OSP Social & Emotional Learning Art Curriculum for Schools©
Through partnerships with community organizations, Evanston Township High School is providing students with multiple opportunities to get support and engage in mindfulness practices.
Open Studio Project provides a welcoming environment to create art for personal growth, social emotional learning (SEL), and community wellbeing. Their SEL Art Curriculum is available to ETHS students and staff throughout the school year in response to the COVID pandemic.
“Students learn to manage feelings of stress and impulse control, be more fully present, and be reflective problem solvers,” said Sarah Laing, executive director of Open Studio Project. “The pandemic has been overwhelming on many levels. This art space gives them a chance to address social justice issues, fear and anxiety, grief and sadness, among other complex feelings.”
The Open Studio Project program is available on campus during the lunch hour multiple days a week, as well as after school on Mondays and at Wildkit Academy. Teaching artists and art therapists are on hand to help students gain a sense of belonging and connection through creative expression.
“This program provides a good way to vent creative thoughts,” said freshman Connor Hill. “The school day can be stressful, especially for students who may not know a lot of others. And it’s nice to have a place to go with no pressure.”
The Lessons
OSP’s SEL Art Curriculum lessons meet Illinois SEL and visual arts standards, and are sequenced to reflect both the artistic, creative learning process and the SEL skills instructional sequence.
| Lesson #1 | Art Animals | SEL Skill: Self-Awareness |
| Lesson #2 | The Shape of Me | SEL Skill: Self-Awareness |
| Lesson #3 | Food Fest | SEL Skill: Self-Awareness |
| Lesson #4 | Under the Ocean | SEL Skill: Self Awareness & Self-Management |
| Lesson #5 | Into the Woods | SEL Skill: Self-Awareness & Self-Management |
| Lesson #6 | Outer Space | SEL Skill: Responsible Decision Making |
| Lesson #7 | Metamorphosis | SEL Skill: Self-Management |
| Lesson #8 | Treasure Box | SEL Skill: Social Awareness & Relationship Skills |
| Lesson #9 | Thank You Banners | SEL Skill: Relationship Skills |
| Lesson #10 | Marvelous Machines | SEL Skill: Relationship Skills |
| Lesson #11 | Art Garden | SEL Skill: Responsible Decision Making |
| Lesson #12 | My Town | SEL Skill: Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, & Responsible Decision Making |
Duration:
Curriculum includes up to 12 Art & SEL Lessons that are each 45-60 minutes, although can extend over several class periods. Eight of the lessons are designed to happen in one class period and four are designed to take place over two. Curriculum duration is largely at the discretion of the teachers and the time available.
Sequence:
The curriculum, when taught in a sequenced manner, has shown more positive student behavior change and improved artistic and academic performance. However, with the flexibility and customization that the curriculum allows, this can the played with an rearranged for the best order for your classroom.
“No Comment” Rule:
OSP instructors follow the “no comment” rule. Teachers and students refrain from making positive or negative comments about the artwork of another student. This creates a safe space for students to express themselves and explore their own preferences, honor their artistic visions and make art in nontraditional ways.
Lesson Components:
Each lesson includes three parts:
- Engaging in a dialog with students about the lesson’s essential questions, objectives and vocabulary.
- Creating art
- Engaging in conversation around the SEL skills present in the lesson
Dexterity:
Especially for special needs classrooms, art lesson instructions and art making time can be modified.
Year-to-Year Project Extensions:
When the curriculum is used from year-to-year, the curriculum can vary or extend the projects as the students progress from one grade level to the next.
OSP offers programs such as:
History of OSP and SEL
Even before Illinois became one of the first states to implement Social and Emotional Learning instruction in schools (2003), OSP saw a need we knew we could fill. In the 1990s our instructors began facilitating OSP’s individualized, process-oriented creative arts projects and incorporating social and emotional skills learning for youth.
In 2016 we decided to put the lessons into a formal SEL and Art Curriculum for schools. The initial instructional pilot for our SEL and Art Curriculum program in 2017 was in local Evanston District 65 schools, K-6. Our pre-and-post SEL learning assessment surveys showed an 18% average gain in student social and emotional skills after participating in the program.
In early 2019, OSP began collaborating with Evanston Cradle to Career to bring a new PreK version of the SEL & Art Curriculum to preschools throughout South Evanston, including Reba Early Learning Center, Childcare Network of Evanston, and Learning Bridge Early Education Center. OSP also has continued to partner with District 65 schools and educators. We continue to provide the Curriculum and student SEL learning assessment survey in PreK- High School to strengthen the evidence-base.
Why SEL?
- Relationships provide a foundation for learning.
- Emotions affect how and what we learn.
- Social and emotional skills can be taught.
- SEL has a positive impact on academic outcomes, health, relationships, student voice & citizenship.
- SEL reduces classroom management
- SEL coordinates a framework to avoid fragmentation of prevention and positive youth development programs, addresses equity from trauma (SEEL).
- SEL skills and attitudes are demanded by employers.
- There is a proven 20% increase in positive social behaviors post our SEL Curriculum
Contact sel@openstudioproject.org for funding resources
Bring an innovative Arts SEL Curriculum to your school!
Curriculum
Trainings
Residencies
“This class is my favorite. I love you. Thank you for making us feel like we’re artists. It’s not what anybody else feels about us.”
-Student at Mason Elementary following 12-week SEL residency with OSP
Curriculum
Fully-Printed Curriculum Available Soon
Open Studio Project has developed a process-oriented curriculum for creative arts education aligned with Illinois SEL and visual arts standards which support student social and emotional development. OSP is one of the first art-based organizations in Illinois to develop an evidence-based curriculum incorporating a creative methodology and SEL and visual arts goals for all students, including those with communication disorders, autism, and special needs.
Participants of the curriculum explore and develop stronger skills in creative art expression while learning the skills for self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship-building and responsible decision-making.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: professional development trainings to accompany these lessons geared to educators, school counselors, and art specialists.
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- A curriculum has been developed for PreK, K-8 & High School
- Each Lesson Includes:
- A Teacher’s Guide
- SEL & Art Objectives
- SEL & Art Vocabulary
- Project Instructions
- Emotion Faces, Calming Activity
- Learning Prompts
- SEL & Art Inquiry & Reflections
- In addition, visit our Teachers Pay Teachers site to purchase individual lessons & download our free resources
Training
Go in-depth with our evidence based social-emotional learning art curriculum. Train directly with the curriculum authors, practitioners, and art therapists working in Chicago-area schools. Learn all about the OSP SEL philosophy, goals, and outcomes.
- Receive 3 free lessons from the curriculum with the training
- Training can be paid for by PD or Grants. Contact sel@openstudioproject.org for more details
Residencies
Highly customizable partnerships between OSP and your school.
- With each residency, schools will receive:
- Teaching Artist
- Art Therapist
- All Curriculum Lessons
- All Needed Supplies
- Training for Staff
- Gallery Show
- Ability to be remote, in person, or hybrid.
- Can pay for by PD or Grants. Contact sel@openstudioproject.org for more info.
SEL & Art Goals:
Learners:
- Gain confidence in their creative abilities
- Experience joy in creative expression
- Gain tools to understand emotions and manage stress
- Learn skills to control impulses and be fully engaged
- Gain a greater respect for others and their work
- Become a more reflective problem solver
The Data
This chart depicts that, for the first lesson in the sequence, students expressed positive emotions, 42% were happy and 28% were either calm or proud of their art creation. Responses were similar for most of the lessons. The emotions question can be very helpful from lesson to lesson for instructors to determine mood trends and if a child needs assistance.
Contact: sel@openstudioproject.org for more info
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