Curriculum Resources for the Alaskan Environment

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K. Schwartz
Community Mural
Project

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Square bullet Activities

The students and community work together to plan, design, and paint a mural for the community's enjoyment. A record will be kept of all designs and stories collected from the people to provide ideas on theme of the mural.

• Select a suitable wall for the mural. Select the best of all alternatives. Consider size, location, lighting, and who will see the mural. Secure permission to paint mural from appropriate authorities.
• Select a theme for the mural that is agreeable to the majority of people in the community.
• Design the mural on paper. Sketches can be made by all interested people and a committee selected to put the sketches in a sequence.
• Select appropriate materials for painting, printing, or air brushing the mural.
• Consider materials as they relate to the design, space, and existing architectural structure, order materials if necessary.
• Draft the design from paper on the wall for the mural. This can be done easily with the block method: draw one-inch blocks on paper, draw one-yard blocks on wall, transfer and enlarge drawing from paper to wall (follow the blocks).
• Paint the mural. Consider:

  scheduling time for students, small children, and adults

  safety features

  clean up

  time limits for working.

• Have a grand opening to celebrate the finished mural. Consider:

  refreshments

  music

  thanks for special efforts.

Variations

• The variations are as numerous as the possible themes. For example, a historical mural would involve students and community in their cultural awareness, while a picture mural of one specific idea (e.g., the Northern Lights) might involve them in scientific discoveries.
• Although a time schedule is recommended, it might be possible to work during Thanksgiving, Christmas, or summer vacation on a continuous around-the-clock plan. The students and community workers paint constantly in shifts until the mural is completed:

  this was done very successfully in Selawik in 1975, in an upstairs room of the high school.

Artist in Residence Program

Community Mural Project

Elder Posters and Interviews

Literature from Life History and Village Lore

Bilingual Exercise

Illustrated History of Eskimo Games

Freeze-Up Essays

Literacy Bank

Elementary Reader

Grant and Proposal Writing

Student A/V Presentation

"Focus on Your Village," a short videotaped news program

Developmental Photography

Film and Video Scripting

Animation

Producing a Play

Ceramics-Chess Class

Block Print Sales

Weavers Guild

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