TITLE The Arts in Curriculum Integration.

This study investigates the effects on individual students of the integration of the visual, performing and/or musical arts, within their civics, English, history, and geography curricula. The paper describes a qualitative multiple-site study of students in 11 rural, suburban, and urban elementary, middle, and high schools. Integrated units ranged from 4-to 6-week thematic units to whole-year integrated courses of study. In-depth interviews were conducted over a 1-year period with students, teachers, and administrators. Analysis of the data indicates students made connections among different subject areas, thus gaining a deeper understanding of content in all related subject areas. Incorporation of curricular content in various intelligence areas provides opportunities for those students who may have difficulty in verbal or mathematical areas to learn and express their knowledge. Findings also suggest a significant increase in students ' positive attitudes towards school and in their self-concepts. The study concludes that integration of the arts into the regular curriculum has a positive effect on students. (EH) * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. * $:=.