The City of Mesa Arts and Culture Department has launched Learning ReimaginED, a virtual portal offering STEAM curriculum — science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics — for educators and home-schooling parents.
The portal was created because school field trips are on hold during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Mesa Arts Center, Arizona Museum of Natural History, i.d.e.a. Museum, Mesa Historical Museum and Southwest Shakespeare Company have all contributed programming.
“We are thrilled that these five institutions have come together to support Arizona students during these challenging times,” Cindy Ornstein, director of arts and culture for the City of Mesa and executive director of Mesa Arts Center, said in a statement. “The programs offered should be able to help enliven classrooms, engage students’ critical thinking and creativity, and help motivate students to stay engaged with learning. The lion’s share of these resources are offered free of charge.”
Through the curriculum, students can journey back in time to Arizona’s pioneer days, discover the power of image and metaphor through Shakespeare and works of art, experience music, and learn about dinosaurs that roamed Arizona more than 60 million years ago.
Mesa Arts Center will host several virtual and in-person programs, including Project Lit that uses poetry, spoken word and hip hop to promote literacy and activate social and emotional learning. The Classical Music Inside Out program features Grammy Award-winning cellist Zuill Bailey performing and engaging with students. And the Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum hosts virtual gallery tours and discussion.
Arizona Museum of Natural History programs for students in grades 3-5 include: Dinosaur Teeth, Fossil Detectives, Science of Sauropods and Paleo Art and Diets. And i.d.e.a. Museum programs for preschool through sixth-graders include: Art of the Story virtual guided tours with an art-making activity and an Artful Tales Experience linked to a video of a themed book, age-appropriate artwork and discussion.
Southwest Shakespeare Company will share several virtual performances with study guides as well as live workshops. Finally, the Mesa Historical Museum will host virtual field trips to the Women in Aviation and Mesa & Arizona Pioneer History exhibitions. Learn more at mesaartscenter.com/learningreimagined
