The assignment: research items from the Cravens collection and then create a drawing of the object. Teacher Tara Hauer instructed students to cover their drawings by making a "a shield" on their pencils with a piece of paper. Students then had to use just their concentration and powers of observation to connect to the objects in front of them.

Students begin their drawings.

Parrion Woods, 8, "draws circles" – and concentrates.

UB anthropology graduate student Hannah Quaintance, who is managing the project, works with Jemayiah Crawford, age 9.

Xavier Jones, 9, focuses as he works on his drawing.

One of the many objects from the Cravens collection that the students were able to draw. The 1,100-piece collection of archaeological and ethnographic objects dates as far back as 4,500 BC.

Tara Hauer (left) talks about one of the objects with a student.

Davion Williams, 9, shows off his drawing.

Raqual, aka "Rocky" Adams, age 9 (right), and Joshua Loyd, age 8, apply watercolors to their work.