This teacher needs your help!

Mrs. Smith from Mission Viejo, CA is requesting art supplies through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

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Fully Funded

Mrs. Smith's classroom raised $1,387

Building Confidence Through Art: Big Canvases, Big Dreams

Help me give my students large canvases and vibrant paints so they can explore their emotions, celebrate their individuality, and create colorful skies that tell their own stories.

Mrs. Smith De Portola Elementary School

Mission Viejo, CA Grades 3-5

My Project

My students are curious, creative, thoughtful, and full of wonderful ideas. Last year, they learned about Vincent van Gogh while creating large-scale sunflower paintings on stretched canvases. The pride, confidence, perseverance, and creativity they demonstrated were truly inspiring.

My students will discover that art is not about perfection—it is about creativity, courage, self-expression, and confidence.

They will also discover that artists are thinkers, writers, speakers, problem-solvers, and storytellers.

This year, my students will create their own Starry Night-inspired paintings on large canvases. Rather than simply copying a famous painting, they will learn how artists use line, color, texture, movement, and brushstrokes to communicate ideas, feelings, dreams, and experiences.

Students will learn to enlarge their drawings using the grid method and transfer them to large canvases. Through this process, they will strengthen spatial awareness, problem-solving skills, attention to detail, patience, and perseverance.

This project extends far beyond painting. Students will document their creative process, organize their ideas using Thinking Maps, rehearse their ideas orally through Padlet recordings, and create polished pieces of writing describing both their artistic choices and personal reflections. Along the way, they will strengthen their speaking, listening, organization, vocabulary, and writing skills.

The materials I have selected will allow my students to experiment with color, choose their own foregrounds, and create colorful skies that tell their own stories. This autonomy will empower students to make meaningful artistic decisions so that every painting becomes a unique expression of its creator's voice, perspective, imagination, and experiences. I hope this project inspires them to dream big, take risks, and recognize the beauty and value of their own ideas.

30 students impacted 19 donors

Project tagged as

Mrs. Smith De Portola Elementary School Grades 3-5 Mission Viejo, CA View local requests 30 students impacted 19donors

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes

Materials Cost Quantity Total

Art Alternatives Classic Cotton Stretched Canvas, Studio, .75 in Profile, 30 in x 40 in • Blick Art Materials $20.32 32 $650.24

Mont Marte Signature Titanium White Acrylic Paint, 101.4 Fl Oz, Semi-Matte Finish, Suitable for Canvas, Wood, Fabric, Leather, Cardboard, Paper, MDF and Crafts • Amazon Business $29.99 2 $59.98

Utrecht Studio Series Acrylic Paint - Cerulean Blue Hue, Quart • Blick Art Materials $19.46 2 $38.92

Blickrylic Student Acrylics - Ultramarine Blue, Quart • Blick Art Materials $8.83 3 $26.49

Hammermill Copy Plus 8.5" x 14" Copy Paper, 20 lbs., 92 Brightness, 500 Sheets/Ream (105015) • Quill.com $19.31 1 $19.31

Amazon Basics Everyday Paper Plates, 8.62 Inch, Disposable, 300 Count, Packaging May Vary • Amazon Business $15.85 1 $15.85

Crayola Crayons - Black, Box of 12 • Blick Art Materials $2.32 6 $13.92

Blickrylic Student Acrylics - Metallic Gold, Quart • Blick Art Materials $13.40 1 $13.40

Sax Heavy Body Acrylic Paint, 1 Quart, Yellow Ochre, 3.375x3.375x9 - Adult - Durable • School Specialty $11.77 1 $11.77

Sax Heavy Body Acrylic Paint, 1 Quart, Turquoise, 3.5x3.5x9 - Adult - Durable • School Specialty $11.77 1 $11.77

Sax Heavy Body Acrylic Paint, 1 Quart, Violet, 3.375x3.375x9 - Adult - Durable • School Specialty $11.77 1 $11.77

Blickrylic Student Acrylics - Fluorescent Orange, Quart • Blick Art Materials $11.38 1 $11.38

Blickrylic Student Acrylics - Fluorescent Yellow, Quart • Blick Art Materials $11.38 1 $11.38

Blickrylic Student Acrylics - Fluorescent Pink, Quart • Blick Art Materials $11.38 1 $11.38

Blickrylic Student Acrylics - Fluorescent Yellow Orange, Quart • Blick Art Materials $11.38 1 $11.38

Blickrylic Student Acrylics - Fluorescent Green, Quart • Blick Art Materials $11.38 1 $11.38

Blickrylic Student Acrylics - Fluorescent Blue, Quart • Blick Art Materials $11.38 1 $11.38

Blickrylic Student Acrylics - Fluorescent Violet, Quart • Blick Art Materials $11.38 1 $11.38

Blickrylic Student Acrylics - Fluorescent Magenta, Quart • Blick Art Materials $11.38 1 $11.38

Blickrylic Student Acrylics - Burnt Umber, Quart • Blick Art Materials $8.83 1 $8.83

Blickrylic Student Acrylics - Magenta, Quart • Blick Art Materials $8.83 1 $8.83

Blickrylic Student Acrylics - Turquoise, Quart • Blick Art Materials $8.83 1 $8.83

Blickrylic Student Acrylics - Chrome Yellow, Quart • Blick Art Materials $8.83 1 $8.83

Blickrylic Student Acrylics - Phthalo Green, Quart • Blick Art Materials $8.83 1 $8.83

Blickrylic Student Acrylics - Chrome Orange, Quart • Blick Art Materials $8.83 1 $8.83

Blickrylic Student Acrylics - Phthalo Blue, Quart • Blick Art Materials $8.83 1 $8.83

Blickrylic Student Acrylics - Violet, Quart • Blick Art Materials $8.83 1 $8.83

Materials cost			$1,035.10
Vendor shipping charges			$3.53
Sales tax			$94.71
3rd party payment processing fee			$15.53
Fulfillment labor & materials			$30.00
Total project cost			$1,178.87
Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms			$208.04
Total project goal			$1,386.91
How we calculate what's needed
Total project goal			$1,386.91
16 Donors			-$1,282.49
Donations toward project cost			-$1,093.87
Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms			-$188.62
match offer			-$100.00
Match offer toward project cost			-$85.00
Match offer to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms			-$15.00
Excluded support for DonorsChoose			-$4.42
Still needed View calculation Hide calculation			$0.00

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

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Project Activity

DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

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 Mrs. Smith and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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This teacher needs your help!

Building Confidence Through Art: Big Canvases, Big Dreams

My Project

Project tagged as

Boost your odds

Top rated for efficiency and transparency.

TEACHERS, FEELING INSPIRED?

Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes

How we calculate what's needed

Project Activity

Project Activity

DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

Help teachers & students in your hometown this season!
Use code HOME at checkout and your donation will be matched up to $100.