PROJECT TITLE:  

Term 2 - Nature Shapeshifters

Term 3 New economies through game and design

(Term 2 and Term 3, 2024)

School Name: Nannup District High School

Teacher’s Name: Leanne Wagner

Year Group: 4/5/6

Number of students: 23

Creative’s Name:  Stuart McMillan

Creative Practice(s) Multidisciplinary Artist

Main Curriculum Focus: Biology & Economics

Cross-curricular Links: Environmental Science, Biology, Digital Media, Technology, Design, Visual Art, English, Maths

TERM 2 - Biology - Evolution, Adaptation and Environment Change.

TERM 3 - HAS Economics - Understanding Economics and Business - Local/Global Industry, resources, capital and environmental sustainability.  

Context: Nannup District High School is a Southwest regional school catering to students from kindergarten to Year 10. With a smaller cohort than neighbouring towns, it seemed a close knit bond between staff and students. Sensing time scarcity was common for teachers and fulfilling the constant pressure to deliver curriculum, I feel the interest and intrigue that Creative Schools sparked in both teachers and students was positive. The energy and vibrancy of the grade 4/5/6 was definitely upbeat upon my arrival for the Creative Schools Program.

WHAT WE DID  

Term 2

Plant & Animal Life Cycles, Adaption - Nature Shapeshifters

Getting creative in ways where we discover, share and learn about life cycles, and adaptations of animals in changing environments. Exploring how living things grow, survive and interact within their environment.

Students investigated the local school's environmental ecosystem, looking at flora and fauna. Through a series of different activities each week students studied the way animals and plants interacted. Students experimented with digital photography, printmaking, drawing, writing and digital AI assisted design to discover and explore life cycles, evolution and environmental shifts.

Over the course of the term, students used this knowledge to create and develop their own newly adapted animal, which also had to evolve to environmental changes. This led students down the path of evolution and adaptation to ever changing environments, finally culminating in using AI design to help create completely weird and wonderful creatures, from hybrid sharks/tigers, to winged bears, and gilled cats.

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Term 3

Through gameplay and curiosity, how do we better understand economics for future sustainable development?

Discovery and exploration of what resources are, define needs and wants, and what finite resources mean in terms of the future of economy, sustainability and production.

Over the course of Term 3, students researched, played and designed interactive games that elevated connection to where materials, resources and products come from. This discovery journey included treasure hunts, music rap battles, board game design, and written and physical challenges within the class activities and warm ups.

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How did we make the curriculum come alive?

Blending warm ups that would feed into weekly activities, allowing time/space for students to guide the process of learning and discovery. This included activities such as ball games, physical challenges and team building exercises, which activated students’ imagination and self confidence,

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

Students created a large 5 Habits tree, which was added to with leaves of learning.

Actively asking students after each warm-up what 5 habits we explored,  the challenges and the discoveries.

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How did we activate student voice and learner agency?

With a flexible approach when asking students to develop or create concepts/designs for many of the class activities. A great example of this was watching students brainstorm their creatures and adaptations to new environments in biology, students shared ideas with fellow classmates, working on what may or may not work so well in different circumstances.

WHAT WAS THE IMPACT?

Students:  It was clear there was greater comradery between students, and there was higher student engagement and class participation in lessons and learning. Also with the warm ups and outdoor activities self confidence developed, team building and general joy levels in students tended to be higher. Students had a much more creative approach to problem solving and ideas conception and boosted each other's confidence in this process.

Teacher: Having the support and collaborative approach, I felt Leanne was uplifted, excited and on board to develop a more creative approach to teaching curriculum. Bond to students was already good, however, I feel it felt stronger as the program went on

Creative: Working as a collaborative team with teacher and EA staff, gaining greater empathy and understanding of different learning modalities for students. Overall understanding of curriculum and teaching.  

School: The program seemed to invigorate the whole staff cohort, with a sense of curiosity and intrigue about the CS program. Seeing how it positively impacted students, school morale and general excitement around learning was heart filling.

Parents: A small group of parents did come through for the showcase of work however it was run during normal work hours so not many attended.