Faith Curriculum Library: Tapestry of Faith: Sing to the Power: A Social Justice Program for Children Grades 4-5

Activity 2: Adding Water Symbols to the Circle of the Elements Mural

Activity time: 10 minutes

Materials for Activity

  • Circle of Elements Mural Instructions (Session 1, Leader Resource 3)
  • Paper, poster board, or fabric
  • Paper or fabric and appropriate drawing tools (crayons, markers, permanent markers, or fabric paint), and tape or glue sticks
  • Optional: Magazines to cut up, scissors (including left-handed scissors), and glue sticks
  • Optional: Found objects that might represent water, such as shells, beach glass, mirror pieces, and a hot glue gun

Preparation for Activity

  • If you will be using permanent markers or fabric paint, spread out newspaper to protect work surfaces.
  • Set out materials on work tables for children to prepare drawings or decorations to post in the "water" quadrant of the Circle of Elements mural.
  • Optional: Set up a station where an adult can guide participants' use of a glue gun.

Description of Activity

This activity adds to the Circle of Elements mural. You may have chosen to display the complete quartered circle in Session 1, or you may be adding the final, bottom right quarter of the circle in this session. In either case, for this activity, invite participants to decorate the "water" quarter with symbols of water.

Invite participants to create their water pictures, symbols, or collages on a sheet of paper or fabric, which you can then attach to the water quarter of the mural, indicated on the Circle of Elements Mural Instructions (Session 1, Leader Resource 3). You may invite or assist participants to attach "found objects" directly to the mural using hot glue. Explain how you will help participants use the glue gun, if you have one.

Post participants' artwork or help them do it. Save several minutes to engage the group in clean-up.