Summit Drive Elementary Students Participate in Statewide Art Project
Fifth graders in Carrie Haye's art class at Summit Drive Elementary learned about Monarch butterflies while participating in a statewide student art project called the S.C. Butterfly Collaborative, presented by the S.C. Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities (SCGSAH).
This community arts integration project was developed and directed by Elaine Quave, SCGSAH visual arts faculty member. Quave visited participating schools throughout the state to work directly with the students. "In these one-hour sessions, I covered science standards, teaching them about Monarch ecology and their endangered migration patterns, while also reviewing design principles such as pattern, rhythm, and symmetry as they paint their butterfly wings," explained Quave.
Quave brought Monarch caterpillars to show the students. "They love the caterpillars! It's a great way to get them engaged and more in touch with why we're doing this," said Quave.
"It was fascinating to learn about the Monarch's," said Hayes. "And it's so important for young people to understand that they can have an impact on our ecosystem and that they can have a voice through their art. We really enjoyed this experience."
Over 2,000 fifth grade students throughout South Carolina are painting their own versions of Monarchs on vinyl sheets that will be hung in a 20-foot mobile to be exhibited in March at EdVenture Museum in Columbia, S.C.
As part of the Governor's School's mission to serve as a resource to teachers and students in South Carolina, SCGSAH offers a comprehensive series of outreach programs, like the S.C. Butterfly Collaborative, designed to bring together artists, educators, community organizations, and students. These initiatives seek to match the school's resources with the needs and interests of schools and partners statewide.