Art Mural in Prep area

Submitted by David F on Fri, 09/10/2009 - 11:02.

The Giving Tree During term's three and four all prep students have been working to create a mosaic mural on the wall between the prep rm 3 and rm 4. This mural has been designed and created by the artist Melinda Wills with help from students across all year levels, mothers and grandmothers. The mosaic is of a tree called the giving tree. It is the giving tree as it provides shelter, gives a home to animals and birds, gives beautiful coloured leaves for all to enjoy, gives oxygen so we have fresh air. Through the mural the artist is hoping to create an environmental message of how important  it is to look after our trees and environment.

Melinda is also wanting to create a more aesthetically beautiful environment for the children to work in and to show the children that a brick wall can become a beautiful work of art with an idea and lots of busy little hands.

Watch as this mosaic grows each week as flowers and native fauna, native birds and insects are added . The students have enjoyed walking past and finding new additions such as an owl' magpie, rosella, cockatoo, goanna, dragonfly, butterfly, bee,grasshopper and others.

 

  

You may notice that this week an image of the Eltham Copper Butterfly has appeared on the mural outside the prep classrooms. The year 3/4 students have been writing information reports about local endangered animals, and the Eltham Copper Butterfly is one of the animals they have been learning about. We recently went on an excursion to Edendale Farm to learn more about this endangered species, its habitat and what we can do to help protect it from extinction. One thing we can do is to plant the shrub that they feed off and live under – the Sweat Bursaria. We can also take care not to kill ants, as these special butterflies rely on Notoncus ants to care for their young. The butterfly’s larvae are nocturnal, sheltering in this species of ants nest during the day and emerging at night to feed on the Bursaria leaves. In return for this protection and care, the ants feed on secretions of sugar and amino acids from the larvae. This keeps the larvae free from fungal and bacterial disease. It is an amazing, but delicate partnership necessary for the protection of the Eltham Copper Butterfly. Make sure you stop by the mural to take a peak and ask the Year 3/4 students if you have any other questions about this beautiful local butterfly!
    
  
  
  
 
 
 
 

 

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