“A Cup of Hot Chocolate”: International Art Collaboration

Grace students may live 5,214 miles away from students at the Üsküdar SEV Elementary School
(USEV) in Istanbul, Turkey but they all agree that hot chocolate is one of their favorite drinks!
GEDS and USEV students studied the same artist, Heather Galler and then drew a cup of hot
chocolate inspired by her unique and colorful patterned style.
Grace students learned that hot chocolate served in Turkey is often made with dark chocolate
slowly dissolved into milk and served with cinnamon, vanilla extract, and nuts. USEV students
learned that hot chocolate served in the US usually has a lighter, sweeter milk chocolate flavor
and is served with marshmallows, whipped cream, cookie sticks, or a chocolate drizzle.
Students were invited to interact with the artwork and the artists by leaving comments. A
Grace student might ask a USEV student, “What are your favorite hot chocolate toppings?” or
write “I like your artwork!”
Creativity is about the recombination of existing ideas, then combining ideas that have not been
connected to produce more new and exciting ideas! It’s very promising to think that a cup of
hot chocolate can connect all of us! To read more about this creative collaboration, click here.