Our third graders had a wonderful opportunity to learn about art and incorporate what they were learning into their writing. On Wednesday, November 5, the third graders visited the Grand Rapids Art Museum. While they were there, they went to a variety of exhibits and did some writing activities for each one.

As students learned the stories behind the paintings and sculptures and some of the techniques the artists used, they also wrote about the exhibits using such skills and techniques such as compare and contrast, problem/solution, and using sensory details and strong verbs.

After the field trip, the learning and writing continue! Ashley Hankamp, our Art teacher, is working with the third grade classes on a unique art project, in which they create a new creature out of two familiar ones, and put that creature into a habitat they create. When they are finished with their own art project, they will use these writing techniques that we are working on in class and that were shared at the Grand Rapids Art Museum to write stories about each of our own projects.

All the third graders are very excited about their project, and are already thinking of the great stories they can tell!