Susan Riley | October 2013

Arts Integration Cart Checklist

Earlier this week, we visited what to do if you can’t count on being able to get your arts integration lesson supplies from an Arts teacher in your building.  One of the ways I suggested to work through this is to have a dedicated Arts Integration Cart or Closet that acts as a hub for all of your Arts Integration supplies and materials.  This is important because it shows Arts teachers that you value their own work and that your school is invested in Arts Integration as a strategy, not a program replacement.

As you go through the process of setting up your arts integration cart, it’s helpful to brainstorm exactly what should be included, how you want the check-out system to work, and how you plan to replenish the materials once they have been used.  I always suggest that you create an Arts Integration Cart Checklist to help make this process move along more smoothly.  This checklist stays with the cart and acts as an inventory monitor, checkout, and ordering sheet all together in one single paper.  This is a great at-a-glance reference to keep handy, and if you can have it electronically through an iPad or laptop on the cart, that sometimes works even better.

I thought this might be helpful as a go-to checklist when schools get started with this process.  Depending on where you are in your arts integration journey, this list might be a good fit for you, or you may need to expand upon it.  Generally, I start with a supply list of approximately $1,000.  Keep in mind, many of these items are consumable and will need to be replaced each year.  If you have an ambitious arts integration initiative, or you work in a large school, you’ll need to create a checklist that is comparable to your individual situation.  Hopefully, though, this give you a great start!

About the Author

Susan Riley is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM. This is the world’s largest online resource for educators interested in integrating the arts. She has presented at events and authored articles for many educational organizations including The US Department of Education, Palmetto State Arts Education, Edutopia, Education Week, Americans for the Arts, ASCD, and NPR. She regularly presents at national and international events each year. She is the author of three books and is a sought-after collaborator for innovative educational projects around the globe. Susan brings creativity, practicality, dedication and passion to the education landscape. She is well-respected for her pioneering work in the fields of Arts Integration and STEAM education with a standards-based approach. As an educator who taught for 10 years in public schools, as well as served in central office leadership, she understands the fast-paced change, challenges and promise of 21st century schools. As an entrepreneur, she has successfully taken what was once a simple education blog and developed it into a rapidly-growing and highly-respected educational institution. Her team of 15+ teachers, leaders and coaches support over over 500,000 educators each month worldwide. Susan holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from the prestigious Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ and a Master of Science in Education Administration from McDaniel College in Westminster, MD. She lives in Westminster, MD with her husband and daughter. Email Susan