Advice from Third Graders in Ms. Anderson's Class at Estabrook Elementary

ADVENTURING THROUGH

the Art Museum

Advice from Students in Ms. Anderson’s Third Grade Class at Estabrook Elementary

A D VENTURI N G THRO U HG the art museum

Ms. Anderson’s Class

Advice from Students in Ms. Anderson’s Class at Estabrook Elementary

826

National’s Commitment to Inclusion

As an organization committed to encouraging youth in their creative expression, personal growth, and academic success, 826 National and its chapters recognize the importance of diversity at all levels and in all aspects of our work. In order to build and maintain the safe, supportive 826 environment in which great leaps of learning occur, we commit to inclusion: We will not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, nationality, marital status, English fluency, parental status, immigration status, military service, or disability.

826michigan Staff

Megan Shuchman Executive Director

Catherine Calabro Cavin Education Director

Megan Gilson Program Manager

Denise Ervin Program Manager

Caitlin Koska Volunteer Manager

Kinyel Friday Operations Manager

Ola Faleti Institutional Giving Strategist

Kayla Chenault Interim Program & Volunteer Coordinator

Paige Bennett Teaching Artist

Eli Sparkman Teaching Artist

The U-M Museum of Art puts art and ideas at the center of campus and public life. We create experiences that enrich our understanding of one another, foster joy, and build a more just future. Through exhibitions, programs, research, and community partnerships we are redefining what a campus museum can be.

Copyright © 2023 by 826michigan and Blotch Books.

All rights reserved by 826michigan, the many whims of Dr. Thaddeus Blotch, the illustrators, and the authors.

This book is a work of fiction. Any similarities to any people or events, real or imaginary, is purely coincidental. No part of this book may be reproduced without express written permission from the publisher, except for small excerpts for the purposes of review or scholarly study.

Many thanks to the University of Michigan Museum of Art and our volunteers for their participation in this field trip.

By purchasing this book, you are helping 826michigan continue to offer free student programs. For more information, please visit: 826michigan.org

What would happen if you could jump inside a work of art?

This isn’t an ordinary trip to the museum! During this field trip program, students imagined that they were shrinking down to the size of a paper clip and then jumping inside of different art pieces at the University of Michigan Museum of Art. They worked with volunteers and museum educators to write creative survival guides, giving advice for how readers might survive inside of these different art worlds. Students’ writing was then published in a book—the one you are now holding. Students toured the museum and saw the art that they wrote about in real life, reading their newly-written survival guides in front of the art.

This field trip is offered each year to every third grade class in the Ypsilanti Community Schools district. The program is a partnership between 826michigan, a local youth writing organization, and the University of Michigan Museum of Art to highlight the connections between art and writing.

We hope you enjoy reading these guides to survival in some very unusual settings!

How to Survive Alice

Florencia Pita

Alice, 2007

Polymer foam, PETG, urethane

Gift of the artist

Ms. Anderson’s Class

First, you need some food. You should look around and you will find red and blue popcorn Takis. You might worry that they are dangerous but you should eat them. It rains Takis and you should collect them in a bag.

Then, you should wait for it to start raining and collect the water in your water bottle and also a bucket.

Next, you’ll need to put on your armor and grab your weapons to protect yourself from brainless zombies. You can put a bucket over the zombie’s head and run away.

Last, you could hide in the holes for ten minutes and you should be quiet because zombies are attracted to sound. You should not eat because they would smell the Taki popcorn. Just in case, you should silently wipe off any trace of perfume.

How to Survive Future Cache

Courtesy of the artist

Andrea Carlson

Future Cache, 2022

Gouache on paper

Group 1

First, you have to wait for the big eye to open. It is dark and wavy inside and you feel dizzy. You need flashlights to see and blankets to stay warm in the eye, as well as oxygen masks to breathe. You can build a fire to stay warm. The fire will make the eye itchy and burning, and it will pop open.

Then, you can take your measuring tape and open it all the way to grab the clouds in the sky. When the cloud comes close to you, you can pull yourself out of the eye and onto the cloud. From there, you can pull more clouds closer to you–then you can get away.

Next, make sure to keep the fire going so that the eye stays open long enough for you and your friends to get out.

Last, if you need to, use a stick to keep the eye propped open. The ocean will start rising and you can fly out onto the clouds.

Group 2

First, you need to get wood from the forest and rocks from the beach to make a fire.

Then, you can collect water and boil it on the fire so you can drink.

Next, you can make a fishing rod with wood and worms from the beach to go fishing and cook the fish on the fire. Last, now that you have energy, you can start to build a boat and leave the island. You could also clean the garbage and use it as clothes or a sail for a sailboat.

