Join the Focus 5 team for a year of engaging, participatory online sessions focused on various arts-integrated teaching strategies.
Register for one or all of the sessions!
(bulk registration rates are available)
Each Synchronous Zoom Session is taught by a nationally recognized, highly trained specialist in the arts and education fields including National Board Certified Teachers, certified reading specialists, professional artists, and teaching artists.
Appropriate for teachers of grades K-12 (varies by session, see below)
All classes are 90 minutes long:
Pacific: 10-11:30am | Mountain: 11am-12:30pm | Central: 12-1:30pm | Eastern: 1-2:30pm
About Our Season of Synchronous ZOOM Sessions:
Our 2022-2023 season of arts integration ZOOM sessions for educators is divided into FOUR distinct series:
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Daily Arts Routines (Sept-Oct)
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STEAM/Science (Nov-Jan)
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Literacy (Jan-Feb)
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Artistic Literacy/Different Art Forms (March-April)
Our highly trained specialists are PASSIONATE and uniquely qualified to teach educators how to harness the POWER of arts integration education and help ELEVATE your curriculum!
DAILY ARTS ROUTINES SERIES
September 24, 2022
The Actor’s Toolbox: Empowering Students to Find Calm, Focus, and Balance
with Sean Layne
How do teachers prepare for students’ widely varying energies and emotions? This session establishes a silent routine that helps classes calm their bodies, focus their minds, and balance their emotions so they are ready for learning.
Created by actor/educator Sean Layne, this strategy has been used with overwhelming success for decades in classrooms worldwide and seems more relevant than ever as our educational system turns its focus on social emotional learning.
For teachers of grades K-12
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DAILY ARTS ROUTINES SERIES
October 22, 2022
Thinking on Your Feet: Building a Creative Classroom Community Through Improv!
with Maria Tereza Schaedler-Luera
Improv Games are a quick, engaging way to start the day, to use between tasks and before tests, or even to change the energy after lunch or near the end of the day.
This session focuses on 5-15 minute ready-to-use game-like learning structures that develop a variety of skills: team building, focus, listening, problem solving,collaboration, critical and creative thinking, flexibility and many more. Join drama specialist and “improv queen” Maria Tereza Schaedler-Luera as she gets your creative juices flowing in this playful session.
For teachers of grades K-12
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DAILY ARTS ROUTINES SERIES
October 8, 2022
The Literacy of Dance: Setting the Stage for Learning Through Creative Movement
with Jessica McHugh
Shifting back to school from unstructured summer days can be tricky for young learners! Why not bring a little creativity to your procedures and routines for the new school year and move through this transition with more ease? Creative movement routines can help students develop their self-awareness to manage their bodies in space, move through hallways and classrooms mindfully, build relationships with peers, and cope with stress and anxiety.
In this valuable session, creative mover and curriculum specialist, Jessica McHugh guides you in procedures and routines that set the stage for mindful movement to support learning in the classroom all year long!
For teachers of grades K-2
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STEAM/SCIENCE SERIES
November 19, 2022
Exploring Science Concepts Through Shadow Puppetry
with Daniel Barash
Shadow puppetry, with its interplay of light and dark, is the perfect medium to journey into the world of STEAM!
In this session, you will explore the science behind this age-old art form and use the Engineering Design Process to plan and construct shadow theater screens and puppets, right on the spot. Join master teaching artist Daniel Barash to examine the dynamics of shadow and light through performance techniques that will help your students demonstrate their understanding of the science behind the shadow screen. See you in the land of shadows and STEAM!
For teachers of grades 1-6
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STEAM/SCIENCE SERIES
January 7, 2023
Using Visual Art Strategies for Design Thinking: Paper Sculptures and Drawing
with Angie Russo, Kay Thomas and Garrett Brown
Brainstorming ideas/solutions and trying them out can be challenging and time consuming for students. Arts strategies provide a quick and creative solution.
