- 1. Kristen Just, Ashley Garaas & Whitney Fridley
2. This case study was designed for students who ranged from the
ages of three to five years of age. Students underwent this study
for a six month period. This case study was completed to determine
if students who received music enriched lessons out performed
students who did not receive music instruction in their lessons.
The research from this study suggests that students who received
music enriched lessons scored significantly higher then students
who did not. 3. Throughout this six-week case study researchers
tried to discover the effects that process drama would have on the
development of literacy skills for four to eight year old students.
Some of the students even spoke English as their second language.
The research from this study suggests that through the use of
process drama in the reading curriculum, teachers may be better
able to help students develop both basic and higher level literacy
skills. 4. Case Study One Case Study Two Applied music skills such
as: pitch, dynamics, duration, timbre, and form Developed
listening, vocal, and motor skills Used critical thinking skills
involved in counting, calculation, number conventions, and number
facts Explored multiple and alternative viewpoints Identified and
attempted to solve problems Applied own logic Used skills necessary
in critical reading Applied language development Applied content
knowledge Explored and understood written texts and picture books
Both studies applied critical thinking skills, although case study
two utilized more skills than case study one. 5. Case Study One
Case Study Two Dance Clapping rhythms Vocal expression through the
use of singing Acting out concepts through the use of drama Drama
Dramatic play Role-playing Improvisation Using imagination Both
studies were equally effective in the use of creative expression.
6. Both of these case studies were process orientated. The
connection in case study one was made by integrating music with
mathematics. The connection in case study two was made by
integrating drama with literacy. Both of these studies were
seamlessly integrated by using the arts to help teach core subject
areas. 7. In both of these case studies students were more engaged
in their core subject areas through the use of art integration. In
case study one students were not only more actively engaged but
also scored significantly higher on standardized tests when music
was integrated into their math lesson. Through the use of singing,
clapping, and dancing student involvement increased because all
learning styles were addressed. In case study two students were
also actively engaged through the use of process drama and
role-playing to develop basic and higher level literacy and
language skills. Integrating process drama into reading lessons was
especially useful in getting English Language Learners more
engaged. 8. In our own classrooms we could see ourselves
incorporating the arts from these case studies (such as music,
movement, drama, and role-playing) into all subject areas. Arts
integration would allow our students to be more actively involved
in our lessons because it would encourage creative expression and
critical thinking. When students are more actively engaged and
lessons utilize more learning styles, students achieve
significantly higher. 9. Using drama to act out stories, writing
ideas, math word-problems, and social skills Using music and
movement to develop a deeper understanding of concepts in almost
any content area Using visual arts to create illustrations for a
class book or a piece of their own writing Puppetry Storytelling
Creative writing such as narratives, poems, fantasies Using
dramatic play in all content areas 10. Harris, M. A. (2007).
Differences in mathematics scores between students who receive
traditional Montessori instruction and students who receive music
enriched Montessori instruction. Journal for Learning through the
Arts, 3(1). Montgomerie, D., & Ferguson, J. (1999). Bears don't
need phonics: An examination of the role of drama in laying the
foundations for critical thinking in the reading process. Research
in Drama Education: The Journal of Applied Theatre and Performance,
4(1), 11 - 20.
