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Goal(s)

The Art of Being Me will directly engage over 500 K–5 students in a high-quality, standards-based art experience that fosters both creative and personal growth. By combining painting, drawing, collage, and pastel work, students will gain hands-on experience with a wide range of media, building both technical skills and confidence in their ability to express themselves.
This project goes beyond art-making. It creates a platform for every child to have their voice seen and celebrated. The culminating schoolwide exhibition transforms our hallways into a gallery, where students, families, and community members can experience the rich diversity of our school’s creativity.
This project ensures that all students have the opportunity to create with high-quality art materials, giving them the tools to fully explore and express their ideas. Providing professional-grade paper, markers, pastels, and paints ensures that each child’s artistic vision is supported by materials that respond well to their ideas. This investment in quality supplies not only elevates the final artwork but also shows students that their creative work is worth the best resources.
The project promotes inclusion, collaboration, and pride. Younger students are inspired by older peers’ work, and older students feel empowered as role models. Every participant, regardless of skill level, is able to contribute meaningfully, creating a lasting impact on school culture and student self-esteem.
Every student in grades K–5 will create a layered mixed media artwork on 9x12 watercolor paper, combining drawing, painting, collage, and pastel work.
The completed artworks will be displayed together in a schoolwide gallery exhibition titled “The Art of Being Me”, celebrating each child’s unique style and voice.
Learning Goals
Students will:
1. Express their individuality through symbolic imagery, colors, and textures.
2. Experiment with multiple media including watercolor, oil pastel, chalk pastel, colored pencils, and markers.
3. Apply the elements of art (line, shape, color, value, texture, and space) to create balanced, expressive compositions.
4. Use craftsmanship in painting, drawing, cutting, and gluing.
5. Reflect on their creative process and share their work in a public exhibition. 

 

Category

School supplies - Markers, paints, paper, crayons, clay, pencils, sharpies, modeling dough, etc. 

 

Project Description

The Art of Being Me is a schoolwide K-5 mixed media project designed to celebrate individuality, creativity, and self-expression. Each student will create a layered artwork on 9x12 heavyweight watercolor paper using a combination of drawing, painting, collage, and pastel techniques.
The project culminates in The Art of Being Me Exhibition, where all 500+ artworks will be displayed together in a unified gallery. Mounted on black or gray paper for professional finish, each piece will be accompanied by a short artist statement. This public exhibition will highlight the diversity of voices, ideas, and talents in our school community, giving every student the opportunity to see their work valued and celebrated.
Lesson Sequence (4–5 sessions)
Session 1 – Color Foundations
• Begin on 9x12 heavyweight watercolor paper (140 lb).
• Use PRANG watercolor refills to create colorful washes with techniques like wet-on-wet, salt texture, and gradient blending.
• Encourage personal color choices that reflect each student’s mood or personality.
Session 2 – Drawing the “Me”
• On mixed media paper, black paper, or gray paper, students draw a main subject that represents them:
o K–2: Animals, flowers, favorite toys, self-portraits.
o 3–5: Symbolic self-portrait, hobbies, or abstract design.
• Add details and outlines using colored pencils, black Prismacolor pencils, and Sharpie markers.
• Cut out drawings for later collage.
Session 3 – Layers & Collage
• Add construction paper, black/gray paper, and precut cardboard pieces to the background for dimension.
• Layer drawings on top of the watercolor base.
• Experiment with overlapping shapes and edges for depth.
Session 4 – Texture & Finishing Touches
• Use oil pastels for bold, opaque areas and chalk pastels for soft blends and highlights.
• Add final black marker lines for contrast.
• Check craftsmanship and glue all pieces securely.
Session 5 – Gallery Prep
• Mount artwork on black or gray paper for a cohesive exhibition look.
• Students write a 1–2 sentence artist statement explaining what their piece says about “being me.”
• Arrange work by grade in the school’s main hall for the “The Art of Being Me” Exhibition Walk.
Exhibition Impact
• 500+ students participate, each contributing one piece to a unified display.
• Builds community pride and celebrates the diversity of personalities in the school.
• Encourages cross-grade appreciation of artistic styles and ideas. 

 

Expected Outcomes

Expected Outcomes
What will improve or change for students:
1. Increased confidence and self-expression – Students will feel more comfortable expressing personal ideas, stories, and emotions through art.
2. Expanded technical skills – Students will gain hands-on experience with watercolor, collage, oil pastel, chalk pastel, and mixed media layering, improving their craftsmanship and ability to plan multi-step artworks.
3. Stronger understanding of the elements of art – Students will apply color, line, shape, value, and texture intentionally in their compositions.
4. Greater pride and engagement in artmaking – The public exhibition will motivate students to create their best work, knowing it will be displayed and celebrated.
5. Enhanced appreciation of diversity – Students will see and celebrate the wide variety of perspectives and artistic voices within their school community.
How outcomes will be measured:
• Pre- and post-project student reflections – Students will complete short, age-appropriate prompts about how they see themselves as artists before and after the project.
• Teacher observations – Noting increases in student focus, persistence, and willingness to take creative risks during artmaking.
• Artwork analysis – Comparing initial drafts or early works with final exhibition pieces to see growth in technique, layering, and composition.
• Exhibition participation – All 500+ students will have at least one completed artwork displayed, indicating full engagement.
• Student and family feedback – Gathering comments during the exhibition about student pride, enjoyment, and sense of accomplishment. 

 

Purpose of Funding

Purpose of Funding
Grant funds will be used to purchase high-quality art materials that enable all K–5 students to successfully complete The Art of Being Me mixed media exhibition project. The requested items provide the essential surfaces, media, and tools for each stage of the artmaking process:
• Watercolor paper – A durable surface that can hold both wet and dry media, serving as the foundation for each student’s artwork.
• Mixed media paper – Additional versatile surfaces for drawing and collage elements.
• Black and gray construction paper – Background and layering options to create contrast and depth.
• Colored construction paper – For collage shapes and added color layers.
• PRANG watercolor refill pans – Vibrant, blendable colors for painting backgrounds.
• Colored pencils (assorted sets) and black Prismacolor pencils – For detailed drawing and rich outlines.
• Crayola color sticks – Smooth, blendable dry media for bold areas of color.
• Oil pastels and chalk pastels – For textured effects, shading, and highlighting.
• Permanent black markers – For defining lines, adding contrast, and final outlines.
• Precut cardboard sheets – For structural collage elements and dimensional texture.
Every supply in this request will be directly used by students to explore multiple artmaking processes, including painting, drawing, collage, and pastel work. These materials align with the project’s goals by:
• Allowing students to experiment with a variety of media.
• Providing durable, high-quality surfaces that support layered artwork.
• Ensuring consistency in available materials for over 700 students across all grade levels.
The funding will guarantee that each child has equitable access to the tools needed to fully participate and produce a polished, exhibition-ready artwork for the The Art of Being Me gallery display. 

 

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