Arts Enrichment: Adding more arts to the school day

Call 215.340.9800 ext 126 or email randerson@michenerartmuseum.org for more information about developing an Arts Enrichment program at your school.

	Wallpaper, musical scores and fabric combine to create a wonderful cubist still life created during an Arts Enrichment Class at the Walt Disney Elementary School in Lower Bucks County.

Calling all teachers! Collaborate with the Michener Museum Education Outreach Department to coordinate an arts enrichment program at your school. For several years, enthusiastic teachers who support the arts have worked with the Michener Museum to develop special programs for their schools. At least one annual visit to the Michener Museum is a key element of this experience for all the students.

Through the Arts Enrichment Program, students participate in interactive, object-based learning experiences. They create original works of art inspired by the Museum's changing exhibitions and permanent collections. Students and teachers are inspired by professional artist / educators while creating exciting studio work. Students exhibit their artwork in the James A. Michener Art Museum's Children's Art Gallery every June.

The possibilities for teachers in all disciplines are endless. A few sample programs include:

Pine Run Elementary School
At the Pine Run Elementary School in Chalfont, art teacher Stephani Thomas has worked to create a successful after school program for about 20 students who elect to take the course each year. For eight weeks every fall and spring, students meet in the art room one day a week after school to delve into arts experiences that go beyond what kids can accomplish during the school day. Sculpture, painting, drawing, printmaking, ceramics and fabric design have been some of the studio highlights of the program. In addition, students have learned a lot about many artists and their achievements through time.

Walt Disney Elementary School
At the Walt Disney Elementary School in Pennsbury, art teacher Danyelle Lala has developed an exciting after school enrichment program. For six weeks every spring, Ms. Lala hosts an after school program funded in part by the Pennsbury Arts Foundation and in part through the Michener Museum's scholarship program. Ms. Lala's class even created a mule for the Bucks County Mule project in 2003!

United Friends School
In 2005–2006, the United Friends School in Quakertown, PA piloted a Multiple Visit Program through the Michener Museum. A class of third and fourth grade students and their parents visited the Michener three times during the school year. Each visit focused on a different aspect of Museum life: changing exhibitions, Museum history, and a behind the scenes view of the Museum. All lessons incorporated visual arts and language arts, and were reinforced with work done at school by both the classroom teacher and the art teacher. Students created an original audio tour of the Museum as a culminating project.