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Goal

I want to create more space to display student artwork.  

What will be done with my students

I am writing this grant request to purchase 4 new display cases for our school. Two hanging bulletin board displays and two display cases for three dimensional artwork, all of which would be purchased reasonably from globalindustrial.com and installed by myself. This would become a permanent fixture at the school

As the art teacher here at Kimbell Elementary, I believe it is absolutely essential to have adequate space to display student work throughout the school. To begin with, seeing their work on display instills a sense of pride in them that translates back into the classroom. Whenever a student sees their work up, they get a boost and I then find them trying harder the next time they’re in my class. However, with the limited space I currently have, I also have the inverse effect working against me wherein the students whom did not have their work displayed assume that it was because theirs was not well done and they begin to shrink and give up. In addition to bolstering student confidence and enthusiasm, I believe this is also supported by several standards within my curriculum, those being:
VA.5.C.1.3: Examine and discuss exemplary works of art to distinguish which qualities may be used to evaluate personal works
VA.3.C.2.2: Compare techniques used by peers and established artists as a basis for improving one’s own work
VA.2.C.2.2- Identify skillful techniques used in works by peers and others, eg: painting, drawing, clay, collage, printmaking techniques
VA.K.C.2.2- Identify media used by self and peers
VA.3.C.2.3- Use constructive criticism to improve artwork
VA.5.C.2.4- Identify examples of constructive criticism and use them to improve artworks and enhance artistic growth

My morning and afternoon duty puts me in the stairwell with our only display cases and I have seen the above standards met organically through student lead discussion. They linger in front of the case and discuss and compare, and they do this all on their own which is exactly the sort of student centered learning that is always being sought out. However the fact is, the only place that their art can be seen right now is the stairwell. Our primary grades never even venture in that area and there is no allowance for three dimensional work of any kind. I feel that by increasing the number of display areas, we can increase the number of these conversations and therefore student learning, as supported by the aforementioned learning standards. Furthermore, art criticism is a part of all the student’s final tests and the more chances they have to engage in that activity, the less foreign it will feel for them to do so.
I have also have environmental motives for this grant. I want to be able to beautify our campus as well as help the mood and one of the best ways to do so is to put the students own art around. According to a study conducted by the University of Westminster, participants who visited an art gallery on their lunch break reported feeling less stress afterward. Additionally, neuro biologist Semir Zeki scanned 28 of these volunteer’s brains and found that viewing art lead to an immediate release of dopamine.( https://www.invaluable.com/blog/benefits-of-art/) Our school is high poverty and therefore high stress and you can see it here every day. Any steps that can be taken to help reduce those stress levels absolutely should be.
 

Benefits to my students

As stated above, I hope the outcomes will be thus:

An increased sense of pride in the students

An increased level of student lead discussion centered around constructive criticism and comparing their work with that of their peers for further growth, as well as an increased competence in the process of art criticism, all of which is supported by their learning standards

An increase in the aesthetic appeal of the school

A reduction in student and teacher stress levels through the increased presence of art  

Budget Narrative

(2) Enclosed bulletin boards- cork and aluminum, 2 door, 48"x36" - 180.95 each
(1) 4' full vision showcase, maple, 195.95
(1) Wall case 48'wx18"dx78"h also maple to match the other

(1) masonry drill bit set 11.97 for purposes of mounting the cases into the cinder block walls
(1) box of expansion shields 14.97 also for the purposes of securing the cases into the cinder block permanently  

Items