What is KWEST?
Welcome to KWEST, where teachers are able to integrate music, creative movement, and visual art activities into any classroom lesson!
KWEST (Kaleidoscope Wants Everyone Succeeding Together) is a set of arts-integrated early childhood lessons created by teachers for teachers. Inspired by the award-winning and nationally recognized Kaleidoscope Arts-Integrated Early Childhood Program at Settlement Music School in Philadelphia, KWEST brings over three decades of creative excellence to classrooms across the country.
Rooted in rigorous research and aligned with early learning standards, KWEST integrates school readiness concepts with engaging music, visual art, and creative movement activities. KWEST has been developed with extensive input from educators across various settings, ensuring it meets diverse classroom needs and integrates effectively into different teaching environments. It reflects real-world feedback and practical application, making it a versatile and adaptable resource for teachers nationwide.
Designed to complement and enhance any existing curriculum or lesson, KWEST offers flexibility and ease of use in how teachers implement arts-based activities, whether through quick bite-sized exercises or more detailed lessons over several days. No prior teaching experience in the arts is required.
Teachers can choose from three levels of engagement:
Walk: Introduce key concepts with simple, engaging activities that gently guide students through new experiences with minimal materials.
Jog: Deepen students’ understanding with expanded activities that encourage exploration, imagination, higher order thinking, and greater involvement.
Run: Fully immerse students in the lesson with in-depth, interactive activities that challenge them to apply their learning independently or in teams in creative and increasingly sophisticated ways.
KWEST empowers teachers to integrate the arts at their own pace, enhancing their students’ learning experiences and fostering their creativity. Each lesson highlights areas of growth supported by research, with key tips to strengthen the teaching approach. Lessons support literacy development and foundational reading skills, incorporating strategies aligned with the Science of Reading and offering practical tips and tools for effective implementation.
Explore our website for short videos that support the lessons and offer ideas for extending concepts in the classroom. Discover the Treasures – activity cards with suggestions for learning center extensions, artist and author studies, and ways to engage parents and celebrate diversity through the arts.
KWEST provides a variety of approaches to learning and participating, helping to minimize challenging behaviors, fill wait times, and extend attention spans. It supports multilingual learners through music, visual art, and movement, fostering inclusion and a sense of belonging. The arts also promote social-emotional skills, encouraging expression, imagination, and creativity.
Watch as KWEST empowers teachers to enhance school readiness, deepen learning, and foster development through the integration of the arts, transforming their classrooms into vibrant, arts-rich environments.
This project has been made possible through the generous support of the Caroline Alexander Buck Foundation, the Marrazzo Family Foundation, and by a grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Community and Economic Development.