Welcome to the 2021-2022 academic year.

In this section, kindly enjoy a sampling of classroom ART themes!

Mini-Me

We will devote a good amount of time exploring "identity" through cultural norms and factors that influence and shape us as individuals. We began the year by creating mini-cartoon self-portraits of ourselves! Please join us and make art with us if you feel it may benefit you in expressing your unspoken thoughts and words.

Our Covid Story

Our Covid Story is inspired by the incredible quilt work of artist "Faith Ringgold," known as the "Street Story," 1985. In a Harlem building façade, she portrays a scene of her African American community's everyday life, visible through each window.

Looking through a window, we emotionally empathize with the character we see. Having experienced life under the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown in the summer of 2021, our students share their precious stories and feelings with the viewers.

Our Covid Story- 2021- St. Paul Elementary Visual Arts.mp4

Ancient Greece

Archeologists learn about ancient cultures by looking at and studying works of art left behind, such as Greek pottery (red/black figures). Students learn about the art of storytelling and how Greeks used it to make sense of the world they lived in. Greeks learned to use the surface of everyday objects, such as pottery, to teach society about the morals and traditions of their culture.

Students explored Greek historical cities (Athens, Sparta, Olympia). They learned about practices surrounding the Greek Olympic games (Cynisca, the first woman who won the chariot race at the Olympics as the owner of the horses). Students further learned about Greek architecture (temples and outdoor theaters), theater and performance (Theater of Dionysus, Tragedy and Comedy, Greek Masks), the Spartan army, and mythology (Iliad-Troy and the Trojan Horse).

Ancient Mesoamerica

Being the first civilizations within the Americas, students learned about the Olmec, Maya, and Aztec civilizations. Students further discovered that the basketball game originated in Mesoamerica, although it was played differently and served a religious purpose. Corn and cocoa originated from Mesoamerica and were considered heavenly food sent by Gods. These cultures had cities, governments, religions, agriculture (food and water), written language, specialized jobs, and art. Students could pinpoint similarities and differences between the Mesoamerican civilization and the previous civilizations they had studied, such as Mesopotamia/Egypt. For instance, all constructed pyramid-like religious temples, while Egyptians used them as tombs for their kings.

Celebrating Lunar New Year 2022 - Year of the Tiger

Lunar New Year, Chinese Chunjie, Vietnamese Tet, Korean Solnal, and Tibetan Losar, also called Spring Festival, begins with the first new moon of the lunar calendar. The Lunar New Year is celebrated on Tuesday, February 1, 2022. To welcome the new lunar year and explore the symbolism behind wearing a mask, elementary students explored and created one representing the lunar year of the tiger. A mask plays roles beyond protection, such as transformation and forming a new identity. May our beloved students take the identity of the mighty tiger and adapt its inner strength!

Lunar New Year 2022 - Tiger - Setareh Tajbakhsh - E - Art.mp4

Earth Day 2022

Learning about environmental-related topics and issues is a high priority in our modern world. This allows our students to explore and gain a deeper understanding of environmental issues and engage in problem-solving. Our students created beautiful landscape art depicting the beauties of Earth worth saving.

Alice in Wonderland and Surrealism

We celebrated one of the most iconic, imaginative, and inspiring stories, Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (1865), in conjunction with Surrealist art. Beloved by all ages, Alice in Wonderland has inspired generations to dive into imaginary worlds.

Surrealism is a style of art and literature developed in the 20th century, stressing subconscious or non-rational imagery. The Surrealists prized Lewis Carroll’s text of nonsense.

Students shared their whimsical journey through Surrealism and Wonderland and exhibited their artistic creations publicly and collaboratively at Jomas Bakery Cafe! ( 38 P. Liễu Giai, Cống Vị, Ba Đình, Hà Nội, Vietnam) - www.joma.biz - The artwork has been displayed for the Hanoi community through the summer of 2022 (Jun-September).

Rainforest Tunes

Our elementary students participated in creating a "Rain Forest Mural." This mural is located inside the elementary music class and is finally in its final stage. Students enjoyed learning about the Amazon rainforest and its neat critters. Even more so, they loved painting the massive mural on the wall. An empowering experience!

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