"Weight of the World"
Provided by: Sea Walls|Published on: January 23, 2023|Last updated: September 26, 2026
Grades: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Type: Artwork
Subjects: Biology, Visual and Performing Arts
Authors: Sea Walls
Location: Earth, North America, North America > United States, North America > United States > California
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This environmental mural by Abi Mustapha, located in Santa Cruz, portrays a whale with an oil refinery on its back, highlighting the ways in which our actions on land impact the oceans and everything that lives there.
- This mural is part of a series of public artworks that draw attention to marine environmental issues.
Teaching Materials
Positives
- This resource includes an artist statement with more information about the background of the artwork, the colors used, and photographs of the artist creating the mural.
- The image may inspire students and connect with their passion for animals or the environment.
Prerequisites
- It may help to locate Santa Cruz on the map in the "Finding this Mural" section, and provide background information on whales in the Santa Cruz area.
- It is important for students to know what an oil refinery is and about the environmental impacts of the oil industry.
Differentiation & Implementation
- This searchable database of photographs showing ocean habitats may help provide background information on these marine habitats and the impact that climate change is having on the plants and animals within them.
- Students may be paired up to select one of the 450+ murals that are a part of the Sea Walls series and can report back to the class on the focus and impact of the chosen mural.
- Put students in groups and ask them to compare artist's methods of addressing environmental issues, also using this mural depicting threatened marine mammals or this watercolor and pencil piece illustrating ocean acidification's impact on marine species.
- Ask students to create their own piece of art depicting the environmental impacts of energy usage, ocean pollution, or their own ideas about conservation.
This website presents a mural on a building in California to bring awareness about "coastal development and climate change" to the community. The mural program is designed to educate and raise public awareness of critical environmental issues through art. This resource would be a great addition to a classroom discussing ocean pollution, conservation, and climate change. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
