We are very proud to have been part of Creative Partnerships.
In the Spring term 2009, we joined colleagues in 9 other BCT schools to apply to be part of Creative Partnerships. Our bid was successful and our project began in January 2010.
Years 4 and 5 have finished working with our three artists. Class ST will work with Nicola soon. Our enquiry question relates to using opportunities beyond the classroom to support learning and application of skills in mathematics.
The 3 activities were: making sculture from 3D shapes, bird sculptures and measuring and cooking to produce beetroot and chocolate brownies.
Making Sculptures
The children worked with Nicola to think about 3D shapes and nets. They considered 3D shapes in the world around them. They learnt how to make different 3D shapes and techniques that could be used to join shapes together. They then used their creative ideas and talents to combine the shapes together to make different sculptues. Children in Class ST (Foundation Stage/ Year 1) also worked with Nicola to make sculptures from 2D shapes. They used a cut and slot technique.
Bird Sculptures
The children learnt how Lucy used maths to measure on her farm. They used strides and feet to measure the playground, applying estimation and rounding skills. They found the average (mode, median and mean) from everybody's results. They then made bird sculptures from willow and carrier bags, making shapes and choosing colours to produce their own design. These will be used to enhance out outdoor environment.
Cooking
With Annie, the children looked at how beetroots were all different shapes and sizes and talked about ways to measure it. They used the
beetroot as a unit to find the perimeter of shapes on the playground before using the beetroot to draw 3D shapes as 2D. The children then made chocolate and beetroot brownies, measuring out their own ingredients, and think creatively with food.
Here are some photographs:
Creative Patnerships
Some More Activities
Parents and children were asked to evaluate the project by completing a survey. Some children, artists and teachers also worked with our agent to help evaluate the project and talk about the children's work.
Some comments made by the children were:
'I really enjoyed working with the artists.'
'I never knew I was that artistic.'
Some comments made by parents were:
'My child really enjoyed the project and talked a lot about the activities when he got home.'
Some comments made by the teachers were:
'Not only did the children get to learn some exciting techniques, they also got to meet real life artists and find out a little more about their occupation.'
All classes will benefit from the work with the artists as the children in Years 4 and 5 will be share ideas and teach techniques across the school.
Through our work with Creative Partnerships, our school became an associate school with the Royal Opera House. Some of Year 6 visited the Royal Opera House in London to watch the ballet: La fille Mal Gardee. They all agreed it was an amazing experience.
Families may like to sign up with the Royal Opera House for special families performances. See the ROH website or our newsletter on Friday 12th March for further information.