ART

The entire school participated in the "Global Art Project for
Peace." There are two parts to the project. K-5 students all
made "hands for peace" as part of the "Let's All Join Hands" aspect of the
Global Art Project. The hands were decorated with wishes of peace and hung
together with other participants from all over the world as a symbol of
global unity. We also be created our own installation here at
Spicewood to remind us that peace starts here with us - in our hearts and
through our actions. The goal was to have our "hands for peace" display
installed by Sept. 21, United Nation's International Day of Peace. As part
of our peace project here at Spicewood, Mrs. Nelson and I collaborated
with the school counselor, Mrs. Devine, to combine the project with the
Spicewood's Anti-Bullying initiative, to help ensure that students
understand how to create a peaceful environement here at school. (Read on
for more information about "Let's All Join Hands.") The other aspect of the
Global Art Project is the international art exchange, happens biennially. Spicewood's Art
Club participated by creating a "peace quilt" to be exchanged with another group of students
somewhere across the world.  More information about the exchange will come when we get

all of the details worked out.  

The following is an excerpt from the Global Art Project website
explaining the project idea:

"The mission of the Global Art Project (GAP) is to spread world peace by
promoting tolerance and non-violence through art. The Project expresses the
idea: We Are All One. People of all ages and from all around the world who
choose to participate each create a work of art expressing their vision of
global unity. The art is displayed locally in each participant's community.
Global Art Project then organizes an international exchange by matching
participants group-to-group and individual-to-individual.

The art is displayed locally in each participant's community.
Global Art Project then organizes an international exchange by matching
participants group-to-group and individual-to-individual.

The exchange occurs April 23-30 biennially, resulting in thousands of
people sending messages of global peace and goodwill around the world at
one time--visions of love and peace simultaneously encircle the earth. The
art is sent as a gift of global friendship and exhibited in the receiving
community.

Participants may send slides and documentation of the art created and of
the people who came together to create the art to the GAP Art Bank. Global
Art Project exhibitions, books, slide presentations, and this website give
people an opportunity to experience visions of peace and unity created by
individuals from diverse cultures around the world.

Let's All Join Hands is another element of the Global Art Project
for Peace. People are invited to trace around their hand on a piece of
paper, cut it out, write their name and country in their native script on
one side and embellish the other side in any way with their ideas for
global peace, love and friendship. The paper hands may be sent to the
Global Art Project at any time. Volunteers in Tucson string the hands
together as a visual expression of the thousands of people who join their
energy together to create peace."

Fourth grade students are also working on another peace project. They are
creating "pinwheels for peace" in art class as a part of a larger study with
their classroom teachers in social studies. As part of the Program of
Inquiry unit, "How We Organize Ourselves," students study societal decision
making and how conflict changes relationships between friends, communities,
and cultures. The pinwheels symbolize a wish for peaceful resolution of
conflict all over the world. The pinwheels will be displayed by the entire
grade level outside the front of the school on Friday, Sept. 19th. The UN
International Day of Peace falls on a Sunday this year, so we will be
celebrating the Friday before!

Peace websites:

Global Art Project for Peace: http://www.global-art.org
Pinwheels for Peace: http://pinwheelsforpeace.com
International Day of Peace: href="http://www.internationaldayofpeace.org">http://www.internationaldayofpeace.org