MISSOULA – We headed over the Missoula’s Franklin Elementary School for this Arts and Education report where the sciences are being learned — but not in the usual way.
When we stopped by, a kindergarten class was learning all about pollination.
“Today is going to be a very good day because we are starting to learn about pollinators. See, we will talk about bees and butterfly’s and maybe even some hummingbirds. And if I can sneak in a bat or two that would be really awesome,” said SPARK! Arts Missoula teacher Kate Crouch.
What makes this class unique is they are learning about pollination through dance and movement — which is just one of many teaching styles the SPARK! Arts Missoula teachers use to help kids learn different school concepts.
“We all have multiple intelligence. Some might be a visual learner or a movement learner, writing might be most beneficial,” Crouch said. “So as a teaching artist we try to integrate and get all these different teaching styles into the learning curriculum. ”
As the kindergartners were moving and dancing they were also — even if they don’t realize it — learning at the same time. It’s something that’s a very beneficial part of the schooling process.
“The more you get it into your body, it just retains in your brain a little longer and a little more authentically,” Crouch said. “And it really helps them to feel connected to the learning material.”
