From 6th grade sunrise silhouette paintings of the African savannah, to realistic rainforest renderings by the 4th graders, furry friends from around the planet were all represented in this “wildly” colorful all-school art show.

In preparation, students researched the roles animals play in world cultures and spiritual traditions, and designed projects that captured the essence of those relationships. After learning about Ganesha, the elephant-headed deity of the Hindu religion, our second grade students created beautiful, mutli-media elephant portraits. Over in Central America, our 5th graders paid tribute to the colorful hand-sewn molas of the Kuna people of Panama by recreating Mola Collages. Meanwhile, our youngest learners, the TK class, traveled to the prehistoric era to learn about the earliest art on our planet — cave painting! — and rolled up their sleeves to experiment with mud, charcoal, and finger painting as they created a live-size, interactive art cave.

Children love animals, and they love art. Bringing together multiple passions into an inspiring collaborative project is at the very heart of what makes a progressive art curriculum such a powerful educational tool.