Art Quilt of King Tut
I happened upon an amazing presentation in the cafeteria the other day! As I peeked in, I caught a glimpse of a large, breathtaking Art Quilt of King Tut! I saw Mrs. Clark’s class sitting in awe as they heard about this unique, one-of-a-kind quilt. This was a culmination event that brought their learning vividly to life. This quilt was created by 23 quilters from a quilt guild – one of which is Mrs. Clark’s mom – and was made in honor of the 100th anniversary of the discovery of King Tut’s tomb, uncovered in 1922. Kendrick Clark’s grandma has always had a fascination with King Tut, and in her generosity, shared this award-winning quilt with us at St. Margaret of Scotland.
Mrs. Clark’s class had discussed the five components of Ancient civilizations for Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt. These included farming, writing, leaders, cities, and religion. The students engaged in and explored stories of Pharaoh Tutankhamun’s leadership as well as stories about Archeologist Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon’s expedition to the Valley of the Kings. Our first-grade students learned about the ancient belief in the “Beautiful West” – the place these ancient leaders went after they died WITH all of their possessions. Can you imagine taking all of your important stuff with you when you die?! In order to protect all of their treasures, they were buried in pyramids, and later in the Valley of the Kings, so tomb robbers couldn’t steal their treasures.
Mrs. Clark’s curriculum, along with this display of creativity and intricate beauty, connected history, art, learning, and community not only for our first graders, but for many classes who stopped in. I was reminded how meaningful learning becomes when families and the wider parish share their gifts with our students. This First Grade experience reflected the heart of Catholic education—curiosity, creativity, and reflection—helping our children grow not only in knowledge, but in wonder and appreciation for the world God has entrusted to us.
Throughout the school year, we will be highlighting the amazing and wonderful things that are happening in our classrooms and grade levels at St. Margaret of Scotland School. We are very proud of the work our teachers do with our students and are amazed by what happens at SMOS. Our goal is to share more about the hidden gem that is St. Margaret’s.
