How We Express Ourselves 2019-20

Central Idea:

We can express our creativity through the Arts.

Key Concepts:

form, function, perspective

Related Concepts:

self-expression, observation, communication, creativity, interpretation

 

Story #1

Clay

Over the last few weeks, the children have been exploring and using a range of materials to help them express themselves.

We have been talking about feelings and emotions, in an attempt to recognise and deal with big and small emotions. The children listened to many stories about feelings and have created their own books about them.

We used ‘loose parts’ to create different facial expressions we might use to show people how we feel.

It was time to explore different materials, this time the children used black-line marker to draw emotions. They looked at themselves using the iPad camera, making different facial expressions before choosing one to draw. The children drew a silly faces and happy faces.

The children have been developing a relationship with clay through their work in the Atelier. They used clay to recreate some of these emotions. They selected and used tools and materials, following different procedures for specific purposes.

Through these experiences, the children had opportunities to:

  • engage with, and enjoy a variety of visual arts experiences
  • select tools, materials and processes for specific purposes
  • use their imagination and experiences to inform their art making

 

Story #2

The children were inspired by the NIS Secondary School Performance ‘The Little Shop of Horror’. Charlotte, Michelle and Sarah continued to sing the performance songs in class, explaining that the show was very ‘cool’!  

Over the course of the next few days, Michelle created a story about plants that can eat people during one of her bookmaking projects.

She read her book to the class. Observing a carnivorous plant in Ms. Hannah’s classroom had inspired Michelle to create her own picture book.

All these experiences continued to weave together, with the children deciding that they wanted to create their own version of the show, using some of the experiences they have had in their own classroom.

They decided to make a plan.

They decided to call their show School Little Shop.

Here are the groups initial ideas:

They took their plan to Ms. Heidi. Ms. Heidi gave the group some feedback and helped the children think about the different characters, settings and props they would need in order to create the show.

They documented their ideas in a first draft. They decided on what the introduction, middle and end of the story light be. They brainstormed ideas for props.

The children were eager to create their own props using materials they have in the classroom. Felix and Tyson decided that they wanted to create the carnivorous plants with clay. Michelle, Sarah and Charlotte wanted to use card, boxes and other materials available in the Design space.

The two groups worked in teams to create their props.

The Plant

Felix and Tyson decided to use clay to create the insect eating plant.

Tyson “And this one is die. This flower eat him and he die.”

Felix “The plants eat insects to live. Or they will die. They eat it with their mouth. The white ones are the teeth. Look, he opened his mouth! He is ready to eat an insect because he opened his mouth. I am just putting it in and the squishing it because then it standards upwards (describing the process he is using the create the stem for each plant).

Tyson “He is ready to open his mouth. His flower eats butterflies. This flower eats, like to eat bees.”

Felix “Because butterflies are just caterpillars. They are the ones that eat insects not people.”

Next, they painted their designs. They looked carefully at the details as they painted with care and purpose. They cleared and washed up all the materials they had used at the end of their activity. Taking care of the materials and tools we use is an important part of learning.

Yet another group of children went to the Design room to look for materials they can use to create the props. They found a large box, some bottle caps, pool noodles and fabric. They wanted to make a BIG carnivorous plant!!

Sarah and Charlotte went to collect the paints they wanted to use to paint their props, the carnivorous plants.

They chose the colours they needed and started to paint the ‘Mummy Plant’.

They had to work together to carry the resources they needed to their workspace. Teamwork was import!

Charlotte, Sarah and Michelle added the ‘poisonous liquid shoots’ on their plants. They had a nice discussion about where and how would they add the shoots.

-During the process, they realised that the white glue is not sticky enough to paste the plastic lids, so they borrowed a hot glue gun from Ms. Anna Mila and learned how to use it safely.

 

-After attaching the shoots, they decided to make the leaves for the plants with cloth. It was quite hard to cut the fabric, so they tried different kinds of scissors, experimenting with different ways of cutting.

-They cleaned up the space to make sure that the resources they need are clean and organised for when they return to their project later.

Throughout the process, they communicated with each other, used their thinking skills to solve the problems they encountered, practiced their fine motor skills and used their prior knowledge to guide the decisions they had to make with regards to their project.

We are learning how to:

  • engage with, and enjoy a variety of visual arts experiences
  • select tools, materials and processes for specific purposes
  • use their imagination and experiences to inform their art making
  • create artwork in response to a range of stimuli

Stay tuned to learn about what happens next…

 

Story #3

Puppets and Animation

A group of children have been creating their own puppets. They have also been using props to retell or create their own stories.

We watched these stories to learn more about the process of creating stories.

Then, we also watched a puppet show called the very Hungry Caterpillar’.

We had a new app on the iPad that can help us create our own stories. We watched a few examples to learn more about it.

