Riverside CA – This winter and spring, the Riverside Art Museum, in partnership with Riverside Unified School District (RUSD), is bringing California-standard-based art classes to 5th and 6th grade classrooms throughout the district. More than 27 schools are participating in this program and schools will receive up to six art classes for each 5th or 6th grade classroom.
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“We are hearing wonderful things about the Riverside Art Museum’s Art-to-Go lessons for our 5th and 6th grade students,” said Brad Shearer, the Director of Elementary Education for RUSD. “Students report that they truly enjoy the art lessons. We are so happy to have this great partnership with the Riverside Art Museum.”
RUSD school district teachers can choose between three series: Art Plus Science, Art Plus History, or Stand-Alone Fine Arts. Each of these series includes three one-hour lessons taught one week apart. Students may experience working with clay, printmaking, oil pastel, paint, and/or colored pencil while either learning about history, science, or famous artists. Classroom teachers are given a Core Content Writing Prompt specific to each lesson for follow-up writing activities. These newly developed Art-to-Go lessons meet the Next Generation Science Standards or the History/SS Content Standards. All series also meet the CA Visual Arts Standards. RAM’s instructors bring high quality art materials, lesson posters, and vocabulary charts to teach these exciting lessons.
“I am most pleased that this means more children in our region will grow up with an appreciation for art and the ability to express themselves more creatively,” says Gregory Adamson, a RAM trustee and artist.
In February, the Riverside Art Museum taught over 160 lessons.
“I’m excited, the teachers are excited, and the kids are excited,” said Caryn Marsella, RAM Art Education Director. “Art is not a required subject, but now we have a method to ensure RUSD school children have an opportunity to explore their artistic creativity.”
“We are very happy with the Art-to-Go program,” said teacher Sarah Francis from Madison Elementary. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for our students to learn some artistic techniques from an expert and to be able to experiment with their own creativity.”
The Riverside Art Museum integrates art into the lives of people in a way that engages, inspires, and builds community by providing high quality exhibits and art education programs that instill a lifelong love of the arts. RAM relies on the generosity of members and donors to support its exhibitions, education programs, and special events. A 60-plus-year-old, non-profit cultural arts institution housed in a National Historic 1929 building designed by Hearst Castle and AIA Gold Medal-winning architect Julia Morgan, the museum welcomes over 50,000 visitors a year. The museum is open Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. and Sunday, 12:00 noon – 4:00 p.m. For information on exhibits, events, classes, memberships, or sponsorship opportunities, visit www.RiversideArtMuseum.org. Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/riversideartmuseum), Twitter (RAMRiverside), Instagram (@riversideartmuseum), and Pinterest (www.pinterest.com/ramarts).