Angie Karakoglou

Piece by Peace, the completed aluminum tile mural.

As an advocate for social justice education in the arts, I believe it is critical to sow the seeds of sustainable development in the elementary classroom. As they grow through the creative process, art students will learn to value themselves, respect the diversity of the world around them, find their voice, and develop a love for humanity.

A Mural of Peace
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of seventeen interconnected goals designed to be used as a shared plan for achieving global peace and prosperity. The United Nations created these goals which are meant to be achieved by 2030 (see Resources).

I wanted the power of the artist’s voice to be our inspiration; I wanted to let students take the lead and “flip” the classroom.

Our graduating fourth-grade class embarked on a journey to learn about these goals and create a permanent art installation symbolizing them. The resulting mural installation, titled Piece by Peace, was created in collaboration with the Seward Johnson Atelier and funded through a grant from the East Brunswick Education Foundation. The installation consists of one hundred relief sculptures cast in aluminum. The mural was mounted on a movable structure, allowing it to be placed inside or outside the building.

Flipping the Classroom
We often use observation or imagination as our guiding force in creating a work of art. For this lesson, I wanted the power of the artist’s voice to be our inspiration; I wanted to let students take the lead and “flip” the classroom.

To start the project, we sat on the floor in a large circle, and each student had a chance to read a page from the United Nations children’s book Frieda Makes A Difference: The Sustainable Development Goals and How You Too Can Change the World (2019).

Joshua B., grade four, uses an unconventional material to carve his design inspired by Sustainable Development Goal #2: Zero Hunger.

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