Felix decided to create his own animation by using the iPad app I Can Animate. During the process, Felix chose 4 settings for the different characters, he thought about the sequence of the story beforehand, he explored how to use the tool and figured out how to slow down the animation.

When he finished, he reflected on what he did and made a poster. This could be helpful when he teaches his friends how to make their own animation.

Over the last few weeks, the children have been gathering around the writing table, creating puppets as they talk about their stories and characters.

They were planning their ‘shows’ and wondered who to partner up with to share their stories. They drew their characters, cut them out and pasted them on to popsicle sticks independently.

Through these activities the children develop their self-management skills as they persevere through this process.

Working together in this way helps the children get to know each other. This results in increased social awareness and an ability to work within a community.

When they were done, a few children partnered up and recorded their puppet shows.

Rainbow Puppets and Sunflower Show’ By @N and @F

‘Rainbow Puppets and Sunflower Show’ by Charlotte and Michelle

These puppet shows were presented in English and Mandarin. Through these projects, the children have explored different ways to create, communicate and express their ideas and stories.

Through these experiences, the children had opportunities to:

  • engage with, and enjoy a variety of visual arts experiences
  • select tools, materials and processes for specific purposes
  • use their imagination and experiences to inform their art making

 

Story #4

Community Storytelling with Props

A group of children were gathering the cushions, moving them around the space and propping them up together to create a story.

They all had different ideas on how the cushions should be used, how they need to be organised and who would be in charge of that job.

As they played and told their stories, they had to find ways to work together, share ideas and solve problems.

They laughed, read stories and enjoyed collaborating.

These cushions have been the source of play throughout the week.

Each group took turns to prop them up at different angles, arrange them in cozy corners, as they worked together to create and organize their stories.

Yet another group have been using blocks and small world toys (animals) to tell their stories.

These structures represent different habitats for animals. Each block is placed strategically, each stone serves a purpose and animals are sorted into different spaces, based on the ideas of the group.

Through their play, the children are using their creativity to design and express their ideas and stories through the ARTS.

Children learn how to: 

  • Listen actively and respectfully to others’ ideas and listen to information.
  • Express oneself using words and sentences.
  • Negotiate ideas with peers.
  • Take on pretend roles and situations.
  • Be respectful to others.
  • Play cooperatively in a group: sharing, taking turns, helping.
  • Be aware of own and others’ impact as a member of a learning group.
  • Follow the directions of others.
  • Share responsibility for decision-making.
  • Demonstrate persistence in tasks.
  • Use strategies to problem-solve.

Approaches to Learning (ATL’s)

 

Story #5

Paint snd Painting

Making Decisions and Managing Tasks

How do we create? How do we express our creativity?

We decided to spend some time exploring with paint in the atelier. Using this medium to create and develop ideas was exciting.

The children began by choosing the materials they need from the shelf. They had to make decisions about what they were planning to do and how they would go about completing the task.

@N had to choose the colour tablets she planned to use. She gathered the materials she needed onto a tray and sat down to paint. She painted “Mummy sleeping.”

@C and @M decided to paint on one paper. Sharing the space and a task involves negotiation, communication and teamwork. They chose the colour tablets they planned to use together, two paint brushes and one large paper.

As they worked, they had to decide who was painting first, which parts of the paper each of them would use and what they were going to paint together.

@S was exploring colour as she created new colours using the existing shades.

@S “It is like a rainbow. Because it’s too many colours mixed. LOOK!, Yellow and blue mixed together make green!”

@S “Me and Serena are inside sleeping. And daddy, mummy and aunty sleeping. And grandpa and grandma are sleeping.”

@J “Baby is swim. Baby, baby together play. Sister. Cookies.”

@B washed his brush and changed the colours he was using. He focused on his task and continued to add on stroke after stroke.

@Y was careful about the colours he wanted to use. He wanted to make sure he did not mix the colours. 

He washed his brush carefully each time he changed the colour. When his friends asked him what he was painting, he said it was “A snake.”

@S was exploring with the colour black. He added a touch of brown to see if his initial colour would change. He was curious about the different marks and strokes he can make with the brush. He observed what his friends were doing as he worked with purpose.

When he was done, he proudly informed the others that he had made a painting of “A snake!” He completed his project by signing his name.

@L was using the brush to experiment with paints. He held the paintbrush gently as he worked. At the end, he signed his name on the paper.

Next, @L cleaned up the space he worked at. He washed brushes, paint pots and cleaned the table.  

When the children finished painting, they all cleared out the spaces they worked at. They washed the tools they used and put them back in the spaces where they belong. They wiped the tables and cleaned the paint splatter off the sinks, floor and other surfaces. Taking care of the materials in a respectful way is important. Managing these tasks independently helps the children develop a strong sense of learning and purpose.

