The Essential Question that guided our projects’ focus was:
Can pairing professional artists with teachers and students inspire and empower art making in their classroom?
Our essential question guides the ARTworks educational activities that take place at TAM and in school classrooms across the region. TAM’s curriculum addresses core art principles, examines art history, and offers challenging art-making techniques with guided hands-on opportunities for personal expression of newfound skills and understanding. Art offerings are designed to encourage discussion and divergent thinking, promote understanding of the viewed artist’s process through individual exploration, and allow for individual expression followed by group discussion of the challenges and discoveries made during the creative process.
Bringing hands-on art experiences to area classrooms provided valuable learning experiences to students, served as a resource to area teachers and connected the museum with regional families curious to view and create art.
Documentation data reveals students highly engaged in the learning process, sharing observations, extending new learning in hands-on art making processes and creating unique and personal works of art.
At the conclusion of the project, students responded to questions related to the identified Standards:
In preparing lessons and conducting program evaluations, we also address the 21st Century Learning Outcomes with a focus on Learning and Innovation or the 4 C’s (Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration and Creativity) and address the following National Core Arts Standards:
6. Anchor Standard 1: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work. VA:Cr1.2
7. Anchor Standard 2: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work. VA:Cr2.1; VA:Cr2.2
8. Anchor Standard 3: Refine and complete artistic work. VA:Cr3.1
At the conclusion of ARTworks classroom visits, students commented:
“I didn’t think I could draw an owl so well!”
“It’s so fun to use real ink and a brayer. I have never printed before. It is so exciting!”
” The printing tool is called a brayer. I thought is was just a roller.”
“I never knew when you printed it came out backwards.”
“Adding more details to the owl made my print better.”
“Using black ink for the owl makes the background look misty like fog.”
Impact
The ARTworks program strives to bring awareness, creativity, and exploration of the visuals arts. Utilizing the museum as a resource for learning, our curriculum is designed to encourage students to observe art, articulate observations and demonstrate new awareness in art through hands-on art making processes. By returning to many of the same classrooms each year, instructors help build upon previous art concepts and experiences, broadening student and teacher awareness and skills in the arts. Instructors provide links in learning between disciplines to help teachers integrate the arts into existing curriculum. The ARTworks program promotes the growth and mentoring of the next generation of artists and patrons, thus ensuring the health and viability of the arts at TAM and in our community.
During the 2018-19 school year, the ARTworks program sent museum-sanctioned artist instructors into 70 3rd and 4th grade public school classrooms in Idaho Falls, provided 61 art lessons to 10 elementary schools in rural outlying areas, 56 monthly art visits to seven Head Start preschool classrooms, and monthly art visits to State Hospital South. As a part of the ARTours program, TAM provided over 2,400 students with guided tours and art lessons. Over 2,000 children and adults attended our quarterly family days at the art museum.
Reflection
During the 2018-19 school year, 669 ARTworks participants and their families utilized the free family pass they received at the end of the outreach and tour visits, demonstrating students’ interest in exploring artwork at the museum. For many families, this was the first time they had ever visited a museum.
ARTworks Program evaluation data collected revealed:
98% of teachers report that during the ARTworks lesson, their students were introduced to new art vocabulary and they learned art concepts and techniques that they will use in the classroom in the future.
96% of teachers report that the lesson was aligned with proficiency outcomes as noted in the lesson description.
98% of teachers report their students created a work of art using their personal experiences and skills and that their students discussed how people’s experiences influence and develop styles of work.
98% of teachers report the ARTworks lesson successfully taught the objectives that were introduced.
Classroom teachers comments:
“This is such a fantastic program! I cannot say enough positive. The instructors do a great job explaining the procedures and expectations. ALL of the students worked carefully and were are able to apply the concepts the instructors have taught. The instructors always show pictures of real art at the beginning of the lessons. The students learn to really analyze the pictures and look for different elements. Also, at the end, the instructor had us walk around and look at everybody’s work. They loved looking at each other’s work. This was another great experience! Thanks!”
Elizabeth Rassmussen, Burton Elementary, Rexburg, ID
“It was fantastic! My students were thoroughly engaged. I appreciated the vocabulary and techniques that were taught, as well as the amazing hands on experience! Thank you!!!”
Amber Anderson, Riverside Elementary, Shelley, ID
