Today’s focus for #ocsbSTEAM week is Art. How many different ways can you think of to integrate STEM and the Arts? Creativity and design are everywhere in STEM, which is why the arts are included, turning STEM into STEAM!
Ever heard of Band Lab? BandLab is a social music platform that enables creators to make music and share the creative process with musicians and fans. BandLab for Education is built specifically for teacher and student interaction. BandLab for Education empowers teachers and students with everything they need for collaborative, engaging and meaningful learning in the classroom.
And don’t forget those daily doodles (using Google Drawings and Canva) have gone digital! Take a look at the amazing creations online using #ocsbSTEAM and #ocsbArts.
Ideas to support your child’s exploration of the Arts
- Give your child opportunities to be creative with different materials found around the home or outside.
- Explore how music connects to STEAM. Consider pitch, instruments, and the science of sound and technology.
If your child is in Kindergarten to grade 6
- Give your child the freedom to explore their creativity through play.
- Make paint stamps out of different vegetables like potatoes, explore what happens when colours are mixed together, and make a collage out of newspapers, magazines or flyers.
- Dance with your children. It’s a great way to get physically active and have fun.
- Experiment with sound by filling glasses with different amounts of water and tapping with a spoon. For fun, you can add food colouring to each glass. Check out this fun video to get started!
- When your child creates a work of art, be positive, give sincere praise and ask them questions about their work. Point out creative details, and comment on their use of colour or elements of originality.
If your child is in grades 7 to 12
- Encourage pride in your cultural heritage by helping children find art and artists representing your culture — for example, Harlem Renaissance art, First Nations beading, origami, etc. Ask your librarian for help. Go through the books with your child, then visit an art gallery or museum.
- Explore all sorts of music genres with your children, whether it’s on the radio or through streaming services.
- Visit the National Gallery of Canada in person or online to check out their collections. You can travel the world digitally to see other amazing collections like those at the Louvre, the Metropolitan Museum of Art or the Museum Of Modern Art.
How we support your child’s learning at the OCSB
- We know creativity is an essential skill in the world of art. That’s why it’s one of the six global competencies we focus on through our Deep Learning approach to educating your child.
- We have many community partnerships in the Arts, such as MASC (Multicultural Arts for Schools and Communities).