 

Paper as a Tool to Express Creativity

The children have continued to gather at the writing table. They enjoy creating with paper, making computers, ID cards and packages. While working at this space, the children talk to each other about their ideas. They negotiate and share the materials, taking turns to use the resources with purpose.

Approaches to Learning (ATL’s)

  • express oneself using words and sentences.
  • participate in conversations.
  • use mark-marking to convey meaning.
  • be respectful to others.
  • be aware of own and others’ impact as a member of a learning group.
  • choose and complete tasks independently.
  • share responsibility for decision-making.
  • demonstrate persistence in tasks.
  • use strategies to problem-solve.
  • engage with, and enjoy a variety of visual arts experiences.
  • select tools, materials and processes for specific purposes.
  • use their imagination and experiences to inform their art making.

 

Story #6

The Three Little Pigs

The children were preparing to help retell a familiar story. Each child had a role to play in telling the story. Some played the characters and others helped with the setting. The teacher narrated the story with the children joining in the repeated refrains.

We read the story ‘The Three Little Pigs‘.

Once upon a time…

The children listened carefully the story. They had to remember when they needed to take the stage. They helped each other as they laughed and recited the story. 

The setting or the background changed frequently. It had to match the story as it is narrated. 

The performers needed to go back and forth, the space had to be shared and the audience needed to practice good listening. 

After the performance concluded, the children continued to play with the story props, creating their own versions of the story ‘The Three Little Pigs’. We noticed that they used their preferred language to crate stories, sharing their creativity in multiple ways with varied groups.  

We are learning how to:

  • participate in shared reading, posing and responding to questions and joining in the refrains
  • respond actively to read aloud situations; make predictions, anticipate possible outcomes
  • retell familiar stories

 

Story #7

Creating with Paper

The children gathered around Ms. Ai to create boats using paper from the recycled box. They were curious and wanted to see how pieces of paper can be turned into something new and exciting.

Some children created musical instruments using different types of paper.

A Piano

They made maps, iPhones, games and money using paper and card.

A computer with lots of buttons.

Learning Outcomes:

  • engage with, and enjoy a variety of visual arts experiences.
  • use their imagination and experiences to inform their art making.
  • create artwork in response to a range of stimuli.

Story #8

Exploring with Paper

Noticing the children’s interest in paper, Ms. Tina decided to share some examples of paper art . The children then sorted out different paper to use in their creations. 

Ms. Tina introduced the children to ‘Haha’.

  • Teacher “What is an art gallery?

The children wondered…

  • Teacher “It is a place with a lot of art.”
  • Sebastian “Toys?”
  • Teacher “It could be.”

The children talked about what people might do while they look at the different displays.

  • Teacher “Can we be loud in the art gallery?”
  • Children “No we have to be quiet.”

Haha went to an art gallery over the weekend. Children from a different school have created lots of wonderful pieces of art using different types of paper. He shared what he had seen there.

The children shared their thinking as they looked at the different pictures.

  • Charlotte “A floating city!”

  • Charlotte “It’s a bird house.”

  • Bruce “A monster house.” Sebastian agreed.
  • Yoochan “like toilet (shape of the toilet).”

  • Yoochan “Cakes!”
  • Sarah “It’s signs. Something you can’t do.”

  • Charlotte ‘Like candies.”

  • Yoochan “Like Television.”

  • Charlotte “Like zombies.”

In the morning the children had collected a range of different pieces of paper.

These papers needed to be sorted so that we can use them to create.

What should we remember when we are sorting the paper?

How should we hold the paper?

Ms. Tina made a long line of paper.

She laid out 7 trays to help us sort. Charlotte suggested that we sort the paper by colour. Everyone agreed.

While sorting the paper the children thought of other rules for their sort. They noticed that some of the paper was thicker. Some had patterns and different textures. They worked in groups to sort and collect 6 trays of paper. Each group shared their rule for the sort.

Bruce, Leming and Yoochan had sorted the paper into two trays. Although both trays had white paper, one tray had ‘PAPER WITHOUT LINES’ and the other had ‘PAPER WITH LINES’.

Michelle and Charlotte explained that their sorts were by the thickness of the paper.

We wondered…

How should we sort the paper if we wanted to be able choose the paper without difficulty?

Michelle decided that it would be better to add the white papers on their tray into the trays that had ‘PAPER WITHOUT LINES’ and ‘PAPER WITH LINES’.

The children then needed to decide where these papers will be stored. They suggested the shelves by the table.

Sarah, Charlotte and Michelle created labels for the trays.

We wonder what we might create with this paper…

How might we express our creativity with paper?

Watch this space!

 

Story #9

The Story of Paper

Ms. Anna Mila used a video to show the children the process of how paper is made. The children asked to watch the video repeatedly, asking insightful questions about the trees. They made great observations about the paper making process.

