This grant afforded fourth and fifth graders from Webster Hill Elementary School the chance to experience the various collections of art at The New Britain Museum of American Art (NBMAA). The day began with docent-led tours of the building’s different pieces of artwork, prompting discussions about the ways trained professionals analyze and interpret the different works. The students were able to relate those concepts to those learned in their art classrooms—how line, shape and form convey messages, and the impact of an era’s societal issues on an artist’s creations.

The trip also included the opportunity for students to make their own collages with the theme of happiness. The children were then encouraged to create a poem or piece of writing to accompany their new artwork. This was the first trip to a museum for many students who afterwards expressed great interest in returning to the NBMAA with their families. According to grant applicant Haley Nelson, the experience was a huge success and “further strengthened my understanding that all students should have access to art museums.”

This grant offered third graders at Bugbee Elementary School the chance to “make real” their science lessons about adaptations and life cycles. After feeding and caring for baby trout in their classroom during the school year, students worked with a representative from the Burlington Fish Hatchery to release their trout along with other larger fish in Spicebush Swamp on Mountain Road. The children were able to engage in hands-on learning as they handled and released more than 100 netted fish in one morning while learning more about how hatcheries impact fish populations and benefit local aquatic environments.

The grant buttressed the third graders’ studies in observation, data collection and estimation as they tracked changes to trout eggs over time and then hypothesized potential outcomes. Grant applicant Gretchen Bagley noted, “Our discussions made scientists out of everyone. I could definitely see their skills develop throughout the program.” 

Click here to learn more about the students' hands on experience!      

The grants we award fund opportunities above and beyond what the school budget allows. This is why your support is so important to the work we do. Please donate now to support the Foundation and help us continue to create excellence beyond the school budget limits!

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