3rd Grade Programs

Step Into Art third-grade programs capture the imaginations of young students with learning focused on great works of art from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum or highlights of French and American painting from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Each program begins at school with an interactive slideshow workshop inviting students to “step into art” in many different ways: through looking and discussion, drama activities, music, dance, and storytelling, all in the spirit of building memorable connections to chosen paintings. Emphasizing diverse entry points for learning, our creative, multimodal approach enables all students to participate and thrive. A special visit to the museum – with sketching in the courtyard or galleries – figures at the heart of each program. Students see in person all the works they have learned about at school and make exciting new discoveries.

Following the museum experience, students step into the role of artist. They draw inspiration from portraits by Rembrandt or Copley to create colorful, personality-rich self-portraits using a variety of materials – from cut paper to cray-pas, ribbon, and feathers. We also offer opportunities for students to write poetry inspired by art from the Gardner and the MFA. Learning to craft similes in response to favorite paintings, they build powerful new skills of descriptive writing. Their poems bring art to life! 

We have developed signature third-grade programs focused on individual contemporary artists as well, most recently Bisa Butler.  Her vibrant quilted portraits celebrate her family, her community, and figures from Black history.  Our program engages third-graders with four of Butler’s portraits of children.  In characteristic Step Into Art fashion, we begin with an interactive slideshow that engages students with Butler’s portraits through multiple modes of learning – from observation and discussion to posing, music, and storytelling.  Students also have the chance to see and touch the kinds of fabrics Butler uses – from kente cloth to organza.  Students go on to draw and collage their own self-portraits inspired by Butler, using vivid patterned papers and lots of pizzazz to create art that celebrates who they are.

Each year, in schools all over Boston, third-grade classrooms and hallways are lit up by the colorful, personality-rich self-portraits created by students in Step Into Art programs.