Third and fifth-grade teachers at Sunrise Estates Elementary School, Mrs. Hawk and Mrs. Zopf, teamed their students up for a collaborative project that integrated art into the Social Studies classroom.
Both classes learned about the art of totem poles during November, which was Native American Heritage Month. The students studied the customs of totem poles in the Northwestern tribes. They learned about the different animals that can be portrayed on a totem pole and the characteristics that the animals represent. They also learned the meaning behind the different colors that can appear on a totem pole.
To complete the project, students created their own totem poles, which now adorn the hallway of the school.