Continuing today in the theme of exploring how school assembly programs augment the learning process in terms of state academic standards, we turn to Indiana.
In Social Studies, along with many other states, Indiana fourth graders are required to learn about Indiana state history. In particular , the very first section, Standard 1, and the very first two bullet points read as follows:
- Identify and compare the major early cultures that existed in the region that became Indiana prior to contact with Europeans
Example - Paleo-Indians such as Hopewell, Adena, and the Mississippian cultures
- Identify and describe historic Native American Indian groups that lived in Indiana at the time of the European exploration, including ways these groups adapted to and interacted with the physical environment. (Individuals,Society and Culture)
Example: Miami,Shawnee, Potawatomi and Lenape (Delaware)
There is more,but you get the point. Grade 4 is expected to learn about the native tribes indigenous to Indiana. Further exploration of the standards shows that grades 3 and 5 also cover this same material, as does Piankeshaw Trails, Mobile Ed’s new program specifically designed to teach kids about the native tribes of the Ohio valley including Indiana. All the points above are covered in this awesome and exciting program and a lot more. And the presentation is so much fun the kids don’t realize they are learning!
Now lets look at Science.

In Indiana Grade one has standards relating to the three states of matter, solid, liquid and gas.

Grade two is asked to “Investigate that things can be done to materials — such as freezing, mixing, cutting, heating, or wetting — to change some of their properties. Observe that not all materials respond in the same way.” 

Grade three is asked to “Measure and mix dry and liquid materials in prescribed amounts, following reasonable safety precautions.”

All of these points and many more are covered in  science programs such as Chemistry! It Really Matters!. I could go through the standards and locate many more points readily addressed through thia and other science programs such as Physics is Fun or the new science program The Invisible Wonder, which deals with air and atmosphere, but space precludes my doing so so leave that for another day. And these same points occur in the standards of other states. Illinois, Ohio and Kentucky, to name only a few, cover the same social studies material in their state standards. And every state approaches science in the same manner.

The point to be taken is that far from the dancers, clowns and jugglers that were the world of school assemblies in past years, school shows today, while just as entertaining, are specifically tied to core academic standards in ways that augment, support and add excitement to the overall educational process.

Every so often we hear from well intentioned by misguided educators who respond to the suggestion of school assemblies with the old refrain of “ No, gotta keep ‘em in class! Time on task! Gotta hit those standards for the testing”. It is frustrating to say the least explaining once more that programs such as these are not time off task, but rather just a different application of resources to the same task. And often with much better results!

Educational school assemblies not only teach, they also get kids excited about the very things they are supposed to be learning! How can that be bad? What do you think?

Geoff Beauchamp is the Regional Manager of Mobile Ed Productions where "Education Through Entertainment" has been the guiding principal since 1979. Mobile Ed Productions produces and markets quality educational school assembly programs in the fields of science, history, writing, astronomy, natural science, mathematics, character issues and a variety of other curriculum based areas. In addition, Mr. Beauchamp is a professional actor with 30 years of experience in film, television and on stage. He created and still performs occasionally in Mobile Ed's THE LIVING LINCOLN.