Though learning in the fine arts is important in and of itself, standards-based fine arts instruction also provides a viable means for students to develop and enhance learning in the foundation content areas of reading/language arts, mathematics, social studies, and science. The Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) in the fine arts include many of the same concepts and skills as the TEKS in other content areas. Though the Fine Arts TEKS are not tested in the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) as part of the state accountability system, the Fine Arts TEKS can be used to help students learn the skills and content that are assessed in the foundation areas.

The Center for Educator Development in Fine Arts (CEDFA) has developed these links as a basis for discussion between fine arts teachers, foundation area educators, and administrators. For each grade level and fine arts content area, a side-by-side chart aligns TAKS objectives and TEKS from the assessed areas with some examples of the Fine Arts TEKS that can be taught in such a way as to help students master specific TAKS objectives.

This is neither a definitive nor a comprehensive alignment. The quality of the alignment of the TAKS and TEKS in other disciplines and the Fine Arts TEKS depends on how the teacher teaches the Fine Arts TEKS. Other TAKS objectives and TEKS, in addition to the ones shown, may match based on district curriculum and teacher choice.

You may download as a PDF the entire Content Connections document by grade level:

• Elementary Content Connections
• Middle School Content Connections
• High School Content Connections