<p> This study investigated yard-spaces as artistic sites that are created and maintained through design processes involving aesthetic choices. The field of art education has grown to consider everyday objects and places worthy of exploration as important signifiers of cultural views, values, and expectations. Yard-spaces, as everyday places, are often taken for granted, and aesthetic choices that conform to social norms often have detrimental effects on the environment. This study investigated conformist and non-conformist aesthetic choices, the environmental effects of these choices, and the influences affecting design and maintenance choices for yard-space appearances. </p><p> A gap in knowledge was discovered for recognizing socially conformist aesthetic choices and social expectations for yard-space appearances. This gap was addressed by implementing a researcher-developed place-based environmental art curriculum with fifth grade students from my own teaching practice. Changes in students' attitudes and perceptions of the aesthetic choices affecting yard-space appearances indicated growth in aesthetic understanding and environmental concern. Introspection on the ways social norms are communicated through visual messages was transformational to my teaching practice as I developed a heightened awareness of social influences on my students. Therefore, the curriculum developed for this study is offered as an example to art educators interested in raising students' social and ecological consciousness and also for art educators interested in raising their own awareness of the social influences affecting students' aesthetic choices. </p><p> Barriers to enacting change due to aesthetic attachment to appearances and psychological ownership of property impeded the willingness of participants to consider aesthetic changes for their yard-spaces. Research of these barriers is recommended for student learning to move beyond understanding of environmentally beneficial aesthetic choices to enacting these choices. New knowledge that was generated through this research revealed strategies for encouraging aesthetic and environmental understanding of yard-space appearances, but further research is necessary to understand the barriers that impede the enactment of social and ecological change.</p>

<p> As educators grapple with the issue of eliminating achievement gaps that exist among student groups, instructing for students' diverse learning needs while effectively meeting the demands of the curriculum can be a daunting task. Arts integration (AI) is a research-based strategy that has been demonstrated to lead to positive effects in student achievement with the greatest effect being among students who qualify for federal meals benefits (FARMS) (Deasy, 2002; Catterall, 1999; Rabkin &amp; Redmond, 2006). This mixed-methods study evaluated state mandated reading assessment data for a cohort of grade three students for the years 2011, 2012, and 2013 within one school district in Maryland using a formula developed by the Maryland State Department of Education to determine student change scores. While analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) of AI and change scores for FARMS and non-FARMS students did not yield a positive relationship, further qualitative analysis of principal and teacher interviews and classroom observations at five public AI elementary schools revealed perceptions among educators of a positive relationship of AI to student achievement. Utilizing a grounded theory approach to examine emergent themes, a theory of effective models of arts integration was developed to include the elements of: shared vision, student engagement, rigorous instruction and teacher capacity. This study provided information regarding the optimal method of delivering arts integrated instruction that may lead to student achievement and reduce the achievement gap between FARMS and non-FARMS students. </p>

<p> Students with language-based learning disabilities (LD) increasingly are placed in inclusive classrooms to ensure they receive access to their grade level curriculum. However, inclusion alone is insufficient for addressing the specific learning challenges of students with language-based LD in general education settings (McLeskey &amp; Waldron, 2011). A need exists for additional strategies to increase on-task behavior and provide greater learning opportunities for students with LD in inclusive classrooms. </p><p> The purpose of this study was to examine the use of a drama intervention, tableau, to increase the on-task behavior of students in inclusive fourth-grade language arts classrooms at two urban elementary charter schools in the Mid Atlantic region. All of the students in the fourth-grade language arts classrooms participated in the tableau intervention, which consisted of students making still images with their bodies to represent a scene or explore a particular moment in a story. Observational data were collected on three students identified with language-based LD. Changes in students' on-task behavior within and across baseline, withdrawal, and tableau phases were examined in an ABAB withdrawal design. Visual analysis was employed to determine if there was a functional relation between tableau and an increase in students' on-task behavior during small group language arts lessons. Descriptive data were collected via audio digital recordings of story recalls to assess the three students' understanding of character traits and sequence of events. </p><p> Results indicated that participants' on-task behavior increased following the introduction of tableau and decreased following the withdrawal of tableau and return to conventional instructional strategies during small group language arts lessons. For all three participants, a functional relation was established between tableau and an increase in on-task behavior through a change in level and stability across phases. All three participants scored higher on the oral story recall assessment of character traits and sequence of events during the tableau intervention phases as compared to the baseline and withdrawal phases. These findings suggested the potential value of using drama interventions to increase the on-task behavior and provide greater learning opportunities for students with LD in inclusive language arts classrooms.</p>