Valentine Crafts for Catholics, Orthodox, Byzantine: Mosaics

Coming back to school in January after holiday can be pretty dreary especially when the weather is wet and cold and the days are shorter. It's difficult to keep educational momentum, whether in public, Catholic or home school. Start the New year off with an engaging, interactive unit: mosaics. Perfect for Valentine's Day, too! Robert Sabuda's book "Saint Valentine" shown left, uses mosaics in the lovely illustrations. Teach mosaics to all ages and across the curriculum. Mosaics are an art form in which murals are made using tiny tiles or pieces of paper cut in geometric shapes to create a picture. Mosaics are Persian in origin and are often seen in Turkey, Iran and Iraq. Byzantine and Orthodox traditions use mosaics. Here are lesson plans.  Social Studies, Math, Art and Valentine's Day Unit: Mosaics