Title 1 and PTO Art Night At Walnut Square

Posted on March 11, 2025

Dear Families,

Thank you to all who were able to able yesterday’s Title and PTO Art Night at Walnut Square event!  It was an amazing collaboration between families and staff, and we hope you enjoyed it!  Thankt you to the families who completed the Title 1 Evaluation yesterday evening.  If you attended and haven’t yet responded, please click on this link to complete the brief evaluation:  https://forms.gle/6EgH3kkdYC8zAqVv7;n.  If you weren’t able to attend but are interested in extending art and literacy at home, here are the family resources that were shared with families last night.  Thank you!

Please mark your calendars for

Sincerely,

Jen Rubera

Principal

March 10. 2025 

Dear Families, 

Thank you so much for attending tonight’s Title 1 and PTO Art Night!  For families that were unable to attend, here is a recap of the event:  

Tonight, we explored the vibrant worlds of two influential artists:

  • Faith Ringgold: Known for her story quilts that blend painting, quilting, and storytelling. We read “Tar Beach,” where young Cassie Lightfoot dreams of flying above her Harlem neighborhood.
  • Keith Haring: Famous for his bold, energetic figures and his commitment to making art accessible to everyone. We read “The Boy Who Just Kept Drawing,” which highlights his passion and unique style.

During our creation time, students made:

  • Quilt-inspired artworks depicting favorite places or people, inspired by Faith Ringgold.
  • Bold, colorful figure drawings and paintings, inspired by Keith Haring.

Students selected one piece to contribute to the upcoming April Art Show. Please ensure your child’s name is clearly written on the back of the artwork they left with us. The other piece was taken home.

Below are some ideas to extend learning at home as well as a list of books that you can read together at home.  We hope you enjoy spending time together learning about art!  

Sincerely, 

Walnut Square Staff and PTO 

To extend the learning at home, here are some ideas:  

Faith Ringgold Focus:

  • Storytelling with Fabric:
  • Gather fabric scraps, felt, or even colorful paper.
  • Encourage your child to create their own mini-quilt panel telling a story about their day, a dream, or a favorite memory.
  • Talk about the stories that everyday objects can tell.
  • Mapping Favorite Places:
  • Just like Cassie in “Tar Beach,” have your child draw a map of their favorite places in your neighborhood or town.
  • Discuss what makes these places special and how they feel when they are there.
  • Consider adding fabric or other mixed media to the map.
  • Research:
  • Look up other Faith Ringgold books and art.
  • Discuss the concept of story quilts, and how they combine art and storytelling.

Keith Haring Focus:

  • Action Figure Creation:
  • Use pipe cleaners, wire, or even playdough to create 3D figures in the style of Keith Haring.
  • Focus on expressive poses and movement.
  • Chalk Art:
  • Take your Haring-inspired figures outside with chalk.
  • Draw large, bold figures on the sidewalk or driveway.
  • Encourage your child to fill the figures with bright colors.
  • Movement and Dance:
  • Put on some music and have your child create dance moves inspired by Haring’s energetic figures.
  • Discuss how art can represent movement.
  • Research:
  • Look up information about Keith Haring’s life, and his commitment to social activism.
  • Look at his public art, and discuss how art can be for everyone.

General Art Exploration:

  • Art Journaling:
  • Create a family art journal where everyone can draw, write, and collect inspiration.
  • Use it to record your thoughts and feelings about art, or to practice new techniques.
  • Visit a Local Museum or Gallery:
  • Expose your child to a variety of art forms and styles.
  • Discuss what you see and how it makes you feel.
  • Everyday Art:
  • Encourage your child to find art in everyday objects and experiences.
  • Look for shapes, colors, and patterns in nature, buildings, and other surroundings.

Art Show Reminder:

  • The Art Show in April will feature the artwork your child selected tonight.
  • Please mark your calendars for Monday, April 14th and plan to attend!

Important Notes:

  • Remember that the goal is to have fun and explore creativity.
  • There are no right or wrong ways to make art.
  • Encourage your child’s unique expression and ideas.
  • Most importantly, talk about the art, and the artists, and what your children think about the art.

 

from GRADE 3 | MODULE 4  Wit & Wisdom Tips for Families

Books to Read

  • Stone Giant: Michelangelo’s David and How He Came to Be, Jane Sutcliffe
  • Who Was Leonardo da Vinci?, Roberta Edwards
  • The Music in George’s Head: George Gershwin Creates Rhapsody in Blue, Suzanne Slade
  • Who Was Pablo Picasso?, True Kelley
  • Sandy’s Circus: A Story about Alexander Calder, Tanya Lee Stone
  • Jackson Pollock, Mike Venezia
  • Michelangelo, Diane Stanley
  • Georges Seurat, Mike Venezia
  • Some Writer! The Story of E. B. White, Melissa Sweet
  • Vincent Van Gogh: Portrait of an Artist, Jan Greenberg
  • Leonardo: Beautiful Dreamer, Robert Byrd
  • The Dreamer, Pam Muñoz Ryan
  • Building on Nature: The Life of Antoni Gaudi, Rachel Rodriguez
  • The Noisy Paint Box: The Colors and Sounds of Kandinsky’s Abstract Art, Barb Rosenstock
  • An Eye for Color: The Story of Josef Albers, Natasha Wing
  • José! Born to Dance, Susanna Reich
  • The Fantastic Jungles of Henri Rousseau, Michelle Markel Electric Ben: The Amazing Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin, Robert Byrd
  • The Garden of Monsieur Monet, Giancarlo Ascari
  • Edgar Degas: Paintings that Dance, Kristin N. Cole and Maryann Cocca-Leffler
  • The Artist and His Models: The Art of Rembrandt, Hanuel Ddang
  • Mr. Matisse and His Cutouts, Annemarie van Haeringen
  • Lives of the Artists: Masterpieces, Messes (and What the Neighbors Thought), Kathleen Krull
  • The World Is Not a Rectangle: A Portrait of Architect Zaha Hadid, Jeanette Winter
  • Seen from a Distance: The Art of Monet, Seon-hye Jang
  • Ballet for Martha: Making Appalachian Spring, Jan Greenberg
  • Pippo the Fool, Tracey E. Fern
  • Mario’s Angels: A Story about the Artist Giotto, Mary Arrigan
  • Firebird, Misty Copeland
  • Ellington Was Not a Street, Ntozake Shange

IDEAS FOR TALKING ABOUT ARTISTS AND ART

Find opportunities to explore art in your area. Consider the following:

▪ Visiting a local art museum or exhibit

▪ Attending a musical concert

▪ Attending a dance performance

▪ Attending a poetry reading or other literary event

Deepen your student’s experiences with art by engaging in art activities together. Consider the following:

▪ Working together to create an art project, discussing how you are using the materials for specific purposes

▪ Singing together, noticing harmonies, melodies, and rhythm

▪ Reading favorite poems aloud at home

▪ Dancing together, noticing how you are using your body to express emotions or ideas