PROJECT TITLE: My Creature Adventure

(Term 2 and Term 3, 2024)

School Name: Jandakot Primary School

Teacher’s Name: Donna Cordina

Year Group: 5/6

Number of students: 28

Creative’s Name: Cyr O’Neill

Creative Practice: Visual art

Main Curriculum Focus:

LITERACY/LITERATURE

Creating Texts – Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative, and persuasive texts choosing and experimenting with text structures, language features, images and digital resources appropriate to purpose and audience.

Cross-curricular Links:

HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCE

Questioning and research, Communicating and Reflecting

THE ARTS

Media arts, Visual arts

Context:

Jandakot Primary School serves the residential locality of Success which is approximately 25 km south of Perth. Jandakot Primary School motto 'Fly High Seek Success'. The school is committed to providing all children with the opportunity and support to achieve their potential and to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes to contribute successfully to a rapidly changing society.

“I can think better when Creative Schools is on. I can think about wacky ideas and do better stuff than I normally do. I feel better about my information report. Nobody else has done an information report like mine. No one could copy it. It came from me.” (Student)

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WHAT WE DID  

Students developed imaginative ‘creature’ life form. Using their character students developed informative and creative texts.

1.Character Creation

   - Students used plant photos, animal images, and human features and were encouraged to think creatively about combining elements.

   - Students cut out various images and arrange them to form their imaginative creature, considering its habitat and abilities. They can name their creature and write a brief description of its characteristics and traits. 

2. Character Development

   - Students developed a backstory for their creature, including its origins, personality traits, and unique abilities.

     o What challenges does it face in its habitat?

     o How does it interact with other creatures?

     o What are its goals or dreams?

3. Diorama Creation

   - Using cardboard and paper students created a 3D representation of their creature's environment.

4. Mask Making

   - Students used cardstock and other craft materials to create a mask that represents their creature.

   - Students explored the paper medium to develop innovative ways to introduce colour and texture to their masks

5. Filming the Interview

   - Students developed a script for a 2-minute informative interview, introducing their creature, describing its habitat, and discussing its life.

6. Filming and Presentation

Using an iPad students worked in pairs to film the interviews wearing their masks.

The interviews were then edited to include their dioramas as background.

“Normal lessons aren’t fun. We write stuff or read a book but Creative Schools you create stuff. We can do things that we don’t usually do in school which makes it more fun. Like we made an imaginative crazy monster and then I put it into my information report. I could make up its wacky diet and talk about its habitat. I usually don’t like writing information reports. Usually we are just given a topic by the teacher and we have to write about it. This Creative Schools way was so different and more fun.” (Student)

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How did we make the curriculum come alive?

Students created their own creatures and narratives. This approach not only nurtured creativity but also encouraged students to explore their thoughts and ideas, leading to a deeper understanding of storytelling and character development.

Writing activities were dispersed with creative ‘making’ activities. The visual representations of character, setting etc.. informed the written text.

This approach sustained students motivation and engaged their enthusiasm for the project.

“Creative Schools has really helped the students be creative and give extra descriptions in their information reports. It’s helped them to have picture in their minds and get the imagery which really brings their writing to life. This is a Year 5/6 split. A cohort of the Year 6’s did Creative Schools last year. They were more familiar with the 5 habits which helped. I’ve seen students really come out of their shell this year. Those who have been reluctant in the past have really shone. Some of the year five boys have really got into it too. We did mind maps around character development. It helped them explore their ideas. They are so engrossed, and everyone is on task. Working with Creative Schools is so good. Cy comes up with ideas and we throw ideas back and forth.” (Teacher)

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How did we make the 5 Habits of Learning come alive?

We developed creative, comprehensive, and hands-on learning content, designed to foster the student’s inquisitive nature and enthusiasm for doing, moving, and making.

When students were implementing the 5 Habits of Learning we were mindful to draw their attention and explain or expand on their understanding. This was done repetitively throughout sessions and interwoven into a very active learning environment.

Warm-ups always related to the main activity. They were conducted in pairs or small groups, were usually physical.

At the end of each session students reflected on the day’s work by choosing one of the Five Habits of Learning to discus in their Reflection Journal. Students then added to a Reflection Galaxy by choosing a coloured paper circle to glue to a galaxy poster, for example- collaboration- purple, persistence- green, etc.

“Cy teachers us a lot of things. She’s an artist and I learn different things from her. With teachers they do things that are more focused on work. Artist are more focused on kids. Artist shows us the work that they make and they help us succeed when we make creative work.” (Student)

“I genuinely love what they have come up with. This year I’ve tried to think more about the habits and connecting it in how I use them in my own practise as an artist. This has helped me to explain how I use the habits in my work to the students when I’m working with them. Donna has been extending the activities. It’s been great to show her how to do this. The boys particularly have been passionate about this process and really owned it.” (Creative Practitioner)

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How did we activate student voice and learner agency?

All outcomes came from within the student’s imagination. Written content was balanced with a visual representation. Both elements were equally as important as they informed each other.

The project culminated in a collection of short 2-minute documentaries created by the students. These were shared with the wider school community through an online platform.

This experience provided the students with a tangible result of their persistence, imagination, inquiry, discipline, and collaboration, which they sustained with enthusiasm throughout the project.

“There is more stuff on the walls like our creatures, our reports and our planets. The creatures helped me give examples and have ideas for the report. I didn’t like doing writing but Creative Schools has been the funest English project.” (Student