Worry and hope at the wool market.

When you are worrying about something, or when you are angry, art activities can help you to feel better. This is the experience of students returning after Hurricane Katrina to the Woolmarket School in Biloxi, Mississippi.

They started their art activities with doodling. Then they animated the doodle with eyes and limbs. This funny looking creature would be called "Worry." Each child could introduce his "Worry" to the group. It would tell where it lived (under the bed), when it was most active (deep at night), and what the "Worry" worries about. When the students shared their worry with others, it helped them feel better.

Do you also have a Worry and what does your Worry look like? Do you want to draw or paint it? You can start to use shapes, lines or certain colors for your Worry. Does it have a certain shape? When is it most active?

What makes your "Worry" feel better? Special colors or things ... You can draw this around the Worry to help it feel better.

The second week brought a change of emotion. Some students became upset and angry. Upset because their mothers were crying and their dads were yelling. Angry because their homes had been destroyed or because they had to share a home with others. This was the moment to write a letter to "Katrina."

As soon as they were instructed to say and write down whatever they wanted to tell "her," they were really excited about this activity. After finishing the writing, they could illustrate their letters and "Katrina" emerged as a very ugly person in all shapes and sizes. They read their letters to the class and had a good laugh. "Katrina" looked awful.

A week or so later, an earthquake devastated many towns and hamlets in northern Pakistan. The students decided to give encouragement and hope to the affected children through their art. They painted pictures to send to hospitals and shelters in Pakistan.