Tara, we painted the plywood boards in the classroom, then the maintenance guy put them up outside the gate. We have painted 2 x 4s to make a frame, I just need to call and set a date with maintenance guy.
The first three are totally designed by students - the first was designed by one student; the second was a collaboration of three students, then drawn by the student who designed #1; third mural was a collaboration of all my students that year (the idea came from one student, and each individual student added their own best animal or vehicle or building).
#4 is the only one I designed - and most of the fish and sea creatures were made by students. I glued them on boards, then used small tile to create the backgrounds. Students made their own and took them home; I made ten (with students doing some of the background) and then my classes worked on putting the panels up on the wall, as well as adding the border. I did all the grouting, during lunch periods, with the grout left over from my morning classes.