Great Salt Bay School

Grade 6 has just complete their identity troll sculpture project in art, inspired by the Thomas Dambo trolls at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens.

5B Experiential wrapped up their Rube Goldberg projects by using VR headsets with Mr. Nick. Students designed and built digital Rube Goldberg machines in virtual reality!

For the third year in a row, Great Salt Bay Community School students partnered with the Frances Perkins Center in Newcastle, Maine, for a meaningful art and history collaboration. Since our last visit, the Frances Perkins Homestead has been officially designated a National Monument, making this year’s trip a special one—even as the recent government shutdown required a few creative adjustments.

In art class, Ms. Rey’s seventh graders are beginning their Social Justice Collage Portrait Unit with a study of Frances Perkins, the first woman to serve as U.S. Secretary of Labor. Perkins’ groundbreaking work transformed American life through her advocacy for Social Security, child labor laws, minimum wage standards, welfare programs, and unemployment insurance, among other social reforms.

In previous years, students have toured the Perkins family home—walking through historic rooms, viewing Frances Perkins’ typewriter, exploring the kitchen to learn about early cooking practices, and examining tools and agricultural implements from the turn of the century. Although this year’s experience looked a little different, students continued to engage deeply with Frances Perkins’ legacy, connecting her lifelong commitment to social justice with their own creative expression in art.

Because of the government shutdown, visitors were not able to enter the National Monument buildings this fall. Instead, students’ learning experience took place entirely outdoors. Education Coordinator Mary Reid and volunteer Erica Smith gathered large informational panels from outside the barn and led students on a guided walk through the wooded trail, where they learned about the landscape, the original garrison site, and the brickmaking history of the Perkins family. Students also participated in sketching activities inspired by their surroundings.

“It is so phenomenal that this incredible woman has roots right here in Midcoast Maine, has changed the lives of so many Americans to this day, and is still unknown to so many,” said Ms. Rey. “She is a champion, and it is important for students to learn about her work and her legacy.”

These are the troll inspired sculptures (GSB Art classes visited the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens for inspiration) that connect art and identity and students have to incorporate two aspects of themselves into their final sculpture (hobbies, favorites, etc.).

Have a happy and safe Halloween everyone!

Here are a few photos from our Pre-K & Kindergarten costume parade!

8th grade shelter building w/ Mr. Brown

Here's the Healthy Lincoln County Food Pantry November schedule for our local communities!

Ask any 8th grader; "What's the difference between the law of conservation of matter and the law of conservation of energy?"
And they'll tell you, "The law of conservation of energy matters less!"

7th graders dive into a cell to interact with organelles in VR

More from the Darrowby Farm Sanctuary community connections 8th grade field trip!

8th grade harvests carrots at Twin Villages Food Bank Farm

This is one of GSB's Art community connections units. Students participate in a sanctuary tour, learn about the mission and the animals and complete a live draw activity.

In Art class, 7th grade learned about shoe designers and are creating their own shoe sculpture from cardboard.

Night at the Museum

Mrs. Michaud's students did a counting project where students worked together to count a large collection of beans. They organized the beans by hundreds, tens, and ones.

Here's a GSB Art lesson which includes learning about heart health and healthy foods and then using fruits/ veggies to create monoprints. We then turned the monoprints into heart healthy collages!

GSB Kindergartener students met with local firefights to discuss safety if there is an active fire. They learned how to make apple cider using an apple press & they also released a monarch butterfly with Mrs. Hedda.