America’s Fair and Art Show

As a culminating activity to their study of the United States throughout the school year, FWCD fourth-graders presented their art to family and friends on Wednesday, May 11, in the Lou and Nick Martin Campus Center. View the slideshow. This celebration of America’s history and the 50 states featured the work of 61 students in the classes of Kelly Jenkins, Joan Massey, Sara McCullough, and Alicia Schordine. These grade-level teachers and the students partnered with Lower School Visual Arts Teacher Dorrine DeChant to bring their studies to life.

The interdisciplinary and collaborative program was a blend of social studies, language arts, and visual arts, involving state sculpture pieces, a large map of the 50 states and “I Am America” poems that emphasized places in our country of natural beauty that they have visited.

DeChant oversaw their state sculpture piece, drawing on what the students had learned in social studies class about their chosen state. The only requirement: include the state bird. The rest of the project was open to the student’s interpretation. The end result was a fantastic display of artwork. 

The map, created by every single fourth-grader, featured various state facts and information, including state capitals, major cities, terrain, etc,. all in vivid color. The poems came from the students’ hearts and experiences, as they drew upon their heritage, favorite places in America, three moments in time from a particular state or country, and an “I Believe” statement. 

The teachers hope to make this exhibition a new fourth-grade tradition.