Posted on January 6, 2014 at 3:28 PM by Mike Smith
Our school came together last year to create a beautiful 70-foot long mural! This community art project was inspired by our school’s character education curriculum called Open Circle. We introduced this project by discussing with students what Open Circle means to them and what they have learned from using Open Circle principles in their classroom. Students then designed their own logos based the “Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Circle” motto. Staff voted on the most popular designs and the chosen image incorporates student hand prints, the changing of the seasons, and a drawing of the front of South School.
Over the course of a few months, our mural began to come to life! All of the classes worked hard to contribute their ideas to the mural during art class. Each grade transformed a part of the wall: kindergartners’ fingerprints became the stone walkway that leads to the front door; first and second grade students layered their hand prints to create the trunks of the trees; third grade students painted delicate insects among the grass and flowers; fourth grade students used words and images that reflect their school to create the tile border design; and fifth grade students painted a forest full of animals, as well as planes, balloons, and birds soaring through the sky. The result? A bold, colorful version of South School that was truly a student-centered project from beginning to end. The finished creation is a reflection of the spirit, imagination, and talent of the South School community!
Emily Babbist (Babb)
Art Teacher
South Elementary School