This residency meets standards in social studies, language arts and art

Students will explore one of the core democratic values from a personal point of view and create a symbol on a plaster plaque that reflects their new understanding of that core value.

Grade 5

Length: 50 minutes a day for 4 days (can be one day a week for 4 weeks)

Price: $225 a day for a single class of 30 students or up to three back-to-back classes

Material: $10.00 per class

This project gives students a chance to develop a deeper and more personal understanding of the fundamental American principles and what it means in their lives.

The project begins with a discussion of what a symbol is and a visual presentation of symbols students see in the world around them. They are asked how one of several core democratic values applies to their life as a fifth grader. Teachers can select the democratic values they want their class to work with.

Students then create a drawing on paper of a symbol for the core value they relate to most. They transfer that design to a plaster plaque, paint it with one or two colors and then etching their design into the plaster using pushpins and paper clips. When students finish their artwork they will write a poem or paragraph about their symbol.

Michigan Legacy Art Park artist: Patricia Innis

Patricia Innis is an environmental artist and painter who has exhibited her paintings and participated in environmental art projects throughout the Midwest. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Bowling Green State University and Master of Fine Arts degree from Maharishi International University. As a committed educator, Innis has been a University Professor, curator and gallery manager. She is currently the Director of Education for Michigan Legacy Art Park. She has worked closely with schools in northwest Michigan for over ten years, leading workshops and doing residencies.