My students need an art reference library. Large storage boxes, with legal size pocket folders, organized and labelled with markers, will create the perfect library.
FULLY FUNDED! Ms. Penello's classroom raised $212
This project is fully funded
My Students
My Art Studio is a very busy place! Students from ages 5 to 11 are in and out of my classroom all day long. It's usually pretty noisy, and depending on what project we are involved with, there can be a lot of moving around the room, a lot of excitement, and a lot of art making. We love it!
My students are in grades K-5.
They are amazing! We are not an arts and crafts class. I take my subject, art, seriously (in a fun way!), and so do my students. In the our studio, seven year olds learn to draw from a grid, while five year olds create depth and space in their paintings by overlapping. My students can identify a light source, and create shadows, stamp texture, or build a city from styrofoam. They do it all! And they do it well. My students know I have high expectations, and they most often meet them. They work hard, and most are very detail oriented. Eighty percent of our school's population speak a language other than English at home. About seventy percent of our students are English language learners. Many of the students speak no English at all. Fortunately, my subject is one, where they can succeed without oral language. Art is the universal language. My students can achieve success by watching, and then doing.
My Project
We create so many different types of projects because of the range of my student's ages. We draw and paint all different types of animals, landscapes, flowers, fish, places, and people. We are constantly looking at pictures on the smart board. I am always clipping pictures from catalogues, and magazines, or printing them out from the computer. It's very important for students to have good reference when they draw and create, but they need the reference at their fingertips. A reference library - created with storage boxes, and pocket folders with clearly labelled categories would be perfect. Pictures can be organized by categories, and placed in these files. Students would be able to take the files to their seats with them while they are doing their work. When they are done with the file, it's placed back into the correct box for someone else to use.
A reference library will change our art studio in many ways.
First, students will be able to access what pictures they need. They will also become more independent when they can get up and can get what they need instead of asking for help. Also, looking at pictures helps spur ideas. This can only make their artwork better. Lastly, once students look at something carefully, and see what it really looks like, it's usually easier to draw. This will also make their artwork better.
Nearly all students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Penello and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
