Picturing America

Last spring I applied for a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. The program is called "Picturing America." I received several large, beautiful pictures to post in my room or around the school. I have already used several of the pictures as writing prompts to stimulate discussion in my classroom about leadership, citizenship and courage. There is an accompanying Guide Book that offers background information on the artworks as well as some questioning ideas. It is tiered by grade level- elementary, middle and secondary. There was a second round of grant applications this fall, and I believe a new round will be offered in the spring. The good news is that the pictures and the guide book are all available online here.

You may want to check the list of schools that already have this resource on NEH website. There are a lot of schools in the area that applied and were recipients of this grant. You may have them already, but not know it. They are a great resource for all subject areas, and to use for cross-curricular activities.