Welcome to your class portfolio!! The purpose of this site is to show CAPE the development of your arts integration partnership, as guided by your big idea and inquiry question. 

Make sure you have the following:

1. Planning Form: You must fill out the planning form by October 15th

2. Reflection Questions: Make sure you have your reflection questions filled out for each semester

3. Class Documentation: Include your best documentation with captions. Note about videos: upload videos to your designated folder (click on link here), and then embed the video on this page by clicking "Drive" (under "Insert") on the right-hand side menu, then selecting your video from that folder under "Shared with me." 

IMPORTANT: 

• Please do not edit any other pages other than this, your class' page!

• Please make sure that all media that you upload only displays students whose parents have given consent to their documentation through the signed Media Release Form. Should you upload images of a student who has not given their consent to be documented, please make sure to blur their face.

Reflection Questions

How do you understand the concept of sensemaking in relation to your teaching practice?

I understand sensemaking as the process through which students build understanding by exploring ideas, making connections, and refining their thinking over time. In my teaching practice, sensemaking is embedded in project-based learning, such as our alebrijes project, where students are not given a single “right” answer but are guided through inquiry, reflection, and creation.

What is something that you’ve learned about your students (and their funds of knowledge) that has influenced your class projects or class structures?

One important thing I have learned about my students is that they bring a deep well of cultural knowledge, family traditions, storytelling practices, and creative problem-solving skills. Many students draw knowledge from their homes, communities, languages, music, and lived experiences, and when this knowledge is intentionally invited into the classroom, student engagement and learning meaningfully increase.

How have you investigated your teacher inquiry questions thus far? 

So far, I have investigated my teacher inquiry questions by observing student engagement and responses during our Alebrijes project and other creative activities in the CAPE after-school program. I have noted how students draw on their funds of knowledge—including cultural backgrounds, family experiences, and personal interests—when generating ideas and problem-solving during art-making. For example, in the Alebrijes project, students began by conceptualizing their creatures based on stories, memories, or cultural symbols that were meaningful to them. They then translated these concepts into visual representations using manipulatives such as Model Magic and Magna-Tiles, which helped bring their Alebrijes to life.

Class documentation: 

**IMPORTANT: Make sure to describe all photos in detail-- What are students doing?  What are they learning? How are they engaging in sensemaking? How are they exploring their inquiries?**

Reflection Questions

Class documentation