Picture This: A Room Full of 3rd Grade Artists

Anyone looking for one more tax write-off this year? I've just posted a new project to DonorsChoose.org and I only need $98 to fund it.

My Students: This year my students are learning that artists are storytellers. Visits to the Met, MoMA, Whitney, and many more museums are transforming the way they understand storytelling. My students aren't just learning about art, they're also learning how to be artists themselves.

I teach in a high poverty school where most of my students qualify for free lunch. More than half of my students don't speak English at home. Most of my students are below grade level in reading and math; several are reading more than two grades below level, but all of them are passionate about learning.

My Project: Our exploration of art this year has provided an exciting new way to look at storytelling for my students. We can discuss higher-level concepts like theme and tone, no matter what our reading levels may be. In the process of our study of art, my students are developing vocabulary skills, a broader base of knowledge, and a confidence in their own thoughts and ideas.

The portfolios I am requesting will help the students to collect and protect their artwork from throughout our study. The camera will allow my students to explore a medium of art that goes beyond pencil and paper. Through these resources, my students will be able to connect their own artwork to the art we are studying.

My students get so excited when we talk about a new piece of art. I am genuinely amazed sometimes by the connections and inferences they are able to make. Now, I want them to feel an equally great sense of pride and ownership of their own artwork. Your donations will help my students see themselves as artists and storytellers in their own right.