Tag Archives: evergreen elementary

Eagle has landed at Evergreen Elementary in Walnut

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Evergreen 1st grader Elim Jiang won the school-wide design contest. (Photo courtesy of Walnut Valley)

Evergreen 1st grader Elim Jiang won the school-wide design contest. (Photo courtesy of Walnut Valley)

The eagle has landed at Evergreen Elementary School. A beautiful tile mosaic of a soaring eagle, the school’s mascot, was unveiled during an assembly in May.  For 20 weeks, eight Special Education students worked with artist Robin Bott.

“All the students really loved creating the mosaic and were really excited to unveil it. The collaboration and teamwork they displayed was amazing,” said teacher Ashley Marshman.

The creative project was made possible through the Accessible Arts grant through the office of L.A. County Supervisor Don Knabe.  Several months ago, a school-wide contest was held to create the mural design.

Third grade student Elim Jiang was named the winner. She received a certificate of recognition during the assembly. The 4-foot-by 3-foot mural depicts an eagle soaring above the clouds and through a rainbow. A golden sun shines over an apple tree.

 Jiang said her favorite part was the plane with an Evergreen banner flying above the eagle. Bott leads hands-on art projects with students throughout the county.

“First, the class started with paper mosaics and drew some eagles,” she said. Then the class selected one of the drawings submitted for the contest. “And it was so hard to choose because they were all so beautiful!” she said.

Bott then transferred the winning design onto the panel. Her artist father built the frame. And Bott cut hundreds of the colorful tiles.

“And then we started tiling!” she said.

First, students outlined the design with small tiles; then they used larger tiles to fill it in using a water-based glue. Student representatives from several classes also glued pieces of the tile mosaic.

“It has been such a joy to see the mosaic slowly coming to life as students worked diligently and cooperatively on it.  Now it serves as a wonderful vision to everyone that our Evergreen Eagles SOAR!  Evergreen was one of only 13 schools in the state to be named a California Exemplary Arts Distinguished School, and this mosaic project is one of many examples of the beautiful and creative activities that our dedicated staff provide for all our students,” Principal Carolyn Wills said.

Evergreen Elementary celebrates Earth Day in Diamond Bar

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Recycled art was on display at Evergreen Elementary during the Earth Day celebration held on April 25. (Photo by Kelli Gile, Courtesy of Walnut Valley.)

Recycled art was on display at Evergreen Elementary during Earth Day celebration. (Photo by Kelli Gile of Walnut Valley)

By Kelli Gile, Walnut Valley Unified

Evergreen Elementary kindergarten students celebrated Earth Day during a spring program held April 25. Families gathered in the amphitheater as the children sang about the land and sea and springtime blossoms.

They performed This Land is Your Land, Magic Penny, Baby Beluga, Everything Grows, Springtime Magic, and We All Live Together. Teacher Mona Warren happily strummed her guitar behind the children during the Octopus song.

“Kindergarteners, you did an awesome job today,” said Principal Carolyn Wills.

“Parents you will be hearing a lot more about S.T.E.A.M – Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math. And here at Evergreen, it starts with our kindergarteners!”

After the music, several Common Core activities were held in the kindergarten play yard. Families posed for a “ Jaws” keepsake photo and estimated the length of a blue whale with yarn, rulers, and wrapping paper tubes.

The head of the giant 100’ mammal was drawn on the playground with chalk, and families with their kindergarten students had to use assorted tools provided to solve the challenge of “How far would this 100 foot whale reach?  How could we measure it with the tools we have?”

Austin Teng, age 6, promised to recycle and pick up trash to help the Earth. Teacher Sam Li gave a science lesson during the Float or Sink Jellyfish demonstration.  The children placed plastic jellyfish into liter-sized water bottles and learned they floated because oxygen is lighter than the water!

Inside classrooms, families worked together to fill in an attribute chart of student created artwork in categories such as vertebrates, invertebrates, and many other terms that showed how much they had learned. They also worked together on an ABC Earth Day word search and make pledges to take care of Mother Earth.  Sophia Tian said she would ride bicycle to take care of the Earth.

Earth Day was also celebrated with creative artwork. Recycled art pieces were on display outside classrooms and recycling pledges framed the playground. Students created a replica of themself as an Earth Kid, holding the planet and creating a personal pledge of how they can take care of our Earth.

“Our dedicated kindergarten teachers, Mona Warren, Kathy Riddle, Melody Fernandez, Julie Jeon, and Sam Li completely revamped the kindergarten spring program to create experiences that foster creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration.

This is an excellent example of the new Common Core State Standards and STEAM instruction that our students need to be successful in college, career and beyond!” said Principal Carolyn Wills.