For most middle-school students, world history is simply a collection of events that happened centuries ago. They see little connection between their lives and these events and, as a result, aren't excited about the subject. In Arts Mart students are engaged in a simulation that will help them make connections between then and now.
    Arts Mart is an experience-based education system designed to integrate art and economics into the middle-school world history course. As students study diverse civilizations and cultures throughout world history, they engage in a more

detailed investigation of art forms of four cultures.
     Throughout the year, students create works of art representing each culture or civilization and write descriptions of their art creations. Near the end of the year, the teacher assembles and displays all student art. Students are organized into museum groups, which then work to develop business plans for the museums, including financial information, types of collections that will be featured, and inputs that will be required. While developing their museums, students learn relevant economic concepts about the operation of the enterprise. They conduct budget analyses to develop an understanding of revenue and factors and costs of production.
    The teacher conducts auctions of the art produced by the class, with the museum groups bidding to acquire works of art. Between each auction round, students encounter problems that require adjustments in their budgets and influence their ability to acquire works of art for their museum.
   At the conclusion of the auctions, students create their museums and prepare to conduct tours for other students, teachers, and/or parents. During the tours, students demonstrate what they have learned by explaining why their museum focuses on certain types of art, which particular pieces were chosen, and the significance of the pieces as representations of the particular culture or civilization.

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Download lesson one.