learning area

Connecting arts experiences to other learning areas

English

Potential arts connections through experiences such as:

  • exploring, interpreting and analysing text types e.g. arts works
  • creating text types e.g. arts works

Find specific English examples at:

Language Arts

Mathematics

Potential connections through experiences such as:

  • building understanding of relationships between time and space, rhythm and line as in Dance, Music, Drama
  • experimenting with size, scale, shape, pattern, proportion and orientation applicable to Visual Arts and  Media Arts
  • exploring concepts such as shape, pattern and proportion in subjects such asVisual Arts.

Find specific mathematics examples at:

Mathematics

Science

Potential connections through experiences such as:

  • communicating with others, problem solving, comprehending and using existing resources in the development of new ideas
  • developing observational skills, imaginative speculation and encouragement of curiosity and questioning within the explorations of real and imagined worlds
  • exploring and communicating ideas
  • investigating light and the properties of matter
  • developing new products or solutions to problems
  • representing the natural world, invention and discovery.

Find specific science examples at:

Science

History

Potential connections through experiences such as:

  • comprehending, communicating with others about and researching art works from a range of historical and cultural contexts
  • undertaking research and reading texts with critical discernment
  • create texting that present the results of historical understanding.

Find specific history examples at:

Social Studies

Geography

Potential connections through experiences such as:

  • exploring students' personal world, their immediate experience and their own sense of place, space and environment
  • exploring identity and cultural diversity through connections with their own place and other places, family and cultural groups in their community, the origin of familiar products, travel and world events.

Find specific geography examples at:

Social Studies

HPE

Potential connections through:

  • maintaining healthy lifestyles, dealing with sensitive and challenging issues in abstract ways
  • moving safely.

Languages

Potential connections through experiences such as exploring cultural diversity and what connects us with and distinguishes us from others in Australia and the rest of the world.

Technology

Potential connections through experiences such as using multi-media technologies to create and perform.

Economics, Business, Civics and Citizenship

Potential connections through experiences such as:

  • participating in marketing, promotion and budgeting of an event, running refreshment franchises, making and selling DVDs of an event, and liaising with the local press
  • promoting sustainable development.





This project is funded by the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.