Art Appreciation
Welcome to Art Appreciation, a great way to spend time in your child’s classroom! We assign you an artist, and provide background materials, art examples and suggested hands-on projects that have worked for other parents in the past. You’ll work with your child’s
teacher to schedule and present a 30-minute lesson in the classroom. Lessons take place once per quarter, for a total of four lessons per grade.
If you’re a returning volunteer, you may find what you’re looking for in our list of Quick Links below. New volunteers may read on for more information about Art Appreciation
at Cossitt. Don’t hesitate to contact the committee chair for your grade with questions. Thanks again for giving your time!
Grades 1, 3 and 6: Nicole Garrity nicolegarrity@yahoo.com
Grades 2, 4 and 5: Jen Barnicle jlbdesign@yahoo.com
Quick Links
Art Appreciation Assignments 2012-2013_FINAL
Getting Started
Step One: Find your assignment.
Check the volunteer schedule to find out when and what you’ve been assigned to present. If you’re not able to volunteer during the month that you’ve been assigned, try contacting another parent within the same grade to swap.
Art Appreciation Assignments 2012-2013_FINAL
The Art Appreciation program isn’t designed to teach art, but to share an appreciation of artists and artistic expressions of all kinds. Care is taken to select lessons that are
appropriate for each grade level. We also include an art lesson to coincide with each grade’s annual CCC (Celebrating Cultural Connections) event.
Follow the link below for more information on artists and themes by grade level.
Step Two: Schedule your lesson.
Contact your child’s teacher directly to schedule a time for your presentation. We suggest that you aim for 30 minutes, most of which should be hands-on time that allows the children to directly experience the artist.
Step Three: Plan and gather materials for your lesson.
Check out the brown folder labeled with the name of your artist or CCC project, found in the PTC closet located in the northeast corner of the gym. You can get the key from the school office. Be sure to sign the folder out using the sheetnprovided! Note that multiple copies of CCC folders are kept in the bins, since these will be presented to an entire grade in the same month.
If you can’t locate the folder you need, check the sign-out sheet to see if another volunteer has it. Contact that volunteer directly to coordinate pick-up. If you still can’t locate the folder you need, contact a committee chair.
You’ll also find thenfollowing materials in the closet:
- Large art prints arranged by artist’s last name. Prints must remain in the closet until the day of your presentation, when they can be taken to the classroom.
- Books located in the tall cabinet. Check these out using the sign-out sheet.
- Project supplies located in the tall cabinet. If you need additional supplies, check with a committee chair for instructions.
- If you need to make copies for your project, you can do that in the school office by filling out a PTC request sheet.
Your lesson should include a hands-on project that can be completed in the allotted time. See our sample lesson plan for more ideas.
Step Four: Present in class.
Be on time, since teachers may have the children on a tight schedule. Have fun, be flexible and see where the discussion leads. Let the ideas, insights and inspirations of the children lead the way.
Step Five: Wrap up.
Give us your feedback on lessons, examples or methods that worked well. Use the Project Summary Form, and place a copy in the brown project folder for the next parent volunteer.
Return your project folder and other materials to the Art Closet as soon as possible when your lesson is complete.
Submit any expenses to the Committee Chairs for reimbursement. You can leave your reimbursement form in the Art Closet as well. Store any leftover materials in the tall cabinet for future volunteers.