By Jeanne Reynal. A kindergarten lesson that uses a Capitol mosaic mural to tell the true story of a teacher saving her students in a blizzard. It addresses the Nebraska Department of Education Social Studies and Visual Arts standards SS 0.3.3.a, SS 0.3.5.a, SS 0.4.2.b, FA 2.2.1.b, FA 2.2.3.c and FA 2.2.4.d.
Art Connects Us: The Blizzard of 1888
Art Connects Us to the History of Nebraska: The Blizzard of 1888
The Great Hall of the Capitol has mosaics on the walls telling stories of Nebraska history.
One mosaic tells the true story of a teacher saving her students in a blizzard.
On January 12, 1888 Nebraska had a horrible blizzard. In the morning it was warm and mild, by noon the wind was blowing, snow was falling and the temperature dropped to 25 below zero. Many school children died in the storm because they couldn’t see to find their way home in the blowing snow.
The Blizzard mosaic is made of little pieces of glass placed in colored mortar. mosaic – picture made of small pieces of tile mortar – paste-like material to hold mosaic tiles together
The many pieces of white, blue and black glass sparkle like snowflakes. The artist wanted us to think of snow falling.
Can you see the teacher and her students walking through the snow?
The artist used a black background so we could imagine how hard it was for the teacher and students to see in the blowing snow.
The black background helps us see the white tiles that look like the snow.
The white mortar in the mosaic looks like snow blowing in the wind.
The large gold figure is the teacher. Following her in this view are two of the students she saved. The first student is easy to see, the second one is harder to see.
The artist made the some students in the mosaic hard to see because the blowing snow made it hard for students to see each other.
The teacher tied students together with a rope so they wouldn’t get lost.
Who or what do you think the large figure in the upper left corner is?
The students believed an Indian spirit helped them find their way and saved them.
The artist made it look like the spirit’s arms are over the teacher and students to protect them.
The rope is tied to the spirit like it is leading them.
The artwork in the Capitol helps us remember our history.
Draw a picture of the kind of weather you like, rain, snow or a sunny day, and what you like to do in that weather.