Snow Horse Elementary fourth graders spent the past several months learning about Utah’s wetlands through a hands-on art and science collaboration with the Ogden Nature Center and Weber State University. The project gave students a chance to explore local habitats, apply classroom learning and create artwork that will help protect wildlife.
The work is part of Utah Habitats: Wetlands, a community-based art initiative designed to reduce bird collisions with large windows at the Ogden Nature Center’s education building. Students created faux stained-glass panels that have been installed at the center to improve safety for birds while adding color and educational value for visitors.
The project began with a field trip to the Ogden Nature Center, where students studied the plants and animals that live near the wetlands. They observed wildlife up close and learned how habitats support different species. That firsthand learning sparked curiosity that was carried back into the classroom.
“This is a fabulous project,” Snow Horse Visual Arts Specialist Terra Stringham said. “It totally ties in with all of the fourth grade curriculum. Our students are creating art pieces based on a wetland character.”
Each student team was assigned a plant or animal—such as a moth, fish or native plant—and researched its traits and habitat. Students practiced drawing techniques, refined their sketches and worked together to combine individual ideas into a single design.
“What’s fun about it? Working together,” one student said.
Once their drawings were complete, students transferred their designs onto plexiglass using liquid leading and gallery glass. The process required patience and precision, giving students the opportunity to practice collaboration, perseverance and creative problem-solving.
“I think the most valuable part of this project is seeing the students understand that their creativity can have an impact,” Stringham said. “When we engage in the arts, we’re not just learning art skills. We are growing as learners and human beings.”
Ogden Nature Center Education Director Sarah Lambson said the partnership helps merge science education with artistic expression, strengthening understanding of local ecosystems.
“This project is incredibly valuable to the Ogden Nature Center because we focus very heavily on science education,” Lambson said. “Our hope is to create a space that is safe for our wildlife, but also beautiful and educational for the people who are visiting.”
For Snow Horse students, the project built a sense of pride.
“Nothing is more exciting than when a child owns a piece of art and they say, ‘I made that panel,’” Executive Director of the Ogden Nature Center Laura Hayes Western said. “They own that learning experience, and the legacy continues.”
The project reflects Snow Horse Elementary’s broader commitment to character, culture and community. Through real-world experiences like this, students learn that their ideas matter and their efforts can make a difference.
“I mean, these are our future,” Stringham said. “Having our fourth graders learn now that they can do things to make the world better—and do it through art—that’s the best.”
The completed panels will be installed at the Ogden Nature Center, 966 W. 12th St. in Ogden.