Today AAA fourth grade classes traveled to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art for the partnership program, My School My Museum (MSMM). This is the fifth year that the Academy and Crystal Bridges have collaborated on this program. AAA’s Director of Arts Integration, fourth grade teachers and Museum Educators collaborate during the summer to align subject-area standards with arts standards and use works of art in the museum's collection as the point of connection.
Through arts integration the MSMM program offers elementary students the opportunity to make meaningful connections between the core disciplines (English-Language Arts, History-Social Studies, Math, & Science) and the visual & performing arts. An immersive experience MSMM provides an educational environment where the students and teachers use the Museum is an extension of their classroom.
Social Studies and Language Arts were the subjects for this visit with emphasis on Westward Expansion. Students were introduced to three works of art in the Museum’s permanent collection: A Winter Scene in Brooklyn by Francis Guy; Sierra Nevada Morning by Albert Bierstadt and Home by the Lake by Frederic Edwin Church. Museum Educators facilitated conversations with the students in front of the works of art combining historical and artistic content.
The day ended in the studios at the Museum with an Arts Integration experience with Director of Arts Integration, Mr. Jones. Using their Social Studies knowledge and visual art skills, students created original works of art inspired by both Westward Expansion themes and American landscape paintings they experienced in the galleries.
Thank you to the amazing Museum Educators that made this experience possible (Paramita, Joann, Jennifer and Sigrid)!
To learn more about Crystal Bridges visit https://crystalbridges.org/