SHARP in the Community
SHARP Focus on STEAM: Video Series
Watch our series of educational videos providing young learners with a wide range of lessons – from science exploration activities, to STEAM-focused/earth-friendly art projects, to Read With Me, a unique opportunity for students to virtually read aloud with local sports figures and community leaders.
Integrate science, technology, engineering and math with art in unplugged coding activities and more! When you explore STEAM, you’ll learn about concepts like algorithms, coding languages and sequences.
Vermicomposting, aquaponics, how to grow food—these are just a few of the important concepts our students got to explore in our Urban Agriculture curriculum. Today marks the final day of our Summer Learning Program, and we were so excited to be able to work with our students again. We think you’ll find that they were excited too!
Milwaukee Murals with Adam Carr
Join writer Adam Carr for an exploration into Milwaukee murals that shape neighborhood identities and our city’s cultural narrative. Learn about local artists, Milwaukee history and the movements that inspired some of the most breathtaking public art in our city today.
Financial Literacy with Great Midwest Bank
It’s never too early to teach children about financial literacy. What is commerce? How do you count money? What are some ways to spend, save and share it? Our wonderful partner Great Midwest Bank combines math and critical thinking in a video that makes talking to kids about money simple and fun!
Behind the Scenes: Summer Program Activity Kits
It’s a behind-the-scenes look at SHARP’s Summer Programs! We’re so excited to be back with our students again. For now, get a sneak peek at how our Activity Kits were made for Urban Agriculture, Urban Techies and Art on the Move. Special thanks to all of our Summer Program partners and sponsors; none of this would be possible without you!
It’s the perfect time of year to learn about urban agriculture. How can coffee grounds help flowers grow? What does “transplanting” mean? These questions and more are answered as SHARP Guide Hope walks us through adventures in urban gardening.
Graph Paper Programming
Get your markers ready: math and art unite for a fun and simple programming activity! SHARP Guide JoAnne shows us how to write our own algorithms using symbols, and how to execute those algorithms to create grid-based drawings.
Character Development with Ian Corrao
Join artist Ian Corrao as he walks us through creating illustrated characters with big personalities. Ian is the creative mind and illustrator behind SHARP’s first graphic novel. Design Through Code students from Rogers Street Academy and Notre Dame School of Milwaukee also helped concept his characters, and we’re excited to announce the book is coming soon! In the meantime, why not get started on a graphic novel of your own?
Urban Agriculture with Mr. Eriks
Plants love warm weather, so what better time to learn about urban agriculture in Milwaukee? Mr. Eriks walks us through composting, shows us the difference between annual and perennial flowers, and even introduces us to his feathery friend, Pretty Bird the chicken. Stay tuned until the end for math and art extensions you can use when gardening!
Exploring Milwaukee with Adam Carr
In this video based on Explore MKE: Your Neighborhood, Our City, author Adam Carr explores a word you might not hear often — repurposing. But every day as you move through your neighborhood and even your home, you encounter this idea in action. Join Adam as he shares stories of how Milwaukeeans have used their creativity to solve problems and give new life to old materials.
Design Your Own Insect
It’s time to dive into the creepy-crawly world of bugs and insects! Learn about biological terms like species, thorax and entomology, and design your very own bug with Lily and Mary. Math, science and art all come into play in this STEAM-based lesson.
Drinking Candle Experiment
To all the older kids out there: did you know you can create a chemistry lab in your own home with the “Candle Drinking Experiment?” Learn about concepts like oxygen, elements and pressure, then use art and math to take your experiment even further.
Science and Art with Rainbows
Ever wondered about the science behind rainbows? Choose your own art project to illustrate concepts like refraction, the white light spectrum and color schemes.
Hunting for Shapes Bingo
Downloadable Activity Sheet
Learn about geometric shapes and how they feature in art with “Hunting for Shapes Bingo!” Go on a walk or drive to explore your neighborhood; will you be the first to find four shapes?
Jump Rope and Physics
Get some exercise and a basic physics lesson all in one! Learn about waves, the transfer of energy and how to connect coding, math and art to science.
Loops in Algorithms
This unplugged coding activity teaches children all about optimizing algorithms with loops! Help the hungry emoji find the fruit using math and coding concepts.
Design Your Own Emoji
Downloadable Code.org Worksheet
Meagan of SHARP Literacy teaches basic coding concepts using paper airplanes! (Free B-Roll by Videezy.com)
Learn how to make art using earth-friendly practices and concepts of math, science and engineering. When you create eco-art, you’ll learn about the color wheel, ephemeral art, geometry and more.
Make Your Own Mandala
Create a mesmerizing mandala! If you have unused paper plates, coffee filters or paper at the ready, why not repurpose these household items into a work of art? SHARP Guide Sue shows us how to create these hypnotic artworks and where you can find real world examples in your community.
