Students at Greenfield Elementary work together to create a mural using environmental materials and methods.

NetworkArts is an organization dedicated to fusing environmental education and the public art form of mosaic. The organization was invited by the Greenfield Home and School Association to bring its educational/art program to the school. Fifty fifth grade students worked with NetworkArts to learn about the science behind the concept of global warming and climate change, including atmospheric structure, the role of greenhouse gases, and the role of oceans and land usage in climate change.

They learned about environmental heroes, and most importantly, the exciting innovations happening all around us to address these problems -- everything from William McDonough's "Cradle to Cradle" design, to the importance of conservation through ideas such as "Energy Star", to the worldwide movement to preserve forests through "FSC" (Forest StewardshipCouncil) certification of wood. The students built their own models of green buildings from CD jewel cases and learned about ideas for making cities "greener." They decorated reusable grocery bags, made endangered species tiles, and sculpted animal life of rain forests, oceans, and other details for the mosaic. They made "message tiles" with suggested individual actions we all can take to make a difference.

The students took a field trip to Tinicum Wildlife Refuge, where they were able to examine the green features of its education center first-hand, and then look for its wildlife. They saw wild turkeys, double-crested cormorants, tree swallows, deer and great blue herons. And then we together built the wall. Each of its sections addresses the curriculum the students followed, and which NetworkArts has made available to teachers for use in future years. The fifth grade were joined by the sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students in building the wall. It became a project for the entire 3rd floor and will add a colorful learning experience for all who climb the stairs or step off the elevator on the 3rd Floor.