TEACHING ARTIST SESSION CATEGORIES

Paula Calderon

Integrating Phonics Instruction and Movement (Pk-3rd)

Need to support phonics-based classroom goals?  Want to engage students through movement, music, storytelling, and interactive arts?

In this session specially tailored for grades PK-3, students will practice early CKLA sounds, letter names, and phonemic recognition through creative movement. Rhythm activities, collaboration games, and storytelling exercises are all a part of this immersive and interactive experience for young language learners.  Available in English & Spanish.

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Move & Speak: Practicing Language Through Movement (Pk-5th)

Learning English as a second language and body movement come together in this session where participants go beyond everyday language acquisition. Students will increase vocabulary, strengthen English speaking and listening skills, and practice following directions through rhythm exercises, musical activities, games, and more. Bilingual reinforcement will be provided as needed, but movement and creative interactions will power the learning in a welcoming, supportive environment. Available in English & Spanish.

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Stage the Lesson! Because Some Lessons Deserve a Standing Ovation (PK-12)

What if a lesson ended with a standing ovation? This Broadway musicals-inspired session blends choreography, interpretation, and drama with academic content. Students step into the spotlight by adapting lessons, concepts, songs, or movies into powerful scenes full of character, movement, and imagination. It’s a perfect entry point into physical expression, storytelling, design, and the joy of performing arts. If you need a new way of getting the point – or the facts – across, this session can do it for you. Available in English & Spanish.

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Science Investigations and Creative Movement (2-12)

If your classroom scientists need a new way to approach a project or review content, consider adding the magic of music and movement. Scientific investigations take on new form in this imaginative and interactive session. Storytelling, rhythm games, and dance meet the scientific method in an experience that makes the lesson stick. Available in English & Spanish.

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World Rhythms & Culture: Travel the Map Through Traditional Music & Dance (K-12)

Step off the map and into motion! In this high-energy, immersive arts session, students take a kinetic journey around the globe—exploring diverse cultures, languages, and traditions through the universal power of dance, music, rhythm, and storytelling. Rather than just studying a map or memorizing vocabulary, in this session students embody the concepts. They will move through global dance forms, practice world language phrases through rhythmic call-and-response, analyze how geography shapes cultural expression, and collaborate on original movement pieces that honor global traditions. With a dash of folklore, history, and prop work added to the mix, this session is rich in options and opportunities. Prepare for a lesson with cross-curricular connections between Social Studies, World Languages, Geography, and Global Studies standards that also fosters empathy, cultural awareness, and creative collaboration. This session can be tailored to align with specific world regions, language immersion units, or school-wide multicultural celebrations, so please check in with the artist if you would like to customize.

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