Lesson: Harmony totems
(with Artist in residence)
Medium: Wood
Grade Level: Fifth - sixth
 From
Gina: My grade five and six students designed totems based on
the theme of harmony. These were carved out of cypress logs by a
chainsaw sculptor and then the children decorated them. We had
them placed in the gardens of the Organ factory (the town hall
organ - quite famous around here - was built here over 130 years
ago), which houses the art room and grade six rooms. I organized
the younger grades to perform around the school on the night of
the installation. The preps and grades 1 performed dances from
around the world, the grades 2 and 3 performed songs, and the
grade 4 students built their own instruments and created a
soundscape which they performed to a poem they had written about
the environment. I decorated the front garden of the school with
'Wish for the Future' flags created by the preps to grades 3 -
based on the Tibetan Prayer Flags and the grade six students
wove colourful material through the wire fence of the Organ
Factory. Some of the grade six students (who will be graduating
shortly) read out pieces on their interpretation of harmony and
three created the front design of our program. I placed all
their designs of the totems, created on large rolls of paper, in
our art room along with their storyboards about how it all was
created.
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GINA'S STUDENTS' SELF PORTRAITS
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PERSONAL MANDALA UNIT
SEE
WAYNE THIEBAUD POP ART
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