Mitchell Elementary School MITCHELL ELEMENTARY CULTURAL FINE ARTS DAY & ART AUCTION The partnership between Mitchell Elementary and the Dallas Museum of Art culminated in a Cultural Fine Arts Day held at the school campus. In correlation to the DMA's Egyptian art collection, students at Mitchell were immersed in the art and culture of Egypt throughout the entire day. Throughout the fall and spring semesters, every grade level at Mitchell visited the Museum to see Egyptian art and artifacts. Additionally, each class received a visit from the DMA's Go Van Gogh outreach program. The Cultural Fine Arts Day was rich with a variety of diverse activities. Storyteller Melody "Afiah" Bell performed folk tales for students. Ms. Bell, dressed in a traditional Nubian wedding gown, told stories through music and poetry and focused upon the significance of music and storytelling in the African tradition. Percussionists from the University of North Texas presented a concert that demonstrated the rhythms of African music. Mary Copeland, UNT graduate student and graduate research assistant at NTIEVA, demonstrated making pottery on a potter's wheel. Kathi Robertson and Eric Klungness, who grew up in Egypt, shared their personal childhood experiences with students. Hands-on activities included printmaking of an Egyptian-style design and translating student's names into hieroglyphs to create a personal cartouche tooled in copper. Activities extended into all areas of the curriculum. In music, students experienced the rhythms, instruments, and songs of North Africa and the Middle East. While in their P.E. classes, students participated in traditional Egyptian games such as leap frog, tug-of-war, and balancing of objects on their heads. Some students presented Middle Eastern dances to their classmates. Math lessons included exploring the Egyptian numbering system. Even the lunch menu included foods from Egypt. After the busy day, students and parents returned to campus in the evening for the annual art auction. Silent bidding on student-produced artwork provided Mitchell Elementary students an opportunity to participate in the school's continuing partnership with the DMA. All proceeds from the auction were donated to the Museum to help students understand the importance of contributing to the community.