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Icebreaker activity

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The children will journey into the world of families, noticing the love, kindness, and joy they bring, and understanding how every family is a special treasure in its own way.

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Home love

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Heart ties

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My people

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Always us

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Love grows

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Love nest

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Love roots

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Team us

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Big hugs

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Pure love

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Fun and creativity

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Smiles are brighter when we are together !

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In my family, I am never alone !

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My dad !

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My Dad and my Mum !

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My Dad and my Mom !

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My Dad and my Mum !

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My Mum !!

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My Dad and my Mom !

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My Dad and my Mom !

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My Dad and my Mum !

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My Dad and my Mum !

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To understand and truly know a bit of my dear children more deeply, I allow them the joy of choosing their own mediums and colours, giving them full freedom to express their creativity, for it is in these choices that their individuality, imagination, and emotions come alive.

They also grow in their drawing skills, shaping both their artistry and their confidence.

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My Mom and my Dad !

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My Dad and my Mum !

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My Dad and my Mom !

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My family members

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Feeling the textures

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Touch tapestry

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Finger painting, stamping, colouring are fun experimentations !!! 

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Finger painting, stamping, colouring are fun experimentations !!! 

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Decorating the family quilt !

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Texture murmurs

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Tint traces

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THEME 2 : Local history ( Art integration )

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THEME 2 : Local history ( Art integration )

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Taino - Arawak symbols creation ( drawing , painting , clay modeling)

In this unit, students are introduced to the rich local history and culture of the Arawak and Taíno people—the first inhabitants of the Caribbean. Through visual arts, they explore how these communities used symbols to represent nature, spirituality, and everyday life.

Students begin by observing and discussing examples of authentic Arawak and Taíno symbols, identifying patterns, shapes, and meanings. They then draw and paint their own interpretations of these symbols, experimenting with lines, colors, and textures. The unit culminates in a clay modeling activity, where students create 3D versions of the symbols, developing fine motor skills and creative expression.

This interdisciplinary unit fosters cultural awareness, visual literacy, and artistic exploration, encouraging young learners to connect with local heritage while expressing their understanding through art.

Learning Objectives

Recognize Arawak and Taíno symbols as part of Caribbean heritage.

Explore shape, pattern, and meaning through visual representation.

Experiment with different art media (drawing, painting, clay).

Develop fine motor skills and creativity.

Appreciate cultural diversity and local identity.

Inquirers: Asking questions about local history and culture.

Communicators: Sharing interpretations of symbols through art.

Open-minded: Valuing the traditions and art forms of the first Caribbean peoples.

Reflective: Thinking about what symbols mean and how they express identity.

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Sun God

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The turtle symbolizes the origin of life

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The sun is a powerful symbol representing strength, health, longevity, and the life-giving force of nature.

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Longevity and Resilience: Due to their long lifespans and hard shells, turtles also symbolize long life, protection, and the ability to endure and overcome adversity

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The turtle is a maternal figure

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The turtle is connected with Mother Earth

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The turtle is representative of fertility and mankind

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The turtle as the beginning of life

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This "Turtle Woman" (Hikotea) becomes the mother of a new generation of humans who are the ancestors of the Taíno people, thus symbolizing the very beginning of their existence on the Caribbean islands.

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The turtle is associated with the Earth Mother goddess, Dimiván Caracaracol.

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The female turtle in the legend represents the compassionate, loving, and empathetic aspects of the soul

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Toa

The symbol represents the concept of motherhood, the bond between mother and child

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Petroglyph Poetry

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Taíno Soul Patterns

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Whispers of the First People

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Ancestral Island Imagery

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Echoes of the Ancients

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Arawak Earth Imprints

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Sacred Island Symbols

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Visual Songs of the Taíno

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Voices of the Ancestors

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Patterns of the First Caribbean

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In Taino culture, the sun was a powerful deity and a life-giving force, seen as a source of strength, health, and longevity. T

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Peaceful !!

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The spiral : Symbol of sweet water

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The spiral symbolizes the life's journey

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The spiral : Representation of cosmic energy

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Connection to the divine !!

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The spiral can also represent growth and the evolution of the spirit !!

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The spiral is associated with natural elements such as sweet water and wind !!

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The turtle is a powerful symbol of fertility !

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The Turtle symbolizes the origin of Life

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The turtle symbolizes the Mother Earth !

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The turtle symbolizes Ancestral lineage: Legends tell of a "Turtle Woman" who, along with the four brothers led by Deminan Caracaracol, were the progenitors of the Taino people.

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The turtle represents Mother Earth, with its shell symbolizing the world.

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Lot of dexterity !!

Modeling the Sun God !

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They love it !!

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The Snail : In Taino culture, snails and conchs were important for survival, rituals, and communication.

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Budding sculptor !

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The coquí frog is a powerful symbol of the Taino people !!

look how he masters it !!!

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According to Taino belief, a goddess created the frog to forever call out the name "Coquí" for her lost love, making it a symbol of love and remembrance.

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The coqui is frequently depicted in Taino pictographs, petroglyphs, and pottery, indicating its ancient and significant status in their culture.

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In some Taino carvings, the frog's posture, particularly the hands, represented femaleness, and its vocalizations were linked to women's fertility and children.

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The coquí is a national symbol of Caribbean, representing the island's identity and its rich Taino heritage.

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Its image is a source of cultural pride, used in modern art, tattoos, jewelry, and clothing to honor Taino influence.

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The coqui symbol is used for museum logos, such as the Taíno Museum, and is featured in Taino cultural sites and exhibits.

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For many people of Caribbean descent, the coqui is a potent symbol of their connection to their Taino roots.

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The symbol represented aspects of daily life, nature, resilience, and guardianship to the Taíno people.

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One Taíno legend tells of a goddess who created the frog to call for her lost love, "Coquí". In another context, the supreme Earth Goddess of the Taíno, Atabey, was almost always depicted with the therianthropic feature of having the legs of the coquí, as it was her totemic companion spirit.

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The Arawak (Taino) symbol for "eternal lovers" is most often depicted as two birds with their beaks connected, representing their love and the importance of eternal love to their culture. This symbol also represents fertility and equality within the tribe.