April 11, 2001
Watershed experience for Sabin students
Watershed Suite Project creative study of environmental concepts
By LISA PERKINS
Herald staff writer
Fourth-grade students at Sabin Elementary School have a watershed opportunity this year. They are working with four Northern Michigan artists, with national reputations, to learn about the environment through creative experiences.
The award-winning Watershed Suite Project, in conjunction with the Grand Traverse Regional Math, Science and Technology Center helps students build an understanding of the ecological concept through music, poetry, dance and illustration.
Artist and natural science illustrator, Glenn Wolff of Old Mission Peninsula accompanied the fourth-graders on a field trip to the Whispering Waters natural area where they sketched objects that caught their attention, like moss covered rocks and leaves floating on the water.
Back in the classroom, the young artists chose their favorite drawings, perfected them and then transferred them onto ceramic tiles. Once the tiles are painted and fired they will become part of a large scale mural that will be a collaboration of their work and Wolff's.
"I've really learned to make my drawings look realistic," said 10-year-old Tyler Shafer. "The drawing is my favorite part."
"I learned that things that live around the water are a watershed," said Calvin Miller, who chose a snake to be the subject of his drawing.
Over the course of three months, students also work with guitarist composer John Wunsch to create a musical composition and poet Terry Wooten who helps them author poems which take the perspective of a creature that lives in the watershed. Tom Morrell, a dancer and choreographer, explores movement through sounds found in the watershed.
A "Watershed Suite Project Community Celebration", where the creations of the students and their mentors will be unveiled to the public, will take place May 8 at Sabin Elementary.