Southern Utah University

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Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Summer Semester 2026

Creative Arts Integration in Elementary Education (Online)

ELED 4000-30I

Course: ELED 4000-30I
Credits: 3
Term: Summer Semester 2026
Department: TED
CRN: 20325

Course Description

A creative exploration for prospective elementary teachers who have completed two of the following (ART 3900/MUSC 3900/THEA 3900) to develop an arts enriched curriculum through integration. Designing practical lessons tied to other subjects is paramount to this course. (Fall, Spring, Summer) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Prerequisite(s): EDUC 2100 and (ART 3900 and MUSC 3900) or (ART 3900 and THEA 3900) or (MUSC 3900 and THEA 3900) Prerequisite Min. Grade: C

Required Texts

No required text. Course reading materials will be provided online.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

  1. Experience and design elementary arts lessons which are integrated with Utah State Core Curriculum in math, science, literacy and social studies on various grade levels.
  2. Discuss rationales for the relevance and importance of arts integration in the elementary classroom.
  3. Present content in challenging, clear, and compelling ways to engage elementary students.
  4. Practice using the  Utah Core Standards to write and plan clear and high quality objectives, assessments, and learning activities.
  5. Engage in reflective practice to continually evaluate individual and group teaching practices to meet the needs of each learner.

General Teacher Preparation Competencies


The following Utah General Teacher Preparation Competencies are assessed in this class.

  • (LL.6) Encourage student ownership of learning by applying real world connection and authentic learning experiences in the classroom
  • (IC.2) Create learning intentions and success criteria that are aligned to Utah Core Standards
  • (IP.2) Provide appropriate strategies to promote and facilitate students’ problem solving, critical thinking and discourse
  • (IC.1) Demonstrate an understanding of Utah Core Standards
  • (IP.3) Analyze student assessment data, including both formative and summative assessments, to inform and adjust instruction
  • (IP.4) Employ a variety of assessments that allow all students to demonstrate learning

Course Requirements


Kennedy Center Reading Assignments || 20% of Final Grade


The Kennedy Center has created a collection of arts integration resources for educators. We will use this information like a textbook for this course. Each week for the first six modules you will read from this collection and discuss it online with your peers through a program called Hypothesis.

Classwork ||  30% of Final Grade


Throughout the course you will complete a variety of simple assignments which were designed to replicate the type of learning activities which would take place in a traditional face-to-face classroom setting. In some cases you will read and/or watch course content, then interact with your peers using online digital tools. This type of work also includes student introductions and exploring integrated lessons and resources found online. There are 2 choice assignments which let you dive deeper into topics we have discussed in class that you would like to know more about. 

Major Projects || 40% of Final Grade


You will have three projects which will let you practice different aspects of teaching with arts integration. These projects each include multiple smaller assignments which are spread out across the course.  Each of these projects include a peer review component. This will allow you to experience a wide variety of arts integrated teaching ideas. It will also allow you to engage in reflective practice to continually evaluate teaching practices to meet the needs of each learner.

Critical Thinking Activity: You will create a video of a quick activity which encourages critical thinking through looking at and talking about works of art. You will also watch and positively comment on the Critical Thinking Activities created by your peers.

Hands-On Project: You will use online resources to learn a new arts process in dance, music, theatre, or visual art.  Then you will create a short video modeling how to do this process to create an original work of art. Finally you will watch and positively comment on the modeling videos created by your peers.

Integrated Lesson: You will create one integrated arts lesson. This is the largest project of the course. You will have multiple small assignments which will help you develop and improve your lesson. When the lesson is complete, you will create a video of yourself teaching your lesson, either to a group of children that you have gathered (family, neighbors, etc), or to a group of your peers (family members, neighbors, friends, etc.)

Course Final || 10% of Final Grade


Your course final is a project instead of a test. This project will allow you to practice quickly developing rich arts integrated lessons and reflect on your learning from the course.

Course Outline

Module 1: Introduction to Arts Integration
  1. Become familiar with the course structure and major assignments.
  2. Explore and discuss the definition of arts integration and the history and purpose of this teaching method.
  3. Explore a variety of arts integration examples..
  4. Hear and discuss various viewpoints about the value of arts integration from children, teachers, and administrators..

