Scientists – and Artists – at Work at South Mountain

There was a white-tail deer the kids named Jim and a coyote called Carl in fourth-grade classrooms last month, all part of an integrated learning experience about ecosystems at South Mountain Elementary School.

Throw in a polar bear, sea animals, rainforest monkey -- and lots of chicken wire and paper mâché – and you have the building blocks for an in-depth program on how animals, plants, soil, water, and sunlight all work together so that life can happen.

Taking place over a two-week period, creating the ecosystems inspired a meaningful learning experience -- "a lovely blend of the academics and the arts," observed Principal Tina Lehn.

The Artist Residency is a project of the Art Council of the Morris Area. Known as Spiritree, artists Marco Giammetti and Carol Hendrickson, and the school’s fourth-grade teachers collaborated to create an educational experience that tapped the many talents and intelligences of the students.

The project culminated with an installation in the school’s gymnasium. Every class at South Mountain visited the exhibit, the fourth graders serving as docents to talk about the specific ecosystem their class explored.

Along the way, the fourth graders even shared some “cool facts.” From docents Garrett and Stephanie: The Joshua Tree found in the Mojave Desert inspired the rock band U2 to name an album after the tree that seemingly has branches reaching up to the sky in prayer.

Ending their presentation, the 4th graders asked, "Any questions?"