Arts Integration

At Altadena Arts Magnet, we integrate arts and academics for a rich, meaningful learning experience for all students. Professional teaching artists collaborate with classroom teachers and a full-time, credentialed arts teacher to design meaningful learning experiences.

Imagine a classroom where students deepen their understanding of science, math, history, and English through engaging arts lessons:

• Kindergartners reenact a beloved story to improve comprehension skills.
• First graders study the science of sound as they learn about musical instruments.
• Fourth graders learn about diameter, radius, and decimals while creating unique sculptures, then calculate the retail price of the sculpture based on the materials used.

Arts integration increases students’ math and English/language arts proficiency and social-emotional skills. A 2003 evaluation by researchers at the University of Minnesota found that students in classrooms where teachers reported they implemented arts integration “a lot” produced modestly higher gains in Grade 3 reading and math scores when compared to students with less exposure to arts integration. (Ingram & Reidel, 2003)

Sustained student involvement in theatre arts improves students' reading proficiency, self-concept and motivation, and higher levels of empathy and tolerance for others. (Catterall, Chapleau, & Iwanaga, 2003)

Arts Partnerships

At Altadena Arts Magnet, visual and performing arts are integral to a well-rounded education, boosting engagement and achievement. We provide weekly instruction in all art forms, nurturing the whole child and inspiring students to achieve their best.

Students with a history of in-depth arts involvement demonstrate better academic outcomes; they earn better grades and demonstrate higher college enrollment and attainment rates. (Catterall, Dumais, & Hampden-Thompson, 2012) 

• Every student builds a strong musical foundation with weekly classes taught by a credentialed music teacher.
• In partnership with Lineage Dance, students in grades K-2 experience fun, fitness, and fundamentals of dance, while students in grades 3-5, students learn classical, modern, and contemporary technique.
• Theatre Residencies through the Music Center and Southland Signs provide invaluable opportunities for students to build confidence on and off-stage. Students may also audition to participate in our annual musical production. 
• Room 13 Art Studio provides a space for students to explore their creativity and build lifelong freindships.