Literacy Through Art—Strengthening Museum School Partnerships

Oceanside Museum of Art (OMA) and Oceanside Unified School District (OUSD) began a formal partnership in 2011 with ArtQuest—a program that welcomed every OUSD fifth grade student to the museum in order to engage meaningfully with art. In 2018, OMA expanded its partnership with Literacy Through Art, a new program designed to build on the success of ArtQuest by partnering with the Oceanside Public Library (OPL) and OUSD to tackle elementary literacy needs in the community through the beauty of art. 

What Is Literacy Through Art?

Literacy Through Art is a partnership between OMA, OPL, OUSD, and funding partners, that will provide third- and fifth-grade students with alternative ways to connect with language through dynamic and experiential lessons and activities focusing on art. The program builds on the innovative teaching strategies used by museum and library educators to teach literacy using visually rich art and culturally responsive literature. The model program aligns with Common Core State Standards (CCSS) encouraging better reading, writing, looking, and thinking by incorporating multiple modes of learning, encouraging careful observation, and supporting statements with evidence, as well as honoring student participation and celebrating creativity.