Module 2: Integrated Lesson Planning
  1. Evaluate teaching objectives and assessments to determine if they are well written and include all necessary components.
  2. Determine whether objectives, assessments, and learning activities are well aligned with Utah Core Standards.
  3. Write clear teaching objectives based on the Utah Core Standards which include the Audience, Behavior, Condition, and Degree.
  4. Conceive of engaged learning activities which teach two or more Utah Core Standards from different content areas simultaneously.
  5. Discuss how arts integration helps children develop skills and knowledge to be successful in the 21st century..

Module 3: Arts Integration Works
  1. Explain the eight ways that arts integration may improve long-term retention of content and how to plan learning activities to include these strategies.
  2. Explain the eight Studio Habits of Mind and plan arts learning activities to practice these habits.
  3. Explore the alignment between arts integration and three principles that guide Universal Design for Learning.
  4. Generate multiple integrated learning activities for one Utah Core Standard.
  5. Evaluate learning activities for quality, feasibility, and how well they address an Utah Core Standard.
  6. Create and present one short arts integrated learning activity which is designed to be a small part of a traditional lesson.

Module 4: Learning With Creativity
  1. Explain the stages of the creative process and explore ways to incorporate this process into a lesson plan.
  2. Explore ways to strengthen students’ creative capacities through the CREATES Brainsets developed by Shelley Carson.
  3. Practice presenting demonstrations in clear and compelling ways to children.
  4. Explore how to use questions to improve student engagement in lessons and learning activities.
  5. Discuss using formative assessment to increase learning during arts integration.
  6. Write a rough draft of an arts integrated lesson plan.
  7. Explore a variety of arts integration examples .

Module 5: Preparing to Teach
  1. Evaluate lesson plans for quality, feasibility, and how well they teach a Utah Core Standard.
  2. Practice providing to peers to improve lesson plans and teaching.
  3. Revise an arts integrated lesson plan based on feedback.
  4. Discuss how arts integration offers “multiple and varied avenues to learning” consistent with the principles of differentiated instruction.
  5. Practice delivering positive, motivating arts demonstrations that model creative thinking and arts processes .
  6. Practice using technology to create high quality teaching tools.
  7. Explore a variety of arts integration examples.

Module 6: Teaching
  1. Design elementary arts lessons which are integrated with Utah State Core Curriculum.
  2. Present content in challenging, clear, and compelling ways to engage elementary students.
  3. Practice using the  Utah Core Standards to write and plan clear and high quality objectives, assessments, and learning activities.
  4. Engage in reflective practice to evaluate and improve teaching practices to meet the needs of each learner.
  5. Discuss how arts integration supports the tenets of Whole Child initiatives.
  6. Explore a variety of arts integration examples.

Module 7: Reflection
  1. Practice teaching arts integrated lessons.
  2. Explore a variety of arts integration examples.
  3. Engage in reflective practice to continually evaluate and improve teaching practices.

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work


All assignment descriptions and due dates are listed in Canvas. If you submit work by the due date and are not happy with your score, you may revise and resubmit it. All late work and revisions must be submitted by the last week of class. If you submit work after the due date, you may not resubmit it and you might not receive written feedback.

Attendance Policy

This is an online asynchronous course.

Course Fees

Grading Policy

SCORING: A few assignments will be assessed as complete/incomplete but most assignments will be assessed on the following 5 point scale:
5 Point Scoring Rubric
  • 5 POINTS: A MODEL Product | All of the requirements are evident and exceeded.The product is very neatly done and extremely well organizedThe product is complete, detailed, and analyticalCompleted on time
  • 4 POINTS: What Is EXPECTED | All of the requirements are evident and met.The product is very neatly done and well organizedThe product is complete and detailed
  • 3 POINTS: ALMOST What Is EXPECTED | Almost all requirements are evident (maybe 1 or 2 are missing)The product is neatly done and organizedThe product is complete but may lack detail
  • 2 POINTS: SORT of What Is EXPECTED | Most requirements are evident (maybe 3 or 4 are missing)The product is done and sort of organizedThe product is incomplete but attempts at completion are clear
  • 1 POINT: NOT what is expected | Many of the requirements are NOT PRESENTThe product is very poorly done and/or poorly organizedThe product is incomplete
  • 0 POINTS: Does NOT Meet Standards | Cannot be scored or no product

ASSIGNMENT WEIGHTS:  Although most assignments are graded on a 5 point scale, each assignment is weighted differently. Refer to the Course Requirements to see how each assignment type is weighted. 

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence use is not allowed in any way in this course. Violations could result in failure of the assignment or failure of the course.

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.