Learning by Doing: Art Supplies Needed for Special Education Class

Funded Sep 22, 2022

Thank you so much for your incredible generosity in contributing to our project "Learning By Doing," which provided high-quality art materials to an upper elementary special education classroom to support student goals in fine motor and communication skill development. Every month this year, the class of 13 students completed a new art project, read a book related to the theme, wrote 1-3 sentences about what they learned, and shared their art with the group while practicing asking questions of their peers. The class then received a book each month that featured each student's art and writing, and they loved to find their art in the book, learn about their peers, and often chose to read these books during class independent reading time. We had one student become so passionate about this project that he began making his own books about his interests to share.

A key part of what made this group enjoyable for the students was the variety and quality of the art materials they worked with. They got to experience blending chalk pastels, sculpting with modeling clay, using sharpie markers to outline their work, learning paint mixing and brush stroke techniques, and painting with watercolors and with bleeding tissue paper. They were thrilled each time we introduced a new project.

Two students with fine motor needs have moved up to the advanced skill group over the course of this year, and are moving towards graduating from services. We are so excited that we have some art supplies remaining and we will be able to continue this group next year.”

With gratitude,

Ms. Bell