Life Cycles Project

ASCEND K – 8 School, Fruitvale District (2010)

OFFTA funding provided supplies for this 2nd grade program consisting of a science-art expedition to study the life cycles of plants and insects. Collaboratively taught by the art instructor and the classroom teachers, activities included: planting seeds and caring for them as they grew, raising monarchs from larva through all of their growth stages, hands-on creation of large mosaic stepping stones for the community garden, and the creation of a video documentary of their learning that included a time-lapse visual of the growth of plants and monarchs. The goal of the video will be to represent student discovery, reflection, and artistic process. Students also documented their learning through data collection and observational drawings and paintings. Potted plants will be donated and adult Monarchs will be released.