Students in upper-level language courses will be completing projects that recreate pieces from an artist native to the language they are studying.

The students from French- and Spanish-speaking classes attended the Detroit Institute of Art on Wednesday, May 1.

Mrs. Caitlin Manson, Spanish teacher, said the DIA shows students the works of non-English-speaking artists.

These types of art projects are fun for both students and teachers, yet they are an educational way to learn the history of different cultures.

“Going to the DIA is interesting for our students because they can see real works of art up close,” Manson said. “They get to learn about different artists and experience a really nice, world-class museum.”

The museum is filled with multicultural murals, which is intentional so the students can better recreate a piece they may see.

It is home to many important works, such as the Diego Rivera murals. Diego Rivera was a prominent Mexican artist who established the Mexican mural movement.

Madame Kim Rouvelin, French teacher, said the DIA is home to national treasures that will teach students the history of the automobile industry.

“There are artworks from over 30 countries there,” Rouvelin said. “Art expresses culture, and culture is one of the 5 C’s we aim to teach when presenting a second language: community, communication, connections, comparison, and culture.”

The art that students saw made it evident on how life was like in the past for certain areas of the world.

Junior Maddie Alpin believes the trip truly helped her better understand art.

“My favorite parts were the Diego Rivera murals and the British arts,” Alpin said.