Wagon Trains & Still Life Painting
/On Friday, the Sea Lions completed the final day of their Wagon Train simulations, with all teams making it safely to Oregon Country and the blue expanse of Linda Lake. During the simulation, the Sea Lions participated in events similar to those experienced by pioneers who headed west in early wagon trains. As settlers heading west during the mid-1800s (1840–1870) the students faced challenges such as floods, droughts, blocked trails, snakes, Native American relationships, illness, death of livestock, lack of food and more. The would-be homesteaders were forced to make numerous individual and small- group decisions (e.g., what to do about a lack of water, how to cross a flooded river, how to deal with others on the trail, and which trail to take). These decisions and the other events provided the Sea Lions with a realistic view of what pioneer life was like, why people went west, and what happened to them along the trail. They used skills in math, reading, writing, art, teamwork, critical thinking, problem solving and more. The Sea Lions loved every minute of the thrilling adventure we shared together!
After studying the art of Giorgio Mirandi, the Sea Lions completed some beautiful still life drawings. We considered elements such as composition, scale, perspective, light & shadow and more. The Sea Lions were so proud of their work!
