EDUCATION
CMA and Congaree Partnership Promotes
Since 2007, the CMA has collaborated
with Congaree National Park to offer an art
and science-based program entitled LEAF,
or Linking Ecology and Art of Floodplains.
The program has reached over 3000
third-grade students and 170 teachers from
Richland and Lexington Counties since its
inception.
LEAF centers around the importance
of STEAM: Science, Technology,
Engineering, Art and Math. The STEAM
movement recognizes the importance of
connecting science with arts education,
which is critical for 21st-century
achievement and innovation. The program
focuses on the ecological experience of
the primeval forest at Congaree through
outdoor activities that connect to South
Carolina visual art and science education
standards. This integrated program is
offered free of charge and is comprised of
pre and post-visit lessons and a fieldtrip to
Congaree.
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columbiamuseum.org
The pre-visit lesson is an electronic tour of
landscape paintings in the CMA collection
and photographs of Congaree National
Park. During this lesson, students answer
questions such as; Is this a painting or a
photograph? Where is the water in this
painting? Is the water moving fast or
slow? How does the artist show us that?
The fieldtrip to the Congaree is designed
to engage every student in a three-part
program, Art Hut, Mud Lab, and Earth
Walk.
watercolor pencils and a wax resist process.
They create landscape images that visually
reinforce how earth features are created
by weathering, erosion, and deposition.
Students also learn how to “read” a
landscape by discussing foreground, middle
ground, background, linear and aerial
perspective, horizon line and vanishing
point. Participants incorporate these
elements into their artwork and use their
new vocabulary in an outdoor setting.
The activities we did at
Congaree were engaging,
In the LEAF
hands-on, and supported the
Art Hut, CMA
science standard and visual arts
education staff
standard. We hope this program
and docents
teach perspective
continues for next year.
In the LEAF Mud
Lab, students become
scientists when they
learn about habitats,
soil and landforms by
conducting experiments
through a lesson
with water and mud
~Kelly Beck,
on landscapes.
in six-foot flumes.
Caughman Road Elementary Each flume contains
Students use
materials and
materials that represent
techniques not commonly found in their
three different types of soil; a floodplain
classrooms, such as watercolor paper,
made with pine needles and dark loam,