How to Survive Lion Dance and Monkey Dance

Unrecorded, Japanese

Top: Lion Dance Under Red Plum Blossoms, 1730-1740

Bottom: Monkey Dance Under White Plum Blossoms, 1730-1740

One of a pair of 6-fold screens ink, color, and gold pigment on paper

Museum purchase made possible by the Margaret Watson Parker Art Collection Fund

Group 1

First, when you arrive at the scene, you might wonder where you are and how you can communicate with the people there since they are different from you. If you only had an app–but wait, it looks like it is a long time ago in this world. Maybe someone there would be able to speak both languages?

Then, you are hungry, so you think you should go fishing in the little stream for lunch. You can also collect some water to drink. You see the tree–that tree! You can make a car out of that to eventually drive home.

Next, you see the group of people in the lower piece of art and think you should make friends. Are they praying? You think you should bring them some of the fish you caught and make friends.

Last, you want to see the play. You return back to the first piece of art and see the ticket lady. You see the show and then drive home after in the car you made from the tree.

Group 2

First, you should find the tree and climb it. It could be dangerous, you could slip and fall. You could break your bones.

Then, climb down and find another high spot. The little spot with the bars could be safe. Get water from the lake if it’s clean. If it’s not clean, don’t drink it. It is clean! You can carry a cup with you or get one from the house.

Next, look around and see if there are people doing bad stuff. If there are no sharks you can go in the water and swim and explore. You could eat the fish. If the water is clear you can see the fish.

Last, you can sleep in the room with the flip flops. You will need a blanket and a night light.

How to Survive

Nevelson Dark Presence III

Louise Nevelson Dark Presence III, 1971

Painted wood Gift of Bobby Kotick

Group 1

First, you need water. Make a sink from the boxes. Hot water is in the squares and cold water is in the rectangles. You are in Arizona. You will need to drink a lot of water because it is hot.

Then, watch out for the robots falling from the sky. There are different spots to hide from the robots. To hide, go into the bunker that is at the bottom. You will find the king of the dinosaurs there. You will need weapons to defeat him. Transform yourself into a dinosaur to blend in.

Next, you will need food. There is a fridge on the left side where you will find food. There are tomatoes, broccoli, Lay’s, blue Doritos, all types of Takis, and carrots there.

Last, make a drawer out of the long rectangles in the middle. There will be clothes there. There is an arcade nearby. The arcade has race cars, basketball games, claw machines, VR games, and squishmellows. There is a secret room under the arcade. There is a room for everyone, and the king of the dinosaurs won’t be able to find you there.

How to Survive Ngoromera

Masimba Hwati

Ngoromera, 2020

Brass, iron, copper, carbon steel, and plastic

Museum purchase made possible by the University of Michigan

Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and the Director’s Acquisition Committee, 2020

Group 1

First, check your backpack to make sure you brought all of the food you’ll need: Chinese food, burgers, chips, candy, and chicken nuggets.

Then, climb down using the brass bars and crawl inside the big horn for shelter. You’ll need to be in the big horn in case it snows. You can leave the horn to break off the smaller horn pieces to build a house inside the horn. Inside the house you’ll need to have a TV, an XBox, a PS5, and a charging cord. You must build a comfy, comfy recliner and a gym inside your house. You should also section off a bedroom, a playroom, and an upstairs in your survival shelter for maximum comfort. Your house should also have fancy pictures in the downstairs, upstairs, and the bathroom. Your house will need an automatic door with a cover. Your door will need facial recognition so that the door lets you in but locks out everyone else. You will have a robot and a bodyguard. The robot will take over when the bodyguard needs to sleep. You’ll put your clothes in a drawer for easy access.

Next, take a drink of water from the water bottle you brought. If you run out of water, refill your bottle from the water stream that flows out of the big horn.

Last, take out your iPhone and iPad to call your mom or your dad and tell them that you’re stuck inside of the museum. It is important to communicate where you are to your parents so they can pick you up.

Group 2

First, run like Sonic the Hedgehog around the trombone, and make sure you watch out for cheetahs and lions!

Then, jump in the euphonium and drive a Tesla around the horn and make sure you can find water! There are free bagels at the end of the euphonium!

Next, slide down the tube, and hunt animals inside if they are not already out for food themselves. They might be looking for food such as pizza, burgers, and hot dogs.

Last, get out by jumping out of the horn!

MAP

WRITE YOUR OWN SURVIVAL GUIDE!

Author Name:

How to Survive:

First, Then,

About the Author

WRITING IS

A way to figure things out by ourselves

A way to help us connect to our world

We create a safe place to be ourselves and try new things

We support the ways that writers work (like thinking, sketching, talking)

We study the writing we want to do so we can try it

We learn how to change our writing for genre, audience, and purpose

We work with a group of writers who help and support each other

www.826michigan.org

A way to help us learn who we are and who we will become

A way for us to use our power to make changes and build a better world