We discuss action ideas for environmental care and animal protection. While showing slides of the sea, swimming with dolphins and my paintings of reef life, I share my writing process of writing outlines and journaling. Students interact with me as we create vivid descriptions of ocean creatures using stories. We discuss paragraph development, focusing on a theme and using metaphors. With teacher permission, students are asked to take notes and write a report on my experience or, if they prefer, to write their own story on their experiences with animals and a natural environment.
Themes can be environmental, school pride, friendship or a topic they are currently studying.
Each student gets a job using his or her most unique skills, whether it be gathering information, drawing or making supply lists. We make rough sketches at first to study the overall layout. Then we break into groups to refine the drawings of individual parts of the mural while the background painting get started. Each day there is time for cleanup and discussions for the next day's activities. By the fifth day, students have all participated in painting and helping each other decide what looks best for their school.