Arts Integration at WESA

Overview

After a long tradition of valuing the arts, Widefield Elementary became an innovation school and was renamed Widefield Elementary School of the Arts or WESA in 2018.  At WESA, we take an arts integrated approach to teach the Colorado State Standards.  We are a member of the Pikes Peak Arts Integrative Collaborative and a Kennedy Center Partner in Education and use the Kennedy Center’s Definition of Arts Integration.  In addition to integrating the arts in the classroom, WESA offers several unique specials and offerings to include: visual art, music, drama, P.E., library, design studio, band and strings (4th and 5th grade), and an all school musical.  The school also offers several clubs to include: drama, art, lego robotics, running club, dance, and coding.  Lastly, WESA also values arts for art's sake and seeks to give students opportunities to experience the arts by going to plays, concerts, and museums when possible.

What is Arts Integration?

How does it look in the classroom?

Arts Integration allows students to show what they know in creative ways that are meaningful to them, allowing them to express themselves creatively, collaborate with classmates, and retain what they have learned.  Examples could include: learning the lifecycle of a butterfly through dance, creating a tableau to represent a historical event, creating a musical timeline to learn sequencing, or using shadow puppets to make writing come to life.  For further information, please see the  Definition of Arts Integration.