Teaching the Arts through the Appalachian Culture: a Proposal for a High-School Class.

• Main Author: Pitts, Valerie Renee
• Format: Others
• Published: Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University 2001
• Subjects: woodcarving; handmade instruments of country music; pottery; quilting; basketry; dyeing; weaving; vernacular architecture; spinning; blacksmithing; Art and Design; Arts and Humanities
• Online Access: https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/27; https://dc.etsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1077&context=etd

Because of a demonstrable need, there should be a course for the study of Appalachian art in the high school curriculum. This study is a proposal for the study of traditional Appalachian art and its importance to the promotion and preservation of the arts and crafts in the Appalachian region. This course consists of background information on selected traditional Appalachian art, contact and interaction with local artists and craftspeople, and student hands-on experience in the art forms considered. Detailed unit and lesson plans are included in the following areas: Spinning and Weaving, Dyeing, Basketry, Quilting, Pottery, Woodcarving, Blacksmithing, Vernacular Architecture, and Handmade Instruments of Country Music. This course has been taught by the writer at Science Hill High School in Johnson City, Tennessee, and was enthusiastically received by both students and members of the community.