Join art and technology integration specialist, Angie Russo, as she unpacks the Design Thinking process and connects two of its stages-Ideate and Prototype–to two visual arts models: Paper Sculptures and Drawing. By working in teams, brainstorming solutions, and creating quick representations of their ideas, students learn a process for gathering and refining their ideas. Sculptor Kay Thomas and Visual art educator Garrett Brown guide participants in creating these 2 dimensional and 3 dimensional models.
For teachers of grades 2-8
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STEAM/SCIENCE SERIES
December 10, 2022
Using Kinesthetic Arts Strategies for Design Thinking: Drama and Dance
with Angie Russo, Sean Layne and Harlan Brownlee
Brainstorming ideas/solutions and trying them out can be challenging and time consuming for students. Arts strategies provide a quick and creative solution.
Join art and technology integration specialist, Angie Russo, as she unpacks the Design Thinking process and connects two of its stages-Ideate and Prototype–to two kinesthetic arts models: Tableau and Movement Phrases. By working in teams, brainstorming solutions, and creating quick representations of their ideas, students learn a process for gathering and refining their ideas. National teaching artists Sean Layne and Harlan Brownlee guide participants in creating these creative, physical models.
For teachers of grades 2-8
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LITERACY SERIES
January 28, 2023
Drawing Symbols for Reading Comprehension
with Jamin Carter
When drawing is used to make sense of information that students listen to or read through text, it can’t be beat!
If you want to greatly increase students’ ability to accurately recall what they read, organize events in the proper sequence, and make sense of unfamiliar content, this interactive session with professional artist and educator Jamin Carter is for you.
For teachers of grades 2-8
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LITERACY SERIES
February 25, 2023
Listening to Comprehend - Hearing a Story Through Music
with Emily Smith
When students read a story, their comprehension grows as they use their imaginations to create images and scenes of what they read. Imagine how much stronger those images become when meaningful music is added!
In this session, join musician and music teacher Emily Smith to explore three basic elements of instrumental music and how composers combine them to communicate with an audience. Use those elements to set a story to music, that will help your students think deeper about characters, understand conflict and resolution, and make meaningful predictions.
For teachers of grades 2-6
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LITERACY SERIES
February 11, 2023
Creative Comprehension-Moving Through the Illustrations of a Story
with Jessica McHugh and Melanie Rick
Childrens' literature is filled with characters who wrestle with various emotions while striving to overcome obstacles. The illustrations in these books often capture complex thoughts, feelings and actions and provide the catalyst for rich conversations and powerful lessons.
During this session, movement specialist Jessica McHugh and literacy specialist Melanie Rick model how to look, think and talk about detailed aspects of illustrations and use creative movement to help students demonstrate their understanding of the story. This process helps your students make personal connections from the text to their own, as well as others', feelings.
For teachers of grades K-6
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ARTISTIC LITERACY SERIES
March 11, 2023
Exploring the Elements of Music
with Imani Gonzalez
As you listen to music, do you know the difference between tempo, beat and rhythm, melody, pitch, and dynamics?
This session will demystify the elements of music, build your vocabulary, and increase your skills for bringing music into your classroom. Join world vocalist and recording artist Imani Gonzalez as she leads this session that will build your musical understanding.
For teachers of all grades
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ARTISTIC LITERACY SERIES
April 15, 2023
Exploring the Elements of
Body Percussion
with Jason Nious
Ever feel an abundance of energy that makes you feel like beating your chest or stomping your feet? If so, this session is for you!
Explore the power of body percussion with Jason Nious, performer with the musical group STOMP and dance company Step Afrika! Feel the synergy of music and movement as Jason guides you through a rhythmic discovery of our bodies as instruments.
For teachers of all grades
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ARTISTIC LITERACY SERIES
March 25, 2023
Exploring the Elements of Dance
with Lorena Cervantes
Body, energy, space, and time all work together when we engage in creative movement. Come ready to move in this session that examines how these elements of dance work together and in isolation.
Former director of the National Dance Company of Costa Rica and arts integration dance teacher, Lorena Cervantes, moves us step-by-step to help you introduce dance in your classroom.
For teachers of all grades
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