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From the Teacher
It is with much enthusiasm that I write to update you on the progress of our mosaic making journey! The students have been working diligently the last month finishing the final pieces. When the materials first arrived, the artists were ecstatic and took turns opening and sorting all of the mosaic ceramic squares. "This is better than Christmas!" is what one student said. They were impressed by the variety of colors, and also curious about why certain tiles had speckles in them, and others were more shiny. It gave us an opportunity to learn about art and found objects. We also learned about Spanish architect, Antoni Gaud, who used many mosaic materials in his famed parks and buildings. The students used the cutting tools later on to break smaller pieces we used for stepping stones.The artists, primarily in fifth grade, learned about how these pieces are water resistant. We tested out several mosaic pieces and placed them in the school yard to experiment if they would change colors over a couple weeks. The students in fifth grade science have been working on planting seeds for the garden. We have had several incredibly rainy/floody days in the past month, and we are waiting until Thursday to dig holes to place the mosaic steps so they stay safe and secure. Several teachers and students, including myself, plan to document the garden periodically over the next few months.
This project boosted my teaching and student learning because it gave us a chance to explore "real-life" materials that mosaic artists use. Students were excited about the donation and to see that there are generous people in the world that support our love for learning and art making. It made for many teachable moments and many opportunities to try something new in the art classroom. My students are grateful for your support and cannot wait to use the rest of the mosaic materials in the fall. We have a second connected project coming up in August when we get back. This project also sparked the interest of dozens of teachers who have families at home whom they would love to try this similar project with! The art classroom has become quite a popular room these days!
I thank you sincerely for taking the time to check out our Donors Choose page and supporting this wonderful idea that started out as a grand idea between my students, that ultimately became an amazing reality. Thanks again!!
- Ms. Lee
From the Students