Adventures in Letterboxing
Letterboxing, a scavenger hunt for homemade stamps, combines creativity, puzzle solving and outdoor exploration. Becky demonstrates how to make your own stamps and where to find letterboxing scavenger hunts all over your community! Plus, stay tuned to find ways to incorporate science and art into this eco-art activity.
Water Pollution Solutions
Symmetry and Suncatchers
Art meets science and math: learn all about biomes, ratios and recycling as you create your very own eco-friendly mosaic!
Get your kids outside and ready to learn! Your little artists will combine math and environmental concepts to create eco-art that changes with the seasons.
Nature Color Wheel
Get your kids outside for a colorful creative project! This activity combines science and math with art, as kids make their very own nature color wheels using outdoor and indoor materials.
Rock Balancing Sculpture
Learn how to create your own rock balancing sculpture with Daryl!
– Explore physics concepts of gravity and balance
– Use art elements (shape, form, color and texture)
Read With Me
Join your favorite local celebrities as they share their love of literacy! Read with Coach Paul Combs of Carroll University Men’s Basketball, radio host KB from 97.3 The Game and so many more!
Joy Powers, WUWM 89.7 FM
Oh, the Places You’ll Go! Joy Powers of WUWM 89.7 FM reads this inspiring Dr. Seuss book, a tale about overcoming adversity and finding one’s way through life.
Mike Curkov, CBS 58 News
Read With Me: Mike Curkov of CBS 58 News reads Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed, a tale about self-acceptance and celebrating the differences between ourselves and others.
Matt Donovan, Milwaukee Admirals
Don’t Push the Button! Matt Donovan of the Milwaukee Admirals and his son Dean read this book by Bill Cotter and do their best to help Larry the Monster return to normal.
Marshall Chay, McDonald’s Owner-Operator
Dori Zori, 88Nine Radio Milwaukee
Sheldon Dutes, WISN-12 News
Troy Grosenick, Milwaukee Admirals
Read with American Hockey League’s 2019-20 “Man of the Year” and Milwaukee Admiral’s goalie, Troy Grosenick! Join us for not one but TWO stories: Inside the Net and I Know A Monkey.
Steve Santini, Milwaukee Admirals
Read With Me: Steven Santini of the Milwaukee Admirals reads a classic story that children have enjoyed since 1967: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
Carl Deffenbaugh, FOX6 News
Read With Me: Carl Deffenbaugh of FOX6 News and his daughter Lila read a humorous but touching tale called Mother Bruce!
Katie Crowther, TMJ4 News
Join Katie Crowther, TMJ4 News Anchor and SHARP Young Professionals Board member, as she reads Will You Be My Sunshine. Enjoy this uplifting tale about finding bright spots of love and support in our lives.
Tarik Moody, 88Nine Radio Milwaukee
Adventure with Tarik Moody, Digital Director and DJ at 88Nine Radio Milwaukee, into the tale of Where the Wild Things Are. This award-winning children’s classic has delighted young readers for years with its beautiful illustrations and whimsical narrative.
Debra Katz, Literacy Advocate and Community Volunteer
Read With Me: Join Debra Katz, literacy advocate and community volunteer, as she reads Messes of Dresses. It’s a memorable tale and a great reminder for all of us to cherish what we already have!
Shannon Sims, TMJ4 News
Read With Me: Shannon Sims of TMJ4 News reads Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes. This Read With Me video will be music to your ears, as you and your children follow along!
Steve “The Homer” True, ESPN Milwaukee
Read With Me: Homer True of ESPN Milwaukee’s Homer & Gabe shares “the greatest children’s book ever”: Caps for Sale.
Natalie Shepherd, CBS 58
Natalie Shepherd of CBS 58 reads The Good Egg and shares some important advice for all of us staying at home right now: “Make sure that you’re being good to yourself, good to your family, your brothers and sisters, and have a good day.”
KB, 97.3 The Game
Join KB from 97.3 The Game’s “Drew and KB” as he shares one of his son’s all-time favorite books: Clifford’s First Autumn! Who knows? It may even inspire some storytime in your own home!
Paul Combs & Pio Pete
Read With Me: Join Carroll University’s Paul Combs and Pio Pete as they read an Easter-themed tale. Go Pios!
Bonus: Pio Pete’s Favorite Book!
After a successful Read With Me session, Pio Pete shares his all-time favorite book.
Learning as Art
SHARP’s murals provide children with the opportunity to express themselves through art. Each mural starts with research about a particular topic. Students then write about what they have learned and further express it through the visual arts. The students collaborate as a team to create a large-scale mural that later is often displayed in the community. Each mural is a beautiful, visual exploration of a specific subject as seen through the eyes of our children.
Artist Sally Duback has guided SHARP students to transform their art into finished mosaics. Twenty-seven mural projects have been installed throughout Milwaukee — at General Mitchell International Airport, Discovery World, Miller Park and many other locations.
