Each month of Awesome Art is intentionally designed to support literacy, STEAM learning, creativity, and social-emotional development — all through engaging, hands-on projects. Students aren’t just making art; they’re building real academic and emotional skills that carry directly into the classroom.

📚 January — Create Your Own Comic

Students learn how stories work by creating their own characters, settings, and plots.

Benefits

• Strengthens literacy through sequencing, vocabulary, and narrative structure
• Builds confidence in writing and self-expression
• Develops planning, focus, and problem-solving
• Enhances fine motor skills and visual communication

🎨 February — Art Through Black History

Hands-on art inspired by influential Black artists and cultural traditions.

Benefits

• Builds historical and cultural awareness
• Encourages empathy and perspective-taking
• Strengthens analytical skills by exploring symbolism, pattern, and storytelling
• Supports vocabulary, observation, and critical thinking

🌿 March — Nature & Earth

Recycled art, weather-inspired watercolors, and botanical creativity.

Benefits

• Connects art to science, sustainability, and environmental awareness
• Strengthens observation, pattern recognition, and inquiry skills
• Encourages creative problem-solving using limited/recycled materials
• Supports mindfulness and attention to detail

🔬 April — Art + Science

Optical illusions, kinetic art, pendulum painting, and intro animation.

Benefits

• Reinforces STEAM concepts like motion, gravity, sound, and persistence of vision
• Encourages experimentation, prediction, and cause-and-effect reasoning
• Builds spatial reasoning and sequencing (core skills for math & reading)
• Shows students that science can be creative, playful, and accessible

💛 May — Mindful Art

Color-emotion work, collage journaling, and reflective portrait projects.

Benefits

• Supports emotional regulation and self-awareness
• Builds confidence through personal expression
• Strengthens communication and emotional vocabulary
• Helps kids reflect on their year and identify their strengths

💚 Keeping It Accessible

Because Awesome Art is PTA-sponsored, the cost is half of what the program normally is. Our goal is to make high-quality enrichment available to as many students as possible while keeping sessions low-cost, inclusive, and rooted in Maplewood’s values.

Space is limited! Sign up ASAP.

Sign up/get more details here: https://forms.gle/y8ucuDtqmEGoHkEt5