Art Outdoors

China Middle School Lyseth Elementary School

Students at China Middle School were able to paint blacktop areas around the school building using painting supplies purchased with the grant money.

Students did research to design and paint the different areas, includijng a sensory walk, which can be used to support children with sensory processing issues or to help children to develop motor skills, balance, hand-eye coordination and spatial awareness. These colorful areas will allow students to follow the path and complete the movements. They work off excess energy and develop their gross motor skills. The various movements on a path are often designed to engage different parts of the body and brain.

Teacher Jamie Dugan shared, “Students in the elective group got to stay after school to do some of their painting. The teamwork and collaboration among the students was amazing! It was exciting to see the younger students’ faces and the faculty’s faces when they found the painting completed. The sensory walk and overall designs are beautiful. Students should be very proud of their accomplishment.”

At Lyseth Elementary School the grant funds were used to purchase a scroll saw so that the finials could be designed by the students and cut out before being given back to the students for painting. Funds also paid for an official peace post so that the grounds can be registered on the official Peace Post registry with a dedication to be given on September 21, 2022, the International Day of Peace. The remaining funds were used to purchase hanging banners, and printmaking materials so that students can create invitations and banners that will hang in the atrium of the school to help tie the community Peaceful Pathway together

Teacher Ellen Handelman shares, “In November, I invited families to gather for a forest walk. I couldn’t have imagined that more than 100 people would have gathered to experience the outdoors together with an eye towards developing community during the pandemic.

Many students would meet me at the door before school started to paint words, tape out the words in their language, and paint or draw symbols of love, hope, and peace. I will say that this project forced me to piece together many parts of our Portland community that I would not have usually met.”

Mount Desert Elementary

At Mount Desert Elementary School, funds were used to create an outdoor maker space. K-6 students practiced their woodworking skills on a variety of projects. Teacher Shannon Westphal shared, “Kindergarten students built boats, first grade got to practice their hammering skills in the creation of hedgehogs, second and third graders got to build wooden robots, fourth graders created cars that actually ran, and the star project really was what the fifth and sixth graders created: they designed, cut and build their own animals. The use of these grant funds came at the perfect time as our school headed back to masking. I already had some makeshift furniture to use so we were all set up there. This experience gave me the opportunity to reflect on what a functional set up would be if our school were to create an outdoor classroom space for teachers to use, which I plan on advocating for in next year’s budget.”

In addition, “This grant gave students the opportunity to work outside and learn some new wood working skills. Students had time to finish a guided lesson and then had time to work on their own with the same techniques and materials. This space and these materials have been a breath of fresh air.”