Lake Country – Shorehaven
Seniors from Shorehaven in Oconomowoc and students from Whitter Elementary in Waukesha collaborated to create this Lake Country-themed mural.
Explore MKE – Ovation Sarah Chudnow
Approximately 25 5th grade students from Messmer St. Mary’s School & 15 seniors from Ovation Sarah Chudnow worked together to create the mural, Explore MKE. Ovation Communities sponsored the project.
Connected by Code – Brianna’s Dream – MSOE Grohmann Museum
Approximately 25 4th & 5th grade students in SHARP’s Design Through Code program created the mural. It was sponsored by MSOE, Wisconsin Arts Board & Northwestern Mutual.
Eagle Coders – Forest Home School
25 Forest Home 4th grade students in SHARP’s Design Through Code program created this mural. It was sponsored by MSOE, Wisconsin Arts Board, Mary Nohl Foundation & Northwestern Mutual.
Discovering Waukesha – Carroll University Campus Center
SHARP Literacy partnered with Carroll University and the School District of Waukesha to create a “Discovering Waukesha” mural at Carroll University Campus Center Artist Sally Duback led the project, with 150 second and third grade students participating from Banting Elementary School, Summit View Elementary School, Whittier Elementary School and La Casa de Esperanza, all in Waukesha. The mural includes landmarks, cityscapes and elements of Waukesha communities that make Waukesha a unique and special place to live.
Bee – Prairie Springs Environmental Education Center
SHARP Literacy, Inc. partnered with Carroll University’s Prairie Springs Environmental Education Center to create three mosaic “Bee” murals. Artist Sally Duback led the project, with 130 second grade students participating from Banting Elementary School, Summit View Elementary School and Whittier Elementary School in Waukesha. The “Bee” murals were based on SHARP Literacy’s We Love to Learn book, A Busy Bee: The Story of Bella the Honey Bee.
Drop to Dinner – Neighborhood House Garden Park
Artist in Residence Sally Duback, SHARP Literacy staff and Neighborhood House summer program students created a mural depicting urban agriculture. The Drop to Dinner mural at Neighborhood House’s Garden Park was unveiled on August 21, 2015.
Movable Feast – Miller Park
SHARP students from Lutheran Special School and Education Services worked with Milwaukee-based artist Sally Duback to create a mural based on SHARP’s 12th We Love to Learn book, There Grows the Neighborhood: Agriculture in the City.
Freedom – War Memorial
Students from Doerfler, Forest Home, St. Martini and Trowbridge Schools wrote themes on the meaning of freedom and used them to create the images that became a mural installed in the War Memorial.
Transportation – Intermodal Station
SHARP Literacy staff worked in collaboration with the United Neighborhood Community Centers of Milwaukee to guide over 400 students in grades 3-6 to research and complete writing assignments about transportation needs in our community. The types of transportation the children studied are represented in this beautiful mosaic.
Greater Milwaukee Circle of Life – Marquette University Alumni Memorial Union
This mural was part of an ambitious four-year collaborative project to bridge racial and cultural divides. Students at five participating schools researched, read and wrote about the heritage and customs of their own cultures while also learning about other cultures. The resulting mosaic illustrates Greater Milwaukee’s rich ethnic, social and religious diversity.
Anna F. Doerfler Community School
Doerfler elementary school students used their research, language and social studies skills to study four major holidays (Thanksgiving, Three Kings Day, the Fourth of July and Day of the Dead) that are meaningful for the predominantly Hispanic/Latino community at the school. Students worked with Milwaukee artist Sally Duback in making the holiday scenes come to life.
The Evolution of Technology – Discovery World
This mural project partnered SHARP students from Irving J. Seher School with children from the Don and Sallie Davis Branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee to create The Evolution of Technology, based on studies about the role technology plays in our history and lives. The mural features mechanical and robotic pieces from Rockwell Automation, the primary sponsor for the mural.
Greenfield Elementary School
Students in grades 2-5 at Greenfield Bilingual Elementary School participated in the creation of this mural. Each grade generated a panel based on the writing assignment tied to their individual grade’s curriculum.
Mosaic of Culture – We Energies Communities – General Mitchell International Airport
A collaborative effort between SHARP, We Energies and Milwaukee County, the Mosaic of Culture mural was installed at General Mitchell International Airport on the 2nd Floor skywalk. Approximately 1,000 3rd grade students from eight schools created this mural.
Lake Express Ferry Terminal
To create this mural, SHARP students used a newly developed social studies curriculum based on People of Michigan/People of the World. About 500 4th grade students from two schools created the mural for the ferry terminal that provides high-speed service between Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Muskegon, Michigan.
Building a Nation – Forest Home Elementary School
Students in grades 3-5 at Forest Home Avenue Elementary School worked with artists to create a mural based on the fifth grade unit, Building a Nation. The project reinforced students’ learnings about the American Revolution as well as promoted diversity and cultural awareness.