After we watched the video and read some books about how paper is made/recycled, we went into the atelier to make paper.

First, the children needed to rip up scraps of previously used paper.

Then, they needed to add lots of water.  

Then, they needed to blend the paper into a pulp.

Next, it was poured into a bin with water that had a screen in it. The children needed to pour the pulp into all corners, covering the whole screen as evenly as possible.  

This part of the work took great concentration and strength.

Sometimes the children noticed that they needed to add more paper scraps.

After the paper was poured, the screen needed to be lifted up carefully and then placed on a drying rack so that the pulp can dry, creating paper.

When the paper pulp on the mesh had dried, the children carefully lifted it off the drying racks. They were excited to see their own paper!

They sat around the tables with their own sheet of recycled paper and paints, excited to the create yet a new piece of art.

We wonder, what other materials and objects can we recycle?

Concepts: change, purpose, responsibility, creativity, connection, conservation, causation, changes of state, production.  

Learning Outcomes:

  • select tools, materials and processes for specific purposes.
  • understand the impact of simple actions on their immediate environment
  • understand that resources are necessary to meet the needs of living things
  • develop enthusiasm and respect for nature and Earth
  • develop care and concern for Earth and its environment

Approaches to Learning (ATL’s)

  • listen actively and respectfully to others’ ideas and listen to information.
  • ask for clarifications.
  • interpret visual, audio and oral communication: recognizing and creating signs, interpreting and using symbols and sounds.
  • express oneself using words and sentences.
  • participate in conversations.
  • be aware of own and others’ impact as a member of a learning group.
  • follow the directions of others.
  • demonstrate persistence in tasks.

 

Story #10

The Brick House

We have been listening to the story The Three Little Pigs.

Leming approached the table that had bricks and wooden strips.

He began to create with the material. Leming noticed that each time he placed a piece of green wood across the two ends, it would fall inwards.

He decided to use bricks as a base, to hold up the falling wooden beams. He was able to solve this problem through experimentation. He explained that he was creating a house for a pig.

He gently placed the wooden beams, careful with his movements.

The last piece.

We wonder what Leming is thinking as he creates. What is his plan?

Leming explains that he has made the brick house, pointing to the props and the story we read. The pig is in the brick house and the green section is the fireplace.

We noticed how Leming has been thinking about the different houses as he built his own. He understood that the brick house had different spaces that were part of the story.

Leming is sharing his creativity through the use of props and stories.

Learning Outcomes:

  • use imagination and original ideas to create
  • explore and retell familiar stories dramatically
  • select tools, materials and processes for specific purposes

 

Story #11

Chinese New Year

Different grades have shared a collection of artwork for Chinese New Year. We went on a walk to explore the artwork. There were lanterns…

…portraits of children in Traditional Chinese festive clothes…

…paper cuttings…

…books and decorations.

We wonder if we can create our own Chinese New Year artwork…

How might WE be inspired to share of creativity?

Ms. Cherry read The Story of NIAN to the children.

We watched the story of Nian too.

The children were inspired by the story and created their own dragons. They explored shadow puppetry using their own creations. Some children were happy to colour copied pictures while others designed their own dragons. They coloured in the pictures carefully and used scissors, markers and sticky tape to create these pieces of art.

https://twitter.com/shemogani/status/1219554766403051521

Happy Year of the RAT

Through these experiences we are learning:

  • that Chinese New Year is as an important Chinese celebration
  • how rituals and traditions contribute to own and others’ cultural identity

  • to collaborate and be open-minded
  • to value diversity

 

Story #12

The Board Game

@S created a game using stones from the ‘loose parts’ collection.

Next, she decided to make a chess board game. @S began by making a big square, including lines for playing the game.

She made triangles and circles that represent the two teams.

Then, she made poster to inform others about the ‘rules of the game’ and instructions on how to play the game.

@S “The paper around the game is because we don’t want the pieces to go outside.”

Before sharing the game, @S said “We have to test before we really played.” So she played the game with Ms. Tina and created a video to show her friends how to play the game.

The Instructions:

Step 1: Put the two circles here.

Step 2: Put the triangles here.

Step 3: Put the two black circles here.

Step 4: The people don’t want to go outside so we need this paper here.

Step 5: If he goes outside he cannot go inside.

@S played the game with Ms. Jiao.

Through her creative design, @S:

  • used discussion and play to generate new ideas and investigations.
  • interpreted visual, audio and oral communication: recognizing and creating signs, interpreting and using symbols and sounds.
  • expressed herself using words and sentences.
  • understood that mark-making carries meaning.
  • used mark-marking to convey meaning.
  • chose and completed the task independently.
  • demonstrated persistence in her task.