Earth Day at Williamston Explorer Elementary School

This week the teachers asked us to do a lesson that related to Earth Day. We wanted to do a visual arts lesson and utilize their amazing art room. We found a project online that allowed the students to express their appreciation for the earth and doing so by creating a peice of artwork that used only eco-friendly materials. We discussed the concept of earth day and got their input about what it meant to them. We then gave each student a few minutes to write a couple words and/or sentences about what earth day personally meant to them. We then had them close their eyes and visualize some natural element of the earth that they get joy from and would miss if it was no longer in existence. (If we don't protect out earth these things we enjoy could possibly not be here for us). My example: I love reading outside under trees on Michigan State University's campus, however, if we don't protect the earth this might not be something that everyone is able to enjoy. The students then opened their eyes and did quick sketches on their paper of the images that they just had in their minds. This was effective in allowing our students to quickly capture that image.

Next, we discussed the concept of a mosaic and the various materials that people use to make mosaics.We then showed the students the mosaics that we both made using recycled cardboard to mount our mosaics and various types and colors of beans. We passed out the materials to the stuents and explained to them that they should fill their entire cardboard (about the size of a postcard) with beans, leaving very little open space. The students did amazing! Jena and I were impressed not only with their images and the natural elements that they appreciated and their careful execution with the small materials.

This activity was even more sucessful than I thought it would be and I was blown away with their art products. The students were very enagaged and excited with their resulting products and were so eager to share! I feel like it was effective in helping the students to appreciate the earth and have a peice of artwork that was created using recyled materials, thus, reinfocing the idea of protecting the world around us.