Theme-based Residencies (PreK + K)

Theme-based Residencies are a series of five student-centered workshops focused on creating engaging, interactive arts-focused or arts-integrated experiences for children in PreK and Kindergarten.

The teaching artist uses specific themes, curriculum, and topics often found in early childhood classrooms throughout Maryland to create an immersive, developmentally appropriate experience for children. Some examples of these themes include positional words, weather, cooperation, and the five senses.

Each residency starts with either a "kickoff" assembly or an interactive workshop and culminates in an event where children share what they learned.

Explore Available Theme-Based Residencies

Choose the best option for you:

Interactive Arts Focus

In a theme-based residency with an interactive arts focus, the teaching artist uses arts standards to introduce children to the elements of dance, theater, and/or music. This might look like a dance teaching artist guiding students in becoming their own choreographers and developing a class dance connected to the theme of cooperation.

Setting: Theme-based residencies typically take place in Pre-K and Kindergarten classrooms.

Arts Integration Focus

A theme-based residency with an arts integration focus goes even deeper, connecting an art form to an early childhood curriculum such as math, science, or literacy. These residencies support student understanding in key developmental domains through arts experiences, providing opportunities for creatively exploring curricular areas. For example, a theatre teaching artist might help children understand story sequencing by acting out a hibernation story they're reading from beginning, middle, to end.

Setting: Theme-based residencies typically take place in Pre-K and Kindergarten classrooms.