Kids Curate 2020

Launched in 2012, Kids Curate brings High Desert Museum curators into one Central Oregon elementary school for the duration of the school year. Together, curators, artists, teachers and fourth and fifth graders work on a project that culminates in a student-designed exhibition displayed at the Museum. The aim of the program is to provide art learning opportunities otherwise unavailable at that school, weaving together art, science, history and writing curriculum. Kids Curate also provides hands-on arts learning and an opportunity to learn about arts and culture career possibilities.

In most years, we’re honored to have worked with local teachers through Kids Curate and display the students’ work publicly and prominently at the Museum. This year however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re offering the opportunity to see the children’s artwork virtually. During this school year, fourth- and fifth-grade students from Rosland Elementary in La Pine studied the movements of migratory wildlife, particularly focusing on the U.S. 97 wildlife undercrossing just south of Bend that allows animals to get safely under the highway. They learned about this in the context of the area’s natural history and ecosystems.

In addition, students learned a variety of art-making techniques. They used their imaginations and creativity to draw, design and construct three-dimensional animals from natural and human-made objects. Students composed a short story about their animals and designed a wildlife crossing to help them move safely around the highway.

We hope you enjoy the students’ sculpted animals and stories as much as we do!