Keeping aBreast with liberal arts and science through STEAM

Abstract

The integrated unit on breast cancer described here includes biological science and visual art standards and was targeted at high school juniors and seniors. The goal was to make a potentially controversial and taboo subject relatable through an art-science approach Author/Artist Bio Tanya Rivas is a gallery teacher at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. She is a former K-12 teacher in the arts, and has also taught high school history, and AP level programs. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Humanities from Loyola Marymount University as well as her Masters in Secondary Education and teaching credential while serving as a PLACE Corps (Partners in Los Angeles Catholic Education) member in urban Catholic education. The overarching goal in her advocacy work is concerned with meeting the needs of underrepresented groups, particularly by working with Spanish bilingual audiences and multicultural diversity in museum and education industries. Greg Knotts is an Associate Professor of Elementary Education in the Michael D. Eisner College of Education at California State University, Northridge. He earned his PhD in International/Intercultural Education from the University of Southern California. He also holds a Master’s degree in Elementary Education and a BA in Business Administration, both from Loyola Marymount University. Greg’s primary research interests are focused on issues of gender and sexual orientation and how they impact the elementary school. Social construction theory, arts integration, and integrating gender and sexual orientation consciously into the Social Studies curriculum continue to be prominent in Greg’s research.