4th Grade Field Trip to the Art Institute and Millennium Park4th Grade Field Trip to the Art Institute and Millennium Park

Fourth grade students at Dieterich Elementary had an unexpected surprise and memorable encounter during their field trip to Chicago on Tuesday, October 17.  Students visited Millennium Park and the Art Institute in Chicago.

As students approached Cloud Gate (commonly known as The Bean), they were excited to see news cameras around the area. The reporters were creating a story about Anish Kapoor, the creator of The Bean! Kapoor was visiting Chicago to receive an award for his commitment to the arts. He had not been back to visit his sculpture since its dedication in 2006. Dieterich students got to meet him and give him high fives. 

At the Art Institute, students were given a tour led by museum docents. “Docents” are knowledgeable guides that provide information in museums. The tour focused on how artists tell stories through their art. 

Although the students didn’t realize it, their tour directly connected to the Common Core ELA standards regarding analyzing characters and setting in art and literature. The tour also aligned with the National Arts Standards. Students enjoyed looking at armor, ancient artifacts, and artworks that they were familiar with from their art class.

It was an experience they will never forget.